Barlow Group

VP of Product Marketing Stephen Peacock and VP of Marketing Eric Schumacher to Lead the Facial Animation Company’s Marketing Efforts

LOS ANGELES, CA – Oct. 14, 2008 – Image Metrics, the leading provider of facial animation solutions for the entertainment industry, continues to expand its executive management team with the appointment of industry veterans Stephen Peacock and Eric Schumacher to the roles of vice president of product marketing, and vice president of marketing, respectively. Peacock and Schumacher will work closely together on industry marketing efforts.

“Adding Stephen’s technical experience and Eric’s marketing expertise to the Image Metrics team will help us build even more momentum as we continue a strong year for growth at Image Metrics,” said Mike Starkenburg, Image Metrics’ chief executive officer.  “Both Stephen and Eric have already become key members of our executive team, serving as key contributors to an ongoing marketing strategy that meets the evolving needs of our industries.”

With 20 years of experience in the computer graphics industry, Stephen Peacock brings a wealth of industry knowledge to his role as VP of product marketing at Image Metrics. Prior to joining Image Metrics he was head of worldwide sales for Emergent Game Technologies and has also worked for industry-leading companies, including NXN Software and Softimage, where he played a part in the Face Robot project. Peacock established a firm technical foundation to his career during his ten years as a CG visualization artist and programmer. In the early days of architectural visualization and the German automotive industry, Stephen designed rapid prototyping tools in collaboration with BMW, Audi and others.

“During my career in the CG industry, I’ve worked with many companies to evaluate their needs and the offerings of the market available to meet those requirements,” said Peacock.  “Through my new role as VP of product marketing, I look forward to drawing on that experience to define the products and services that effectively address the production challenges facing animators today who are working to produce an emotional connection between their CG characters and their audiences.”

VP of Marketing Eric Schumacher has joined the Image Metrics team after serving the company as a consultant since March 2008.  He has worked in the gaming sector of technology marketing for over a decade and contributes an integral combination of marketing guidance and industry-specific counsel that will continue to drive the company’s ongoing success. Prior to his work with Image Metrics, Schumacher was principal at Neology, a privately held boutique-marketing agency focusing on technology companies operating primarily in the entertainment markets. He also served as marketing manager for extended periods of time at Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions and NXN Software (Avid Technology). Schumacher received a B.A. in International Relations from the University of San Diego and earned an MBA in Marketing from Pepperdine University.

Recently, Image Metrics has completed work on a number of high visibility projects, including Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest Gnarls’ Barkley video “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul”, and the trailer for Rock Band 2.  Image Metrics has also debuted a beta program for film studios interested in incorporating the performance transfer portion of its facial animation technology into their internal production pipelines. In addition, the company revealed a photo-real character named “Emily” at the SIGGRAPH 2008 tradeshow that enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acclaim for its success in achieving CG believability. The new marketing team will ensure that Image Metrics continues to build market demand for its high-quality facial animation solutions.