About Us

With over 15 years in the Visual Effects industry, Alana has seamlessly transitioned from artist to executive leadership. From her early days as a compositor in LA to a decade-long stint in Australia, progressing from comp lead to production & operations management, her focus has consistently centered on enhancing the artist and client experience. Motivated by a desire to create better work environments, Alana made a strategic move into the business side, leveraging an MBA to sharpen her acumen. Returning state-side, she assumed the role of COO at Crafty Apes and, after three impactful years, confidently stepped into the CEO position during a pivotal moment in Crafty’s and the industry’s history. Alana finds balance through artistic pursuits, indulging in oil painting and various crafts. Her passion extends to the intellectual challenge of competitive games, especially chess and strategic board games, often engaging in spirited matches with her husband.

Matt Akey has been in the Hollywood community, producing visual effects, animation and live action content for over 20 years. He is an ardent fan of bullet points:

• Works as a VFX Executive Producer, supporting our many teams internationally. VFX Produces a bit, marketing, PR… et. al.
• Caretakes three (3) Akey Jr’s and a Coonhound / Staffordshire Terrier mix
• Was nicknamed the “Mad Bomber“ in high school for his baseline fadeaway 3-pointer.
• Culinary choices – Alaskan Halibut, Montepulciano Chianti, Fried Artichoke Heart and Vanilla Bean Crème brûlée.
• Community theater director, reclaimed wood connoisseur and Steve Nash fan.
• Watches: Braveheart, Shawshank, Amelie, Heat, Friday Night Lights
• Listens: Hamilton (Broadway Recording), U2, Debussy, Lecrae
• The ones he enjoyed working on the most: Man of Steel, Just Mercy and Hugo

Leo Dencik is a finance leader focused on scaling high-growth organizations with discipline and long-term sustainability. He began his career supporting fast-paced, data-driven companies, including CPO Commerce, Sonic Electronix, and India Hicks, where he led financial planning, operational efficiency, and growth initiatives through periods of expansion. These experiences shaped his strategic approach to building organizations that are both high-performing and resilient.

At Crafty Apes, Leo oversees global finance and plays a key role in guiding the company’s continued growth across its international studio network. Partnering closely with executive leadership, he helps ensure the business remains agile and well-positioned in an evolving entertainment landscape—balancing financial rigor with a deep respect for the creative process.
Based in Los Angeles, Leo enjoys playing tennis and cooking, and is embracing life as an empty nester. He brings a thoughtful, steady perspective to both his work and life outside of it.

Hubert Maston is Chief Innovation Officer at Crafty Apes, where he leads the company’s global strategy across pipeline, technology, and next-generation visual effects.

With more than two decades of experience in high-end VFX and animation, Hubert has held senior leadership and supervisory roles at world-class studios including MPC and Framestore. His work spans major feature films and episodic projects such as Dumbo, Mulan, Aquaman 2, Alien: Covenant, Thor: Ragnarok, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Game of Thrones, reflecting a career rooted in both creative excellence and technical innovation.

Based in Montreal, Hubert partners closely with Alana Newell and the broader leadership team to evolve workflows, advance CG capabilities, and integrate emerging technologies across Crafty’s global studio network. Known for his ability to connect artistry with engineering, he leads research and development efforts and enhances production pipelines to support teams at scale—ensuring Crafty continues to deliver high-quality work while adapting to an ever-evolving industry.

Bulgarian born and raised, Petar’s fascination with technology and storytelling led him to the world of visual effects, where he has built a career blending artistry with innovation. Now serving as VFX Supervisor and Head of Machine Learning at Crafty Apes, Petar’s credits include Unstoppable, Karate Kid: Legends, Creed III, Little Women, and Star Trek, among others. Known for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen, he brings both technical expertise and creative vision to every project he leads. Outside the studio, Petar enjoys traveling with his family and exploring photography.

Dave is a highly regarded Senior Visual Effects Supervisor with a 25-year career and credits on over 40 features.

The Australian native got his start as a Flame Artist, advancing as a Compositor for a decade before co-founding Fuel VFX in Sydney, Australia. He spent more than 12 years at the studio building its reputation for excellence and leading teams as a VFX Supervisor on more than a dozen features including Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, Captain America: The First Avenger, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and more. After Fuel was acquired by Animal Logic in 2012, Dave carried on in his role as VFX Supervisor on the film Unbroken.

In 2015 Dave made the move to Vancouver, Canada in order to join Image Engine in the roll of VFX Supervisor on projects such as Point Break, Power Rangers, Thor: Ragnarok, and Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom. After completing those projects, Dave went onto the Lionsgate’s feature Kin as the show’s Overall Production VFX Supervisor.

Dave made the shift to Method studios in 2018 where he delivered over 600 shots on James Mangold’s Ford V. Ferrari for Twentieth Century Fox and The Kitchen for New Line Cinema. Dave finished the year 2020 as the show’s Production VFX Supervisor on Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer’s film Thunder Force, for Netflix.

In January 2021, Dave set off to join Crafty Apes Vancouver as their new Head of Studio and Senior Visual Effects Supervisor.

Dave is a member of the Visual Effects Society and was formerly a Board Member of its Australian chapter.

A native of north Georgia, Bobby’s career path after graduating from UGA seemed to lead one of two ways: writing the next great American novel or becoming the modern version of a Mad Men character. He did neither – lurking around the Atlanta film scene with some friends, he (very fortunately) made the acquaintance of a few brothers from Alaska, and the rest is history. Now a VFX producer at Crafty Apes, his credits include Zombieland: Double Tap, HBO’s Watchmen, and Apple’s Amazing Stories reboot, with numerous upcoming projects as well. When he’s not neck-deep in spreadsheets, Bobby spends his time reading, playing video games, listening to records, and hanging out in dive bars throughout Atlanta.