We are thrilled to welcome Carlton Evans as Director of Production to the West team. 

A visionary film festival founder, curator, and entrepreneur, Carlton brings nearly two decades of creative production experience for a range of clients including Cisco, Facebook, Oakland Museum of California, and Mountain Hardwear to our studio. As we continue expanding our creative capabilities in pursuit of building impactful brands, Carlton’s extensive experience leading multi-faceted teams in producing films, animations, websites, and other creative and marketing assets is already impacting our studio work. In his short time at West, he has already jumped in on a range of projects from website development to video reel productions with studio and portfolio companies. Tackling the complexities required to translate a vision, feeling, and message into a digestible experience for the viewer is where he shines.  

 “What particularly excites me about the opportunity at West is bringing my passion for film and animation to our creative capabilities. I’m thrilled to be providing assets to our clients that can help move audiences to action, potentially making all the difference for their businesses.”

An independent producer, Carlton’s documentary and narrative productions have screened at notable festivals worldwide including Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Palm Springs, and Rotterdam. He holds a PhD in Art History and Film Theory from Stanford University and co-founded the Disposable Film Festival in 2007, which celebrates innovation in new media filmmaking internationally. At West, we are brand builders to our core. Defining and communicating a brand’s purpose is critical to our work, and Carlton’s collective talents will further amplify the stories we seek to tell.  

“I’m also very inspired by the venture studio model, which I believe makes so much sense, and establishes a deep alignment that can’t exist in traditional creative agencies. That alignment isn’t solely between agency and client, which of course is fundamental, but within West itself. It reduces tensions that can exist between strategy and creative in other contexts and creates a true partnership between our team and the companies in our studio.”

When not in the studio, Carlton lives in Berkeley with his wife Emi, and three-year-old daughter Karina. A voracious record collector, he’s enjoyed watching his daughter’s music tastes evolve and recently switched up his electric guitar for an acoustic, which is much better suited for picking out and playing Karina’s favorites. You can find Carlton over on IG @Carltone.