NEW YORK, USA — Ryan Dunn, an industry veteran with over two decades of experience at renowned names like Charlex, Digital Kitchen, and Nike Brand Design, is charting his own course with the launch of Dunnwell: a multidisciplinary studio set to redefine brand storytelling.
With headquarters in Chicago and an operational hub in New York City, Dunnwell embraces a global outlook, blending cutting-edge creativity with a sharp strategic vision. More than just a studio, Dunnwell is a collective of top-tier talent, assembled to craft compelling narratives that transcend mediums and industries.
The studio launches with an all-star roster of internationally acclaimed directors and artists, spanning commercials, TV, film, digital experiences, and branded storytelling. From CG animation and motion graphics to stop-motion, live-action, and immersive media, Dunnwell is a playground for creative experimentation, championing a story-first approach that puts style in service of substance.
Dunn honed his craft in design, motion graphics, and animation at studios like Blind and Digital Kitchen before moving to Nike as an Art Director in Brand Design. After years leading creative at Vitamin Pictures, Ladies & Gentlemen, and Charlex, Dunn recognized the time was right to open his own operation. “It became clear that building my own studio was the best way to take my work, vision, and ambition to the next level. The industry is changing rapidly, and I want to be part of this new frontier and all the potential it holds for new ways of telling brand and character stories.”
Dunnwell’s diverse offerings require a strong focus on production strategy. “Every job is unique in its needs,” Dunn continues, “and we’re positioned like a team of ninjas who can deploy a full CG pipeline for one client and a live-action-meets-cel-animation production for the next. It takes strong direction and creative vision to move between mediums, but at Dunnwell, we put stories and ideas ahead of technique—so the further into any given collaboration we journey, the more confident we can be in delivering something great, regardless of the tools used.”
From Chicago to Paris, Berlin to Tokyo, with stops in Belfast, Los Angeles, Brussels, and New York, Dunnwell’s team reflects a truly global reach. The highly established roster includes, among others: illustration extraordinaire and character designer Bruno Mangyoku; high-end visual effects artist Danil Krivoruchko (AKA Myshli); blockbuster film character designer Max Kostenko; world-class creative director and graphic designer Sebastian Onufszak; CG directing maestro Paul McMahon (AKA The Rusted Pixel); five-quadrant and animation director Anne Calandre; and sculptor, fabricator, and stop-motion animator Taili Wu (AKA Monster Shaper), who has worked with Dunn for over a decade since his Charlex days.
