AICP JUDGES
2025 Roundup
Congratulations to our team for being selected as this year’s AICP Show and AICP Post Show Awards Judges!
The AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the Commercial, was conceived to honor the craft of the commercial, recognizing every aspect of commercial-making. From its inception, the work honored by the AICP Show has been included archives of the Department of Film at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
This year's judges include...
Director of Production, Tyler Locke for Animation
Founder & Director, Will Johnson for Visual Style
The AICP Post Awards honor the best post production work of the year. Artists are recognized for their contributions in specific crafts within the overall categories of Editorial, Audio Mixing, Sound Design, Color Grading, Graphic Design, Visual Effects and Finishing.
This year's judges include...
Managing Executive Producer, Kirsten Noll for Motion Graphics & Design
Head of Production, Nicole Smarsh for Motion Graphics & Design
Catch the full catalog of past winners, including some Scholar gems.
MEET OUR JUDGES
KIRSTEN NOLL
Kirsten Noll is a Los Angeles-based managing executive producer. With a decade of multifaceted experience, she is passionate about design-driven and multidisciplinary narratives. Having received degrees in Motion Media Design and Animation from Savannah College of Art and Design, she has a strong technical understanding of both creative and client needs. Her diverse background in live action, design/animation, and VFX has established a proficiency in all stages of production. An effective communicator and passionate problem solver, she strives to consistently furnish a high level of satisfaction with a record of cultivating new and long-term client relationships. As the media landscape continues to shift, Kirsten seeks to give guidance in the production process while expanding and further developing the Scholar brand.
NICOLE SMARSH
With a BFA majoring in digital media from Otis College of Art and Design and over a decade of experience working in the production industry, Nicole’s has a deep understanding of artists workflows, the use and restraints of many key industry softwares, and general creative thinking, while also having in depth expertise in client relations, budget building, and adaptive production problem solving. A Kansas native, she’s lived in LA for over 15 years and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Some of her other highly refined skills include. Professional Honey Boo Boo impersonator. Amateur giraffe rider. Comfy pant collector. Occasionally NSFW. With cooking and list making topping the list. Luckily, being Head of Production at Scholar encompasses quite a few of these things.
TYLER LOCKE
Tyler grew up in New Jersey with lofty dreams. He made his way to LA with his childhood sweetheart who is now his wife. Together they have two beautiful children and a trusty canine companion, Gus. When not heading production in Los Angeles, he and his family are enjoying their cabin in Lake Arrowhead. Tyler enjoys long walks on the beach, sitting around the fire, a well made sandwich, dogs and not in any particular order. But most of all he likes when the days are short and nights long.
WILL JOHNSON
As an observer of the world and true creator, Will found his calling as a writer/director. He has always had a passion for telling human stories through the lens of design. So in a single two-words, writing/directing is his passion. He finds himself inspired by visuals and aesthetics and incorporates a multitude of techniques to bring his written stories to life. A clever, sharp-witted narrative that seam talent and style together is where he lives his best life.
Over the years he’s been lucky enough to be a founding partner of Scholar’s crew of amazingly talented artists, continuing to run creative at the speed of light. His love for the craft is as epic as the amazing range of hyper-stylized humans who share his same love of creation. Always trying to find new avenues, he’s never settled on the current ‘as-is,’ rather he is always looking for new conversations or perspectives to influence the eyeballs of the millions who look to Scholar to define the aesthetic of our world. His work has been showcased across the globe including LACMA, MOMA, and the Guggenheim and he has won multiple Cannes Gold and Silver Lions, AICP awards alongside One Show and ADC Golds as well. All in all, Will continues to craft stories and collaborate with brands across the globe. One film at a time.