Lights, Colour, Action: HPA Award Win for Netflix’s Leo

Leo HPA Award for Outstanding Colour Grading

It’s not every day you get to celebrate a prestigious win, and it’s even rarer when you’re buried in the grading theatre working on your next big project. I’m a little late to share the news because I’ve been deep into grading Mortal Kombat 2, but I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve won an HPA Award for my work on the Netflix animated feature, Leo!

Thank You to an Incredible Team!

Leo was a joy to work on, and it wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing team. A heartfelt thank you to Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim, Robert Marianetti, Netflix, and Happy Madison for entrusting me with this wonderful project.

To Sharon Calahan, ASC, your guidance and sharp eye during the grade were invaluable. Thank you for bringing your expertise and helping shape the film’s look so beautifully.

To my stellar team—Ryan Lalonde, Blake Rudkin, Deni C. Gloria, Thomas MacKenzie, Shenyan Liu, Natalie Chu, Pierre Guerin, Iain Northcott, Jessica McHutchison, and Rich Harrison—you were the backbone of this project. This award is as much yours as it is mine.

A huge shoutout to Rodrigo, Geeta, and the lighting and compositing teams at Animal Logic. Your exceptional work made the visuals of Leo truly shine, and it was a privilege to collaborate with you.

Winning the HPA Award for Leo is a special milestone for me. The film was a true labor of love, grading HDR first really made this little film shine. It’s always a reminder that great storytelling on screen is a team effort, and I’m so grateful to have been part of this journey.