Darren Lutz
President/Creative Director
Balance Studios, Inc. & epicsoft, LLC

Darren brings more than two decades of creative leadership to the Balance team. His insatiable appetite for knowledge and his love for the diversity of humanity are reflected in the nuances and communication of his art. His work is founded on a life's journey that has created professional and personal relationships around the world, continually fueling his leading edge innovation.

Beginning his entrepreneurial career in Charlotte, NC as the sole proprietor of Phantasy Lab Productions, he was the Creative Director / Producer specializing in the conceptualization, story-boarding, and full production of animated commercial spots. It was in 1993 that Darren expanded his animation career by joining John Lemmon Films, a premiere international animation studio producing clay animation, cel animation and stop motion animation for TV commercials, film and interactive CD-ROMs. Clients included Disney, Pacific Bell, and Cartoon Network.

Returning to Green Bay in 1996, Darren began at Heim Productions as the Lead Animator / Modeler and within 2 years advanced to Director of Animation / General Manager. While solidifying the company as a premiere animation and broadcast studio, he tripled the size of the company and garnished dozens of local, regional and national awards for animation/visual fx and broadcast.

On September 11, 2001, Darren partnered with Tina Lutz to launch Balance Studios, Inc. Enduring the most uncertain of times and an economic recession, Balance Studios not only survived while hundreds of media companies were forced to shut their doors, but the company has garnished regional attention by securing national clientele.

In February of 2004, Balance Studios launched epicsoft, LLC, its software and application development subsidiary, which develops proprietary software applications to streamline the creative production process. National and international clients are currently using their first four applications.

In November of 2005 Darren was the recipient of two Unity Awards that were presented by the United Catholic Music & Video Association. The awards were for Music Video Producer of The Year (won by Mel Gibson last year) and Music Video of The Year for “Like A Train”, a music video produced and directed for Ceili Rain-an international Celtic Rock Band. Again in 2006, Darren received Music Video of the year award for Ceili Rain’s “Hallways of Always” music video.

Experience Summary:

• Owner/Creative Director: Believe Animation, LLC - Current
• Owner/President: epicsoft, LLC – Current
• Owner/President/Creative Director: Balance Studios - Current
• General Manager/Director of Animation: Heim Production - 6 years
• Animator/Compositor: John Lemmon Films - 3 years
• General Manager/Graphic Designer- Hightech Signs - 3 years
• Owner/Animator: Phantasy Lab - 2 years

Tina Lutz
Vice President/Producer
Balance Studios, Inc. & epicsoft, LLC

Completely engaged in the defined objectives of her clients, Tina is the anchor who defines the parameters of time and budget by which the creative and business functions of Balance are held. Playing the roles of both Executive Producer and Producer, Tina is responsible for new client relationships, coordination, communications, negotiations, contracts, deliverables, partnerships and schedules for Balance and its clients. She is an accommodating and engaging client relations executive with listening as one of her master skills. Application of what she hears from her clients has resulted in many loyal, life-long relationships…and successful client campaigns.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts: Radio, Television & Film in 1997, Tina moved to Nashville, TN where she began her career in broadcast media at Studio Productions. Working as a production assistant, then production coordinator, on music videos and broadcast commercials with talents such as Alan Jackson, Jim Varney, Suzy Boggus, and Deanna Carter on commercials and country music videos, Tina gained tremendous experience in all aspects of project coordination and management, from talent search and acquisition and coordinating vendors to contracts and budget tracking.

In 1998, Tina returned to Green Bay where she began a career in sales, developing skills in client relations, and business development. Then in 1999, she took the opportunity to combine her media and sales background when hired as the Director of Sales for Heim Productions.

While continuing to train in sales and client relations at Heim Productions, she also began developing her knowledge of animation and technology to gain a well-rounded understanding of the project types requested by clients.

On September 11, 2001, Tina partnered with Darren Lutz to launch Balance Studios, Inc. Enduring the most uncertain of times and an economic recession, Balance Studios not only survived while hundreds of media companies were forced to shut their doors, but has garnished national attention by securing national clients and developing proprietary software applications that streamline and enhance the creative production process.

In February of 2004, Balance Studios launched epicsoft, LLC, its software and application development subsidiary. epicsoft: Advancements for the Business of Creativity, develops proprietary software applications to streamline the creative production process. Currently, national and international clients are using the first four applications.

Experience Summary:

• Owner/Producer: Believe Animation, LLC - Current
• Owner/Vice President: epicsoft, LLC - Current
• Owner/Vice President/Producer: Balance Studios - Current
• Director of Sales/Client Relations: Heim Productions - 3 years
• Inside Sales Professional: JJ Keller & Associates - 1 year
• Production Coordinator: Studio Productions - 1 year