Highly regarded pro will rep Hawk lenses in Asia
Vantage Film, the innovative lensmaker and global equipment rental company, is proud to announce that Paul Ivan, one of the international filmmaking community’s most experienced representatives, will join the Vantage/Hawk team to oversee distribution of Hawk lenses and other products in Asia.
“Paul brings unequalled experience and integrity to Hawk,” says Vantage Co-Founder and CEO Peter Martin. “His nuanced understanding of Asian markets will be a major benefit in this fast-growing segment, where he is knowledgeable and extremely well-connected.”
Paul’s goals will be to make Hawk glass more available, and to liaison directly with filmmaking communities in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and beyond – linking them to Hawk’s European home base.
The bond between Paul and Vantage stretches back almost three decades, to when Paul was head of the sales department at ARRI in Munich and Vantage’s rental business was first blossoming in nearby Weiden. In 2005, Paul moved to Tokyo, and then Hong Kong, spending a total of 15 years serving ARRI in Asia, expanding their operations in the region and eventually overseeing more than a hundred employees. More recently, he has been consulting for a German motion picture lighting manufacturer.
Paul holds a degree in precision engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Munich. He was born in Romania and moved to Germany at age 12, which helped shape his cosmopolitan adaptability – a major asset in international business.
“Living and working in Tokyo, for example, it was crucial for me to learn the Japanese customs, language, management techniques and philosophies,” he says. “Once in Hong Kong, I felt the same way, I wanted to become part of the community. You have to be open and adapt. I feel at home wherever I’m at, and that defines me to some extent.”
In the past few years, the Asian market has evolved quickly. “Of course, there have always been prestige filmmakers like Kurosawa and Ozu, with a fantastic tradition,” says Paul. “But now, you can see growing filmmaking communities in every Asian country developing their own sophistication, confidence and strong vision. Indonesia, for example, has 283 million people who want to watch their own content.
“The beauty and power of the images is becoming more important in the region,” he says. “To me, Hawk lenses are like the brushes of a painter, and today, that is very appealing. For Hawk, being present and making their lenses more widely available makes a lot of sense.”
Factory repairs of Hawk lenses and the supply of spare parts will continue to be handled at the company’s headquarters in Weiden, Germany, where Vantage was founded more than three decades ago.
“I really admire Wolfgang and Peter and what they’ve accomplished – their vision, and the realization of their products, service and quality,” says Paul. “Everything you see at Vantage tells you that they understand the work of film crews, and want to contribute to a reliable and smooth process. Their lenses are highly sought after in Asia, and I know that filmmakers there will greatly appreciate their expanded availability. I'm really looking forward to connecting the creative users in the market with the makers of these precision tools.”
