Valerio Ventura was born and raised a few blocks away from Cinecitta' Studios in Rome, Italy where he graduated from the Liceo Artistico Giorgio de Chirico. At the art school, he was classically trained in sculpting, painting and drawing, and by the age of twenty-one Ventura had been published six times producing more than 2,800 illustrations for the publishing company, Enitalia, working directly with editor in chief and renown writer Costanzo D’Agostino.

In 1981, Ventura moved to California and started his professional career as a designer working in the film and television industry.  By the mid-80's Ventura was working as a writer and conceptual designer in the development aspect of feature films and TV shows.

From 1991 to 1994 Ventura art directed the award winning TV series, Happily Ever After: fairy tales for every child (with his wife and partner Gay Lawrence,) for HBO, and production designed the Turner Pictures feature film The Pagemaster, starring Macaulay Culkin, directed by Maurice Hunt and Joe Johnston.  Additionally, he has worked in the creative development of features such as Hercules, Mulan and The Emperor’s New Groove for the Walt Disney Co. to name a few --- and Family Dog, with Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg, for Universal Studios.

In 1996, Walt Disney Television Animation (WDTVA) slated Ventura (with his wife and partner Gay Lawrence) to supervise the development of four projects working under the direct leadership of former Academy of Television Arts and Science president, Dean Valentine. By the year 1997 Ventura was published eight times, including "The Art of Walt Disney" Abrahams

As a photographer Ventura has photographed many celebrities, including; Mario Andretti, Gregory Hines, Billy Idol, Mat Hoffman, Anthony Edwards, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Paul Newman.

In 2000 Ventura founded, Kontrast Films, a client-direct creative and commercial production company, located in Burbank, CA.  At Kontrast, Ventura, directed over a dozen multi-award winning television commercials for clients such as; Fed-Ex/C.A.R.T., Simple Green, the Dept. of Transportation and FORD.
At Kontrast Films Ventura co-wrote and directed two national PSA’s for Fuel International and blockbuster movie producer Jonathan Shestack (“Air Force One”, “Dan in Real Life”), featuring actor Anthony Edwards (“E.R.”), for Cure Autism Now Foundation and the MARC USA agency. That same year Ventura produced and directed a series of spots for Best Buy's ART OF THE APPLIANCE 2003 campaign, which featured BMX champion Mat Hoffman, legendary racecar driver Mario Andretti, and rock star Billy Idol.

Ventura’s awards include the prestigious Platinum award at the 34th and 35th WORLDFEST-HOUSTON International Film Festival in Houston, TX for two of his TV spots.

Recently, Ventura directed and produced two music videos for upcoming music sensation Ms.Triniti, and just wrapped up post-production on the 5th action-packed documentary for Firestone and Bridgestone recapping the year in motorsport including the legendary Indianapolis 500 race.

In 2007 Ventura has wrapped up two seasons as supervising art director for Cartoon Network Studios on the Emmy award winning TV series “Class of 3000”, and recently directed the animated music video “Turn of the Century” for CNS featuring the voice and musical talent of André Benjamin (André 3000, Outkast.)

Ventura is a fine art painter and his current show, MICKEYANIC, is showing at the Walt Disney Consumer Product building in Glendale, California.

Ventura has just completed Winter, a live-action short film which premiered in December 2008 at the closing night of the Zero Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA. The film is making the European premiere next August at the 2009 Epizephiry International Film Festival in Sant’Ilario dello Jonio, Italy. This month Winter picked up its first award at the 2009 WorldFest Houston International Film Festival.

Ventura lives in South Pasadena, California.

VENTURA EXIT
1107 Fair Oaks Avenue #164
South Pasadena CA 91030 USA

http://www.venturaexitart.com
http://www.v2-films.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/valerioventura
http://www.v2photography.blogspot.com
http://www.valerioventura.blogspot.com