LOS ANGELES, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heist, a Thinkingbox company known for pushing the boundaries of brand storytelling through animation, motion, and live-action, today announced a significant expansion with key creative and production hires from The Mill. The move includes the opening of a new Chicago office to support the continued growth of The Heist and its parent company, Thinkingbox.Leading the expansion is Patrick Coleman, who joins The Heist as Executive Creative Director. Patrick brings an award-winning portfolio and a team of long-time collaborators from The Mill, marking one of the most significant team transitions in the design and animation space in recent years. He will oversee creative operations across North America, with a primary base in Chicago."I'm beyond excited to join the Heist family," said Coleman. "It's an incredible opportunity to bring along so many talented friends to strengthen an already thriving studio and help elevate it even further. The creativity, warmth, and 'can-do' attitude truly resonate with me—I'm thrilled to see what we do together!"Also joining from The Mill are Blake Nickle, now Director of Production, Chicago, and Jason Esser, Creative Director at Thinkingbox

To bring more of an AI-first mindset to the role, Clark joins from Thinkingbox, where she worked for nearly a decade, serving as managing partner, focusing on operations and production.