The Cortez Brothers has signed Mexican filmmaker Gaz Alazraki to its commercial roster. His feature debut, "Nosotros los Nobles", has just made its US premiere at the 16th annual Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival after making US$32 million at the Mexican box office. Prior to becoming a film director, Alazraki wrote, produced and directed spots for numerous global brands including CEMEX, Quaker State, Telmex, Jewish Film Festival, and Sorian.

Toronto-based digital production company Jam3 has hired Graham Budd as executive producer charged with focusing on advertising and entertainment clients in the Canadian market. Previously, Budd was director of businessdevelopment at Secret Location, most notably helping bring to life the digital hub for the IFC sketch comedy series, Portlandia. Prior to that, he was director of branded content for Cue Digital Media, helping to drive creative content for clients like Funny or Die, College Humor, TMZ and the UFC. He has also spent time on the agency side, working for shops including Grip Limited, Publicis and Lowe Roche, on clients such as Bud Light, Audi, Rogers Communications and Acura.

Chilean director Cucho Olivares has joined Harpoon Pictures for exclusive representation in the United States. His clients have included Samsung, Nissan, Banco Chile, Colgate Palmolive, Coca-Cola, Nestle, McDonald's, Hyundai, Procter & Gamble, and Suzuki, among others. Currently shooting a spot for Cuprum, a financial services company in Chile, Olivares has also recently completed work for Ripley Deco Javiera and BiceVida Atacama. He has won honors including being a finalist at the Cannes Lions and the New York Film Festival.

East Pleasant has added executive producer Brad Edelstein to its team. Edelstein has worked with agencies Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, VICE, 360i, Martin Agency, Grey, Mullen and Ogilvy & Mather on spots for HBO, AT&T, Starbucks, Lenovo, New Balance, IBM, Coke, and IKEA. He joins East Pleasant after spending a year as head of business development and production at Mohawk Digital and has also worked at Click 3X, simpatico, MacGuffin Films and Final Cut. His work includes a live-action web series for Yahoo!, an experiential event with Intel, a microsite build for Lowe's, and Miller Lite's The Internship campaign, as well as work that won FWAs for Sailor Jerry and GEICO.

New York based post production company Wildchild has hired Melissa Miller as executive producer. Miller has previously worked at Mackenzie Cutler NY, Spine, Berlin Cameron, Fallon NY, Deutsch, Margeotis and BBDO on clients including Snickers, Coca-Cola, FedEx, Sprite, Sprint, Skittles, Old Spice, and Burger King. Her main focus will be in recruiting and developing talent.

Tool has added director Alec Helm to its roster. Helm's work includes the short film "Les Ballets de Faile" for the New York City Ballet, and "Hashtag Killer" and "4 Year Old's Bucket List"" for Water is Life . He has won honors from shows including Cannes Lions, Webby, Art Directors Club, Young Guns, AICP, CLIO, D&AD, LIA and ANDY awards and was also recognized at One Club's 2013 Emerging Directors Showcase in the PSA category.

The Association of Independent Creative Edtitors (AICE) has elected Craig Duncan (left), partner and executive producer of Cutters in Chicago, and Rachelle Madden (below), managingdirector of Poetica in New York, as the new co-presidents of its International Board of Directors of AICE. The pair succeeds Clayton Hemmert, owner and editor at Crew Cuts in New York, whose two-year term expires at the end of 2013.