1stAveMachine, the production company known for bringing filmmaking, design and emerging technology together for brands, is expanding into experiential with the launch of a dedicated new division, led by Jessica DeVirgilis, who joins the company as Executive Producer.

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Jessica DeVirgilis, Executive Producer and lead of 1stAveMachine's new experiential division.

Jessica DeVirgilis, Executive Producer and lead of 1stAveMachine’s new experiential division.

The move extends 1stAveMachine’s production capabilities beyond the screen and into physical, live, and immersive experiences, giving brands a way to build ideas that audiences can not only watch, but enter, explore, and interact with.

The new division will draw on 1stAveMachine’s existing network of directors, designers, artists, and technologists, while expanding that collective with talent specifically focused on experiential work. At launch, that broader team will include hybrid design studio EspadaySantacruz and experiential director Erin Beaupre, alongside collaborators across the company’s creative and production network.

DeVirgilis will lead the business, overseeing its growth, creative partnerships, and production strategy.

For more than 15 years, DeVirgilis has led the development and production of ambitious and multifaceted global brand experiences, spanning experiential, live events, themed entertainment, immersive technology, content, and large-scale installations.

Before joining 1stAveMachine, DeVirgilis held production leadership roles at Media.Monks, Acronym, Grey Group and Obscura Digital (acquired by Sphere Entertainment Co.), alongside an extensive career as an independent executive producer and production partner. She has worked with agencies, brands, creative studios, and technology partners across global markets.

“Brands expect more from experiential today. It can’t simply be memorable in the moment—it has to create tangible value for the brand and give people a reason to genuinely want to be part of it. That demands more than a strong idea. The most effective work comes from bringing the right creative talent, technology and production expertise together around a singular vision,” said DeVirgilis.

“That’s what makes 1stAveMachine so compelling,” DeVirgilis continued. “We have an exceptional mix of filmmakers, designers, artists and technologists, and we know how to bring that collective thinking into the physical world. The result is experiential work that gives audiences something worth remembering and brands something worth building on. When those two things come together, an experience becomes more than a moment—it becomes a lasting asset.”

The experiential division is set to officially launch in late fall 2026.

“We’ve always been interested in ideas that don’t fit neatly into one format,” said Sam Penfield, Partner and Executive Producer at 1stAveMachine. “More and more, the best ideas want to move beyond the screen. They want to become spaces, interactions, and experiences people can actually step into. Building an experiential practice gives us a way to bring all the things we already love doing, filmmaking, design, technology and invention, together in a much bigger setting.”

About 1stAveMachine

Founded in 2004, 1stAveMachine is a mixed-media production company and creative collective with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and London. The company brings together directors, artists, designers, and technologists to produce award-winning work across live-action, animation, design, and experiential content for brands including Google, Gatorade, Samsung, and IBM. The launch of its experiential division extends that legacy into live, immersive brand experiences.

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