"True innovation lives where logistical integrity meets the uncompromised vision of the artist."
Michael Fernandes
COO & Executive Producer
Michael Fernandes is a cornerstone of the modern visual effects industry and a seasoned operational leader, possessing a unique structural perspective that defines the execution and management of Krave House of Creatives. His journey as a production powerhouse is defined by the seamless orchestration of high-stakes production pipelines and creative innovation. Under his leadership, he has consistently mastered complex logistical frameworks across the entertainment sector, ensuring the flawless delivery of high-volume pipelines and elite asset management for premium global properties.
With a professional foundation deeply rooted in the competitive New York studio ecosystem, Michael’s career is a testament to a decade of operational excellence at world-renowned houses. In February 2026, he joined Krave House of Creatives as Chief Operating Officer, reuniting with founder Chanjun S. Chun to redefine the global standard for boutique VFX excellence. His deep expertise was further refined through key leadership roles at legendary New York studios, including Crafty Apes and The Molecule. Together, they lead Krave House of Creatives with a shared vision: merging the logistical rigor of Western production with the boundary-pushing artistry of the global media landscape.
A Legacy of Excellence at The Molecule
Before stepping into executive leadership at Krave, Michael spent over eight years at The Molecule (now Crafty Apes), where he was instrumental in the studio’s rise as a premier New York house. As a VFX Producer, he became renowned for his "invisible" artistry—mastering the delicate balance between a director’s ambitious vision and the technical realities of the digital canvas. His tenure was marked by a commitment to storytelling that prioritizes narrative depth over mere spectacle.
A HERITAGE OF STRUCTURAL INGENUITY AND SYSTEMIC CLARITY
A defining influence on Michael’s operational philosophy and analytical depth is his formative background rooted in the rural landscapes of Portugal. Spending his youth under the guidance of his grandparents, he immersed himself in an environment where resourcefulness was absolute—learning to decode the hidden structural integrity of everyday materials, repurpose complex mechanisms, and discover immediate, functional solutions to intricate physical challenges.
This heritage, combined with a lifelong fascination across cross-disciplinary technologies, instilled in Michael a rigorous understanding of interconnected systems—spanning software engineering, interactive web design, material science, aerospace concepts, and autonomous robotics. This unique foundation allows him to find simple, beautiful logic within extreme technical complexity, providing him with a rare perspective in the creative and production world:
Structural Ingenuity: Applying a fundamental understanding of mechanics and material resourcefulness to break down and solve non-linear production bottlenecks.
Cross-Disciplinary Synthesis: Leveraging a comprehensive familiarity with parallel industries—from automotive engineering to drone technology—to seamlessly translate disparate technical frameworks into unified workflows.
Systemic Clarity: Distilling dense, highly complex technological environments into elegant, transparent logic that unlocks operational execution and team alignment.
Strategic Leadership & Industry Influence
In 2022, Michael transitioned to Crafty Apes, where he managed some of the industry’s most complex episodic and feature film pipelines. His ability to guide massive creative teams through the high-pressure demands of major Hollywood networks has earned him a reputation as a trusted partner to showrunners and directors alike.
Defining the Future of Krave House of Creatives
As COO, Michael brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective—rooted in his Advertising degree from the New York Institute of Technology—to the executive suite. He views the operation of a VFX studio as a creative endeavor in itself, focusing on building sustainable, artist-first cultures that can compete on a global scale.
At Krave House of Creatives, Michael oversees the agency’s strategic growth and operational excellence, ensuring that the "technical precision" of the pipeline perfectly supports the "artistic originality" of the team. His leadership is the logistical engine behind Krave’s mission to bridge the gap between New York’s sophisticated production standards and the emerging creative powerhouses of the international market.