David C. Ballard – President & Creative Director

Dave has been an editor and effects specialist for over 15 years and is regarded as an expert in digital production workflow and technology integration.  He founded the company in 1999.  Specializing in emerging technologies, he has established LAB 601 as an industry leader in the post-production of new high end formats.  Dave has supervised the post-production and created digital effects for numerous feature films, independent films, television series, pilots, and commercials.  He serves as an industry consultant with several principal vendors in the professional post-production industry, and his work and experience is regularly sought after for industry panels and educational events.  He is always researching new digital cameras and other technologies, and working as an “Alpha” and “Beta” development partner with Avid to give feedback to determine the future functionality and design of their systems.  In 2009, he was invited to join other Post and Studio heavyweights as a member of Avid’s post-production Customer Advisory Board to provide input to company executives and product managers on upcoming product lines and service directions.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications from Auburn University.  When he’s not working for world peace through efficient post-production processes, he’s probably off-roading in his yellow (and lovingly dented) FJ Bruiser…er…Cruiser.

Peter L. Ballard – Vice President & COO

Pete leads the finance, sales, and business operations at LAB 601.  He built LAB 601’s film and episodic television business by developing their investment/strategic partnership business model.  Through this initiative, LAB 601 invested services in over a dozen feature film and episodic television projects including Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, The Signal, Being Bobby Brown, and Dance of the Dead.  Through the years he has built a deep knowledge of film financing, tax incentives, and other business issues in the industry, and he frequently advises our clients as they navigate the business of entertainment.  Previously, Pete was a management consultant with Scott Madden & Associates, a general management consulting firm headquartered in Raleigh, NC.  While at Scott Madden he developed strategy, business forecasting and customer service solutions for such clients as EarthLink, Pfizer, and Johnson Controls.  Pete holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Wake Forest University and an MBA from the Goizueta Business School of Emory University.  He is also on the board of directors of the Atlanta Film Festival.  In his free time, he enjoys taking his two daughters to the park or the zoo, and his favorite movie of all-time is Blazing Saddles.