Hasta La Creative!

Finkenstaedt joins from GO Film, Wondros, and most recently Spears and Arrows. Finkenstaedt will be working with various directors at Slim including: Karen Cunningham, ZCDC, Thomas Garber, Jason Headley, Vincent Urban, Pet & Flo, Brad Morrison, Jeff Baena and Wondo.

Slim Executive Producer Tom Weissferdt said: “Catherine and I have a long history, starting at Squeak Pictures. She has an incredible understanding of directors; their passion points and creative strengths.” In addition, “she has vast expertise in the identification, cultivation, and nurturing of directors in traditional commercial, digital, and music content where we, as a company, continue to grow and thrive.”

“I could not be happier to be joining Tom in this very important next phase of my career and in the growth of Slim,” stated Finkenstaedt. “We are in a sea of change in commercial and integrated production and I am excited to help support the directors and to also help identify others whose voices are yet to be heard in traditional or integrated marketing content.”

Finkenstaedt’s leadership within the past companies she has served also led her to the presidency of the Music Video Producers Association (MVPA) where she co-chaired the annual MVPA Awards at the Directors Guild of America. She has executive produced campaigns for various companies including Target, Toyota, Nike, AT&T, Comcast, Activision, Visa, Macy’s, and the Tokyo Olympic Committee; worked with such noted directors as Jake Scott, Sam Bayer, The Malloys, Patrick Daughters, Anton Corbijn, Chris Cunningham, Mark Romanek, David Kellogg, Matthew Rolston, McG, Antoine Fuqua, Sophie Muller and Hype Williams; musical artists including Ricky Martin, Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Metallica, and Oasis; as well as agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, Leo Burnett, FCB, BBDO, 72andSunny, Team One, and GSD&M.

She is deeply passionate about the convergence of all media platforms and believes that there is a unique art form to telling stories in the short and mid-length formats that keep both directors and talent engaged, busy, and uniquely active while also telling brands’ stories. Music is an important part of her focus and she appreciates the chance to tell tales of love, angst, and beauty within the music video format.

Raised outside of Cambridge, England, Finkenstaedt attended Hampshire College in Amherst, MA where she studied theatre and film. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA with her pet-loving husband and her five furry children, and will be based in Slim’s Venice offices.

TWELVE’s 4,500-square-foot space in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood features three DaVinci/Resolve color rooms, two Autodesk Flame suites, and a 4K DI Theater with a 7.1 Dolby surround sound system and 25-person seating capacity. Here, clients also have access to a suite of film and production services — editorial, mastering, finishing and audio mixing — as part of a strategic alliance with Ericson and his team at Digital Arts. Ericson, who brings 25 years of experience in film and television, also serves as Managing Partner of TWELVE.

“The response to what we are bringing to the entertainment and advertising landscape has already been phenomenal,” remarks Gandola, whose long career includes strategic operations and management positions for some of the industry’s most well-known companies. “We launched TWELVE to fill a void for agencies, brands and other content providers seeking a truly high-end boutique experience where you get one-on-one treatment.”

“In reflecting on all of our previous business endeavors, the individual ownership and integrity that each partner is known for bringing to every job is remarkable,” adds Rudge, who is widely hailed as one of the best colorists in the industry. “TWELVE represents a chance for even more such ownership as we channel all of our energy and resources into pushing our craft and, ultimately, our client’s brand to the next level.”

Managing Director Ed Rilli rounds out the partnership behind TWELVE. He will handle client relations, strategy, budgets and deadlines, among other deliverables for the business.

“Lez and I have a strong working relationship that goes back nearly two decades,” remarks Rilli, “while Marcelo, Axel and I bring different experience and strengths to the formula we envision for TWELVE’s success. Together, we make a powerful team.”

Rilli was previously Head of Production at Nice Shoes for 17 years. His long list of agency clients includes Hill Holiday, Publicis, Grey, and Saatchi & Saatchi, and projects for Dunkin Donuts, NFL, Maybelline and Ford.

Gandola was most recently Chief Operations Officer at Harbor Picture Company. Other notable positions include: Executive Vice President at Hogarth; SVP of Creative Services at Deluxe Entertainment Services Group; VP of Operations at Company 3; and principal of Burst @ Creative Bubble, a digital audio and sound design company.

On the creative side, Rudge was formerly a colorist and partner at Nice Shoes, with clients such as Revlon, Avon, Canon, GE and Dewar’s, among countless others. Since 2015, Rudge has also been focusing on his directorial career. His most recent campaign for the NY Rangers and Madison Square Gardens — a concept-to-completion project via TWELVE — garnered more than 300,000 Facebook hits on its first day.

While TWELVE is currently working on short-form content, such as commercials and marketing campaigns, the company is making a concerted effort to extend its reach into film and television. Meanwhile, the partners also have a significant roster expansion in the works to fill its state-of-the-art post facility.

“After all of these years on both the vendor and client side, we’ve learned how best to get things done,” concludes Gandola. “In a way, technology has become secondary, and artistry is where we keep the emphasis. That’s the essence of what we want to provide clients, and that’s ultimately what pushed us to open our own place.”

About TWELVE:
TWELVE is a high-end post-production boutique for the advertising, film and television industries. Led by a seasoned team of artists and producers representing the best in color grading and finishing, the post collective is distinguished for its in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the filmmaking and visual storytelling process. Committed to creativity, collaboration and efficient workflows, TWELVE’s forward-thinking production model is made possible through strategic partnerships secured with NYC’s top production and audio post companies. It all adds up to TWELVE.

Comprised of Einar and Eidur Snorri, the Snorri Bros have previously been signed with top commercial production companies, including Smuggler, Stink and Interrogate. Throughout their career together, they have directed international campaigns for Dell, Volkswagen, Hummer, BMW, Toyota and Panasonic; music videos for R.E.M. and Duran Duran; and a recent Super Bowl spot for Buffalo Wild Wings, starring Brett Favre.

The Snorri Bros’ roots trace back to Iceland, their native country. After bonding through a mutual passion for breakdancing and graffiti art, Einar and Eidur Snorri formed their creative collaboration and began their careers as artists by experimenting with photography and film. United by their rebellious nature, the duo directed commercials, creative projects and published an indie magazine for culture, music, arts and fashion as an outlet to distribute their photography. After experiencing local success, the Snorri Bros moved to New York, where they shot photography for high-profile magazines, including SPIN, Interview, Dazed & Confused and Details, of musicians and bands, including Green Day, No Doubt, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Chemical Brothers and Björk, among others. While working on a music video in the mid 90s they designed the SNORRICAM, a bodymount camera system that creates a unique sense of vertigo for the viewer, which gained fame when it was used by their friend, director Darren Aronofsky, for the psychological thriller Pi. Their directorial career was fast-tracked in 1998, when they directed the R.E.M. music video for Daysleeper, introducing their stop frame animation technique to the world.

Though the Snorri Bros attained much success as directors, personal life and family pulled the duo apart in the mid-2000s. After spending a decade on hiatus, the Snorri Bros recently reunited and moved to Los Angeles, where they’ve worked on experimental and abstract projects, including a music video series for Paul Haslinger. With a full slate of upcoming commercial projects in development, signing with IDENTITY positions the Snorri Bros for a new era of success directing international campaigns for high profile brands.

“When we met with IDENTITY at their offices in New York, the team and atmosphere had that same energy and creative vibes that got us excited about directing when we first started out,” noted Einar. “It was an inspiration that we haven’t felt for awhile at other companies, and it’s refreshing to see where the future will lead us. Now that we’re back together, we’re even stronger than before!”

About IDENTITY

From its inception, IDENTITY has painstakingly built a brand and reputation based on their visual sophistication, individuality, and refreshing creativity. IDENTITY’s curated roster of highly innovative and unique directors are sought after all over the world. IDENTITY has made its mark on award-winning work for clients such as Samsung, L’Oreal, Tiffany, Gillette and Lexus, creating an environment where creativity continuously flourishes. Headlining the visual-style genre, IDENTITY’s directors cover the complete range of storytelling and lifestyle.

IDENTITY thrives in an open forum loft located in Manhattan’s meatpacking district. At this collective, it is not unusual to find directors collaborating on others’ projects. It’s all part of the company credo to have a great time doing remarkable work in a relaxed atmosphere. https://identityid.com/

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