Director Lacey Uhlemeyer has joined bicoastal production company ArtClass for commercial and branded content representation in the U.S. Uhlemeyer, an alum of SHOOT’s 2020 New Directors Showcase, is known for directing humanity-focused stories for brands–from Nike’s International Women’s Day spot to the Amazon "Brand Truths" campaign. A former journalist who has filmed in more than 18 countries, she is passionate about creating content that transcends borders, genders, languages, and religion.
“Lacey is one of the powerful women voices in the industry today and we’re excited to work with such a dynamic storyteller,” said Rebecca Niles, ArtClass executive producer. “We just clicked right away. We’re on the same page when it comes to why we do what we do and how content can influence and create real change.”
“It’s an exciting time to be a female creative, especially when you have directors like Alma Har’el and Chloe Zhao leading the charge,” added Uhlemeyer. “ArtClass not only walks the walk when it comes to having a diverse roster, but also they create content with a sense of inclusivity. This is so appealing to me as a director. They encourage all of their talent to take creative risks and are incredibly supportive of our unique voices and visions as creators. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
Uhlemeyer was most recently represented by Wondros Collective for commercial and branded content work. Prior to that, she was a freelance director on Nike’s International Women’s Day campaign in collaboration with MediaMonks. She also worked with the agency on branded content, documentary-focused storytelling, and longer-form content. Uhlemeyer has brought her humanity-focused storytelling to other clients including IBM, HP, Bristol Myers Squibb, and National Parks Service.
Known for her ability to traverse various mediums and platforms, she previously served as a sr. digital producer at Fusion, an ABC-Univision joint venture, where she produced digital, linear, and VR content for Fusion Media Group, which included Univision, Fusion, and The Root.
Uhlemeyer took a less conventional path to filmmaking, working as an international journalist and producer before moving into directing. She has helmed the short film, City of Widows, which focuses on the issues that widows face in India, one of the most stigmatized and marginalized groups. Her digital series, The Artisans of Italy, earned her a 2016 Webby Award, and the next year, she was nominated for Endangered, which explored endangered indigenous people worldwide. Peace and Dance, her piece on a Syrian refugee dancer, went viral on Facebook with over 20 million views in 24 hours and won a Shorty Award. As a writer, Uhlemeyer is currently working on scripts for two pilots, as well as a documentary series.
“Everything I do is about bringing the lens of empathy into my work and creating impact-driven content that combines poetic narratives with beautiful imagery,” concluded Uhlemeyer. “Most importantly, I’m grateful to lean on the creative-first approach and egoless culture of ArtClass–all in the spirit of spreading our wings and making the best work possible.”
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More