International film and content company Pulse Films has hired Kira Carstensen as executive producer and president of commercials for its recently launched U.S. division. She will be responsible for driving growth of the company's domestic presence and commercials and branded content business. Carstensen will operate from Los Angeles, base of Pulse's American operations, and work directly with CEO Thomas Benski.
Carstensen comes to Pulse Films after seven years at production company Supply & Demand where, as executive producer and partner, she helmed the commercials division and helped grow the company's roster from four to 16 directors. Carstensen earned a Short Subject Documentary Oscar nomination in 2012 at Supply & Demand for producing the Lucy Walker-directed The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom. EP Carstensen's multidisciplinary experience spans documentary and narrative film, TV and commercials. Her clients have included Chrysler, Cadillac, EA Sports, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, Activision and Procter & Gamble.
Carstensen's arrival follows Pulse's recently announced U.S. partnership with VICE Media that will see the two companies develop a series of co-produced long-form TV & film projects together. It also follows a global commission by MTV International for an eight-part, U.S.-based docuseries called Sleeping with the Family, as well as successful commercial and branded content campaigns with clients that include Samsung, Adidas, Levi's, McDonalds, Nokia and Sony.
Pulse has produced a number of large-scale, culturally focused projects in America since launching in the market. They include the LCD Soundsystem film Shut Up and Play the Hits (with VICE Media), an official selection at both Sundance Film Festival and SXSW 2012; the Paramount-released Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, which on release quickly became the fourth-highest grossing music documentary of all time; and the Grammy nominated Blur documentary No Distance Left to Run. Other productions include Who is Dayani Cristal? (winner of Best Cinematography at Sundance 2013, official selection New York Film Festival & San Sebastian), starring Gael Garcia Bernal, 20,000 Days on Earth with Nick Cave and a definitive feature documentary about the Backstreet Boys.
Pulse Films was founded in 2005 in the UK. It has offices in London, Paris, Los Angeles and New York.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More