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.
SUPERLATIVE Signs Director Claudia Abend For Spots and Branded Content
Latin American director/editor and documentary filmmaker Claudia Abend has joined SUPERLATIVE for her first U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content.
Abend's empathetic docu-style POV has garnered several international awards for the documentary films Hit (2008) and The Flower of Life (2018). Her spotmaking credits include such brands as Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. SUPERLATIVE has already worked with Abend, together producing a new ad campaign for digital agency Tinuiti and The Honest Company, a consumer goods corporation featuring eco-minded products.
“We found Claudia through her poignant documentaries on the festival circuit,” said SUPERLATIVE creative manager Stefan Dezil. “We are excited about her textured narratives, emotional storytelling, and her powerhouse long-form storytelling abilities, currently on her third feature film. As SUPERLATIVE continues to build our brand after premiering our latest films at Sundance and SXSW, Claudia is the kind of multidimensional artist we are excited to partner with on branded content and beyond. Fluent in English and Spanish, her reel shows real prowess with infants, food and skin products, families both young and old. Great visual storytelling and inspirational doc work.”
Abend began her career in her native Uruguay, studying film and editing in college. “My dad would show me films like Citizen Kane,” she said. “I love cinema and became an editor. It was here that I learned all about communicating human emotion.”
From the get-go, Abend hit it big as a documentary director, teaming with Adrianna Loeff on Hit, a movie chronicling pop artists of Uruguayan music. Abend took home a Best Editing... Read More