Director and photographer Rudi Schwab has joined Eleanor, the production house headed by founder and executive producer Sophie Gold, for representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos.

“Rudi is an excellent filmmaker, whose craft showcases humanity through storytelling. The way in which he gives the viewer a look into intimate moments blows me away,” said Gold. “His Gillette spot shows such a touching connection between a father and son that is not often represented in current commercial filmmaking.”

The Gillette commercial promotes a razor designed for assisted shaving as we see a son carefully shave his father in the morning, underscoring the love he has for his Dad. This “Handle With Care” piece is on a reel which also includes work Schwab directed for HP and AT&T.

Schwab’s ability to create strong character driven stories brings him back to the heart of what inspired him to become a filmmaker--his passion for exploring human emotion through film, making the work not so much about what you see on the screen but what you feel when watching. Navigating the commercial world from a place of intention and emotional astuteness is the aligning factor for both Schwab and Eleanor. 

After tracking each other’s work for years, Schwab is enthused over the prospect of working alongside Gold at Eleanor. “What I love about Sophie is that she’s as passionate as I am about storytelling and as the company owner and executive producer, she completely immerses herself into the strategic and creative approach to every project that comes across her desk.”

Schwab had previously been with production company Tool and prior to that Humble. He now joins a directorial lineup at Eleanor that includes Rohan Blair-Mangat, Adrian De Sa Garces, Alice Waddington, Chris Muir, Dawit N.M., Daniel Lundh, Edson Oda, Kacper Larski, Kate Cox, Kelsey Taylor, Milo Blake and Woods.

Eleanor is represented on the East Coast by Anya Zander and Andrew Michaeloff of Hustle, in the Midwest by Matt Bucher of Obsidian Reps, and on the West Coast by Melissa Ross and Worthy Goodman of Melissa Ross Represents.