KYLE Edit, the boutique editorial company founded in 2011 by Editor Tina Mintus, is changing its stripes. With a new web site and a subtle but telling name change, the company – the well-regarded editorial and post production boutique is now known as KYLE nyc – has moved beyond editorial to offer a range of integrated creative solutions including production, post production, visual effects and color grading.
As part of this expansion the studio has brought on a new EP with a strong background in live-action production and post. Sarah Farrand is a California native with an extensive resume of production and post production credentials in a variety of genres. In the advertising space, she's worked on award-winning spots at Aero Film, Park Pictures and Moxie Pictures, while on the entertainment and long-form side she’s produced broadcast series and feature films, some of which have premiere at major festivals like SXSW and the LA Film Festival. In addition, Farrand has also held high-level staff production and post jobs at independent film studios in Los Angeles.
KYLE nyc (www.kylenyc.com) also announced the first addition to its directorial roster: Nate Taylor, an accomplished filmmaker who’s been on KYLE’s editorial roster since it opened, is now being represented as a director. His past work includes award-winning features, music videos and shorts, and he’s already begun to direct projects for agencies, having recently completed a multi-spot package for a personal care brand out of the New York agency Fancy Advertising. Additional directors will be added to the roster later this year, according to Farrand.
“Taking the company beyond editorial is a reflection of our growth and maturity, but it’s also a response to how the industry is changing,” says Mintus of the strategy behind the expansion. “We want to remain agile and able to adapt quickly. And we’re up for exploring any interesting opportunities that arise that would give us a chance to expand our creative capabilities. That’s what the new KYLE nyc is positioned to do.”
"The biggest advantage of getting into production is the ability to start collaborating on a project sooner,” adds Taylor. “Early involvement allows us to better leverage our skills to their fullest. We’re a highly collaborative group, so the sooner we get involved, the more solutions and ideas we can contribute.”
Taylor’s directorial work includes the independent drama “Forgetting the Girl,” which won the Audience Award at the SoHo International Film Festival and was a Gold winner at WorldFest in Houston in 2012. He also wrote and produced the SXSW hit “The Dwarvenaut,” a documentary short about a Brooklyn art prodigy who’s obsessed with (what else?) “Dungeons & Dragons.”
Farrand says KYLE nyc will be able to package jobs to offer both production and post, providing a single-source solution that can be highly competitive in terms of bidding. “We’re conscious of the entire workflow, from the shoot through to effects and finishing,” she notes. “This puts us in a position to save both time and money – there will be less time cleaning up, and more time spent on adding those finishing touches that make the final product really shine.”
As for Taylor’s appeal to clients as a filmmaker, Farrand sees a natural connection between his work at KYLE Edit and his new role at KYLE nyc: “Nate’s a surprisingly versatile talent, and he confirms one of the things I learned working in the movie business, which is that editors and writers tend to make some of the best directors, as they really know how to tell a story.”
So far, agencies that have test-driven the new KYLE nyc say they like the way it handles. “They’re a pleasure to work with,” says Code and Theory Senior Producer Joe Curcio, who tapped Taylor to shoot a Gillette web spot that was also edited at the company. “From concept to completion, they over-performed and over delivered at every stage, making the project run as smooth as one can hope for and successful. KYLE will continue to be at the top of our list when projects arise, and we’re looking for more opportunities to bring our ideas to life.”
“Having edited at KYLE for years, we knew they were top notch,” adds Katie Keating, Founder and Creative Director at Fancy. “But when we turned to them to produce a series of online videos plus a thirty-second commercial from soup to nuts and under challenging circumstances – very little time, very little money and in the middle of August, no less – we were blown away by their efficiency, creativity and all around positive spirit. We love everyone at KYLE and will definitely work with them again. In fact, we already are!”
Comments like these make Mintus excited about the prospects for the new incarnation of KYLE nyc. “I think people will see us as a sought-after boutique production and post company with a solid team of well-respected artists,” she says. “Just as with Joe and Katie, I want a long list of happy clients who had a great experience with us and are dying to do it all over again.”
