Filmworkers, a leading independent provider of post-production services for advertising, film, television and music videos, has appointed Robert Zimmerman as executive producer of its facility in Nashville. Zimmerman has more than 20 years of experience as a producer of commercials, music videos and corporate media. He will oversee all aspects of Filmworkers operations in Nashville and will initially focus on expanding the facility and growing is customer base.
“Rob Zimmerman enjoys wide respect among advertising agencies and production companies in Nashville and throughout the region,” said Filmworkers president Reid Brody. “Our clients will benefit greatly from his experience and insights as a producer in planningtheir projects. We are very excited to have him as a member of our team.”
Zimmerman previously served as executive producer of Piranha Pictures, a commercial and corporate media production company that he founded in 1995. He has recently produced advertising campaigns for Tempur-Pedic (Power Creative, Louisville), Farm Bureau Insurance (Young & Laramore, Indianapolis) and LG&E (Creative Alliance, Louisville), as well as a public service campaign on second-hand smoke for the Kentucky Department for Public Health (Doe-Anderson, Louisville).
Zimmerman, who has been a client of Filmworkers for more than 15 years, called the opportunity to lead the company “too good to resist.” “Filmworkers introduced national caliber post production services to Nashville and has continued to lead the market in terms of talent, technology and service,” he said. “I want to help the company reach the next level.”
In a related move, Filmworkers has hired Kenny Barrickman as a producer in Nashville. Barrickman’s arrival is actually a return; he previously spent 10 years as a producer at the Nashville facility. His role is to work directly with clients and oversee their projects as they pass through the facility.
“This is a great opportunity to get back to doing what I love—working with clients to make sure their projects are scheduled, produced and delivered on time and on budget,” Barrickman said. “Our clients’ deadlines are incredibly important and it’s my passion, and the passion of this company, to deliver for our clients. It is not always easy but it is what my clients expect and I love to deliver for them.”
Zimmerman is already working to upgrade the aesthetics and technology of the Nashville facility. His plans include the construction of a “virtual” editing suite that will be able to quickly alter its technical resources to suit client needs. The room will also be used for client screenings and, when not in use for editing, serve as a client lounge.
The move is part of an ongoing effort to upgrade services in Nashville, said Zimmerman, pointing to the recent arrival of colorist Jimmy Cadenas, an expert in the Baselight grading system with national caliber experience. The facility’s creative staff also includes editors Adam Little and Scott Simmons, and editor/visual effects artist Tim Moore.
Additionally, Zimmerman plans closer collaboration with other facilities and companies in the Filmworkers group in order to offer clients in Nashville and other markets in the region with access to creative services not otherwise available locally. As one example, he cited the motion graphics design and production services offered by Filmworkers affiliate Vitamin. “We have access to some of the best design talents in the country and we want to share that resource with our Nashville clients,” he said. “Clients who are used to going to Chicago or Los Angeles for that service, can now get it in Nashville at a locally-competitive price.”
Zimmerman also plans to exploit his strong ties to the regional advertising industry to grow that aspect of Filmworker’s business. “In addition to the great agencies and production companies here in Nashville, there are many more in Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis and Birmingham, all within a few hours drive of Nashville,” he said. “I can’t wait for them to see the great things that are happening here. We’re the future of post production.”
Filmworkers Nashville is located at 1006 17th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37212. For more information, call 615.322.9337 or visit www.filmworkers.com.
