Here’s a little equation for you: over 1000 commercials x 22 countries + 30 years = Direct Focus, Inc. Founded in 1990 as the US branch of Barry Rosen Productions, we have consulted on or produced award-winning commercials for some of the world’s top brands with cutting edge post-production and sound facilities in Johannesburg, Geneva, London, and New York.
Lauren started in film and television on the post-production side, winning two awards for best editing from the Gray’s Reef Film Festival. She worked as a freelance editor for companies such as PepsiCo, the Savannah Ocean Exchange/National Geographic, and St. Joseph’s Hospital. Equipped with a sharp editorial eye and a knowledge of the technical and financial side of production, she has spent the last 8 years at Direct Focus creating compelling commercials and content for clients such as Starbucks and Lipton Tea. Lauren has a BA in Film and Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Brett has been working in advertising and production for 20 years. Prior to joining DFI, Brett was a cinematographer for everything from branded content to TV commercials, until shifting gears to work more closely with creatives and clients as a Broadcast Producer at Grey New York; His collaborations netted him 17 Cannes Lions, including the Grand Prix. Brett combines his technical and creative background with his budgeting expertise to advise brands how to maximize their spending and elevate their content of all kinds. Brett has a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Allie has been in the production industry for 10 years now. She started her career in the fashion industry working for brands such as Proenza Schouler, Theory and Helmut Lang. She began her production knowledge by working on fashion week shows and photoshoots. After a year in the fashion industry she moved over to an experiential marketing agency where she produced live shows for brands such as Subway, PepsiCo, Time Inc. and Merck. This helped her to build a more technical/creative knowledge in the industry. She started her move over to advertising by joining the Direct Focus team and has since worked on the Water + and Starbucks business. Her time at Direct Focus has helped her grow her knowledge further in film making, editorial, lighting, and the financial aspect of every project.
Despite what her youthful appearance may lead you to believe, Kimera has been in the industry for over 11 years, not including the years she spent growing up around commercial sets. With a marketing degree from Bentley University (pronounced Harvard) she initially started her career with jobs in b2b and PR, but couldn’t deny the call from the advertising dark side. She has worked her way up in account and production departments within notable agencies such as DDB, Havas, Motive, and RGA, collaborating with brands such as IBM, Samsung, Verizon, PepsiCo, and JBL, to name a few. Prior to joining the Direct Focus team, Kimera was head of production at a visual effects and post-production house, overseeing a team of artists and producers. Kimera’s 360 understanding of the advertising process, the roles and departments that comprise it, and her unique perspective make her an integral part of the projects she is a part of.
Danielle is your go-to person for all things business affairs related at Direct Focus. She’s an asset to both agency and client, working as a liaison from handling SAG matters to coordinating traffic needs. She previously honed her skills as the VP of Talent Negotiations and Licensing at Platinum Rye Entertainment. Her Clients included Pepsi, Visa, DirecTV, Coors, AT&T and Pizza Hut. Danielle leverages her role in the celebrity endorsement Industry as owner of Monsoon Entrainment, where she puts her expertise for negotiating celebrity talent, property and music licensing into action. Danielle graduated from Boston University and lives in Bedford, NY with her husband, 3 children and 3 dogs, where she artfully applies all of her collaborative skills.
Chris Lenz is an award winning executive integrated producer with over 30 years of experience in the advertising, entertainment and media industry.
Chris’ exposure to production began early in life as his father was an ad man who created the legendary “Taste Great, Less Filling “campaign for Miller Lite. On the set of one of those productions, Chris noticed a very busy person on set who seemed to be the go to problem solver and everyone was coming up to with questions. Chris asked his father who that person was and his father responded: “that’s the producer.” Thus, the seed was planted.
After graduating Boston University with a Philosophy degree, Chris returned to his early infatuation with production. And in the years since he has produced Super Bowl commercials for BBDO and FCB NY, traveled the globe while at Grey International, worked with artists such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Beyoncé while at Sony Music Entertainment and helped launch Viacom Velocity, Viacom CBS’s internal branded content studio.
Chris is excited to bring his years of experience (of problem solving and answering questions) to Direct Focus and their stellar list of global brand partners.