Makers

⚡️open discussion ⚡️ Hanging in Chicago with some fellow producers, and our conversation turned to the traditional ways producers have been typecast—pigeonholed into specific roles like broadcast, art buying, or niche verticals, often defined by the kind of work agencies bring in. But we couldn’t help but notice the shift happening in the industry with the rise of the “creative producer.” These producers are reshaping workflows with new tech, introducing artists across various mediums, and collaborating with creators who challenge conventions—not for rebellion’s sake, but to solve creative problems from fresh perspectives. It’s inspiring to see how they’re blending disciplines to unlock entirely new ways of storytelling and production.

🚿 Taking production to some of the world’s most stunning, yet challenging locations was no small feat on our recent project with Kohler Co. As Producers, the moment we saw this script and understood its purpose, we knew we had to build a team that could match the heart and passion behind the creative. We sought out a director with a passion for adventure, a DP willing to scale cliffs for the perfect shot and talent ready to brave frigid waters. Our journey took us hiking through the breathtaking landscapes of Slovenia, standing on the borders of Austria and Italy and swimming in the crystal clear waters of Croatia–all to capture the raw beauty of these remote, tranquil settings. This production pushed boundaries and the crew went above and beyond to make the campaign shine. Behind the scenes, it was truly a global effort with music from our Swedish composer, and post-production teams in Canada and the US. Help us celebrate the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in this global collaboration and check out this incredible campaign. - COLLABORATORS Client: Kohler Co. Anthony Reeves - Vice President Global Brand Creative Cassidy Schultz- Sr. Art Director Katharine Cikanek - Sr. Copywriter Rebecca Anhold- Sr. Manager Content Production Katie Jansen - Brand Communication Manager Produced by: Makers Roma Ahi - Executive Producer Mike Garrod - Executive Producer Alan S Traquair - Producer Antonietta Emmanuel - Post Producer Will Olsen - Production Support PRODUCTION Stella Asia Consonni - Director / Photographer Mika Alaskan - DOP Elaine Mackenzie - 1st AD DIVISION.FILM Rok Bukovec - Executive Producer Alenka Protić - Line Producer Špela Bajc - PM Žiga Palčar - Location Manager SLO Iskren Jovandić - Location Manager CRO Miha Repič - Location Manager IT Urška Samec - 2nd AD Maja Vovk - Art Director Branco Grabovac - Gaffer Kristjan Pogačar - Key Grip Klemen Hren - SFX Master POST-PRODUCTION Davy Gomez - Offline / Finishing Editor Kevin Wu ( Studio Feather) - Colourist Sean Douglas (Studio Feather) - VFX Artist Philip Ekström (Sacred Sacred) - Original Music Composer Another Country - VO Record / Audio Mix INK STUDIO - Photo Retouching TALENT Beatriz Martinello - Light Talent Abdou Ndiaye - Steam Talent Jacey Elthalion - Pressure Talent Tamara Clark - VO Talent #globalproduction #onlocation #advertising #contentproduction Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson-Toth Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager

🎞 Each year, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) celebrates outstanding achievements in the film industry, honoring the artistic excellence of filmmakers and industry professionals. We were thrilled to produce this event for the second consecutive year, supporting the Every Story Fund, which aims to address barriers in industry practices and attitudes by fostering intentional conversations and commitments to diversity and inclusion. To deliver a celebrity-worthy experience, we optimized every detail–from stage design to implementing a seamless talent management strategy for honourees. Collaborating with familiar and new brand partners, including Fairmont Royal York and Don Julio, we looked for creative ways to integrate partners organically, like when guests enjoyed a special toast on stage. 🥂 The gala atmosphere was electric and our content strategy elevated the guest experience as we swapped the usual tribute reels for a single opening one to maintain high energy throughout the night. Between our Live Experience and Content teams, we carefully produced all aspects of the event: 🏆 Live award show (from scripting to on-stage visuals) 💃 Red carpet and logistics 🍴 Live event (including guest experience and food and beverage) 🎭 Talent management And every tiny detail in between A heartfelt thank you to our incredible production partners for helping us deliver an unforgettable night. We look forward to celebrating the festival’s 50th anniversary next year! - COLLABORATORS: Client: Toronto International Film Festival Brand Partners: The Fairmont Royal York Hotel and Don Julio Tequila (A Diageo brand) Live Stream Partner: Variety Production Strategy, Event Design and Talent Management: Makers Executive Producers: Katie Lafferty and Tiffany Tse Show Producer: Dan Hughes Lead Producer: Gillian Zulauf Associate Producers: Lindsey Williams, Emily Anne Beazley Talent Leads: Mackenzie Brooks and Angie Gurley Production Assistants: Will Fox and Anna Quach Audio and Lighting: Bespoke Audio Visual Audio Stage Design and Build: MOOD Live Show Content and Video: Carbon Arc Projects Inc. Lighting Design: Matt Eckensweiler (Artefact) Design and Animation: Antenna Visual Communications Inc. Awards: Protocole Red Carpet: BeSpoke and Reznick Event Photography: George Pimentel Photography Presenter and Honouree Portrait Lounge: Margaret Lee Furniture: Detailz Event Rentals Event Rentals: Element Event Solutions Photo Experience Fabrication: MOOD Tablescape and Floral Design: Jackie O Staffing: Cotton Candy Event Staffing Inc. Print Production: SHINZO MEDIA and Boss Print & Creative Services Inc F&B: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Royal York Hotel #eventproduction #bizbash #events #brandedevents Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson-Toth Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager Roma Ahi

⚡️open discussion ⚡️ While in NY this week, I had an interesting conversation with some producers about how we are perceived differently in Entertainment vs Advertising. In Entertainment, producers are seen as protagonists—key players brought in early to shape the vision, assemble teams, and elevate the project. They’re partners in the creative process, contributing both craft and strategy. This collaborative approach results in stronger, more unified outcomes. In Advertising, however, producers are often viewed as antagonists, seen as barriers to creativity or budget enforcers creating very unnecessary friction. How do we shift to a protagonist mindset, where producers are integral from the start to foster better collaboration, creativity, and project success? #producers #production #productivity #cultureshift #collaboration #trusttheprocess

🇮🇳 What’s unique about Producing in India? With over 20 years of experience, Producer Amit Vachharajani shares his insights into the unique production landscape in India. From corporate films and branded content to television documentaries, Amit has worked on a diverse range of international projects, collaborating with Makers and other global brands from the UK, USA, Singapore, France, and more. So, what makes Producing in India different from other markets? 1. Navigating Diversity  "Producing in India is like working across 20 countries," Amit explains. "Imagine a version of Europe. Every region comes with its own set of challenges—diversity of languages, geography, cultures, wildlife, and food. The producer needs to know the specific region and its culture really well to navigate the local challenges." 2. The Shift to Local Talent Over the years, production companies have started relying more on local crews. “For smaller shoots, production companies have stopped sending full crews because of the quality of our local talent,” Amit shares. "Larger projects can have a hybrid of local and international crew members. It’s great for the client and it reduces the carbon footprint." 3. Endless Filming Possibilities with Complexity India offers a wealth of subjects to film. “Every monument, city, airport, and private location requires different permissions and dealing with different authorities,” says Amit. Whether it's a branded film or a documentary with international talent like Morgan Freeman or Joanna Lumley, Amit’s deep knowledge of India’s production landscape ensures a smooth experience for his clients. Amit has been part of our network for over a decade, producing projects for brands like Kohler and Nespresso. His expertise and understanding of India’s unique landscape make him an invaluable resource for any production happening in the country. - 🌎 Like + Follow Makers as we explore the world of producing in different markets. #production #global #marketing #creative Sumit Ajwani Roma Ahi Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager Diane Jackson-Toth

🚗 Imagine interacting with an AI version of yourself that sells cars. That’s what Nissan Motor Corporation and Juniper Park \ TBWA dreamed up, and they trusted Makers to help make it a reality. What began as an experiential concept evolved into the ‘Electrify Your Life’ content campaign to stay on budget and schedule while still showcasing a one-of-a-kind test drive experience for the Nissan ARIYA. The core idea was real reactions from real people. So, we collaborated with influencers to document their authentic reactions while delivering the wow factor of the original concept. Here’s how we made it happen: ➡️ Casted the right influencers for the audience ➡️ Shared that we were creating digital likenesses of them without revealing the idea ➡️ Conducted body scans to create their avatars ➡️ Recorded their voice snippets that would later be used with AI ➡️ Worked with motion capture artists for avatar motions ➡️ Cloned their voices with AI to create lifelike audio  ➡️ Brought them to set and surprised them when they saw themselves as their sales agents Shout out to our production partners for proving that when we embrace challenges, we make the impossible possible. Thanks to Nissan and Juniper Park\TBWA for dreaming big! Check out the bts of making this campaign and experience the magic of Nissan’s ARIYA Electrify Your Life. - COLLABORATORS Client: Nissan Canada Agency: Juniper Park \ TBWA French Agency: Tam-Tam\TBWA Producer: Carol Boate (Makers) Production: 1stAveMachine Editorial: WAX Original Music, Sound Design & Mix: Oso Audio VFX & Finishing: Rodeo FX Creator Casting & Management: Burns Entertainment #caradvertising #production #behindthescenes #AI Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson-Toth Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager Roma Ahi

🦆 This year, Aflac went big for their annual recruiting event in Boulder, Colorado with Coach Prime as keynote speaker and an appearance by Mr. Aflac, the beloved duck mascot who stole the spotlight. Their goal? Create an unforgettable event that would resonate from coast to coast. We stepped in to bring their idea to life, collaborating with the Aflac team to elevate and execute their vision–from venue management to catering to technical production (including a live stream to 120 satellite events) and even bringing in their iconic Duck mascot who posed for photo ops with the guests. The event captured the nation with: 🏔 1 main conference hosted in Denver 📡 120 satellite events across the country 🖥 Over 10,000 live stream viewers 🦆 1 live duck A huge shoutout to the Aflac team for dreaming big and inviting us and our incredible production partners to help make it happen COLLABORATORS Client: Aflac Creative: Aflac Studio Creative Direction: Jared B Martin Produced by: Makers Executive Producer: Tiffany Tse Producer Lead: Angela Lee Producer: Andrea Nordgren Venue: University of Colorado Boulder A/V Partner: Image Audiovisuals Fabrication: You Want What? Productions INC Florals: Boulder Blooms F&B: Levy Animal Handler for Mr. Aflac: Animals on Set #eventproducer #eventproduction #conference #recruiting Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson-Toth Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager Roma Ahi

🍦 When Dairy Farmers of Canada and Track dreamed up an online game to celebrate National Ice Cream day—where users stack virtual scoops to win real prizes—we jumped at the chance to bring it to life. The challenge? We had just 6 weeks to make it happen. Our producers picked up the creative idea and immediately put it into action. Partnering with Cursor, we developed an early demo that helped us make quick decisions and stay on track. The result? The game launched on time, exceeded expectations by 3x in the first week, and is still going strong. Our team’s high score is 13 scoops—think you can beat it? https://lnkd.in/gygD_PDR - COLLABORATORS Client: Dairy Farmers of Canada | Les Producteurs laitiers du Canada Agency: Track Produced by: Makers Executive Producer: Sumit Ajwani Producer Lead: Jess Parsons Producer: Ivan Padilla Development Partner: Cursor #videogame #digitalmarketing Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson-Toth Roma Ahi Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager

When Aflac’s in-house studio team creatively reimagined their Dreambook catalogue with an innovative blend of live-action motion and luxury stills, they needed to boost their production reach to make it happen. That’s where we came in. We collaborated with Aflac to strategically leverage their in-house resources while filling in the production gaps along the way. With high-profile talent across the USA, we coordinated three separate shoots in three locations covering Nebraska, Miami and Phoenix. Then we handed back the reins for post-production. The result is a stunning Dreambook catalogue brought to life through thoughtful collaboration and expert execution. We’re thrilled to have this first project together under our wing. 🦆 Stay tuned to see how we brought this campaign to life in Denver. - COLLABORATORS LIST Creative: Aflac Studio  Creative Direction: Jared B Martin Photography: Aflac Studio Produced by: Makers  EP: Katie Lafferty, Roma Ahi Producer: Michael Hilewitz #inhouseagency #creativeadvertising #producers Jeremy Sager Dan Bannister Sumit Ajwani Diane Jackson

🍿 Moviegoers this summer will catch the pre-roll cinema spot we created with PepsiCo and Regal Cinemas that's just as epic as the blockbuster it precedes. Pepsi's in-house creatives had a perfectly cinematic concept: Bring to life a Kraken on the beach of a deserted island. Leaning into the blockbuster direction, we knew we needed a legend familiar with big-screen ideas. We worked with award-winning director Robert Stromberg, known for directing Maleficent among other cinematic masterpieces. Next, we headed to sunny Mexico to shoot with The Roots. Finally, to bring it all together we worked with The Mill for post-production to bring the Kraken to life. Thank you to PepsiCo for inviting us on this voyage and to all our incredible partners for making this project smooth sailing.   - [COLLABORATOR LIST] Creative Agency: The Studio at PepsiCo Partner: Regal Cinemas Production Consultancy: Direct Focus Produced by: Makers Executive Producer: Tasha Maria Jameson Supervising Producer: Jessica Holloway Lead Producer: Carol Boate Supporting Producer: Vanessa G. Production Company: RSA Films Director: Robert Stromberg Service Production: The Roots (Mexico) Post Production: The Mill Audio Production: Grayson Music #movie #advertising #deadpool #marvel #movietrailer Sumit Ajwani Roma Ahi Diane Jackson Dan Bannister Jeremy Sager