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Bicoastal production company Durable Goods has signed director Paul Schneider to its roster of North American directors.
With experience in design, cinematography and visual effects, Schneider is a multifaceted visual storyteller who creates with a passion for bringing fresh angles and nuanced exploration to the commercial, TV and film work he directs.
The signing comes on the heels of a deal with HBO Max to develop Schneider’s original episodic series Downriver, a satirical drama rooted in his hometown of Detroit.
“Paul is one of the most talented and versatile directors I have ever worked with,” said Durable Goods Executive Producer and Managing Partner Mike Brady in a statement. “He brings a complete vision to each project; and with a skill-set spanning live-action, design, VFX, and color finishing, he has a knack for crafting memorable, performance-driven stories across a fantastic palette. His time as an executive creative director on the agency side also gives him unique insight into what agencies need – and the best way to get there quickly. His work shows it. We’re beyond thrilled to have him on the Durable Goods team.”
“Durable Goods is a modern production company that operates on the pulse of what’s happening in media and advertising and what’s coming down the road,” said Schneider, also in a statement. “That’s what drew me to them as I approach my work with the same kinship for these things.”
Schneider has had a camera in his hand since he was a teenager shooting skate films with his friends. He went on to parlay that into a masters in fine arts in graphic design from Cranbrook Academy of Art. After that, he co-founded WideOpenSpaces, a boutique studio specializing in film and design for the art, fashion, and sporting worlds. A long tenure at Digital Kitchen followed, where as executive creative director, he helmed main titles for such shows as Rescue Me and Nip/Tuck, feature film Second Hand Lions, and promos for Sex and the City and The Sopranos at HBO.
While there, he also shot campaigns for Budweiser, Target, Xbox and McDonald’s, gaining technical knowledge of all phases of production – from editing to VFX – leading to a directing career at production companies Crossroads, A Very Small Office (AVSO), Hello (HKM), Concrete & Clay, and On The Day, where he spearheaded commercials for Wrangler, Toyota, Hyundai, Vicks and HBO.
“I try to have a very clear vision, so that something really beautiful comes out the other end of the pipeline,” Schneider said. “I will go to massive lengths to make sure that happens both for me and my clients.”
In addition to his commercial and promo work, Schneider also helmed short thriller Fifty Minutes, starring Stephen Tobolowsky and DJ Qualls. The 2017 short played in film festivals across the country, winning awards for both Best Short and Best Actor for Qualls.
Schneider is currently based in Los Angeles.