Today we’d like to introduce you to Dennis Gelbaum.
Hi Dennis, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Most people tell their story from the beginning. Not me. I can best tell my story by talking about the present and looking back at all the things that have propelled me to where I am today.
How did I get here? I have produced and directed over 200 national commercials, winning many awards, including the Cannes Lion. I am an international award-winning Creative Director, Producer, Director, Copywriter, Author, and Inventor. And I have worked at and for the world’s biggest advertising agencies. As a commercial director, my focus was on telling stories in a visual way that included combining live-action with special effects. I wanted to make 30 second “features.” I wanted to learn how to direct feature films. So, I worked with Directors of Photography like Laszlo Kovacs, Vilmos Zigmond, Adrian Biddle, David Watkin, Allen Daviau, Ric Waite, Barry Sonnenfeld, Bill Butler…just to name a few. And I partnered with the special effects company – Dream Quest Images, special effects master Michael Lantieri and Production Designer James H. Spencer.
But it didn’t happen. I was seen as a commercial director. Lots of meetings and conversations. But never a commitment. The funny thing is every feature director I met wanted to direct commercials. Every commercial director I knew wanted to direct features. Every Director of Photography I met wanted to “shoot” commercials. I could not successfully navigate the transition from directing commercials to directing features or episodic TV as other commercial directors had done. I came oh so close so many times. Sour grapes, no. Disappointing, yes.
A close and missed opportunity…my cousin gave me a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit. I fell in love with the story of the young boy and the skin horse. I loved it so much I tried to buy the rights to the story to make it into a movie or TV special. I negotiated for six months and really thought I had a chance. Just days before I was to sign the deal, another company came into the picture and secured the rights. Sour grapes, yes. Big disappointment, yes!
I loved telling stories and making movies. I can’t remember when or if I ever wanted to do anything else. It really is in my blood. My family includes a screenplay writer, authors, lyricists, photographers, illustrators, painters, clothing designers, and actors. I recently learned I am related to actor Timothee Chalamet. Really – my grandfather’s brother’s son, Harold Flender, is Timothee’s grandfather.
I spent countless hours, years developing TV shows – scripted and reality – and coming up with ideas for feature films.
Along the way, I published a novel, “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” (started out as a screenplay – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU72BV5p–8) and “Something About Going Home”, a collection of original thoughts and poetry with illustrations by Christina Qualiana. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48O-bHN4kPM)
I was featured in ’50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading” by Danielle Hampson & Don McCauley.
I am currently writing a feature-length screenplay, “That Smile: The Mona Lisa Conspiracy”. (Quarter- Finalist, New York International Screenplay Awards – NYISA is one of the most prestigious international screenplay competitions.) “An international art investigator finds herself in a life-threatening situation as she matches wits with the unscrupulous kingpin of the 100-billion-dollar art industry, rewriting history as she exposes a 500-year-old syndicate of forgers and Leonardo da Vinci as a fraud. That Smile – The Mona Lisa Conspiracy is a blend of various genres, including mystery, drama, romance, and historical fiction, centering around the idea that greed and ignorance can distort the value of even something as beautiful and virtuous as art.” See the teaser/trailer her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mq9DYEO3o4
I have always loved music. I joined my first band when I was in junior high school. Our first gig was at the local YMHA. We only knew one song, “Hang On Sloopy,” and we played it all night. But no one seemed to care. Years later, as COO and ECD of Tourdesign, a division of Live Nation, I had the opportunity to work with the biggest music artists and venues in the world. Hundreds of tours, thousands of performances. I produced hundreds of hours of multimedia content as well as hours of live concerts/performance films. My favorite film I directed was for Corrosion Of Conformity, “Live Volume.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TtQa-b5M6E) It was an amazing time.
I am currently working with a Grammy-nominated songwriter, turning my new poem, “A Different Kind Of Wonderful,” into a power ballad with a big, soaring chorus. “It’s hard coming up with a new way to write a love song and I think I’ve done it!” You can see the lyric video here: https://youtu.be/8KHr9g_gZ04?si=6OZhcraHJ_YW05_7
I have produced hundreds of interactive and immersive events (concerts, tours, festivals, fairs, new product launches, fashion, auto, sports, political…) in more than 35 countries. I invented the Buddy Lite Illuminated Safety Leash (the top-selling pet product at Sharper Image). I currently consult on mergers and acquisitions and venture capital investments in the multimedia space.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever easy. I’ve been very lucky, having worked with the smartest, most talented people. I have learned so much along the way. I’ve never been shy about taking chances, seizing opportunities I never took the easy way out. I never thought anything was impossible. As a commercial producer, I was known as a problem solver. When others said it couldn’t be done, I found ways to get it done. When others didn’t want to take a chance, I seized the opportunity. If an agency creative team wanted to produce an award-winning commercial, I was the guy. I always asked, “what if” or “why not”. NO was not in my vocabulary. My biggest struggle was I always wanted to do more, think way outside the box way outside the comfort zone. And to many, that was very disrupting. I never had a problem voicing my opinion. Not always the smartest move.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to think of myself as a marketing and brand mixologist, blending equal parts art, science, creativity, and strategic thinking. I motivate, inspire, and change how people talk, act, think, and feel about brands.”
I integrate entertainment and interactive multimedia experiences with marketing strategies – generating engagement and conversation that lasts well beyond the event. And I provide clients with new and unique opportunities to connect with consumers and fans, promote social and environmental projects, and support non-profits and volunteer associations worldwide.” NOBODY HAS SOLD MORE TICKETS TO MORE EVENTS…NOBODY!
I have held the position (s) of Chief Executive Officer / Executive Creative Director of Ramp It Up Entertainment; Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of WENDEE, a music artist development company; Chief Operating Officer / Chief Marketing Officer at Septien Entertainment Group; Chief Operating Officer / Executive Creative Director of Input Group NA; Creative Director, Producer, Director and Managing Director of Tribe Pictures; Managing Partner/Executive Producer at Beaucoup Chapeaux and Talent Solutions and Chief Operating Officer / Executive Creative Director of Tourdesign (a division of Live Nation). Dennis was also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the NAVARAC Film Group and Film Realite.
“My favorite projects include co-writing/producing a visually stunning commercial for Alize Bleu, creating/selling/producing/directing ‘Get Fit With Alyson’ – supporting the launch of the Nintendo Wii/Wii Fit, creating a mobile campaign for a jeans company – looking for the “best ass,” introducing a cosmetics company by creating a credit card that looked like a mirror – looking for the “most beautiful face,” inventing “FaceLift” – a cleansing pad for men, producing a multimedia campaign introducing Jesse Jeans – “they fit so good they oughta be outlawed,” writing, producing fundraising films for Worldfund, directing a multimedia campaign for Special Olympics to help erase the ‘R’ word and directing a multimedia campaign for Bazooka Bubble Gum, (co-directed the music video that has more than 4 million views). https://youtu.be/yZXRaVBf0pY?si=fz2Kg2MDZCsmKHfe
Outside of “work” what are some of your other passions?
I have always loved taking pictures. I started with black and white stills, then transitioned to color and then shooting on 8mm film. I can remember taking rolls of film to the local candy store or drugstore to get them developed. Waiting to see my pictures was painful. But receiving and opening the envelope was filled with great anticipation. I would go into my room, close the door and look (and critique) each picture. A free roll of film with every roll developed, double prints, a free enlarged print, and one hour developing all changed my life. While attending American University, I wrote, produced, directed and shot my first film on 16MM on a Canon Scoopic with a built in zoom lens. It was about finding alternatives to using gas for automobiles. It was creative and funny and visually interesting. I used stop motion techniques in the film and won many student film awards. Like the rest of the world, I switched to digital for stills and shooting my “films”. In the last ten years or so I rediscovered my love for still photography. My favorites cover every wall in my home. And my photos have been published in magazines and licensed for many uses. I love it more today than yesterday. And I love editing and creating videos as much as I loved shooting them. “So mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away.” (Lyric from Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome”.)
I love to cook. Always have. From helping my Mom bake cookies to owning a sandwich and pizza restaurant in New Jersey to eating at fine restaurants all over the world. I love to eat almost as much as I love to cook. I refined my pizza making skills at my restaurant. I got so good at it – throwing the dough up in the air until it was just right to be shaped into a pie. I had learned to juggle watching an episode of MASH, so learning how to toss dough was easy. As more of my friends learned of my pizza making skills I received many invitations to host a pizza party, teaching others how to make pizza dough, toss it, top it off and cook it. It’s always a fun evening. I was recently featured in a magazine, sharing my pizza making and dough tossing secrets. But I have to admit, before Valerie, my wife, perfected a recipe for making our dough at home, we would purchase our pizza dough from a restaurant, supermarket, specialty food store, etc. But nothing beats homemade dough, NOTHING! (Except maybe making our own pizza sauce!) Here’s a tip – buy dough at Trader Joe’s and use RAO’s Homemade Marinara Sauce, use a combination of Mozzarella, Provolone and Parmigiana cheeses and add your favorite toppings.
The rest of my free time is spent traveling, watching movies (in theaters), going to concerts, riding my E-bike, spending time with family and friends and taking Jaxson, my chocolate Havanese on long walks through the neighborhood. Everyone knows Jaxson.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.dennisgelbaum.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennisjgelbaum/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgelbaum/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisgelbaum3153/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZi10qsTAm7IZnb8hpyZ_ow
