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When Thomas Benski and Marisa Clifford crossed paths on set one day, the pair struck upon an idea: to create an integrated production company that would leverage talent across parallel mediums. “We felt there was an opening in the marketplace to create something new,” recalls Benski on forming Pulse. “We envisioned a company that could embrace all of the varied disciplines at hand.”
That meeting led to the formation of Pulse in 2005. Since then, the company has grown from its headquarters in London to additional outposts in America and Europe and is recognised today as an integrated production and distribution company that continues to operate across multiple platforms in advertising, music, television and film.
“We’ve never been scared of new platforms and embraced the fragmentation of media from the beginning,” says Clifford on company dynamics. “It’s not so much a strategic approach as instinctively understanding the marketplace. We’re a diverse company with specialists working in different areas, so we respond to work proactively because we’re not stuck in a specific mindset.”
This approach has seen the company’s UK production output grow exponentially since its inception, aptly named as one of the UK’s fastest growing companies by The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 last year – the definitive list of Britain’s fastest-growing privately held companies.
Pulse has extended this business model in recent years with new outposts in Paris, New York and, most recently, Los Angeles. “Becoming a global company, it’s important to adapt to individual markets and not replicate your identity,” Clifford says on growing the brand. “It’s more important to keep our essence, our principles and our beliefs intact while adapting to new territories.”
Relationships with influential players has also powered Pulse – its recent strategic partnership with Vice Media in America of particular interest, and plans are already afoot to co-produce on a slate of original programming with the influential lifestyle brand. But are there concerns of losing an edge partnering with such a popular property?
“I feel it’s a great way to grow and develop, and to punch above your weight class,” responds Benski. “This is an opportunity to work with one of world’s most innovative media companies. I have always believed in partnerships because you leverage your network of partners. The problem in our industry lies in the fact partnerships are too often simply seen as a one-way street.”
The yin/yang of varied content has also stimulated interest in parallel mediums, as was the case when Katy Perry starred in a T-Mobile commercial directed by DARYL. That project saw DARYL go on to direct the 3D Paramount feature Katy Perry: Part of Me, a rock doc garnering in excess of $32m at the box office. “It’s very important that we manage, promote and harness the talent we have in-house,” notes Clifford.
First choice London
While Pulse has added international offices, the UK was always the pair’s first choice:
“We love London,” Benski explains. “It’s a place where Pulse will always thrive. We have a global outlook and know that America is important, but London is our home. The UK is more personable as a business model than the US; most of its agencies are in London, so you can jump in for a chat with the creatives anytime. In the US, agencies are dotted across the country so it presents new challenges, but it’s also a land of opportunity. I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two. It’s not that one is more difficult than the other, just that they are two completely different regions.”
Pushed on what it is that has made the company successful, Benski speaks of the beauty of acquiring and growing new talent: “What we’ve created here is an ecosystem where talent can live, grow and develop. For me, our success comes down to two things: the talent we attract and the diversity of specialists that we gather. We want to be a place where people are excited to work, with a philosophy that agencies embrace.”
An emphasis on building the company’s narrative output Stateside is also top of mind for Pulse, recently hiring Ashley Schlaifer to oversee development on a number of scripted television and film projects. Schlaifer will utilise her experience at Summit Entertainment working with film studios, TV networks and music labels to reach consumers through mobile devices.
Meanwhile, successful ventures by Pulse include feature documentaries including the Sundance 2013 screener Who is Dayani Cristal? starring Gael García Bernal that won the Best Cinematography Award. The LCD Soundsystem flick Shut Up and Play the Hits was also an official selection at both Sundance and SXSW.
In the music video realm, director Ninian Doff has just released the tongue-in-cheek promo Money for Peace, while the Nick Cave documentary 20,000 Days On Earth premiered at Sundance 2014, collecting Best Directing and Best Editing nods. This year will also see the release of the dark comedy The Dirties, marking Pulse’s first film acquisition through its distribution division.
With so much going on, how does Pulse keep a beat on its talent? “You can never expect talent to stay with you purely out of loyalty,” answers Benski. “You always need to be a step ahead.”
“It’s also about the way we work with our directors,” adds Clifford. “We are so proud of the work our guys create. When you find talent super young and develop it, it’s such a great feeling, and if a talented director wants a film career then we’ll rep them with their best interest’s at heart.”
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