The Essential List: Kirstin VanSkiver
Kirstin VanSkiver is the head of production and partner at SLMBR PRTY, a NYC based production company. After working for years as a photographer Kirstin turned her attention to producing branded content and commercials for top clients and agencies such as Facebook, Audible, Netflix, Dior, Macy’s, Gap, & Estee Lauder. Her passion for working with real subjects and stories has led her to produce work alongside Frontline, the PBS Emmy Award winning documentary series, the ALS Association, Girls Who Code, and the American Lung Association. In 2017 she co-founded SLMBR PRTY as a networking group for women filmmakers in New York. SLMBR PRTY has since evolved into a full service production company working with clients and partners including McDonald’s, 72 & Sunny, Spotify, Google, Disney, and Droga5.
Lifestyle
o Place of birth: Born and raised in the Philly suburbs
o Staycation: my little cottage in upstate NY, curled up with a book
Vacation: beach or the mountains, preferably both
o Pet: Tilly and Freddie, my two rescue cats
o Place of work: on set or in my sunroom
o Place of workout: Horseback
o Side project: Attempting to garden
o Mode of transport: Jeep
o Bonus travel essential: noise-cancelling headphones
Culture
o Artist: Andy Goldsworthy
o Musician: Big Thief
o Commercials / music video director: Early Errol Morris, the Miller High Life collection
o Film director: Kathryn Bigelow, Jane Campion, PTA
o Photographer: Sally Mann
o Film: Alien, Phantom Thread, or My Best Friend’s Wedding, depending on the mood
o Series: Twin Peaks
o Commercial: Subaru 'First Day of School'
o Music video: Anna von Hausswolff - ‘The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra'
o Video game: Kingdom
o Board game: Catan. It’s probably no surprise that resource management games would appeal to a producer.
o Book: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
o Podcast: Tooth and Claw. Animal attack podcasts are the new true crime podcasts - you heard it here first.
o Newspaper (off or online): New York Times
o Magazine: The New Yorker
Food and Drink
o Breakfast: Coffee. Then two eggs, avocado, and tomato.
o Restaurant: Le Parisien, IYKYK
o Working lunch: whatever’s leftover
o Favourite dish: Salmon Nigiri
o Signature dish: Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
o Snack: olives
o Guilty pleasure: Fries!
o Bar: any dive bar
o Booze: Gin
o Not booze: Coffee
o Bonus food: Burger
o Bonus beverage: Lemon Seltzer
Kit
o Phone: iPhone 12 mini; I will hold onto this tiny phone for as long as possible
o Computer: MacBook Air
o TV: Panasonic Plasma
o Headphones: Sony noise-cancelling headphones
o Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
o Soundsystem: Bose
o Pen / pencil: Le Pen or die
o Where you document an idea: Notes, Google sheets
o Casual clothing: White linen button-up, jeans
o Smart clothing: Same as above, but add heels
o Footwear: Frye Combat boots
o Watch: Apple
o Collection: used books
o App: Weather
o Favourite social media feed: @Ranchlands for daydreaming about life as a rancher
o Work program: Hot Budget, for better or for worse
o Digital work tool: Calculator
o Analogue work tool: notepad
o Morning grooming / makeup essential: Ilia Super Serum Skin tint with SPF
o Bonus kit essential: Giant water bottle
