EP Kipp Christiansen settles in at One at Optimus

Kipp Christensen, One at Optimus’ new EP

After traveling the world over as a freelance producer for many of the great spot directors, Kipp Christiansen has stowed his luggage to join One at Optimus as executive producer. 

What enticed him to accept only the second staff position he’s had in 22 years in the spot business was the way Optimus does business.

“Having freelanced here for two years,” he says, “I’ve seen how the whole company has incredibly good ways of dealing with solutions to difficult situations and how they deliver at a high level.  Here, everything is under one roof so we’re able to do everything.”

Christiansen is one of five executive producers at Optimus and One at Optimus in Chicago and Santa Monica. John Noble is EP/managing director of One and Brian Hrastar and Gretchen Praeger are EPs at Optimus and Therese Hunsberger is EP/managing director of Optimus, Santa Monica.

Christiansen produced for Oscar winning director Barbara KoppleFor the past decade, award-winning Christiansen, who is also a DGA first AD, has been producing “tons and tons of commercials” throughout America and overseas for feature and doc directors:  Todd Phillips (Hangover I and II),  Wen Wenders (Don’t Come Knocking) doc directors Barbara Kopple (Harlan County) and Jessica Yu (Breathing Lessons), Toby Phillips of Story, Chris Wilcha of Chelsa Pictures and many others. 

Last December, Toby Phillips requested Christiansen for a 25-day shoot on the new technologically advanced, amenity-rich Disney Dream cruise ship.  The crew shot from the ship’s departure in the German port city of Bremenhaver, through the rough North Sea and into the glassy Caribbean, “shooting enough content that Disney will be using for advertising for the next few years,” he says.

For Oscar-winning Barbara Kopple, he was an assistant direct on a series of 60-second spots, about the Target-sponsored tour of Cheech Marin’s collection of Latino art, the largest in the world, in museums throughout the country.  

Christiansen worked with director Albert Watson in MoscowChristiansen says he was paid “the biggest compliment ever” when internationally famous photographer/director Albert Watson, cofounder of Cyclops, New York, specifically asked for him to be his senior post producer in Moscow, where Watson shot Benefiber spots two years ago.  

Christiansen’s lengthy list of awards reflects his experience in producing TV show live action graphics and title design. They include a Daytime Emmy for Oprah live action sequences; five awards for Digital Kitchen network and cable TV show openings, including two Promax golds, a silver Telly and an AICP award.

Also for Digital Kitchen, he produced the show openings the A&E crime series, The Glades and for True Blood on HBO.

Christiansen got his start as a PA with Story 

Lincoln Park native Christiansen attended UCLA film school and got his first job in the local spot business in 1989 as a production assistant through producer Judy Friedman.  His first staff job was with what is now Mark Androw’s Story.  He was quickly promoted to coordinator and then production manager.  

Two years later, he joined the ranks of freelancers.  “It turned out to be an incredible run,” says the affable Christiansen. “I had the pleasure of working with amazing people on tremendous jobs all over the world.”

At One at Optimus he works with the eight directors on One’s roster: Jamie Fleishel, Chicago; Otto Arsenault, Alex Behr, Ryan Bosworth, Michael Chaves, Jim Matlosz in L.A.; Barry Kimm, Minnetonka, Minn. and Sunny Zhao in Richmond, Va. 

He has a staff of six, including line producer Sara Slevin, associate producer is Lauren Peccorella and PAs Amanda Speva and Abby Hamilton. 

Say Noble, “Kipp is a true pro with an industry reputation that is second to none. His extensive knowledge of the commercial production industry in the U.S. and internationally will nicely complement our growing creative directorial roster.”

Optimus is located at 161 E. Grand, phone, 312/321-0880.