Nora Kirkpatrick Joins Steam Films for Canadian Commercial Representation

Steam Films is excited to welcome director, writer, and actor Nora Kirkpatrick to its talented roster of filmmakers. Nora’s signing represents an extension of a long-standing relationship between Steam Films and Furlined, which represents her in the US and UK. This signing has the distinction of being Nora’s first commercial representation in Canada. 

“We’ve had a long history of successes with Furlined, an award-winning production company with parallel values, which began with Speck and Gordon - a relationship that still stands strong today,” says managing partner Jennifer Sykes. “Longevity is the key to true success in this business, which Speck and Gordon have demonstrated. Together, Steam and Furlined share in their success and long history and, together, we look forward to cultivating a similar longevity alongside Nora.” 

Nora Kirkpatrick grew up in rural Iowa before graduating from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television. Upon graduation, Nora did what her parents told her not to do and joined a band. The band, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, went on to have a platinum-selling record and win a GRAMMY, amongst other awards. With the band, Nora toured the world, playing at festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, and SXSW. 

While on tour, Nora honed her writing skills. Upon leaving the band in 2014, she hit the ground running, selling several TV shows and embarking on a career as an actor, writer, and director. Collaborations with Will Ferrell, Olivia Wilde, and SNL alum Mike O’Brien spawned several comedic series, which Nora has written and/or directed, including ‘Assisted Living’ (CBS), ‘Virtually Mike and Nora’ (HULU), ‘Best Seller’ (Comedy Central), and ‘The Coop’ (Eko and FunnyOrDie). She is a writer on two Amazon series, the forthcoming ‘Daisy Jones and The Six,’ produced by Reese Witherspoon and starring Riley Keough, and ‘Rodeo Queens,’ starring Dakota Johnson. As an actor, Nora has played many roles in film and television, including Esther, Dwight’s girlfriend on ‘The Office.’ The acclaimed short film Nora wrote and directed, ‘Long Time Listener, First Time Caller,’ is a tragicomic portrait of a woman in search of answers to life’s existential questions. The short garnered her ‘Best Female Director’ at the Prague International Film Festival.

Nora’s commercial career debuted with a BudLight Seltzer campaign out of Wieden+Kennedy/New York, earning her the distinction of being the first woman ever to direct a campaign for BudLight. Since then, she has directed films for renowned brands, including Nestle, Duracell, Peloton, and Uber. When working in the commercial realm, Nora always looks for unusual world-building and aesthetic characteristics alongside an interesting conceit that pushes beyond advertising’s traditional conventions.

As a medium, Nora finds the commercial space very invigorating, she said, “Commercials offer directors the opportunity to work with living icons – from DPs to costume and art directors – it’s such an exciting microcosm of the industry. And the adoption of new technology within commercials is some of the most on-the-cusp tech that is being used in the broader film industry. From new lensing to innovative VFX techniques, commercial directors can play, bend, meld, and imagine new ways to use the camera to support the conceit and emotion of the spot.” 

Reflecting on what drew the team at Steam Films to Nora’s work, Jennifer Sykes said, “Nora’s work truly captivates the viewer, and we were no exception! Her sheer talent speaks for itself. The palpable energy and excitement we felt from her work drew us right in and we wanted to know everything – her backstory, what inspires her, what she aspires to achieve in her career. Nora is truly a one-of-a-kind talent, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with her.” 

On joining Steam Films, Nora Kirkpatrick said, “It’s a complete honour to be joining the legendary team at Steam. I admire their focus on linking brands and directors with intention, so meaningful works can be created that push the boundaries of what is achievable aesthetically, comedically, and emotionally. I love my Furlined family, and working with Steam is such a beautiful extension of this wonderful group of people who are linked not only by reputation, but by ethos.” 

Carling Acthim, executive producer/head of sales at Steam Films, said, “We view Nora as hitting a homerun. She’s a top-tier comedy director and someone who will generate stiff competition industry-wide in Canada. We are proud to be an all-female-led company and, by extension, to champion female directors, to shake up the bid pool, and to knock the usual suspects out of the mix.” 

Steam Films is an internationally recognised, award-winning, full-service commercial production house. Based in Toronto, we represent a diverse group of directors, collaborating with advertising teams from across Canada, and beyond, to create brand stories that inspire and move audiences.