In 1986, a 30-year-old Canadian staff writer and editor at Canada’s biggest daily paper, the Toronto Star was driving down a highway, mulling over his career. Bob Pomerantz had just been through months of nightshift hell, sleeping badly, bored out of his mind and, as he realised, not doing anything related to his love of humour and comedy.
It was enough, he decided. Quite emphatically, unequivocally, certainly enough. And then it happened. In Bob’s words – ‘an epiphany.’
“Invent my own job.” He says now, of the bolt of inspiration that streaked across the highway, catching him unawares. “Create a company that does life-story videos for special occasions. I knew nothing about business and nothing about video but was so excited, I pulled over on that highway and phoned my sister Marcia and told her. Marcia has a business background. She suggested I start slow and do a sample video for Fred’s surprise birthday party. Well, I hooked up with another print journalist, a TV news cameraman and a reporter and we did the video as a mockumentary, with guest appearances by a teacher, his first girlfriend, his dentist and so on. It was so much fun, I wanted to do more. So, after running the business on the side for 18 months, I left the Star and went full-time.”
From Fred’s 40th birthday party to today much has changed for Bob Pomerantz. From drudgery at the Toronto Star to ceo of an internationally renowned film company, Pomerantz is now known around the world as the man behind Your Life Productions, a one-stop shop for broadcast-quality tribute videos, honouring all manner of individuals, couples, companies and events. Since 1987, Your Life Productions have made over 300 films, tributes, roasts and recognition films, from landmark birthdays to milestone wedding anniversary parties, weddings, pre-wedding parties and in-depth family-history documentaries. They’ve even done several videos for funerals and life remembrances. The company’s signature blend of solid production values, a witty and humorous approach (where requested) and comprehensive attention to detail all make for a rather unique and memorable product.
Today, Bob Pomerantz still oversees the operation. From Scotland to Dubai, Lebanon to Bermuda, Your Life Productions has become one of the most sought-after firms for personalised movies. Given the scope and range of their activities, they appear to be flourishing as they enter their second decade, despite the global economic misery.
“On average, we get around 12 commissions a year,” says Pomerantz. “Our business has been expanding gradually since 1987 and luckily, we have not yet seen a downturn. Probably because we have a diverse product line/client base. Even if a non-profit organisation, like a hospital foundation is financially strapped, they might still need a ‘person-of-the-year’ tribute or roast video to attract big donors to a fund-raising dinner. Likewise, a company will still spend money to honour a beloved, long-serving ceo. And a family will still want to pay tribute to the patriarch or matriarch at a landmark birthday. If the budgets become tighter, we do the best we can to give the client a good product for less money.”
What sets a Your Life Production project apart from many other personalised film providers is the degree of professionalism and care the company takes with its projects. Having attained notoriety for their hands-on, painstaking approach to crafting films, the process of assembling the film requires time, patience and more than a little investigative research. Whether it’s a film commemorating a grandmother’s 80th birthday or a ribald mock-doc ‘roasting’ a retiring ceo, Pomerantz brings his love of humour and fascination with people of all ages and background to create something that will delight, tickle and perhaps gently embarrass his subject.
“For us, the hardest part of the project is often thinking up the best creative approaches for a particular project at a particular budget. While thinking up the concept can be tough, luckily the process is pretty straightforward. Like any marketing exercise, you ask yourself: What is the mission? What is the message? Who is the audience? But more particularly for tribute videos - be it a wedding in Dubai or corporate retirement in Chicago - you need to know: What messages must be conveyed in the show? What people must appear in the show? What is the tone of the show? Who are the best people to contact for research? What photos or other visuals must be in the show?”
The team ‘research the hell’ out of their subject. “We avoid falling back on the same old tired creative concepts,” says Pomerantz, who works with a flexible pool of freelancers, depending on the nature of the commission. “We keep current on latest comedy trends and TV shows, in case someone wants a parody of ‘American Idol’ or ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’. I believe that every biopic should at least have some humour. Where an honouree has led a fairly conventional life, you have to work harder to find that.”
The challenge of avoiding tried-and-trusted techniques keeps Your Life Productions films from become equally tired and predictable. Pomerantz and his team have shot videos in jail cells, schools, barber shops, hospitals and even a nudist resort – where our doughty hero even donned a modest fig leaf to appear on camera himself. (“You haven’t lived until you’ve looked into a small house and seeing an old woman vacuuming in the nude” he says of that particular experience). Your Life Productions also manage to score celebrity appearances for some clients – to date, they’ve amassed a pretty credible celebrity hit rate, with former Canadian Prime Ministers, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (“Very short, very serious but very nice”) and famous motivational speaker Anthony Robbins (“He is known as a very, very positive, upbeat person, but was losing his temper between takes”).
Pomerantz has even made his mark in Beirut, having produced three commissions for Dubai-based Lebanese businessmen, Rami Makhzoumi. Having created a commemorative movie for Makhzoumi’s parents’ 25th anniversary, a delighted Makhzoumi assigned Pomerantz to create a humorous film for his cousin Karim Farra’s wedding (“He wanted to ‘stick it’ to Karim in a funny, but loving way”). The projects gave Pomerantz a chance to deploy his global network of freelancers to collate information in Beirut, Dubai, London and Cairo, with co-ordination from Toronto. Most recently, Pomerantz has just wrapped an ambitious commission documenting the rich history of the Makhzoumis, which he describes as “a joy and a highlight of my career”.
While Pomerantz concentrates on refining his practise and expanding his loyal clientele, he remains upbeat and confident that despite geographical, logistical and cultural challenges, he is the first port of call for your special occasion. Take a look at the Your Life Productions website and you’ll see for yourself sample clips, testimonials and copious notes about how you can get your very own project off the ground. But one last question lingers, which seems, should elicit a fascinating response. What would Pomerantz wish to see in a tribute video commemorating himself? “I would have a talented young journalist or TV-studies student research the heck out of my life and career to make sure they had all the good information, serious and funny - because I’d be too biased to do it myself. I’d make sure all my best-known clients said really neat and funny things about me. I’d love if my wife, daughter and closest friends and family told funny stories about me but also said I was a decent, honourable person. I’d want some really choice ‘blasts from the past’ appearing in my video - like a long-long male friend or the girl (Arlene Ross) who I should have asked out on a date, but was too nervous. I’d want her to be in the video - looking hot - and say that, yes, she would have gone out with me! (How vain is that?). I’d want a cameo by at least one real celebrity. Oh, and for any re-enactment sections of the Bob Pomerantz biopic - Brad Pitt would play me.”
CONTACT
Your Life Productions
9 Halford Avenue,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tel +1 416 762 4100
www.yourlifeproductions.com
