Tool Signs Lily Baldwin & Nora Kirkpatrick

Tool today announced it has signed Lily Baldwin and Nora Kirkpatrick to the integrated production company’s roster of directors and artists. Tool’s roster is renowned for pushing the boundaries of innovation, and is curated by Managing Partner Live Action, Oliver Fuselier, and Dustin Callif, Managing Partner Digital.

Baldwin began her career as a professional dancer with The Metropolitan Opera Ballet and other major companies, and performed in the documentary “Ride Rise Roar,” which premiered at SXSW in 2010. Now, based in both New York City and Los Angeles, Baldwin has blossomed into a filmmaker known across the industry for her unique documentary style. Her films “Sleepover LA,” “A Juice Box Afternoon,” “Sea Meadow,” and more, have been featured at SXSW and in Filmmaker Magazine, among others. Her work crosses into the music industry as well, where Baldwin has directed music videos for artists including Blood Orange, The Forms, Joan Osbourne and Stranger Cat. She was also recently chosen to direct “Misty Copeland,” a documentary for Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall. Baldwin has been named by ShortsHD as one of "The Top 10 Emerging Directors to Watch.” She is currently working on a new virtual reality project called “Through You” with artist Saschka Unseld, which received the 2016 Sundance Institute New Frontier / Jaunt VR Residency.

Kirkpatrick, best known for her roles in The Office, Greek, and a founding member of Edward Sharpe, graduated from UCLA in 2007 with degrees in Theater Film and Television. She recently co-created, co-wrote and co-directed a new 360 sketch comedy series for Hulu with Mike O’Brien (SNL, Portlandia), called, “Virtually Mike and Nora,” in which they both star. This is a first-ever VR comedy series, which debuts early this year on the platform and its VR app. The first two episodes, titled “Airplane” and “Twins,” will be showcased at Sundance.

“We are so incredibly excited and proud to add these powerhouse female directors to our roster,” said Fuselier. “Lily has an unparalleled ability to bring performance to life through film, and Nora’s background in theater, as well as her filmmaking prowess make for an exceptional and diverse addition on our Live Action roster. I can’t wait to see what 2017 brings for them at Tool.”

The announcement follows Tool’s receipt of the Cannes Lions' highest production honor, the Palme d'Or, as well as the company’s recent signing of Danish director Martin Aamund and Emmy award winning director Danielle Levitt.