Daniel Ehrenworth Brings His Love of Challenge to Impossible Studios
For those following the Canadian production scene, Daniel Ehrenworth’s arrival at Toronto-based production company Impossible Studios is something worth taking note of. A talented photographer and director, his passion for taking on projects unlike anything he’s ever attempted before will undoubtedly be perfectly matched by a studio literally named ‘Impossible’ – something to watch as 2025 continues to unfold.
Having worked with some of the biggest agencies in both Canada and the US for an assortment of established brands (and winning some awards in the process), Daniel’s portfolio is predictably diverse. Described as stylised, but not-specialised, however, he’ll be looking to work on the humorous, colourful, quirky, dynamic… really anything that he’s never had the chance to do before. So long as the brief presents an interesting puzzle and the work isn’t boring, he’ll probably have an interesting idea for how it can come to life. And that’s a very exciting prospect.
To learn more about why he joined, his work, and what you can expect to see out of him in the coming year, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Daniel for a chat.
LBB> Daniel, congratulations on signing with Impossible Studios! How did this come about, and what made joining the team feel like the right decision for your career?
Daniel> Thanks! I had been with another agency for around seven years and had a great experience with them, but felt it was time for a change. Impossible Studios was a shop I had admired for a long time, and I felt the team’s work and sensibilities were a really good match for my career direction.
I’ve known Marco D’Angelo (executive producer and partner) for a year or so, as we’d occasionally go out for coffee to talk some industry banter. And what I especially liked was that Impossible was a place where you could be both a director and a photographer… I’m not quite ready to give up either for the other.
Also, my greatest joy on set is when I’m about to do something I’ve never done before. I love a challenge in just about every regard, and the DNA of an agency named ‘Impossible’ seems perfectly aligned with the joy that comes with taking up a challenge head on.
LBB> What have the early days of collaboration been like? How are you enjoying things thus far?
Daniel> Well, we just started, so we’ve been spending most of our time pitching, quoting, and putting together promo materials, but so far, it has been great. I met a bunch of the Impossible staff and other artists on the roster, and they were all fabulous. I’m very much looking forward to 2025 and beyond.
LBB> What types of pieces will you be looking to pitch for? Are there particular genres or subject matters that you find especially exciting?
Daniel> If you look at my work, you might notice that I lean toward the funny, the colourful, the quirky, and the dynamic. But I also love working in the lifestyle space which is, in many ways, often the opposite. I also had the opportunity last year to direct my first animated spot, and loved every single moment of it. I would love to direct more animation!
So, with all that being said, I get especially excited for projects and subject matter that I’ve never done before, especially ones that involve people and humour.
LBB> Let’s talk a bit more about you – how do you approach splitting your time as both a director and photographer? Why is it important for you to be able to do both?
Daniel> I went to school for photography and really only started seriously directing five years ago. I actually started my career as a gallery artist, so it seems a bit strange to me that having a multi-disciplinary practice in the commercial world is seen as unique. It’s pretty common in the art world. It feels like a strange question, sort of like asking whether someone prefers books or music. I love both and the skill sets complement each other (although I find my directing instincts tend to come more from my love of music than photography). But I do try to keep them separate, even on jobs where I’m hired as both the director and stills photographer. Always happy to do both… just not on the same day.
LBB> You mentioned the skill sets complement each other – tell us more about this! How do your experiences on either side impact your craft as a whole?
Daniel> They’re complementary in many ways, but they can also get in the way. There’s plenty of crossover like lighting, lensing, colouring, performance, moments, etc. But while directing, I’m often working to overcome the instinct to create the perfect static frame; it’s much more about movement, rhythm, and emotions. To overcome this, I storyboard my spots like mad and try my best to avoid shooting stills and directing on the same day. It takes time to switch mindsets.
LBB> And how would you describe your style? What should future collaborators know about you?
Daniel> It’s hard to talk about that without sounding pretentious, so let me just say, I love colour, humour, people, moments, snapshots, weird music, Broadway musicals, transgressive cinema, puns, Vonnegut, Acker, reruns of ‘The Jerry Springer Show’, Eggleston, and I have my own cotton candy machine (the kids love it… my wife doesn’t).
LBB> You’ve previously been described as stylised, but non-specialised. Why is it so important that each project is a departure from whatever you last shot?
Daniel> Specialising sounded boring and my overarching career goal was to not be bored. I remember once, a professor shared some great advice. He told me there is a big difference between a style and a shtick. A schtick is just a recipe you apply to your work, whereas a style is more subtle when done right. It’s a sensibility, both conscious and unconscious, that you bring to the work, and it materialises a through-line across your portfolio no matter how different you try to make each piece. It’s like a tether – you stretch and stretch and hope it doesn’t snap. I think about that a lot. And it worked. I’m never bored on set, or off set for that matter.
LBB> With that in mind, how do you approach a new brief? Does your creative process vary based on the genre of whatever you’re shooting at the time?
Daniel> I treat most briefs like a puzzle. So, in that sense, I treat them all a bit differently and similarly at the same time. There’s the brief, but then there are also other factors to consider (the budget, the season, the timeline, the history, references, my own creative satisfaction, trends – both current and future – what the client has done before, etc), and then my job is to take all those factors and squeeze out the best approach I possibly can.
LBB> Would you say that there’s a throughline in your work, despite the diversity? And if so, how would you describe it?
Daniel> Again, it’s hard to articulate, and that’s partially by design. However most people tend to pick up on the colour palettes, the humour, the people, the polished and the unpolished, and a few more things that are hard to pinpoint. I’m also a child of the ‘80s, so that creeps in there from time to time.
LBB> What pieces from your portfolio do you think best represent this, and your overall ethos as an artist?
Daniel> Oh don’t make me pick! I love all my children equally… Except for a couple of shoots. Ask me about those another time.
LBB> Of course, you’ve come to Impossible Studios at a time when, technologically, the industry is in a state of flux. With that in mind, to what extent do you like to incorporate new tech into your productions?
Daniel> That’s a great question. I went to art school right in the thick of the digital revolution, so working during a ‘state of flux’ is just a normal day at the office for me. New tech gets me incredibly excited, whether it’s AI, volume walls, motion capture, light-field cameras (remember those?), wearable tech, car backup cameras, Ring doorbells, etc. They’re all just tools that open up new possibilities for the mind to wander.
LBB> Finally, overall, what are you most excited for in the production world of 2025? Do you have any major goals for the year?
Daniel> New projects, new challenges, maybe some travel, and I would love to direct another animated spot (they’re so much fun!). Hopefully this time they might let me mo-cap one of the characters. That would be a dream come true.
