Emmy-winning producer Rudy Gaskins is CEO and Executive Creative Director of Push Creative, Inc., a full-service branding agency providing strategic marketing, graphic design and video/film production. Clients include Lexus, FOX News Channel, BET, American Express, Spike TV, ABC Television, Actors Federal Credit Union, History Channel, MSNBC, and NBC Sports. Drawing on his former experience as a filmmaker and writer/producer/director for PBS, Gaskins has recently expanded Push Creative’s production scope to include program development and is actively developing TV and web series in several genres.

In an admirable gesture to elevate the quality and perception of the voiceover industry, Gaskins conceived and initiated the creation of two innovations that have had a very special impact on the TV marketing and promotions community: 1) In 2007, Gaskins created what has become Promax/BDA’s tri-annual event called “Speed Dating for Clients and Vendors.” The process, which is not unlike speed dating in the personal relationship world, has greased the rusted practices of how vendors and clients discern and create partnerships to achieve outsourcing objectives. 2) In 2009, Gaskins brought to Promax/BDA an idea to create and award category that, for the first time in TV history, would recognize the contribution of voiceover actors to the success of a multi-billion dollar advertising and marketing industries. With the passing of the legendary Don Lafontaine, Gaskins engaged Promax/BDA to inaugurate the annual Don LaFontaine Legacy Award which Gaskins presented to Don’s wife at the 2009 Promax/BDA conference. The Don LaFontaine Legacy Award is given annually to a voiceover actor who demonstrates humanitarianism in his or her life.

Gaskins began his professional career after graduating from NYU’s Film and Television program. He wrote, directed and produced several award-winning short films before signing on as an apprentice film editor on Francis Coppola’s The Cotton Club. From there Gaskins went on to work with some of the most influential filmmakers of our time, including Jonathan Demme, Brian DePalma, Milos Forman, Spike Lee, and Alan Pakula. Having never lost his original passion for creating and directing, Gaskins joined PBS where he produced over 12 hours of programming spanning dozens of countries and cultures around the world.

The PBS journalistic tradition was indeed fertile ground and a perfect complement to Gaskins’ next challenge as writer/producer/director with ABC News advertising and promotion. Here he oversaw the writing and production of on-air advertising for World News Tonight featuring the legendary Peter Jennings, 20/20 with Barbara Walters and Primetime Live with Diane Sawyer. Gaskins also produced and directed behind-the-scenes press package for ABC News and its national affiliates.

Seeking to broaden his challenges, Gaskins took advantage of an entirely new challenge when he was tapped by Court TV to develop an in-house department for creative services and on-air branding strategy. As vice president of Court TV’s creative services department Gaskins managed two successful re-launches of Court TV’s network identity as it moved from a news network to an entertainment venue — overseeing an award-winning re-branding campaign forged in partnership with Lee Hunt. Gaskins would go on to produce similar results as an executive producer for Food Network before launching Push Creative. Among many awards won before and since, Gaskins’ first Emmy Award was for Push Creative’s work on the Olympic Games.

Gaskins continues to look forward, focusing on the integration and proliferation of new media development across all platforms. Over the past 5 years he has guided Push Creative to the edge of the digital revolution, exploiting the social networking phenomenon, developing web sites, iPhone/Pad applications, widgets and web games for a variety of high profile companies like Spike TV, Lexus, JP Morgan and others. As a brand guru and creative director, Rudy has been able to grow Push Creative into a full service integrated creative agency with its greatest assets being new ideas and innovation.

Gaskins currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and business partner, Joan Baker.

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