CONTACT US

Call us to speak with an actual person:
800-41SOUND (417-6863)

Feel free to email us anytime:
info@sound-imagination.com

We look forward to working on your next production!
 

ABOUT US

 

From our founder…

 

I started Sound Imagination as a jingle company in the bedroom of my parent’s house over 30 years ago.  I had a 4-track cassette deck, a synthesizer, a drum machine…and I was in business!  Little did I know where it would all lead.  Today we’re a full service Music, Video and Audio production company.  

 

Whether we’re doing a large-scale Broadway production or a simple radio commercial, our philosophy is the same…if Steven Spielberg walked in the room and said “what are you working on?” we’d be proud to show it to him! 

 

For us, it’s not about squeezing everything out of the bottom line.  Quite the opposite.  We squeeze as much production into a project as possible.  The better our productions are, the better our clients do.  And more than anything, we’ve always been about forging lifelong relationships with our customers.  They know they can count on us to go the extra mile and help them out whenever they need it.  

 

Ad Agencies view us as a creative partner for their video, music and audio productions.  For companies without an agency, we are a creative boutique that can fulfill their multi-media needs. 

 

We’re lean but mighty - allowing us to be competitive with our rates. We offer help and advice all throughout the artistic process, and best of all - we’re friendly, flexible and fun to work with!

 

What separates Sound Imagination | Imagination Video from other companies?

  • Most Video companies don’t produce audio well. We’ve won numerous awards for our audio work, and we do it in-house!

  • Most Audio Companies don’t produce video at all! We’ve won numerous awards for our video work.

  • Most Video and Audio companies don’t compose and produce original music. We started as a music company and have won an impressive number of awards for our scores, songs and jingles.

  • The end result? You get a unified concept and an award winning team working together to create the most effective and impactful production possible.

  • On budget. On time. On point!

Ed Kessel

 

THE STAFF

 
Headshot Ed Kessel

EDWARD B. KESSEL: Composer / Producer / Founder

Multi-award-winning Composer/Producer/Director, Edward B. Kessel, founded Sound Imagination | Imagination Video, a music, video and audio production company in 1986.

Ed was inducted into the NJ Advertising Hall of Fame in 2016 and has been producing music, commercials and entertainment projects for over 30 years. He has composed, orchestrated and produced music for movies, TV, Broadway, songs for major artists, jingles and commercial scores. His credits include projects for Tony Bennett, Billy Gilman, A Tale Of Two Cities (Broadway), the 2004 Olympics, SeaWorld, AT&T, Macy’s, Six Flags and Norwegian Cruise Line.

He has won numerous awards for his music and video productions including: 31 Telly Awards, 5 Communicator Awards, 45 Jersey Awards, 3 Garden State Film Festival Awards, 2 MarCom Awards, a Drama Desk Award nomination for his work on Broadway, and Best Soundtrack in both the NY International Film Awards, as well as the Oniros International Film Awards.

Ed feels blessed to do what he loves every day, and nothing makes him happier than to see a project come to life in its final form. One of his personal highlights was sitting in a Broadway theater, hearing his orchestrations performed by some of the finest musicians in NY.

Ed is a self-admitted “take” hog. He is known for saying “just one more take” about a thousand times. His team has started referring to those as the “Kessel Takes”. Ask any singer or actor who’s ever worked for Ed and they’ll tell you “more smile…. I need to hear you smiling!” Guilty as charged.

 
Headshot Sandy Linzer

SANDY LINZER: Songwriter / Producer

Nominated for the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame…we sometimes refer to Sandy as “Legendary Linzer”. He has written and produced some of the most prominent songs of the last four decades including five #1 hits. Here are a few favorites:

Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby (Smash Mouth/ Movie - Shrek)

I Believe In You And Me (Whitney Houston)

Native New Yorker (Odyssey)

Workin’ My Way Back To You: (Frankie Valli-Four Seasons/Broadway - Jersey Boys)

Let’s Hang On: : (Frankie Valli-Four Seasons/Broadway Jersey Boys)

Dawn (Go Away): : (Frankie Valli-Four Seasons/Broadway Jersey Boys)

Opus 17: : (Frankie Valli-Four Seasons/Broadway Jersey Boys)

Spanish Eyes: (Backstreet Boys)

A Lover’s Concerto (The Toys/Movie - Mr. Holland’s Opus)

SOME OF THE MORE PROMINENT ARTISTS that have been produced by or have recorded songs written by Sandy Linzer include: P. Diddy and Busta Rhymes, Baha Men, N-Sync, Backstreet Boys, Whitney Houston, Smash Mouth, Blackstreet, Kool & The Gang, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Olivia Newton-John, Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, The Spinners, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Orlando & Dawn, The Monkees, Soupy Sales, Glen Campbell, Grayson Hugh, The Toys, Eric Carmen, Juice Newton, Ronnie Milsap, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., Phyllis Hyman and Billy Gilman.

Sandy Linzer has been part of the Sound Imagination songwriting/producing team since 2001. He is the ultimate student of what’s current and has been known to even start rapping during some of our songwriting sessions. We’re just waiting for the day when he busts a move and we can capture it on video!!!

 
Wilson Castillo

WILSON F. CASTILLO: Video Producer/Director of Photography

Wilson F. Castillo is a director and filmmaker that was born and raised in Cuenca, Ecuador. He worked for 4 years at Univision TV and continued his career as a programming advisor at TeleCuenca where he helped to recreate the company image and enhance the shows they were offering.

Wilson has extensive experience directing and producing commercials for such notable clients as Chevrolet Ecuador, JEP bank, CARTOPEL Industry, and Ministry of Tourism Ecuador.

In the USA, Wilson has worked as a DP/Editor with the Latino Community, on the production of many short films. He has also directed and written shorts including "Amor Del Negrito", "Liberate 2", "Secuestrados" / "Hostages" (2023), that premiered in Flagship Movie Theaters such as the Regal Union Square, a Broadway Theater in New York City.

Wilson prides himself on his written and visual storytelling skills, and often oversees the creative and visual production of a film from concept to delivery. He can expertly communicate his vision to the actors and performers he works with.

He earned his degree in Film/TV direction and production at the University of Azuay (UDA).

As a Filmmaker, Wilson has gained inspiration from great directors such as Alfonso Cuaron, Christopher Nolan and Guillermo Del Toro.

 
Headshot Regev Gamiliel

REGEV GAMLIEL: Animator/Graphic Artist

There’s Saturday morning cartoons…and then there’s Regev! He studied animation, design, and film in Los Angeles at the Otis College of Art and Design and has worked for some of the industry’s leading companies. He has animated for film, TV shows, TV commercials, and several video games. Some his more prominent credits include “Meet Dave” with Eddie Murphy, Disney’s “Aaron Stone”, and the video game “GTA4”. Regev spent many years in the advertising industry and has animated several commercials including Wrigley’s Gum, Nokia, Nissan, and Nivea. Some of his corporate projects include Pfizer, Lockheed Martin, BD Medical and others. Regev’s work adds a dynamic and playful element to our productions. In this visual age, movement is the key to grabbing people’s attention, and his use of motion to convey a message to the viewers is always on point.

 
Alex Towle Headshot

ALEX TOWLE: Photographer

Alex began his career as a photographer at Australia’s largest newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald. In 1990, he moved to New York City and continued his career covering NYC and many other locations around the country.

Alex’s images have appeared in many publications both here and abroad. Some of the many clients who have benefited from Alex’s artistry include: Incisive Media UK, News Corp. Australia, Infopro Digital, JSMT Media, The Drum, Animated Storyboards, Hummingbird Sports, Porsche Monmouth, AbbVie and many others.

Alex’s photography captures the moment in a timeless fashion. From children to celebrities, to Wall Street’s Captains of Industry…from vintage classics to modern super-cars, he has an eye for finding that beautiful image.

If you wonder why people are always smiling around Alex – we believe it’s his Aussie accent as much as the camera. Just a theory!

 
Elisa Tornow Headshot

ELISA TORNOW: Production Manager

Elisa is a video producer and writer form West Milford, New Jersey. With over a decades experience in advertising, Elisa has a deep-seated passion for storytelling and digital media, as well as a flair for new technologies. Fun fact: Elisa is also known by the handle “Broadhumor” in the web3/crypto space and as that alter-ego served as Community Manager for YouTuber Brett Malinowski.

Her screenplay “The Corporate Ladder” was selected as an alternate in the “Project Greenlight” competition on HBO, and her sketch comedy show “Broad Humor” with co-author Kalyn Shaible was scouted by Saturday Night Live.

Elisa has been a fan of Sound Imagination for years, and is beyond excited to be part of a team that makes magic happen.

 
Lauren Takacs Headshot

LAUREN TAKACS: Accounting Supervisor/Studio Singer

We’re lucky to have Lauren! Lauren has been part of the Sound Imagination team for over 20 years as a studio singer, and our Accounting Supervisor since early 2020.  Her voice has been heard on numerous jingles and corporate spots throughout the U.S. over the years. Prior to taking on the Accounting Supervisor role, Lauren spent 25 years at Bank of America in Global Tech & Operations.

A piano player since the age of 3, Lauren has also been writing songs and playing professionally since the age of 14. She has collaborated w/ fellow Sound Imagination songwriter/musician Marc Hoffman as well as George Karak (writer of Bon Jovi's ‘Runaway’), amongst others.

Lauren loves working at Sound Imagination “it’s literally a dream to be able to work in the entertainment industry every single day now!”

Lauren currently performs live as a lead singer/keyboardist throughout the NYC area…check out her newest band “Suit & Mai Tai”, covering yacht and corporate/arena rock favorites and coming to venues in Summer 2023!

 
Marc Hoffman Headshot

MARC HOFFMAN: Songwriter / Musician

Marc has been part of the Sound Imagination writing team since 1988.

Based in New York City, Marc not only works regularly as a session drummer and singer, but is an accomplished songwriter and producer as well. His song "The Rain Came Down" (co-written w/ Elliot Weiss) was recorded on Miho Nakayama's album, which went to #4 on the Japanese Billboard Chart. Another song of Marc's appears on an album by EMI/Latin recording artist, Jailene.

Marc wrote, produced, and performed two songs, which appear in the cult classic movie, "The Toxic Avenger". Many of Marc's songs have been featured on national daytime soap operas for CBS and NBC.

Marc also writes and produces jingles, as well as composing for film. Marc and Sound Imagination composer, Ed Kessel, composed the music for two full-length motion pictures entitled "Natural Forces", and "Some Fish Can Fly", the latter of which received a Garden State Film Festival award for Best Internationally Inspired Song.

Marc is the drummer and singer with the band, Best Of The Eagles, which performs regularly in some of the most popular venues in and around NYC including B.B. Kings, The Stone Pony, and the Count Basie Theater.

 

BANJO: Chief Snack Officer / Assistant Music Producer

Known for his song parodies and “Dog Philosophy 101” TikTok videos, Banjo has been gaining popularity on social media. Within 2 months, he gained over 198,000 followers on Instagram and over 30,000 followers on TikTok.

Banjo is always happy to lend his keen ear to our music and audio mixes in the studio. After all, who has better high-end hearing than a dog. Especially one as cool as Banjo!

And of course, he keeps the studio stocked with yummy snacks, dog bones and chew toys should any of our clients want any.

Look him up at Captain.Banjo on Instagram and TikTok. And CaptainBanjo on YouTube.

 

Sound Imagination 30th Anniversary Party featuring Broadway Stars, World Class Studio Singers, and Jazz Virtuosos