Michael Karbelnikoff

Born in a modest town in Wisconsin, Michael Karbelnikoff had one primary ambition: get out. But not before the hello & CO’s future co-founder/director/producer cut his filmmaking teeth on Wisconsin public television and at his uncle’s community theatre.

From those humble beginnings, Karbelnikoff came to Los Angeles to open the bicoastal production company HKM in 1982. Through HKM, and later hello & CO, Karbelnikoff has helmed award-winning campaigns for nearly every major brand including Honda, Visa, GE, Hyundai, Gillette, Ford, Coke, Sprint, AT&T and Pepsi. He has also paid his long-form dues directing TV and feature films starring Mickey Rourke, Christian Slater, Patrick Dempsey and Laura Flynn Boyle to name a few.

In addition to building an enviable directing resume, Karbelnikoff has remained dedicated to the production and development of young talent and companies. While at the helm of HKM, he helped create The Directors Bureau along with Roman Coppola and Mike Mills. He also co-founded the special effects company Asylum Visual Effects, which garnered awards for its work on feature films like Black Hawk Down and Minority Report. Once The Directors Bureau and Asylum were up and running, Karbelnikoff helped develop the production company Rock Fight, which nurtured yet another roster of new directors. Rock Fight recently combined forces with HKM to create hello & CO, representing the best of both companies.

Karbelnikoff resides in New York with his three children. For more information about Karbelnikoff, Google him. He is the only Michael Karbelnikoff—last he checked.