Robert C. Profusek (born January 7, 1980) is an Emmy-nominated American filmmaker, producer, entertainment executive, and entrepreneur, best known for Kusama: Infinity (2018), The Girl Is in Trouble (2015) and Holy Rollers (2010).
Profusek is founder and executive producer of Digital Harvest Media, a development and execution stage media and entertainment incubator that has projects in various states of production and release including Born Free (2023), Queen of New York (2023), the live-action short film Ted & Noel (2023), as well as Without a Doubt (in production), 8X10 (post-production) and Ketchup & Watermelon (post-production).
Early life and education Robert C. Profusek was born January 7, 1980, in Cleveland, Ohio to Linda and Robert A. Profusek, an attorney partner with the law practice of Jones Day. He attended Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut that included a semester abroad at Oxford Sixth Form College. Profusek earned a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Political Science and Government from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Career Profusek began his career as an investment banker with Lazard Ltd (formerly known as Lazard Frères & Co.) before transitioning to combine financial and business experience to the entertainment and media industry, initially joining independent production company Kaleidoscope Productions as an Associate to Production and Emerging Pictures in coverage. In 2006, Profusek joined Lee Daniels Entertainment as an Associate Producer to work on the feature film Tennessee.
In 2007, Profusek founded Toy Closet Films, an independent production company, where he oversaw production of feature films, television pilots, web-series, shorts and mobile apps, shepherding over 100 branded collaborations spanning all categories of media. Toy Closet content was recognized with awards and nominations including The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), Sundance Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), the Museum of Modern Art/MoMA, SXSW Conference and Festivals, San Diego International Comic-Con and the Tribeca Film Festival, as part of featured distribution partnerships with distributors including HBO, Showtime, Focus Features, Magnolia Pictures, Amazon Studios, Netflix and iTunes.
From 2011 to 2012, Profusek served as a programming consultant at YouTube, an executive producer at Condé Nast Publishing where for six years he had oversight of content strategy, live streaming, and business development for GQ, Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Condé Nast Traveler, The New Yorker, Style.com and WWD.
Prior to the merger and subsequent reverse IPO, starting in 2019, Profusek served as General Manager and Chief Creative Officer of Bellrock Brands, a family of state-legal cannabis goods. The same year, he expanded on his start-up Digital Harvest Capital to include Digital Harvest Media as he pivoted to more active non-profit and investment work.
Profusek's professional memberships include the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and Video Consortium, the global nonprofit media organization that connects and supports nonfiction filmmakers and visual journalists.
Public activities Profusek is actively involved with multiple philanthropic organizations including being on the board of The Mother Lovers, a non-profitraising awareness about maternal health in the United States, and as the Chairman/President of the Shelter Island Food Pantry.
Personal life In June 2013, Profusek married noted New York physician and scientist Thomas Urban Marron and resides in New York City and Shelter Island, NY.
Awards YearTitleAwardResultRef.2010Holy RollersDeauville Film FestivalWinner Cartier Revelation PrizeSundance Film FestivalNominee - Grand Jury Prize2010Down in No 5Student Academy AwardsNarrative Nominee2012Big ManDubai International Film FestivalMuhr AsiaAfrica Award – nominee2012Bastards of YoungIFP/Woodstock Film FestivalNominee2013Without ShepherdsSlamdance Film FestivalNominee2013Some Velvet MorningTribeca Film FestivalNominee2013Birders Guide to EverythingTribeca Film FestivalNominee2014Strictly BalletWebby AwardsNomineeTelly AwardsBronze WinnerNew York Film FestivalNomineeStreamy AwardsNominee2015Global ThreadsTelly AwardsBronze Winner (Online Video-Documentary)2016Gentlemen LobstersWebby AwardsWinner, Nominee Weird2018AngeliqueEmmy AwardsNominee, Outstanding Feature in a News Magazine2018Charlottesville: Race and Terror/VICE News Tonight Emmy AwardsWinner, Best Story in a Newscast2023Ted and NoelIris Film FestivalWinner, Audience Prize
Filmography YearTitlePositionNotes2007SzmolinskyExecutive ProducerShort2008The BoundaryProducerShort2008Push Button HouseProducerShort2008Saveta's GiftProducerShort2008TennesseeProducers's AssistantFeature2009CutsProducerShort2009Down in Number 5 Co-ProducerShort2010Holy RollersCo-ProducerFeature2010Porcelain and DiamondsProducerShort2010Last Glimmer of DayExecutive ProducerShort2011WwjdAssociate ProducerShort2011Salaam DunkDistribution Executive
(uncredited)Feature2012Big ManProducerShort2013A Birder's Guide to EverythingExecutive ProducerFeature2013Some Velvet MorningExecutive ProducerFeature2013Without Shepherds ProducerFeature2013Bastards of YoungProducerFeature2015The Girl Is in TroubleProducerFeature2015Magic CityConsulting Producer (uncredited)Short2017AngeliqueExecutive ProducerShort2018Kusama: InfinityCo-ProducerFeature2023Without A DoubtProducerFeature20238 x 10Executive ProducerShort2023Born FreeProducerFeature2023Queen of New YorkProducerFeature2023Ted & NoelProducerShort2024Ketchup & WatermelonProducerFeature (Post Production)
TV YearTitlePositionNotes2013The 3 BitsProducerTV Series,4 episodes2013Back to Schoolsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 19 episodes2013Front Row Unfilteredsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 16 episodes201324 Hours in Young Hollywoodsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2013Fashion at Worksupervising producerTV Series, 12 episodes2013Alex Trow in Twenty FiveproducerTV Series, 4 episodes2013–2014My Room Makeoversupervising producerTV Mini Series, 21 episodes2014Global Threadssupervising producerTV Mini Series,
4 episodes2014My Prom Makeoversupervising producerTV Mini Series, 7 episodes2013–2014Teen Vogue 3 Steps Tosupervising producerTV Mini Series, 29 episodes2014Letter from the Editorssupervising producerTV Mini Series, 6 episodes2014Beauty Iconssupervising producerTV Mini Series, 15 episodes2014Get the Lookexecutive producer, supervising producerTV Series, 13 episodes2014Teen Vogue Beauty Crisisexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 10 episodes2014Young Hollywoodexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 1 episode2014The Scene We the Economydistribution executiveTV Mini Series,
15 episodes2014The New Yorker Festivalexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 29 episodes2014In the Mood For...supervising producerTV Mini Series, 12 episodes2013–2014Outfit of the Dayexecutive producer, supervising producerTV Series,
59 episodes2013–2014Breakfast with Bevansupervising producer, executive producerTV Series, 35 episodes2014–2015Bryan Boy Goes to Collegeexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 10 episodes2013–2015Throwback Thursdays with Tim Blanksproducer, supervising producer, executive producer (early first season)TV Series, 67 episodes2015Influencer Journeysexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 3 episodes2014–2015Teen Vogue All Accessexecutive producer, producerTV Mini Series, 19 episodes2015Condé Nast Traveler Wanderlistexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
3 episodes2013–2015I Am Eco WarriorproducerTV Series, 28 episodes2015Sweet Spotsexecutive producerTV Mini Series,19 episodes2015Most Amazing Cakesexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 7 episodes2015College Fashionistaexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2014–2015Headlinersexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
18 episodes2015Fan Giftsexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2014–2015Strictly Balletexecutive producer, supervising producerTV Series, 37 episodes2015Shea Marie Instagram How-Tosexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
2 episodes2015Lizzie's Film, Everyone's Storyexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
2 episodes2015Kandee Nowexecutive producerTV Series, 4 episodes2015Bon Appétit Doggie Bagexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2015Salaam Dunkdistribution executive, executive producerTV Mini Series
7 episodes2015Bon Appétit Into the Wild with Tyler MacNivenexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2013–2015Besties
supervisingproducer, executive producerTV Series, 39 episodes2015Sneakerheadzdistribution
executiveTV Mini Series,
13 episodes2015Bon Appétit Weed Bakingexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2015Bon Appétit Thanksgiving Chef Hacksexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
4 episodes2015 Cookie Swap: Bon Appétitexecutive producerTV Mini Series
7 episodes2015Inside GQ's Man of the Yearexecutive producerTV Mini Series
3 episodes2015Bon Appétit Holiday Cocktail Hacksexecutive producerTV Mini Series,
3 episodes2015GQ No Shave Novemberexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 3 episodes2015Teen Vogue YouTube Host: Claudia Sulewskiexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 30 episodes2015GQ Where's the Barexecutive producerTV Series, 13 episodes2015–2016GQ Women Reactexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2014–2016Teen Vogue's the Cover
supervising Producer, executive producerTV Series, 44 episodes2015–2016Bon Appétit Ingredientsexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 3 episodes2016GQ Getting High and Getting Readyexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes2015–2016Kitchen Labexecutive producerTV Series, 26 episodes2016GQ: Fashion First Looksexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2016Bon Appétit: Sara & Sarah Protipexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 2 episodes 2016Kids Tryexecutive producerTV Series, 1 episode2016GQ: At Home Workoutsexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2015–2016Bon Appétit: 24 Hours Inexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 3 episodes2016No Filter executive producerTV Mini Series, 1 episode2016GQ: The Grindexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 5 episodes2015–2016Epicurious: Cooking Magicexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 5 episodes2015–2016Bon Appétit: Cook Like a Proexecutive producerTV Series, 26 episodes2015–2016Epicurious: 3 Steps Toexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 36 episodes2016Bon Appetit Influencer Journeysexecutive producerTV Mini Series,2 episodes2015–2016GQ Styleexecutive producerTV Mini Series,18 episodes2016GQ: Most Expensivest Shitexecutive producerTV Series, 17 episodes2015–2016Eat.Stay.Love: Conde Nast Travelerexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 10 episodes2015–2016Eat.Stay.Love: Bon Appétitexecutive producer, producerTV Series, 11 episodes2015–2016Epicurious: Secret History Ofexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2016Vanity Fair: The New Establishmentexecutive producerTV Special2016Glamour Women of the Yearexecutive producerTV Special2015–2016GQ Vince Staplesexecutive producerTV Mini Series, 8 episodes2016–2017Bong Appétit development executiveTV Series, 30 episodes2013The 3 BitsproducerTV Series,4 episodes2013Back to Schoolsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 19 episodes2013Front Row Unfilteredsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 16 episodes201324 Hours in Young Hollywoodsupervising producerTV Mini Series, 4 episodes2013Fashion at Worksupervising producerTV Series, 12 episodes2013Alex Trow in Twenty FiveproducerTV Series, 4 episodes2013–2014My Room Makeoversupervising producerTV Mini Series, 21 episodes2014Global Threadssupervising producerTV Mini Series,