Westside at 40: Four Decades In, Still Creating, Still Evolving, Still Here

“As Westside celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, it’s fun and gratifying to look back at what we’ve accomplished, but it’s even more exciting to look to the future as we continue to build on our success,” says partner Tom Nesbitt.

Started by photographer George Simhoni and producer Sandi Wall, Westside began in 1985 as a photography house shaped by craft, experimentation, and a belief in putting artists first. “It was that mindset that first attracted me,” says photographer Chris Gordaneer, who became a partner in 2004 “Here talent has the freedom to grow, as well as the unique opportunity to be inspired by other artists.” Together, with producer-turned-partner Tom Nesbitt, they expanded the studio into commercials and larger integrated productions as the industry evolved.

_{Original location in 1987}

Today, the studio feels less like a legacy company and more like a place in constant motion. Inside the building, you’ll hear lighting tests from one room, quiet creative debates in another, and the focused energy that comes from people who genuinely love what they are making. You might see a set build happening in one studio, a wardrobe fitting in another, while a director works on some previs in their office, and a photographer pre-lights across the hall.

_{Current location 2025}
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Westside brings ideas to life across stills, film, and the space where both meet.

It shows in the work: integrated productions that merge film and photography, campaigns built around clear ideas and nimble execution, and crews who understand both creative ambition and the practical realities of bringing productions to life. The national Rogers campaign during the Blue Jays playoff run is one example of how seamlessly Westside’s film and photography teams now operate as one unit.

“Walk into the studio right now, and it doesn’t feel like a 40-year-old company,” says Jill Heintzman, agent at Westside. “It feels alive. Ideas are being tested, pulled apart, and rebuilt in interesting ways. Artists are playing, experimenting, and following their instincts. That curiosity is real, and it is shaping what comes next.”

_{40th anniversary drop images by Marc Santos}

Westside’s production team has evolved with the industry, bringing a level of technical problem-solving and creative calm that makes integrated work feel natural. New directors and photographers have also joined the roster, each adding a distinct voice to Westside’s expanding creative landscape.

Forty years is a meaningful milestone, but for Westside, it is less about looking back and more about signalling what comes next. The studio is still here, still evolving, still creating, and the next chapter might be its most exciting yet.