Marco Schmidli - El Jefe

Marco is the mastermind behind Schmidli Backdrops and found the business 30 years ago. If you are lucky to catch the elusive El Jefe in the studio, he would be happy to tell you a thing or two about backdrops. Marco works a shorter week these days and was last seen creating artworks at his hideout in Topanga canyon for his next art show.

Randell - Office Manager, recipient of the Boomerang Staff Award

Randell speaks English, Spanish, Tagalog and… Production! He is the friendly face, the calm voice, and the central nerve of Schmidli Backdrops. Wonder about the availability of your favorite backdrops? Need to schedule a delivery or pick-up? Looking for recommendations of backdrops for your next photo shoot? He is the one who helps to make the magic happen! Randell appreciates interior design, photography, and music – fun fact his partner is a classically trained pianist!

Clay - Studio Manager

Clay joined Schmidli backdrops in 2016 as a delivery driver and now manages the studio! He works alongside Marco to create iconic Schmidli backdrops, assists Marco in creating his personal artwork (@marcoschmidliart), and photographs and frames all new work. In his spare time, he enjoys petting dogs, long walks on the beach, rock climbing, and painting his personal abstract artwork (@cool.hand.clay).

Vera - Jill of All Trades

Vera is often seen cooking in the studio, or taking pictures of El Jefe and the staff. An avid chef and a zealous photographer, she is also a spreadsheet junkie – show her your numbers and she will show you pivot tables. Her most valuable function, nevertheless, lies in assisting El Jefe in the day-to-day operational tasks and scheduling, so that he can focus on getting the creative juices flowing. A mission indeed.

Wade - New York Chief

Wade has been the Chief of Schmidli Backdrops’ New York studio for over 20 years, and rubs shoulders with the Who’s Who in fashion photography in the Big Apple. He is a trend spotter and can be very resourceful, our New York clients appreciate Wade (almost) as much as our backdrops. We encourage you to contact Wade to schedule a viewing of our latest inventory in NYC, or to hear about our capability in customized backdrops.