2018 Webby Honoree - Viral Video
The iconic Apple Store on Fifth Avenue is closed for renovations, so we found a doppelgänger location to host the launch of the latest iPhone. It just so happened to be a Subway station elevator. That suspiciously looked like the famous glass Apple Store cube.
To help bring this to life, I brought the idea to stunt-based comedy group Improv Everywhere and got 50+ actors to form a really long line outside of the elevator, mimicking a huge iPhone release.
In under a week, the video received over 5 million views on YouTube and the story was picked up on major news networks across the country.
The video currently has over 11 million views.
PRESS:
Created by: Deanna Director, Maggie McClurken
Directed by: Charlie Todd
Executive Producers: Alan Aisenberg, Justin Ayers, Juan Cocuy, Andrew Soltys, and Charlie Todd
Music by: Tyler Walker
Director of Photography: Justin Ayers
Editor: Carina Jollie
Production Manager: Isabel Lopez
Art Director: Heather Yancey
Production Sound Mixer: Alan Kudan
Camera Operators: Sarah Charlee Harrison, Keith Haskel, Christian Mortensen, Andrew Soltys
Still Photography: Arin Sang-urai
Production Assistant: Jason Kasman
After noticing a phone booth with a discarded office chair sitting inside, I was inspired to reach out to Improv Everywhere with another stunt idea.
WeWork offices are quickly taking over NYC, so it only made sense for them to expand to the underutilized corners of Manhattan– the city’s phone booths. With this thought in mind, we re-branded a few unused telephone booths to look like WeWork office spaces.
Real New Yorkers were invited to try out the new “WeWork Street” service on 6th Avenue and learn about the many benefits of outdoor coworking.
Check out the full story with behind-the-scenes content here.
Press:
Crew:
Created by: Deanna Director, Maggie McClurken
Directed by: Charlie Todd
Executive Producers: Justin Ayers, Andrew Soltys, and Charlie Todd
Producer: Aleks Arcabascio
Head of Special Projects: Jordan Seiler
Key Production Assistant: Jonathan Portee
Director of Photography: Justin Ayers
Camera Operators: Kate Montgomery, Kristopher Knight, Andrew Soltys
Still Photography: Arin Sang-urai
Production Sound Mixer: Alan Kudan
Editor: Dean Marcial
Music by: Tyler Walker
Cast:
WeWork Representative: Addie Weyrich
Office Worker: Deanna Director
Coffee Server: Jordan Seiler
//
*This project was not a collaboration with WeWork or NYC
A pop-culture mash-up of "Jurassic Park" and "Parks and Recreation."
Less than a week after posting, the video had over a million views on YouTube, press from every major outlet, made the front page of Reddit, and got a tweet from Chris Pratt himself.
TIME
Mashable
College Humor - "The best mash-up of 2015"
Funny or Die
USA Today
Editor: Sean Nolan
AD: Maggie McClurken
Animation: Caroline Director
Comedy with a side of commentary.
“Millennials Throughout History” is an original comedy series that places real-life Instagram Influencers in the middle of famous historical events. It merges the present with the past, creating a unique lens to observe our current social-media-obsessed culture.
Shot aboard The Queen Mary docked in Long Beach, CA, Episode One: A Titanic Following features famed Travel and Lifestyle personality Max Emerson ‘influencing’ history on the RMS Titanic in 1912. Surely his verified blue checkmark will guarantee him a spot on one of those coveted lifeboats…
PRESS
“Millennial man lands sponsored content gig aboard the Titanic”
“The Titanic’s Unsung Shirtless Influencer”
“Max Emerson Took Shirtless Selfies While the Titanic Sank”
AWARDS
Nominated for “Best Dark Comedy Short'“ and “Best Parody Short” in the 2019 Indie Short Fest in Los Angeles
CREDITS
Creator / Writer: Deanna Director
Ep. 1 Influencer: Max Emerson
Director: David Ma
DP: John Shafto
Editor: Kain O’Keeffe
Designer: Maggie McClurken
Photographer: Casey Kringlen
The Valentine’s Day aisle at CVS can be a sad place when you’re single. I wanted to change things up by giving those riding solo a thoughtful alternative on February 14th: a one-stop-shop for their party of one needs. Playing self-care Cupid, I hung the fake signage and rearranged the shelves with single-friendly items in a few non-participating CVS stores around Los Angeles.
Designer: Maggie McClurken
To fulfill a lifelong goal of meeting Jim Carrey and the Farrelly Brothers, I collaborated with the Head Designer of A-list fashion label Haute Hippie to create "Dumbure Couture," high fashion for lowbrow comedy.
One day after tweeting a pic of the hand-stitched "Dumb and Dumber" inspired dresses, the Farrelly Brothers personally invited us to the premiere of "Dumb and Dumber To" in LA. All expenses paid by Universal Pictures.
Head Designer: Matthew Demgen // Editor: Sean Nolan // AD: Maggie McClurken // Illustrator: Hannah Choi
press:
BroBible: ‘Dumb And Dumber’ Superfans Create Movie-Inspired Clothes — Farrelly Bros. Invite Them To Premiere After Finding Video
AdPulp: Creative Side Projects Can Be A Dumb And Dumber Idea (And That’s Good)
Ranked #32 on "The 50 Best Cosplays of New York Comic Con 2014"
My name may be Deanna Director, but occasionally, I’m Deanna Actor.
We teamed up with the world's oldest working mime, Richmond Shepard, to put a modern twist on the traditional routine by having him interact with technology & NYC.
Partners: Nick Hugh Schmidt, Eric Alexander Franklin
Press: Front page of Reddit
HOMELAND VALENTINES
As fans of the Showtime series Homeland, my sister and I created a line of Valentine's Day cards inspired by the show for fun. A few days after posting the cards online, a producer from the series contacted me saying she’d printed them out and had given one to Claire Danes for V-Day. The Internet is magic.
Press:
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WESTWORLD VALENTINES
We also created a line of Westworld themed Valentine's Day cards, retweeted by real-life Dolores, Evan Rachael Wood. (keep scrolling)
