Production company Where The Buffalo Roam (WTBR) has signed director Geordie Stephens for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. Stephens is known for his subtle performance-driven comedic style, emphasizing art direction, production design, and cinematography. Previously represented by Tool of North America, Bullitt and FANCY, Stephens has a commercial portfolio which includes such global brands as Mini Cooper, HP, Toyota, Bud Light, and Burger King. A former agency creative, Stephens transitioned to the director’s chair following a lengthy career on the agency side as a creative at Butler, Shine & Stern and CP+B Miami, among other shops.
PJ Koll, WTBR co-founder and executive producer, said of Stephens, “His expertise and talent perfectly complement our creative strengths, enhancing our ability to deliver at the highest level. We feel incredibly fortunate to have him join the herd.”
“When I met Tim [WTBR exec producer Pries] and PJ, we immediately hit it off,” added Stephens. “They’re super sharp, funny, and good people who have assembled a very interesting mix of talent with different skills. As a director, I’m always looking for simple human truths that everyone can relate to in a humorous and smart way. The Buffalo team specializes in the small wink, so they get my sense of humor and will give me the platform to keep pushing great work forward.”
During his advertising career, Stephens spearheaded campaigns for IKEA, Truth, Virgin Atlantic, Burger King, Sprite, and Volkswagen. His work also won top prizes at the Cannes Lions and Clios and has been honored by numerous One Show and AICP awards.
Raised in an artistic community in California’s Marin County by his writer-mother and architect-father, Stephens had athletics as an early passion–competitive gymnastics, cliff diving, and motorcycle racing. In college, he majored in sculpture and installation art, then graphic design in graduate school, which led him into art direction.
“I’ve always loved working and creating,” said Stephens, an alum of SHOOT’s 2007 New Directors Showcase. “I wrote comedy dialog scripts as a creative, so when I became a director, I took that passion into my filmmaking–creating conversations between the brand and the viewer. That has always been my goal in advertising.”
As for what’s ahead, he said, “Being back in Marin County, where I grew up, has given me a good grounding to have a different working relationship and creative outlet outside of L.A. I see WTBR as a holistic new chapter in my creative journey.”
