BRIAN ARNDT | DIRECTOR

I love great stories, and telling them.

Growing up in rural southeastern Michigan, I found my creative spark writing sci-fi and comedy stories inspired by life as one of the only non-farmers in a farming community. Summers were spent creating and performing old-time radio-style skits with my cousin, recorded on my grandma’s indestructible cassette player. And my first inspiration to become a filmmaker came from my grandma herself, who shot loosely scripted home movies and Hollywood parodies starring family members on her 8mm camera when I was just five.

At 25, as a copywriter at McCann Detroit, I witnessed my first national TV commercial come to life – a GMC holiday spot filmed in Toronto. That experience ignited my passion for directing. A few years and a major move later, I began directing and producing small-budget commercials for clients in Tampa Bay. My first big break came in 2001, co-directing a brand shoot in Calgary for ESPN’s Winter X Games.

Since then, I’ve evolved my skills, won some awards, learned something new with every project, and had the privilege of writing and directing commercials, promos, documentaries, short films, and branded content across a wide range of industries, genres, and budgets. Along the way, I’ve written hundreds of scripts for Hollywood actors, hip-hop legends, professional athletes, and even the legendary Don Ho. My approach to every project remains the same: create something compelling and rewarding for everyone involved – and tell a story that would make my grandma and five-year-old me smile.

WINTER 2024

ARCTIC WOLF | MANAGED SECURITY AWARENESS

CREATIVE + FILM DIRECTOR | LEAD WRITER | PRODUCER

In January 2021, Arctic Wolf acquired a cybersecurity awareness content company founded by colleagues of mine. Three months later, they asked me to help create and build an in-house content department for Arctic Wolf Managed Security Awareness. I agreed under two conditions: we would run the department like a network, and the content wouldn’t suck.

By the end of the first year, we were the only cybersecurity awareness team in the industry producing original content in four languages every month.

What started as a small team of four creating content in a converted conference room for a domestic audience of a very small, very confidential number viewers grew into a powerhouse team of 16 creative and production professionals. Together, we produced world-class live-action and animated content featuring native-speaking actors in four languages every month for a global audience of a very large, very confidential number of viewers.

Under my leadership, the team created over 50 original series in four languages—several tailored to additional industry versions—and more than 100 internal and special-use videos. We even developed an original Magic the Gathering™-style card game called Security the Awareness™. Beyond content creation, I led the development of the Managed Security Awareness internal brand platform and all associated creative deliverables. In May 2022, I was promoted from a management role to director.

One year later, I joined a three-person advisory team tasked with designing strategic plans, new business models, and go-to-market strategies to drive growth for the business unit. By November 2024, I felt my mission at Arctic Wolf was complete and embraced the opportunity to return to the open market in search of new challenges.

Today, a very large, very confidential number of subscribers across North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand consume the original, engaging, and effective content I helped bring to life each month.

These are just a few of the original content series I wrote, directed, and produced with our incredible team.

THINGS REMEMBERED | FALL + HOLIDAY CONTENT

CREATIVE + FILM DIRECTOR | WRITER | POST-PRODUCER

Agency: Zeh Arndt Creative Director of Photographer: Dave Spataro Producer: Carol Matlock

“Everything’s Personal is a timeless brand campaign. We have to bring it back.”, Nelson Tejada / President Personalization Brands

In early 2020, the CEO of Things Remembered moved to Mrs. Fields, and hired us to create content and manage their social media. In the summer of 2024, he returned to Things Remembered and Personalization Mall, and brought us with him to reprise and relaunch “Everything’s Personal”. Our first assignment was creating the Fall and Holiday photography and video content for their website, social, digital ads, and catalogues. It was awesome reprising one of my favorite brand concepts.

My super talented friend and colleague, Dave Spataro, shot all these beautiful frames.

MONTAGE RESORTS + RESIDENCES | SERVICE CONTENT

PRODUCER | CO-DIRECTOR

Agency: United Landmark Associates Director: David Downing Creative Director: Stephanie Tisch Photographer: Roger Paperno DP: Graham White

One week in November 2024 I produced and co-directed luxury lifestyle video and photography productions in Los Cabos, Mexico at two different resorts for two different brands for two different future residential developments in the US. The biggest challenge and success was filming these very distinct environments in a way that did not instantly say Mexico or Pacific ocean. These are some initial photos from the Montage portion of the shoot.

VICEROY RESORTS + RESIDENCES | LIFESTYLE CONTENT

PRODUCER | CO-DIRECTOR

Agency: United Landmark Associates Co-Director: David Downing Photographer: Roger Paperno DP: Graham White

One week in November 2024, I produced and co-directed luxury lifestyle video and photography productions in Los Cabos, Mexico at two different resorts for two different brands for two different future residential developments in the US. The biggest challenge and success was creatively filming these very distinct environments in ways that did not instantly appear to have been filmed in Mexico nor on the shores of the Pacific ocean. These are some initial photos from the Viceroy portion of the shoot.

ESPN | NHL | SINCE 2000

WRITER / CONCEPTS + SCRIPTS

The NHL returned to ESPN following a long twenty-year hiatus. And so did the opportunity for me to write for a sport I used to play on a frozen pond as a kid from Michigan.

ESPN | NBA | SINCE 2004

WRITER | DIRECTOR

True to form our team brought the intensity and realness to the NBA Finals that this historic season and finals deserved.

ESPN | NFL | SINCE 2000

WRITER | DIRECTOR

Was the final frame of our Super Bowl LV piece prophetic? Maybe. But the championship pegged to be the GOAT vs "the GOAT to be" proved to be much more than a two-man game.

THINGS REMEMBERED

CREATIVE + FILM DIRECTOR | WRITER | POST PRODUCER

Reinventing a classic American brand is a big responsibility, but creating branding that simultaneously states a unique selling proposition and makes a social statement is a once-in-a-company’s lifetime opportunity. The concept “Everything’s Personal” accomplishes that gutsy mission for Things Remembered. We filmed this brand film and additional videos for their national re-brand/re-launch campaign in various locations around St. Petersburg, Florida.

OLDIES BUT GROOVIES