Universal
Social & Product Launch
Developed and pitched social creative for Universal theatrical releases while also supporting ongoing AOR home entertainment campaigns across major franchise titles. Worked on projects including The Bad Guys 2, Jaws 50th Anniversary, and the Jurassic World toy launch, creating platform-native concepts designed to extend each property’s cultural relevance across digital and social channels, like Instagram, TikTok, Youtube and Youtube Shorts.
The work balanced franchise legacy with modern audience behavior, helping translate iconic entertainment brands into engaging social-first campaigns that supported theatrical awareness, home entertainment rollouts, and consumer product initiatives.
Bad Guys 2 Social Activation
Creative Lead: Robert Smallwood | Editor/Motion Designer : Casey Mitchel | Designer: Lesley Bayran
Led the creative development for The Bad Guys 2 social campaign, overseeing a fast-paced rollout that included GIF packages, social trailers, countdown animations, and review-focused assets supporting the theatrical release. Working under tight turnaround timelines, the campaign focused on translating the film’s humor, energy, and ensemble personality into platform-native content built for rapid engagement across social.
The work balanced quick execution with cohesive campaign storytelling, helping maintain momentum around the release while expanding the film’s presence across multiple social platforms.
Bad Guys 2 Digital Campaign
Creative Director: Robert Smallwood
Developed and pitched the creative strategy for The Bad Guys 2 social campaign, building a platform-native approach designed to amplify the film’s humor, ensemble chemistry, and high-energy tone across digital channels. The strategy focused on creating scalable social moments that could introduce the characters, extend the theatrical campaign, and position the franchise for continued audience engagement online.
The following deck highlights the initial campaign thinking, visual direction, and social positioning, followed by a selection of the final assets developed from the pitch.
Click through to explore more of the thinking, process, and creative
Playing Now
For this asset, I created rough storyboards upfront to lock in timing, pacing, and shot order before the edit began. With a limited turnaround, the boards became a clear roadmap for the editor and motion team, outlining the exact sequence of frames, where each beat needed to land, and how the visual rhythm should build from start to finish. This helped streamline production, reduce guesswork, and keep the final piece moving with intention under a tight deadline.
Master Of Disguise
Shorty Award Winner
For this social asset, we leaned into Shark’s “master of disguise” character trait by dressing him as iconic characters from across Universal’s film library. The concept gave us a playful way to spotlight his personality while creating a fun crossover moment for fans. By pulling from some of Universal’s most memorable comedies, both animated and live action, the asset celebrated the studio’s larger entertainment legacy while keeping the focus tied directly to The Bad Guys 2 campaign.
In Feed Social post Review
Static Countdown & Gif Package
Jaws 50th Anniversary social and digital campaign
Creative Director: Robert Smallwood | Editor/Motion Designer : Casey Mitchel | Designer: Lesley Bayran
I was brought on to help lead a hands on full creative rollout that paid homage to one of Universal’s most iconic films while reintroducing it to modern audiences. The challenge was finding a visual and strategic balance: honoring the horror legacy of an R-rated classic while shaping it into a campaign that felt accessible, nostalgic, and shareable for a broader PG-friendly audience.
My role focused on developing a refreshed social identity for the anniversary, exploring animation styles that leaned into suspense, tension, and cinematic nostalgia without alienating any demographic. Across the campaign, we used actor testimonials, toys, collectibles, influencer partnerships, and social-first creative to celebrate the film’s lasting impact. The result was a multi-platform campaign that honored the legacy of Jaws, drove engagement with longtime fans, and helped support in-home unit sales through culturally relevant, highly shareable content.
50 years of Impact
Creative Director: Robert Smallwood
I developed a series of talent-driven videos featuring current actors, directors, and creatives speaking to the lasting impact of Jaws. The concept allowed us to lean into nostalgia while also expanding the conversation around Steven Spielberg’s influence on generations of filmmakers and storytellers.
This became a smart strategic play for Universal as a whole, using the anniversary to celebrate a classic while spotlighting the studio’s current and upcoming talent. I helped shape the concept, organize the shoot, build out the client-approved questions, work directly with talent, and guide the edit through final delivery. The result was a social-first video series that honored the legacy of Jaws while creating a bridge to Universal’s future projects.
Collectable Toy Line
Universal launched a collectible toy line, and I saw an opportunity to turn the product into a social-first storytelling piece. Rather than simply showcase the collectibles, we recreated classic scenes from the film through stop-motion animation, using the toys as the cast.
I directed the shoot and worked closely with editors and illustrators to build out the environments, backdrops, and visual details needed to make the scenes feel cinematic while still playful and shareable. The concept gave fans a fresh way to engage with iconic moments from Jaws, while also creating content strong enough to live across both social and theatrical placements.
Influencer
For this Jaws 50th Anniversary social asset, we partnered with an influencer to showcase the official clothing line through a simple, relatable concept: getting ready for the 50th anniversary premiere and needing the perfect outfit. The piece turned the merchandise into part of the fan experience, making the apparel feel wearable, timely, and tied directly to the excitement around the film’s milestone celebration.