Ben Hansford

Director

About

Ben is an award-winning film director born in New Orleans LA, and raised on a steady diet of film, fine arts, hip-hop, and Dungeons & Dragons. Ben is known for his sharp comedic instincts, cinematic polish, and groundbreaking use of AI to elevate the craft of filmmaking. A pioneer in integrating generative tools into every stage of production. From concept to post, he blends human storytelling with next-gen technology to move fast, look incredible, and hit harder. As one of the leading creatives in the A.I. and Machine Learning space (which he teaches at USC), Hansford is fearless with new tools & camera techniques, crafting campaigns that are as innovative as they are entertaining. His reel spans major brands like Nike, Old Spice, Bethesda, Call of Duty, Bungie, EA, Xbox, Microsoft, Mountain Dew, and Marvel. Ben blends tech-driven efficiency, big laughs, a degenerate love for videogames, a lifetime of film-nerdistry and sports fanaticism. Ben understands your problems, and will make everything better.

Country

United States

City

Santa Monica

Industry

Higher Education

Skill

Art Direction, Broadcast, Commercials, Film, Film Production

Experience

Director

BenHansford.com

2016-4 - Present · 10 yrs 6 mos

Award-winning commercial director (Cannes Lion, Clio, D&AD, and more) Client list includes: Nike, Old Spice, Call of Duty, Mountain Dew, Bethesda, Bungie, Activision, Pepsi Co, Playstation, Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Marvel and more. Ben fuses AI into every part of the creative process—developing faster, funnier, award-winning campaigns that blend sharp storytelling with next-generation craft.

Professor - Artificial Intelligence

University of Southern California

2022-7 - Present · 4 yrs 3 mos

Los Angeles, California, United States

Pioneering AI application & computational creativity (generative, analytic, audio, and SLM) for the film & entertainment industry. Focus on advancing integration of AI into storytelling, special effects, and virtual production, aligning with the evolving needs of independent filmmaking as well as modern studios. Enhancing narrative depth and visual innovation through AI-driven techniques. AI-driven analytics and predictive models to optimize production and audience engagement in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. (Aka how your film beats Tik Tok!)

Creative Director

Freelance

2016-4 - Present · 10 yrs 6 mos

Microsoft | TMobile | FX | FXX | DISNEY | TARGET | AT&T | Marvel | Netflix | HBO | & More 360 Launch Campaigns - Lead teams of artists, writers, developers, and community managers through all aspects of 360 launch campaigns for network shows. Includes show positioning, brand strategy, key-art/OOH, on-air promos, social & digital activations, experiential events, brand graphics, and more. Disney, Freeform, Hulu, NBC Universal, WGN America, CW, and more. Marketing & Brand Strategy - Lead creative branding teams in the articulation of all strategic and creative network brand fundamentals (strategy, positioning, voice, style guides and visual identity) and in the development of brand communications platforms, digital advertising, and social executions.