Director Ben Steiger Levine Joins Lord Danger

Lord Danger, the creative production company, part of the Monstera Group, has added director Ben Steiger Levine to its talented roster. Described as the “Soulful Surrealist,” Ben is known for his unique ability to craft unexpected images that balance charm, discomfort, humanity, and visual wonder, perhaps best represented by his work for Jack Links.

Steiger Levine joins a roster that includes Mike Diva, Cache Bunny, MP Curtet, and Parker Seaman. One of Steiger Levine's pluses of joining Lord Danger is that he works with “a small, close-knit group of creative pros producing some of the best work out there.” 

“They’re not a huge fish but rather a stealthy, nimble piranha made of beautiful rainbow colors that can adapt on a dime and devour,” Steiger Levine says. “All the directors on the roster have a voice. Lord Danger makes original images. Images with impact. Maintaining voice all while effectively selling products is the killer combination that makes work iconic, and this is Lord Danger’s priority.”  

Known for his flair for design and visual effects, complemented by his strengths as a narrative storyteller, Steiger Levine burst onto the scene after being featured as a Best New Director at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival as part of the Saatchi and Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase. He was also named a Young Gun by the Art Directors Club. 

In addition to his visually arresting campaign for Jack Links, his reel includes a campaign for Core Water featuring actress Hailee Steinfeld, Nintendo, and the oddly-moving "Intolerance" project for Natrel, the Canadian lactose-free dairy product line, which uses a faux documentary to tell the story of a giant of a man who owes his status to drinking Natrel milk. The effect of a towering man in his too-small house was achieved without any CGI, just using in-camera tricks and compositing. Steiger Levine was also nominated for Best Music Video at the Grammy for the band Beast.

“My film for Natrel is a real favorite of mine,” Levine says. “It's an exploration of character that is just so fun and chock-full of these subtle effects and carefully considered visual details that all come together to perfectly serve the story. It's a wonderful balance of improvisations and extreme control that reflects my personality and interest.”

Lord Danger Executive Producer Anthony Ficalora notes, “Levine’s work reveals a knack for great physical comedy showcasing a range of performances, which I think is one of the more difficult things to do in the industry, especially in comedy. He is also very post-savvy, like everyone on our roster, and has a library of work in stop-motion animation and VFX integration that will resonate with our clients.”