AGENCY EXPERIENCE
Civic Entertainment Group - Group Creative Director
2019 - Present
• Oversee all experiential and digital creative for entertainment brands - HBOmax, Amazon Fire TV, NBC Peacock, Meta, and SYFY - leading & mentoring a growing team of creatives.
• While running an activation for Amazon got a picture with my celebrity lookalike Stanley Tucci at the 2019 Sundance Film festival.
Verizon Adfellows - Mentor & Creative Director
2019 - Present
• Participated for the past 4 years as a mentor and educator to a program dedicated to giving diverse and underprivileged communities opportunities to enter the advertising industry.
• Developed monthly lesson plans for students and interns on: creative strategy, concepting, copywriting, deck building, production, and client presentation.
Hudson Rouge - Freelance Associate Creative Director
2016 - 2018
• Lifted a Lincoln Continental onto the roof of the Tribeca Film Fest with an industrial sized crane.
• Got to write for and direct a ton of fashion, sports, beauty, and fitness influencers who have way more social media followers than me…
Self - Director, Screenwriter
2015 - 2016
• Created an indie film production company where I wrote and directed a feature film, as well as music videos, spots, and social & web content.
• My Feature film debut, “No Retreat,” screened in competition for Best Narrative Film at Austin Film Festival where it was picked up for distribution and is now available worldwide on Amazon.
McGarry Bowen - Associate Creative Director
2014 - 2015
• Oversaw content creation for all @Verizon’s social media channels.
• Co-managed a creative & production team who devised social strategy, concepted, produced, edited, and posted weekly content on all channels.
Freelance - Copywriter & Creative Director
2010 - Present
Agencies: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Wieden Kennedy, BBDO, Chiat/Day, Mother, Johannes Leonardo, Creature, Laird & Partners, Deutsch, Motive, Digitas, DDB Tribal, Razorfish, Red Antler,, etc.
• Directed the band Coldplay in a music video.
• Created a documentary and an art exhibit of cardboard signs created by the NYC homeless that debuted at the Dumbo Art Center.
BBH, NY - Copywriter
2007 - 2009
• Worked with 2 Oscar nominated filmmakers on a vacuum commercial
• Had Michel Gondry ready to half his rate for the chance to direct a Levi’s spot until the
client accused us of being “star f*&%ers.”
Toy NY - Copywriter
2006 - 2007
• Created Viral Holiday Site “Elf Yourself.” (little know fact - original name was The Elf-Morphosis)
* Got some advice from legendary director Mel Brooks who randomly walked by our shoot.
Email: nickzafonte@gmail.com
Connect on WORKINGNOTWORKING & LINKEDIN
Advertising Awards: My work has been featured in One Show, D&AD, Creativity Online, Art Director’s Club, and Best Ads on TV.
Press: Film: Hollywood Reporter, Variety, NY1, Backstage, Film Threat, Fast Company, The Wire, Relix Mag. Advertising: CNN, Huffington Post, Fast Company, Wired, Good Morning America, NY Times, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, VH1, PSFK, Upworthy, Uproxx, Trendhunter, Modern Copywriter, New York Cine Radio
Film Festivals: Austin, Manhattan, Hill Country, Maryland International, Idyllwild, New Filmmakers of New York, River’s Edge, Phillip K. Dick, Long Island International Film Expo, Zero Film Festival
Zodiac: Virgo, more specifically Day of the Structured Action (August 29).