Jordan Dashner grew up in the chilly, salty seclusion of New Brunswick, Canada, where his first “camera” was just him blinking at the ocean and making shutter sounds. He got his start writing, directing, and acting for theatre and sketch comedy troupes that toured across Canada, before trading small-town life for the chaos of Toronto and a career in film.

Over the past decade, he’s directed commercials for brands big and small—using his performing arts background to help actors nail performances and land the laughs (fast… because hey, it’s a 15-second spot).