DIRECTOR COLLABORATION & PRODUCTION Connecting Your Brand with Automotive Directors and Car Content Creators

A New Production Model

We represent two kinds of directors. Not as opposites — but as equal forces.

On one side:

Seasoned filmmakers. Proven. Precise. Built inside the system. They understand craft at the highest level — story, performance, scale, and the realities of agency and client collaboration. They've delivered under pressure, on time, on budget, with expectations that don't bend. Having worked through multiple eras of advertising, media, and audience behavior, they understand not only where culture is now, but how it got here, creating stronger creative judgment, sharper storytelling, and a deeper understanding of what trends are worth following versus what will disappear tomorrow.

On the other:

A new generation of creators. Native to the platforms where audiences actually live. They move fast. They shoot instinctively. They don't wait for permission, and they don't need a 40-person crew to create something that connects. They understand culture in real time — because they're part of it.

Most companies pick a lane. We don't. Because the truth is — modern content demands both.

The Bridge

That's where we come in. At Cause Affect Content, the producer isn't a layer. It's the engine.

We sit directly between agency, client, and director — translating creative ambition into executable reality, and ensuring that no matter who's behind the camera, the work lands exactly where it needs to.

  • We protect the integrity of experienced directors — so their value isn't diluted in a faster, cheaper landscape.
  • We elevate emerging creators — so their instincts translate into brand-ready, scalable work.
  • We align both with agency expectations — strategy, messaging, deliverables, and accountability.

Why It Works

Because brands don't need either/or anymore. They need:

  • High craft and high volume
  • Narrative storytelling and cultural relevance
  • Precision execution and speed

And Most Importantly

They need someone who understands how to bring all of that together without friction.

What We Do

We build the right team for the right idea.

  • Sometimes that's a traditionally trained director leading a full-scale production.
  • Sometimes it's a creator capturing something immediate and authentic.
  • And sometimes — it's both, working in tandem.

Every project is designed, staffed, and executed with one goal:

Create the intended affect — on the audience, on the brand, and on the result.

Cause. Affect.

The brand is the cause.
The work is the Affect.
We make sure the connection is undeniable.

Who We Are

Portrait of Anthony Dias

Anthony Dias

Built Inside The System

Director / DP

Anthony Dias is a director, DP, and photographer whose passion lies in transforming a client's vision into something emotionally resonant, cinematic, and elevated. Blending classic practical technique with cutting-edge innovation, his work in the automotive and lifestyle space feels both timeless and contemporary. Equally fluent in motion and stills, Anthony brings a deep understanding of light, location, talent, wardrobe, and visual storytelling to projects of every scale.

Raised in a close-knit family grounded in respect and honesty, Anthony carries those values into every collaboration. Coming up through the Los Angeles advertising world under the mentorship of top commercial artists, he developed a versatile skill set spanning celebrity talent, large-scale productions, exotic locations, and studio work alike. He thrives on collaboration and genuinely loves when a shared idea pushes a project somewhere unexpected and better.

Portrait of Elliott Cruz

Elliott Cruz

Content Creator

Director / DP / Editor / Sound Designer

Growing up in Whittier, California, Elliott Cruz didn’t set out to become a filmmaker. As a teenager, his creative outlet was drawing, but his introduction to car culture came during a summer spent helping his cousin rebuild a 1989 Toyota Supra in the family garage. Somewhere between the late nights, the tools, and the unmistakable personality of that car, something clicked. Elliott picked up a Canon Rebel T1i, started filming—and never really put it down.

Like many creators of his generation, Elliott’s early work centered on fast-paced edits and high-energy visuals. Over time, however, his focus shifted toward storytelling. Today, he creates cinematic automotive content that prioritizes atmosphere, emotion, and connection. Rather than simply documenting vehicles, he looks for what makes each one unique, and builds a visual narrative around its character. Whether filming a modified street car, a classic build, or a modern exotic, he studies both the vehicle and its environment, allowing the location to inform compositions, movement, and moments that create impact. Every creative decision is made in service of creating a feeling.

Elliott’s Hispanic upbringing, immersed in music, family, and culture, helped foster a deep sense of rhythm that continues to shape his creative style. While production brings ideas to life, he believes post-production is where the story is truly crafted. Music often serves as the foundation, guiding tone, pacing, and emotion, while editing, color, and sound design work together to create a cinematic experience.

Recently, he has become especially focused on sound design, using subtle audio details to deepen immersion and emotional impact.

Portrait of Keegan Wilcox
Portrait of Vic Huber

Keegan Wilcox | Vic Huber

Built Inside The System

Director / DP / Editor / Stills

Keegan Wilcox and Vic Huber began by doing what they do best: making work together. Individually established, their collaborations grew into a lasting creative partnership. They bring two distinct backgrounds into a single voice, pairing visual precision with narrative instinct. Their process is shaped by hundreds of hours on set, particularly on demanding location shoots where decisions must be fast, taste-driven, and exact.

Between them, they have created work for brands including Meta, Amazon, HBO, Ford, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Kia, BMW, United Airlines, NASCAR, and US Marine Corps, with agency collaborations spanning Saatchi & Saatchi, 72andSunny, TBWA/Chiat/Day, and Leo Burnett. Their strengths are complementary by design: Vic brings a refined photographic eye and technical control, while Keegan brings intuitive story sense and editorial rhythm. Together, they shape images and narratives that move fluidly across tone and genre.

Portrait of Todd Harter

Todd Harter

Founder / Producer

Cause Affect Content is led by producer Todd Harter, a production veteran with decades of experience creating automotive content at every scale imaginable. From large broadcast campaigns to lean social productions, Todd has built a career around making vehicles feel dynamic, cinematic, and emotionally engaging on screen.

Todd's first major automotive campaign was the nationally recognized 21st Century Insurance campaign, launching what would become thousands of hours dedicated to filming cars. Over the last 12+ years, he has worked directly with Volkswagen across broadcast spots, digital films, instructional content, social campaigns, and specialty productions. His automotive experience also includes projects involving Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Karma Revero, Volvo Cars, Scout Motors, Saab, and Mazda.

His experience spans productions across 17 states, conventional U.S. commercial work, and international service productions for European clients. Todd has overseen more than 200 days of Russian Arm pursuit vehicle filming while integrating drones, still photography, and emerging production technologies into modern automotive workflows. Few producers have spent as much time filming vehicles in motion across this wide a range of production environments.

What separates Todd is not only production knowledge, but his ability to lead fluidly across departments when needed. In today's evolving production landscape, versatility matters. Todd routinely operates beyond the traditional producer role, stepping into areas including assistant directing, permitting, casting, location strategy, and problem solving wherever the production requires it.

For Todd, automotive production starts with preparation. Especially in running footage, location is everything. He has personally scouted countless projects, understanding roads, environments, lighting, and planning often define the success of the final film. Above all, his philosophy remains consistent: strong leadership, great crews, clear communication, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Contact

Inquiries

Founder | Producer

Todd Harter

todd@causeaffectcontent.com

310-500-9585

Los Angeles, CA

Serving All 50 States