Bio
Daniel’s a visual director who mines comedy from pathos. He’s Australian (which is his parent’s fault).
He’s shot FILM and TV at home, as well as in the UK, and US - with OSCAR, GOLDEN GLOBE, BAFTA, AACTA, and EMMY winners (including Harriet Walter, Aisling Bea, Peter Gallagher, and Jason Sudeikis). His work has had 100s of millions of views and his ads have won prestigious awards including Cannes Lions, the Grand Effie, and D&AD pencils.
On the feature side, he just directed and EPed British dramedy ANDMRS for Universal International and Netflix. It stars BAFTA-winner Aisling Bea (Living With Yourself, Home Sweet Home Alone, This Way Up), Emmy-Nominee Colin Hanks (Fargo, Dexter, King Kong), Billie Lourd (Ticket To Paradise, Book Smart), 5xEmmy-Nominee Harriet Walter (Succession, Killing Eve) and Oscar/Emmy-nominee Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey).
His series SIDESWIPED (which he co-created, EPed and Directed) has more than 55 million views and great reviews. Vanity Fair called it a "thoroughly modern romantic comedy", while Indiewire called it "hilarious" and "truly heartfelt." It stars Emmy-Winner Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso, We’re The Millers), Emmy-Nominee Christopher MacDonald (Hacks, Happy Gilmore), Carly Craig, Rosanna Arquette (Pulp Fiction), Golden-Globe-Winner Peter Gallagher (The OC), Rhys Coiro (Entourage) and Emmy-Winner Thomas Lennon (Reno911, Dark Knight Rises, Night At The Museum).
He followed this by launching the Aussie version of DRUNK HISTORY (although, let's face it, in Australia, it should've just been called – History). It featured Rhys Darby (HBOs Our Flag Means Death, Flight of the Conchords, Jumanji). It topped the ratings and was the country's number 1 trending show.
He's also set to helm MY STEPDAD’S STEPDAD for Andrew Panay (Wedding Crashers), as well as AUSSIE RULES starring Isla Fisher, written by Emmy-winning writers Andre and Maria Jacquemetton (Mad Men) and producers GOOD EYE DEAR and DEPTH OF FIELD (The Farewell, American Pie, About A Boy, Pinnochio).
Traditionally a comedy director he has recently wrapped a teaser for a Horror/Dramedy called OUR HAUNT (with Screen Australia funding) starring Zahra Newman (Wentworth) and Multi-Logie Winner Stephen Peacocke (Me Before You with Emilia Clarke, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot with Tina Fey, RFDS for Channel 7). Our Haunt also has Australian Academy award winners - Susie Porter and Roy Billings attached to star.
Dan started out in news and documentaries at the ABC (Australia’s version of the BBC) – where he was nominated to be their representative at the Young Australian Leaders forum. He worked on stories as diverse as the love child of legendary cricketer Sir Donald Bradman and the hunt for sunken WW2 battleship the HMAS Sydney. His advertising work has seen him punk US congressmen and trying to get an outback KFC a Michelin star in Paris. These campaigns won at the biggest awards in advertising, including 7 Cannes Lions and the Grand Effie while receiving an insane 1,000,000,000+ media impressions (that’s not a typo). His work has received press from Vanity Fair, CNBC, ABC, Variety, Wired, Deadline, Fox News, Le Monde, Deadline, Indiewire and Ain’t It Cool News – who called him; “a force to be reckoned with.”
Sideswiped Reviews
“The joke, on Sideswiped, is life itself… SIDESWIPED is absolutely worth your time.”
— Indiewire
“There’s a core of yearning in the show that belies the raucous tone of the in-your-face comedy elements.“
— Paste's 10 Best Shows on TV
“There are gags in the first episode of Sideswiped... that are laugh-out-loud funny…”
— Decider Magazine
"It’s a thoughtful, funny, and sometimes cringeworthy look at trying to make a connection... It’s the interplay of fun and tender moments that gives this breezy romantic comedy more heart than most."
— Recordnet.com