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Profile Complete
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Profile Complete
Seyi (Shayi) is an NYC-based director. He loves to get a bunch of friends together and make stuff. Often funny. Always character driven and arresting.
Director Seyi Peter-Thomas grew up in London, where he spent his childhood putting on plays to amuse his Nigerian relatives. The plays were weak, but his passion for dramatic storytelling was strong. After moving stateside, that passion led Seyi to the prestigious high school, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and film school at NYU. There, his affinity for strong characters, comedic timing, and vivid cinematography began to emerge.
Seyi began his career at MTV, working his way up from production coordinator to soon directing some of the channel's most iconic on-air promos. The MTV campaign against cyberbullying Seyi directed became the centerpiece of President Obama’s Conference on Bullying Prevention. And after the Saatchi New Director’s showcase at Cannes featured Seyi’s slow-motion promo for The Hard Times of RJ Berger, advertising clients came calling.
Seyi’s developed an eclectic cross-genre reel as a commercial director. He moves between humorous and heartwarming spots for clients such as Honda, Geico, and Visa and probing socially conscious branded films. His campaigns have garnered honors from Cannes Lions, One Show, CLIOS, Webbys, and Shots. And Seyi recently received his second Daytime Emmy for conceiving and directing Nickelodeon’s Black History Month campaign.
In addition to his commercial work, Seyi’s short film, “How Do you Raise a Black Child?” showcases his ability for striking visual storytelling and strong emotional performance. The film was among the AICP Next Award-winning films included in MoMa’s film and television archive.
Seyi recently completed the DGA’s prestigious Episodic Director’s Development program.