Director Nat Livingston Johnson has signed with Hey Wonderful for commercials and branded entertainment. Johnson was previously part of the directing duo Peking (with Gregory Mitnick), known for Cannes Lion-winning documentary and experiential work for Skype and Doritos x Rock the Vote, along with award-winning short films such as The Kook, which have played at film festivals including Tribeca, Austin and SXSW.
Johnson had been handled as part of Peking by Hey Wonderful and he maintains continuity with the same production company now repping him as a solo director.
Among Johnson’s most recent projects are a scripted campaign for Care.com (via Peking) and a series of interactive VR films (solo) including Alayna, scripted by Antwone Fisher and short-listed for an Emmy Award. The VR film immerses users in the challenges faced by a teenage girl transitioning from her home to foster care. Johnson’s commercial credits also include campaigns for Meta, Chevy, Maxwell House, Boppy, Disney and Google, to note just a few.
“I’m drawn to stories that feel real and hit you on an emotional level,” Johnson shared. “Whether it’s a commercial or a film, I’m interested in the emotional core of the characters–their struggles, their hopes, even their quirks. My style is to encourage an environment on set where both the cast and crew are inspired to connect with that truth, and have a bit of fun along the way—it should always feel playful.”
“I’ve always admired Nat’s ability to connect with real people and actors, inspiring them to exceed expectations,” said Michael Di Girolamo, managing partner at Hey Wonderful. “Nat is a talented storyteller who masterfully handles both unscripted and scripted projects. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him since his early days at Peking and now as he ventures out on his own. His genuine curiosity about the world enriches his storytelling. Sarah and I are thrilled to support him as he embarks on this exciting new chapter.”
Sarah McMurray, partner/executive producer at Hey Wonderful, added, “Nat is a uniquely skilled filmmaker with an innate ability to communicate and empathize with cast, crew and clients. He is able to connect regardless of who or where–I’ve had the good fortune of traveling all over the world shooting with Nat as both line producer and executive producer, and have seen him thrive working in environments that run the gamut from Apple’s sleek Shanghai headquarters to an isolated island in the middle of the Pacific. And now I’m excited to see him use that expertise to rise to new heights.”
“I’ve been lucky to work with Michael and Sarah throughout my career, and they really get what I’m about,” Johnson said. “They encourage my love for both doc and scripted projects, and I trust them to make the right decisions for this next chapter in my career. Moving forward, Hey Wonderful just feels like the right fit. We’re aligned in our values, and their roster is all about embracing the industry’s evolution with a fresh, progressive approach.”
Johnson recently conducted the initial phase of filming for his first documentary feature, My Voice Will Go With You, the story of a remote jungle village in Papua New Guinea, and the linguist who is trying to preserve its dying language with the impending introduction of Starlink.
“I was introduced to the linguist Dr. Hannah Sarvasy through my uncle, who was also a linguist,” Johnson said. “She goes into remote places and learns endangered tongues without a contact language, and records them with the goal of preserving their cultures through language. I thought she was pretty radical. She invited me to this remote village in Papua which up until two years ago had no cell phone tower or market economy. With the growing influence of AI and impending consolidation of many of the world’s languages, the film documents the last remaining record of these people speaking their own language. I believe Hannah’s work is urgent and fascinating, and the world is ready to witness this story.”
