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Daren Vongirdner on His Peacock Show and Making Cinematic Content for Brands
Adventures with HBO Max, BetterHelp, Booking.com and more
Daren Vongirdner was at home in his New York City apartment a couple of years ago when he got a random and vague email from someone at NBCUniversal. He hadn’t been in touch with anyone at the network. So, he wasn’t sure what it was all about.
But the long-time content creator and director, who has worked with brands ranging from HBO Max to BetterHelp—and shines on social for making cinematic content with emotional depth—had a good feeling.
“I was just like, ‘Oh my God. This could be it. This is the moment!'”
Soon enough, Vongirdner hopped on a call and learned that NBCU wanted him to take part in its first Creator Accelerator, a program designed to help those outside the Hollywood mainstream develop TV shows. Without hesitation, Vongirdner was in 100 percent.
Ultimately, he developed a six-episode series called People Like Me, which now streams on Peacock. The show follows a guy, also named Daren, as he tries to navigate the challenges of building a career and maintaining a relationship with Ava—played by Ava Gordy, Vongirdner’s real-life partner and creative collaborator—while dealing with bouts of anxiety and grief.
Here, Vongirdner talks about how making content for social media differs from making a TV series and working with brands.
VONGIRDNER ALWAYS HAS IDEAS PERCOLATING
Vongirdner was prepared when opportunity knocked because he is always working on different projects. “At the time, I was really focused on short-form. And I had this concept I was working on called People Like Me with my small team,” he says. “We were working on it for a month and a half, and that’s when NBC reached out. I was like, ‘I think I have something perfect,’ which made the whole process easy. Obviously it evolved, and we developed it together to become what it is now.”
CREATING CONTENT FOR SOCIAL VS. TV
“I was hoping that there would be more similarities, but it was pretty different,” Vongirdner says, noting that there is more stress when you work with a big budget and a large crew.
“When I’m by myself, or with my small team, I can really play. I look at storytelling and making videos and art as just me playing. I try to keep that childlike wonder, and it’s hard to have that on a set when you have the AD telling you, ‘We’re supposed to have 50 extras. We only have 12. How are we going to make this scene work? And by the way, we only have 45 minutes until lunch.'”
That said, there are benefits to making a TV show. Vongirdner points out that he had the resources and crew to create larger-scale scenes with lots of moving parts.
BRAND INTEGRATION SKILLS HONED ON SOCIAL CAME IN HANDY
Vongirdner’s experience integrating brands into some of his sponsored social content worked in his favor when he was making People Like Me. To wit: His character in the series is seeing an online therapist. These sessions feature the logo for the therapy network BetterHelp in a way that feels natural.
“Originally, the show was going to involve my real-life therapist. It didn’t pan out. It probably would’ve been too close to home,” he says. “But I always knew that therapy was involved. And I had already had a working relationship with BetterHelp. I made some videos for them in the past. So, I reached out to the person I had worked with, and I told them, ‘I have this opportunity. I’m making this show with NBC, and it’d be the easiest integration for you guys.’ They’re like, ‘We love it! Let’s have the conversation.'”
A week later, the deal was signed. “My executive at NBC was telling me, ‘I’ve never had a deal go through so easy.’ So, honestly, it was a breeze, and I appreciate BetterHelp. BetterHelp has paid my bills for the past couple years. And I think therapy is so important for people. It’s changed my life tremendously.”
@darendarendaren Max has something for every mood, moment and times when you're missing family. #maxpartner #streamonmax @Max ♬ original sound – Darendarendaren
MAKING MOVIE-LIKE BRANDED CONTENT FOR MAX
Vongirdner aspires to make a movie one day, and the work he has done on social media and, now television, indicates he has the storytelling skills and chops to do. Some of his best pieces of content are the cinematic gems made for Max that celebrate the joy of watching films with people you love. When HBO Max (then simply known as Max) approached him with the prompt, “I was like, ‘That’s my life story. I can speak to this.’ In that regard the campaign and I aligned, so that made it very easy.”
“They really trusted me. When I sent them the video, they had no notes, and that doesn’t happen a lot with branded stuff,” he says. “Brands are trying to protect their image. They usually have a lot of notes. [Max] replied and said, ‘Daren, we love it. Go ahead and post it.’ That trust right there is priceless.”
IT’S TIME TO SEND VONGIRDNER PACKING
Vongirdner had temporarily put aside working on branded content while he was making People Like Me, but he and his band of collaborators, including Gordy and cinematographer Farhan Kamdar, are ready to dive back into the space.
“I did a few videos for Booking.com, and it was an incredible experience. They flew me to a bunch of different places, and I got to experience different stays, whether they were on a farm or at a resort. The reason why I bring that up is because that was such a fun experience for me, Ava and Farhan. Sure, we were working, but really we were hanging out, having a great time. Airbnb, if you’re reading this, hit me up.”
HIS LATEST PASSION PROJECT
Visit Vongirdner’s YouTube channel to watch his latest series, Miles Away. “I’ve always lived hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from my family, and I’m not the greatest texter. Even if we FaceTime once a week or once a month, it’s hard to tell them or show them what my life actually looks like. So, I have this series. And it’s just me talking directly to my family and showing them what my life not only looks like but the things I’m currently experiencing or feeling,” he says.
WILL WE SEE MORE EPISODES OF PEOPLE LIKE ME?
“I don’t know, because I’m very lit up about working on my YouTube channel and working on other series that maybe don’t even have me in them in—where a writer and director,” he muses. “But if NBC emailed me right now and said, ‘We’re interested in season two—What you got?’ I’m probably going to take that opportunity.”
