Cardboard Spaceship is very proud of the partnerships it has developed over the years. We believe the evidence of a great video production resides in the people that made it happen. With Directors in particular, the genesis of creative idea begins and ends with them. It’s their imagination and sophistication that brings the best out in a commercial production for client’s brand.
Today, we’d love to introduce you to one of our favorite Directors our team has had the privilege of working with.
Q: Who are you?
A: My name is Ellen Houlihan. I am an Emmy-winning and Clio-nominated comedy writer and director whose work has been recognized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, The AICP, Cannes Lions, The One Club for Creativity and Shoot Magazine’s New Directors Search. I have directed Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated talent as well as recognizable talent from top film, TV and commercial campaigns.
Today, I work as a director and as a copywriter in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, as well as remotely (because who doesn’t work remotely nowadays, right?). I count myself very blessed in that I get to do what I love and work with major ad agencies and incredible video production companies such as Cardboard Spaceship. (Don’t tell Michael I said that.) If you’d like to see some of my portfolio, click here.
Q: Where are you from?
A: NYC born and bred with a decade in LA for Grad Film School with stints crewing on major video productions / motion pictures, TV shows and commercials; writing press releases at record labels; and pitching celebrity endorsement deals for corporate brands in between fine tuning my craft performing in improv comedy theatres, studying in writer’s rooms and mentoring teen filmmakers along the way.
Cardboard Spaceship is very proud of the partnerships it has developed over the years. We believe the evidence of a great video production resides in the people that made it happen. With Directors in particular, the genesis of creative idea begins and ends with them. It’s their imagination and sophistication that brings the best out in a commercial production for client’s brand.
Today, we’d love to introduce you to one of our favorite Directors our team has had the privilege of working with.
Q: Who are you?
A: My name is Ellen Houlihan. I am an Emmy-winning and Clio-nominated comedy writer and director whose work has been recognized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, The AICP, Cannes Lions, The One Club for Creativity and Shoot Magazine’s New Directors Search. I have directed Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated talent as well as recognizable talent from top film, TV and commercial campaigns.
Today, I work as a director and as a copywriter in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, as well as remotely (because who doesn’t work remotely nowadays, right?). I count myself very blessed in that I get to do what I love and work with major ad agencies and incredible video production companies such as Cardboard Spaceship. (Don’t tell Michael I said that.) If you’d like to see some of my portfolio, click here.
Q: Where are you from?
A: NYC born and bred with a decade in LA for Grad Film School with stints crewing on major video productions / motion pictures, TV shows and commercials; writing press releases at record labels; and pitching celebrity endorsement deals for corporate brands in between fine tuning my craft performing in improv comedy theatres, studying in writer’s rooms and mentoring teen filmmakers along the way.
This was such a wonderful experience. I mean, come on…I got to work with Gabrielle Union. She’s amazing. She does it all. She’s a beloved actress, New York Times bestselling author, clothing line designer, and — the toughest of all – a mom. Being able to Direct that commercial production was an incredible creative opportunity to really show the world her multitasking capabilities.
I thought of the best way to captivate all she does into one word: Mommytasking. Mommytasking is a concept most mothers are already familiar with.
It is an all-encompassing term for busy moms juggling work, childcare, and a plethora of other things life throws at them. Union is no stranger to doing a million tasks at once and looking fabulous while doing so. Check out the video below to see Union Mommytask a cover shoot and interview and learn more about her blossoming family.
Q: What challenges have you overcome to get your favorite spot done?
A: I was confirmed the day before the shoot and had to take the first flight out of NYC to make sure I could make my 9am call time the next morning on a Hollywood sound stage! Luckily, I had six spare hours in flight isolation to pour over Gab’s memoir en route to work to find extra personal gems and humorous anecdotes to better personalize and elevate our interview from the client’s outline.
Q: What was your favorite part of production?
A: Going toe to toe with Gabrielle, improvising and laughing my head off with one of the actresses I admired first as a teen was exactly how I imagined “my friend in my head” being like in real life. She was the best scene partner, a total pro, always quick with a rebound to stay in step with my game while continuously dunking and crushing my expectations with seconds to spare. There were so many outrageous and funny lines left on the cutting room floor I really wish we could’ve included but we ultimately delivered a really polished, funny and relatable video I think women and fans of the brand can see themselves in, and I feel really proud of the finished product.
This was such a wonderful experience. I mean, come on…I got to work with Gabrielle Union. She’s amazing. She does it all. She’s a beloved actress, New York Times bestselling author, clothing line designer, and — the toughest of all – a mom. Being able to Direct that commercial production was an incredible creative opportunity to really show the world her multitasking capabilities.
I thought of the best way to captivate all she does into one word: Mommytasking. Mommytasking is a concept most mothers are already familiar with.
It is an all-encompassing term for busy moms juggling work, childcare, and a plethora of other things life throws at them. Union is no stranger to doing a million tasks at once and looking fabulous while doing so. Check out the video below to see Union Mommytask a cover shoot and interview and learn more about her blossoming family.
Q: What challenges have you overcome to get your favorite spot done?
A: I was confirmed the day before the shoot and had to take the first flight out of NYC to make sure I could make my 9am call time the next morning on a Hollywood sound stage! Luckily, I had six spare hours in flight isolation to pour over Gab’s memoir en route to work to find extra personal gems and humorous anecdotes to better personalize and elevate our interview from the client’s outline.
Q: What was your favorite part of production?
A: Going toe to toe with Gabrielle, improvising and laughing my head off with one of the actresses I admired first as a teen was exactly how I imagined “my friend in my head” being like in real life. She was the best scene partner, a total pro, always quick with a rebound to stay in step with my game while continuously dunking and crushing my expectations with seconds to spare. There were so many outrageous and funny lines left on the cutting room floor I really wish we could’ve included but we ultimately delivered a really polished, funny and relatable video I think women and fans of the brand can see themselves in, and I feel really proud of the finished product.
A: Stealing from Jim Jarmusch: “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, commercial productions, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.’”
Q: What makes you a great director?
A: Having a passion for adventure, curiosity and collaboration; being a “people person” and having what the Irish call “the gift of gab”; mining truth, humor and heart while staying humble and resilient at every stage of my development. As one of my directing heroes Robert Altman best described it, “Giggle and give in.”
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: Carbone’s Spicy Rigatoni Vodka. Reservations are hard to come by so always know I’ll gladly be your +1 even late at night! We may bump into Rihanna, who knows?
Q: What’s your favorite color?
A: Emerald green because it is my birthstone, looks great with my eyes and also, for Elizabeth Taylor #goals one of these days. A girl can dream.
Q: 90’s Online dating profile one-liner!
A: Cool answer: “Be kind, rewind” / Sincere answer: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” (*When Harry Met Sally technically came out in 1989 but Nora Ephron said it best)
A: Stealing from Jim Jarmusch: “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, commercial productions, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.’”
Q: What makes you a great director?
A: Having a passion for adventure, curiosity and collaboration; being a “people person” and having what the Irish call “the gift of gab”; mining truth, humor and heart while staying humble and resilient at every stage of my development. As one of my directing heroes Robert Altman best described it, “Giggle and give in.”
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: Carbone’s Spicy Rigatoni Vodka. Reservations are hard to come by so always know I’ll gladly be your +1 even late at night! We may bump into Rihanna, who knows?
Q: What’s your favorite color?
A: Emerald green because it is my birthstone, looks great with my eyes and also, for Elizabeth Taylor #goals one of these days. A girl can dream.
Q: 90’s Online dating profile one-liner!
A: Cool answer: “Be kind, rewind” / Sincere answer: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” (*When Harry Met Sally technically came out in 1989 but Nora Ephron said it best)
Cardboard Spaceship is a full-service video production company with offices in Dallas, NYC and Chicago. Our award-winning team of directors and producers currently serve some of the world’s largest agencies with work that can be seen with brands such as Apple, Canon, IBM, Walgreens, Marriott, SoulCycle, and American Airlines.
Cardboard Spaceship is a full-service video production company with offices in Dallas, NYC and Chicago. Our award-winning team of directors and producers currently serve some of the world’s largest agencies with work that can be seen with brands such as Apple, Canon, IBM, Walgreens, Marriott, SoulCycle, and American Airlines.
About Cardboard Spaceship (formerly Tribe Films)
