RAPID RESPONSE CREATIVE
PARAMOUNT GLOBAL | MTV ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS
Storytelling in moments that can’t wait.
RAPID RESPONSE CREATIVE
In moments of urgency, when culture shifts in real time and clarity matters most, the work moves just as quickly. Built to respond, adapt, and lead with intention, these pieces meet the moment as it unfolds. During the time Chris Williams spent at MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Global, Blue-Eyed Boy Creative was frequently called upon to develop rapid-response storytelling in real time. These projects required speed, editorial judgment, and a deep understanding of how culture, news, and audience emotion intersect.
When schools across the country began reopening after the pandemic, Chris helped develop Back To School Together, an extension of the widely recognized #AloneTogether campaign, offering a message of reassurance and unity to young audiences navigating an uncertain return to classrooms.
In 2020, when actor Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away just two days before the MTV Video Music Awards, Chris was asked by MTV’s CEO to quickly craft a tribute honoring Boseman’s remarkable life, cultural influence, and lasting legacy. The piece aired during the broadcast and drew recognition from multiple press outlets covering the show.
Other rapid-response concepts addressed major global events, including creative responses to the October 7 attacks in Israel and the War in Gaza that followed, as well as Anti-Hate campaign ideas confronting the alarming rise in antisemitism and hate crimes. Several of these concepts were widely embraced internally but ultimately remained unaired due to the political complexity surrounding the unfolding moments.
Whether the work reached audiences or remained behind the scenes, these projects demonstrate the speed, scale, and storytelling responsibility required when culture shifts in real time.
When the moment demands a story, there is rarely time to wait.
CHADWICK BOSEMEN TRIBUTE
When news broke that Chadwick Boseman had passed away, just two short days before the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, the moment called for something thoughtful, immediate, and deeply respectful. Blue-Eyed Boy was asked by MTV’s CEO to put a tribute together that could be used during the broadcast.
Rather than simply recap his extraordinary career, the tribute focused on a moment that revealed the kind of person Boseman truly was. The piece centered on footage from the MTV Movie & TV Awards, when Boseman accepted the “Best Hero” award for Black Panther. Instead of keeping the honor for himself, he dedicated the award to James Shaw Jr., the real-life hero who courageously stopped a mass shooting at a Waffle House in Antioch, Tennessee.
The tribute opened with a simple but powerful line, “The world needs more superheroes.”
What followed was a reminder that while Boseman portrayed heroes on screen, he consistently used his platform to elevate the courage, dignity, and humanity of others.
Created under tight time constraints and delivered in time for broadcast, the tribute honored not just an iconic actor, but the spirit of generosity and humility that defined his legacy.
Sometimes the most powerful tribute is simply reminding the world who someone truly was.
2020 MTV Video Music Awards | “Chadwick Boseman Tribute” MTV Chief Executive Officer: Chris McCarthy Chief Marketing Officer: Jacqueline Parkes EVP Brand Creative: Amy Campbell SVP Brand Creative: Justin Russell Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams
Two MOTHERS, ONE PLEA
In moments of deep conflict, the most powerful voices are often those who have endured the greatest loss.
Shortly after the outbreak of renewed violence in Gaza, Blue-Eyed Boy Creative developed a rapid-response concept inspired by an extraordinary act of humanity. An Israeli mother and a Palestinian mother, each having lost a child to the ongoing violence in the region, came together to write a poem that served as both a prayer and a plea for peace.
Their words did not speak from politics. They spoke from grief, from shared humanity, and from the hope that no other parent would have to endure the same loss.
The piece, titled Mothers For Life and Peace, brought their message to life through a simple but powerful creative approach. The poem was recited in three languages - English, Hebrew, and Palestinian Arabic - allowing the message to transcend borders, faith traditions, and political divisions.
Developed within days of the conflict escalating, the concept demonstrated how storytelling can respond quickly to global events while still honoring the emotional gravity of the moment.
Although the piece ultimately never aired, it remains a powerful example of the kind of storytelling Blue-Eyed Boy Creative strives to create, work that seeks understanding, empathy, and the possibility of peace, even in the most difficult of times.
MTV Entertainment Studios | “Mothers For Life And Piece” Unaired PSA Concept Chief Marketing Officer: Amy Campbell SVP Social Impact: Brianna Cayo Cotter Social Impact Consultant & Concept By: Stephen K. Friedman SVP Brand Creative: Deva Newman Writer, Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Design & Animation By: Tim Livezey
BACK TO SCHOOL TOGETHER
Created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of MTV and the Ad Council’s #AloneTogether initiative, this work was designed to help families navigate an uncertain return to school.
Balancing clarity, reassurance, and cultural sensitivity, the creative delivered guidance in a moment defined by confusion, helping audiences feel informed, supported, and prepared.
Hosted by emergency medicine physician Darien Sutton, M.D., the four-part series titled #BackToSchoolTogether focused on answering some of the most common questions young people were asking about the virus and how to stay safe in shared spaces. Each installment addressed a major point of confusion circulating online and across campuses, including the safety of masks, the emerging reality of “long-hauler” symptoms, the risks of indoor gatherings and parties, and whether antibodies guaranteed immunity from reinfection.
The goal was simple but essential: translate evolving public-health guidance into clear, accessible information for a generation returning to school during one of the most uncertain periods in modern history.
The series aired across ViacomCBS properties and was placed into national rotation through the Ad Council’s expansive media distribution network, extending its reach across broadcast, digital, and social platforms at a moment when accurate information could help shape everyday decisions for millions of young people.
ViacomCBS & The Ad Council | #BackToSchoolTogether PSA - “Masks Don’t Work” Chief Marketing Officer: Jacqueline Parkes EVP Brand Creative: Amy Campbell SVP Brand Creative: Justin Russell Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams
ANTI-HATE CAMPAIGN
In the wake of October 7th, as antisemitism and hate crimes surged across the country, we developed a series of social-first PSAs in partnership with MTV’s Social Impact team.
Built around anonymous, real testimonies, the work gave voice to those impacted by hate while equipping audiences with clear, actionable ways to intervene safely.
In partnership with Right To Be, each piece moved beyond awareness, empowering people to respond in real time and help de-escalate moments of harm.
The creative approach emphasized empowerment over fear, reminding audiences that even small acts of courage can interrupt moments of hostility and help protect those being targeted.
Developed at a rapid pace during a moment of rising tension and fear, the campaign reflects the role storytelling can play not only in raising awareness, but in equipping people with the tools to take action when it matters most.
MTV Entertainment Studios | Anti-Hate Campaign | Antisemitism Unaired PSA Campaign Chief Marketing Officer: Amy Campbell SVP Social Impact: Brianna Cayo Cotter Social Impact Consultant & Concept By: Stephen K. Friedman SVP Brand Creative: Deva Newman Writer, Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Design & Animation By: Tim Livezey
MTV Entertainment Studios | Anti-Hate Campaign | Islamophobia Unaired PSA Campaign Chief Marketing Officer: Amy Campbell SVP Social Impact: Brianna Cayo Cotter Social Impact Consultant & Concept By: Stephen K. Friedman SVP Brand Creative: Deva Newman Writer, Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Design & Animation By: Tim Livezey
MTV Entertainment Studios | Anti-Hate Campaign | Subway Story Unaired PSA Campaign Chief Marketing Officer: Amy Campbell SVP Social Impact: Brianna Cayo Cotter Social Impact Consultant & Concept By: Stephen K. Friedman SVP Brand Creative: Deva Newman Writer, Editor & Executive Creative Director: Chris Williams Design & Animation By: Tim Livezey
This is the work that happens when timing matters as much as storytelling.
Built to respond in real time, these pieces don’t just reflect the moment, they help shape how people move through it.
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WHAT WE DO
Creative Direction
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CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
Entertainment & Brand Campaigns Social Impact Campaigns Cultural & Heritage Month Initiatives
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