Film Independent Spirit Awards with AT&T

Following the success of the DIRECTV Lodge at Sundance, DIRECTV became a lead sponsor of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, using the beachfront footprint in Santa Monica as a platform to extend the brand’s presence within the film community.

 

For two consecutive years, I produced the DIRECTV Bungalow, a large-scale pop-up experience designed to serve both public-facing guests and award show nominees. Built on a truss foundation, the activation featured a fully realized bungalow environment where guests gathered pre-show to enjoy lobster dogs and custom cocktails in a relaxed, coastal setting.

 

The build included custom-treated walls, tile-inspired flooring, and decorative ceiling beams to reinforce the bungalow aesthetic. In partnership with Variety, we also produced a dedicated photo studio on the opposite side of the bar, inviting nominees into a VIP area for official portraits and one-on-one moments with DIRECTV’s featured influencer.

 

In 2018, the activation expanded to include a full house façade and an open living-room environment exclusively accessible to nominees and winners, creating an intimate retreat before and after the ceremony.

 

The DIRECTV Bungalow became a repeatable, high-visibility awards-season platform, blending hospitality, media, and talent engagement in a way that felt authentic to both the brand and the moment.