Stephen Wayne Mallett has been telling stories since the days of a borrowed VHS camcorder and a box of action figures. After studying film and photography, he quickly found his voice in the intersection of music and cinema, directing his first MTV-premiering video at just 21. Since then, he’s become a sought-after voice in the short-form space, crafting emotionally charged music videos, commercials, and short films that have collectively racked up over two billion views.

His directing slate includes collaborations with major brands and chart-topping artists alike — from Disney, Toyota, ASUS, Interscope, Warner, and SONY RCA, to Olivia Rodrigo, Dr. Dre, Chris Daughtry, Pentatonix, Derek Hough, Lindsey Stirling, Jon Bellion, and more. Known for his ability to deliver cinematic scope under the constraints of music video production, Mallett has built a reputation for resourcefulness and vision, assembling a loyal, tight-knit crew that thrives under pressure.

A post-production native turned innovator, Mallett has also emerged as an early adopter of virtual production, harnessing XR volumes and high concept VFX to expand world-building possibilities while stretching budgets beyond industry norms.

Most recently, his video for Nothing More’s “Freefall,” featuring Chris Daughtry, blurred the lines between music video and short film. The project, which spotlighted first responders and the trauma they carry, accompanied the track to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, where it stayed for two weeks.