Michael Brenton Dahlquist (born June 23, 1987), known professionally as Mike Diva, is an American film director, visual effects artist, musician, and YouTuber. After establishing his YouTube channel in 2006, he created multiple internet videos that went viral on the platform, one of which being Japanese Donald Trump Commercialトランプ2016, a Japanese styled politically satirical video disguised as a campaign commercial for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, which gained international attention. He was also in a band called Vyncent Flaw or originally Jasper Dorex Cyborg Esquire.
Diva has directed YouTube videos for Epic Rap Battles of History, music videos for 3OH!3, Kill the Noise, The M Machine, Mindless Self Indulgence, Savant, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, and Run the Jewels, segments of Saturday Night Live, commercials and other promotional materials for Xbox, Mixer, Halo Top Creamery, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He also directed the Netflix special The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience.
Early life and career Mike Brenton Dahlquist was born on June 23, 1987, in Sacramento, California. He was introduced to filmmaking at the age of 14 after downloading VFX software from LimeWire.
In June 2016, Diva's video Japanese Donald Trump Commercialトランプ2016 gained international attention, with some 8 million views on Facebook and almost 300,000 views on YouTube in its first 24 hours. The video is presented as a Japanese commercial promoting the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The video was shot over a month and a half with virtually no budget and stars the cosplayer and wig stylist known as sushimonstuh. Slate described the work as "a dizzying, sorbet-hued phantasmagoria that gestures toward the coming end times."
On August 11, 2016, Diva directed a similar politically satirical video for Super Deluxe about the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The video depicted a fictionalized Clinton attempting to connect with the millennial generation using various internet memes.
In 2017, Diva co-wrote and directed a stylized horror spot for Halo Top Creamery titled "Eat The Ice Cream," The advert made headlines in Adweek, AdAge, IndieWire, Munchies and Gizmodo. It won a number of awards, including AdWeeks Top 10 Ads of 2017.
In 2021, Diva moved to New York City and began directing video shorts for Saturday Night Live.
Artistry Diva is known for incorporating various aspects of Internet culture and Vaporwave aesthetics on his films. He is inspired by Japanese commercials, as well as Michel Gondry, and the Daniels.
Personal life Diva previously lived in Los Angeles, currently residing in New York City.
Awards and nominations
Year Work Award Category Result 2013Mike Diva Presents3rd Streamy Awards Best Direction Kill the Noise "Kill The Noise pt. 1"MTV Clubland Pick of the year 2015ThresherComicpalooza Film FestivalBest Horror FilmSavant "Kali 47" Comicpalooza Film FestivalBest VFX2015 Geeky AwardsMusic Video of the YearDragon*Con Independent Film FestivalJury AwardSteampunk Chronicle Reader's Choice AwardsBest Short FilmMusic Video2016Amarcort Film FestivalSpecial Mention AwardFANCINE Festival de Cine Fantastico de la Universidad de MalagaAudience AwardFantastic Planet Film FestivalBest Music Video London Short Series FestJury AwardLong Island International Film ExpoOutlaw Film Festival2017Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream"EPICA AwardHumour in AdvertisingThe 10 Best Ads of 2017Advertising2018AdWheel Grand AwardBest Marketing and Communications Educational EffortPeople's Voice Award WinnerAdvertising, Media, & PR: Branded ContentAmerican Advertising Awards (ADDY)Internet Commercial (District 15) Internet Commercial (Los Angeles) D&AD AwardsDigital Marketing / Online Video Adverts2021Run the Jewels "No Save Point"Webby AwardsBest Editing
References
External links