What’s with the llamaverse? A lot. A little. Everything in between.

I first got a taste for production in my youth, working as a PA on a Denver Post TV commercial (that’s right, newspapers used to be a thing AND they even advertised on TV) and then acting in said commercial, as they needed an ethically ambiguous young man to sit at a table in a park with an ethnically ambiguous young woman, playing out the scene of a first date. It seems even then we were all a bit woke. . .

That commercial would run on the local Denver channels (yes, I am a Denver native) and I remember a specific stir, as it would run during Beverly Hills 90210 (sure, go ahead and age me), which resulted in my 5 minutes of fame at my local high school (go East High Angels!). It was a very cool feeling to know I’d given a superior effort in doing all the PA things and landed a prestigious role as ethnically ambiguous guy at the park on a first date. It was very, very cool.

College brought forth all the things that happen in college and after graduating and receiving honors in English, I preceded to do what most intelligent people would do and venture into the great and vast unknown of LA. I dove in head first doing all the things again with the highest point having to be serving Cameron Diaz a slightly toasted Pepperidge Farms wheat bread sandwich with French’s Yellow Mustard and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese. I’d reached my highest LA plateau and thus, returned my overworked and under appreciated ass back to Denver.

Luckily for me, my fall from grace was met by an amazing mentor who had just been honored with an Academy Award (timing is everything) and she was jamming with projects and gigs. She was also kind enough to employ me at her boutique production company, meaning three of us. Which was fantastic, as I was able to play just about every role and moved my way up from transcribing talking heads to things like playing boom man, lighting and location scouting, then producing. Without her and her business partner and my kick ass work ethic, I’d be, well, maybe an English teacher.

Alas, the economy crashed in 2007 and unfortunately for us, work dried up and we all got a little worried. I learned that one thing recessions can’t take away is sushi. So I waited tables at a fun little sushi joint to get by, while trying to navigate the independent contractor waters. Things began to turn around as I got a few jobs location managing and associate producing some small scale feature films. I remember a wonderful 1st AD (with whom I still work) telling other weary crew members, “watch what you say to Danny, someday we might all be working for him”. True story and it happened.

I’m old school and I’ve been around the block (and world), producing for amazing agencies and exceptional clients (most of the time) and finding myself here, in the llamaverse, continuing to do what I love with all the peeps young and old. Reviving older friendships and building new relationships on whatever sets I step foot on. I didn’t have the best upbringing, I tend to curse a lot (less with a 9 year old now) and I’ll give it to you straight. That’s what survivors do if they’ve had the fortunate blessings to be mentored well and to forgive the past of its sometimes raw and other times ethereal misgivings.

The llamaverse really did come from a llama. Long story short, we needed one for a bank commercial and we needed it to stand still for a shoot day (which was supervised by the Humane Society; facts). And that llama did its job. I couldn’t understand it at the time. That a local llama for hire could stand there so pristine, so willingly, with so much ridiculous crew chaos happening all around. Yet it did and we became buddies. So what you might say? Drunk Llama what.

Back to the block. The one I’ve been around. I’ve clearly hired many animals. Llamas, Trout, Dogs, Cats, Chimps, Horses, Cattle, a long list of wildlife. I’ve wrangled crews and dealt with logistics around the country, globe and llamaverse. I’ve gone to battle with ornery clients and overzealous agencies (albeit that’s the 10% club) and kicked ass plus taken names with the best of them. Every job has its challenges and that’s what I love most. Supplying solutions.

We need to close down the Brooklyn Bridge from 11 PM - 4 AM? Ok.

We need a model from New York and a model from Bangkok to arrive in the same place at the same time? Ok.

We need to wrap a car with gold fur and fake diamonds for him? Ok.

We need 1,000 white flowers in the dressing room when they arrive? Ok.

We need a semi truck, bulldozer and an empty parking lot tomorrow afternoon? Ok.

We need a New York City style loft built on a stage in Colorado, but we only have $15k budgeted. Ok.

We need to get this equipment to that glacier. Ok.

Donkey in a house. Ok.

Space ship built. Ok.

Staten Island Ferry booked. Ok.

Empire State Building. Ok.

Don’t look directly at talent. Ok.

A Maybach and a Bugatti. Ok.

Talking rock, talking tree and a grizzly bear. Ok.

To blow that up. Wait, like an explosion? Yes. Ok.

Steal that US Forest Service Road. Naw, not fucking with that. Lesson learned.

So yeah, we’re ok with a lot of things. We’re super ok with providing whatever it is you need in the production game. There is no fluff here. We’re not good or great or wonderful. We are 1000% ok, meaning we’re stoked, fortunate and blessed to do the things we’ve done.

Very, very cool.

Ok. Drunk Llama. There it is. Need more deets? Just ask.