Spark & Riot Founder Ana de Diego on the Intersection of Commercial Production and Social Impact

Ana de Diego started her career in LA in production, spending a lot of time working on international jobs – an experience she says opened her eyes to how resourceful production could be. It was during that time she saw the opportunity to build something different.

She started a fully non-union production company, which allowed her to collaborate with a wide range of directors, from established DGA talent to emerging voices, during what she describes as the “Wild West” era of branded content.

As advertising budgets changed and productions became leaner, Ana found herself straddling two worlds at once, understanding the expectations of large-scale commercial work while figuring out how to make ambitious creative in tighter constraints. After several years in advertising, she stepped away to independently produce three feature films, reconnecting with her interest in long-form and narrative craft.

The experience ultimately led to her founding Spark & Riot, a production company inspired by an early era of commercial production where companies actively invested in directors’ creative development beyond the confines of advertising.

More on LBB!