Meet the reluctant rebel who is redefining creativity  

There’s a particular breed of creative who thrives on the fringe. Someone comfortable living in the places where chaos meets order, and rules are more suggestions than laws. Dan Mace is one of those animals.  

The South African filmmaker and creative disruptor has made a name for himself by doing things his way, which, more often than not, means doing things the wrong way – at least according to industry standards. But that’s the point. The wrong way is precisely where Dan finds his genius.  

“When I was younger, I struggled to communicate clearly,” Dan says, while doodling crude illustrations, not unlike those tattooed on his body. “I was considered not that sharp and was in the special class, and so when I had to do an oral at school, I asked the teacher if I could make a video instead.” Dan had never made a video, but his dad had a camera and there was a guy in Kommetjie who had editing software, and so he put together an ambitious film titled Defending the Indefensible.  

“I made a video about how Jack the Ripper was innocent, which was wild, but the teacher loved it and the class applauded. That validation was a first for me. My whole life, teachers and my classmates had been telling me I was going to fail, that I was going to be a write-off. That bit of confidence translated into me making more films.”  

A few years later, and Dan was winning awards, booking big jobs and making more money than he knew what to do with.  

 

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“Back then was the era where young directors were booking more jobs for some unknown reason, I really don’t know why. I didn’t even know what was going on. One quote that was thrown around a lot in the film industry was ‘Some for show, some for dough’, but those money jobs were often terrible and I’d feel so bad about myself afterwards.” As a way to deal with the imposter syndrome and guilt he felt, Dan would seek cheap dopamine hits wherever he could find them.  

THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILMMAKER AND CREATIVE DISRUPTOR HAS MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF BY DOING THINGS HIS WAY, WHICH, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, MEANS DOING THINGS THE WRONG WAY… THAT IS PRECISELY WHERE DAN FINDS HIS GENIUS. 

“I didn’t come from money, so when I started getting big cheques, I would just blow it on stupid shit – I bought a really expensive car and threw money around in nightclubs like crazy. Looking back, I wish I had put it into some sort of savings…  

“I don’t have the same cravings that I used to because I’m much more satisfied now. I’m a husband, a father, an entrepreneur and I’m making work I’m proud of.”  

Young manhood and mentorship

If you’re familiar with the online world, then you know ‘Casey from the internet’. A pioneering voice on YouTube and an icon of the ‘do it yourself ’ ethos, American Casey Neistat isn’t just a big name in the world of creators; he’s the mentor who helped Dan realise that colouring outside the lines was more than just a stylistic choice. It was the whole game. The Neistat influence is impossible to ignore in Dan’s work: the frenetic editing, the hand-crafted graphics and the sense that something real is happening just beyond the frame.  

But while Casey laid the foundation, Dan took those tools and built something uniquely his own, blending inspiration from his mentor with a drive to carve out his own niche. Having had access to the best minds in the world, Dan counts Tom Cole, Brian Johnson, Rich Roll, Tim Beckerling and Brandon Hiemstra as mentors. “Mentors are everything and you’ve got to pass it along. So, I’ve got a rule that I take on three mentees per year.”   

MENTORS ARE EVERYTHING AND YOU’VE GOT TO PASS IT ALONG. SO, I’VE GOT A RULE THAT I TAKE ON THREE MENTEES PER YEAR 

Learning to embrace imperfection

The first thing you notice about Dan Mace’s world is that it feels like controlled chaos. There’s an element of unpredictability that draws you in. He’s the type of creator who’s as likely to shoot a scene on an iPhone as he is with a RED camera in a style that’s as much about embracing imperfections as it is mastering the craft.  

“Ideas come really easily to me. And sometimes it feels as if I’m getting away with something because it’s not that hard and I start to get imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud. But I think it’s because I’ve experienced a lot of shit in my life, that I’m able to recreate everything and share it through my lens.”  

For Dan, creativity doesn’t thrive in perfectly controlled environments – it’s a deeply personal, lived experience that flourishes in spontaneity. He’s been known to film sequences entirely on the fly, trusting his instincts and the natural flow of a moment over meticulously planned shots. The best stuff happens when you’re not trying to make it perfect, and it’s this ethos that gives his work its distinct charm.   

A student of the unconventional

It’s no accident that Dan’s journey from Kommetjie in Cape Town to a global stage has been defined by a lack of formal boundaries. He skipped traditional film school in favour of self-directed learning, where curiosity and experimentation were his main teachers.  

“There are two ways of making a film. Either by taking a complex idea and simplifying its execution, or taking a simple idea and adding complexity to its execution. However, I feel my biggest problem is that I take complex ideas and make them more complex with the execution! That’s why I’ve always struggled to define the genres of films that I make.  

I guess they are nothing but extensions of the way I feel about something at that point in my life and use filmmaking to try and make sense of it all.”  

It seems to have been that way ever since Dan made his very first film. That same unique mindset isn’t ever going to be about fitting into a pre-defined box – instead, it’s about breaking the box apart to build something else entirely. And by trusting his voice, Dan’s leaned into the weirdness that makes his work stand out. This extreme confidence has allowed him to challenge the industry’s conventions and embrace his own brand.  

A global stage  

While directing films, Dan also ventured deeper into the world of business by being the founder and owner of three successful companies, as well as sitting on the board of two others. But it’s his new venture that seems to excite him most. The BRU BAR, a caramel-mocha flavoured caffeinated macadamia bar, is an extension of Dan’s creative universe – a space where he can experiment with branding, storytelling and community-building in ways that go beyond film. And in typical Dan Mace fashion, the brand is more about creating experiences than simply selling something – turning a product into a narrative.  

CREATIVITY DOESN’T THRIVE IN PERFECTLY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS – IT’S A DEEPLY PERSONAL, LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT FLOURISHES IN SPONTANEITY… THE BEST STUFF HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT PERFECT 

“The feedback has been really good, and so I’ve decided to really pursue this thing. There’s the current demand and because I can’t predict future demand, I need to create culture and community around it. So I’m going to focus on doing that and then turn it into a real good business,” he says.  

Storytime, one story at a time

Dan Mace’s rise is a case study in how the world is changing. Traditional advertising agencies have struggled to keep pace with the demands of a digital- first audience that craves authenticity. Redefining what a commercial can be, Dan Mace’s projects are as much about storytelling as they are about selling a product.  

HE’S NOT INTERESTED IN FITTING INTO ANYONE’S DEFINITION OF SUCCESS… HE’S A DISRUPTOR IN THE TRUEST SENSE, SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE A CAREER OUT OF RESISTING LABELS AND EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY. 

He’ll mix stop-motion animation with candid street interviews, or pair whimsical sound design with raw, unscripted dialogue. The result? Adverts that feel more like short films – content that sticks in your mind because it doesn’t feel like content. However, don’t mistake his playful style for lack of strategy. Dan is meticulous when it comes to understanding how to connect with viewers. He knows that in today’s saturated media landscape, that’s what wins. In a move that speaks volumes about Dan’s commitment to his craft and his community, he released his comprehensive ‘How to Master the Art of Filmmaking’ tutorial online – for free. The course, which could have easily been a high-ticket offering, is instead a gift to aspiring creators worldwide. Packed with insights, practical tips and Dan’s trademark humour, it encourages creators to develop their unique style.   

<Embed Instagram reel> Dan showcases his unique style of filming  

Where vision and reality collide  

The thing about Dan Mace is that he’s not interested in fitting into anyone’s definition of success – not Hollywood’s, not YouTube’s and especially not the advertising world’s. He’s a disruptor in the truest sense, someone who has made a career out of resisting labels and embracing uncertainty. As he continues to explore new mediums and collaborate with like-minded rebels, Dan is proving that the only constant in his world is change.  

A creative provocateur who’s rewriting the rules as he goes, Dan is proof of how trusting your instincts, even when they lead you off the beaten path, is the only way.  

In an industry that often prioritises polish over substance, Dan’s work is a reminder that sometimes the rough edges are what make a masterpiece. He’s not just another creative genius; he’s a one-of-a-kind storyteller whose best work is still ahead of him – wherever that might take him next.  

By: Dylan Muhlenberg
Photographs: Future Content Hub, Pexels