Ben Nissen | Creative Video Director

I’m a Chicago-based filmmaker who has worn many hats throughout my career—I’ve been a studio manager, cinematographer, editor, colorist, and motion designer on a wide variety of projects. Above all, the role of director is where I feel most at home.

Since 2021, I’ve been one of four Creative Partners at Odd Commodity, an agency that specializes in cinematic video production and design. We’ve partnered with brands like ALDI, Wintrust Financial, The University of Chicago, Read AI, and more to produce TV ads, explainers, promos, and brand documentaries.

Before that, I was a Creative Production Lead at Groupon where I oversaw their first in-house video studio and managed a killer team of talented writers, producers, editors, and animators. We created thousands of videos—paid social that attracted new business, deal page content that drove purchase lift, and FAQ videos that reduced customer touchpoints.

In 2018, I released a feature film called Nowhere Mind that can be watched on multiple streaming platforms.

Behind the Scenes

  • Film crew filming a person wearing headphones outdoors, with city buildings in the background.

  • A woman standing in front of a camera and lighting equipment during a video shoot or photography session in a spacious, industrial-style studio with wooden floors and brick walls.

  • A person dressed in white tied to a tree in a dense forest, with two women and a man near her and a husky laying on the ground.

  • Two people on a film set looking at a device, with a camera monitor displaying a scene with a woman and boy at a table in the background.

  • A woman is smiling and gesturing with her hands in front of a camera set up by a man. They are in a modern indoor space with wooden accents and a sign that reads 'The Forum at Har' in the background.

  • A woman in black workout clothes appears surprised or distressed as she faces a man with a camera filming her inside a room with a brick wall, a window, and wooden floor.

  • A man operating a professional film camera labeled 'Red Dragon' outdoors with trees and hills in the background.

  • Filmmakers filming a scene in a dense forest with trees and fallen leaves, a man holding a leash with a dog sitting beside him, and crew members operating camera equipment and taking notes.

  • A filmmaker operating a camera on a stabilization rig during an interview or recording session in a classroom setting with a black chalkboard and posters on the wall. A woman in a light blue shirt and skirt is seated on a desk, holding a tablet, and looking at the director.

  • A group of fifteen diverse people posing together indoors with wooden furniture and lockers in the background.

  • Behind-the-scenes of a video or photo shoot in a home setting, with crew members and a woman making gestures at a table, lights, and camera equipment visible.

  • Filming crew recording a woman in a modern, spacious indoor atrium with glass walls and high ceilings.

  • Group of nine people, including a woman with glasses and a black dog, gathered in a living room with a bookshelf in the background.