A former creative at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners SF, Hooper’sprolific spot-helming career includes notable work with Volkswagen, DirecTV, and Budweiser, for which he has been honored at Cannes, The One Show, ADDYs, and many more.

Phyllis Koenig spoke to their long-standing relationship and his one-two punch of visual artistry and timing, “Chris is on a very short list of comedy directors – his ability to work beautifully with actors and pull out the most nuanced performances plus sly humor always makes me laugh, and you can see the great discipline and intelligence in his work. As a leader and director, he’s fantastic from an EP/Owner’s perspective.” It’s a role Hooper recalls fondly, “When I originally joined forces with Raucous, I found that people had nothing but incredible things to say about Phyllis and her team; they’re passionate, aggressive and great people at the same time. It all begins with the work… it embodies a lot of what Raucous is about: quality with approachability, professional yet playful… a smart creative environment.”While Chris considered careers as an architect and painter, his years at LA’s Art Center College of Design in Pasadena led to art directing tenures and his kickstart within the business, “I loved working on the agency side and understand the limits and parameters of the job. As a director I approach the challenge of developing strong work while staying mindful of the strategy.” Hooper also embraces the humor director label. “Besides typos, I can find a smile in pretty much any script,” he explained. “I can’t know if the agency or client will buy it, but I throw it out there. That said, I’m clear on what collaboration truly means and I understand when an agency has a top-level client. Creativity thrives when there’s time to play with an actor and take a script to a place it might not otherwise have gone. Many times there are nuances you’d never see on paper or even in a final audition.”