“Story is king,” according to director and filmmaker Christian Mashini. Telling a coherent and engaging story in a short span of time is a skill Christian has honed and refined. He figured the key to this is choosing whom he features and how he features them. Whether it’s quirky TV commercials or high-octane corporate films—like those for Microsoft’s “Chatbot Alphie” and BMW’s armor-plated X5 Protection VR6—Christian tells fun and informative stories in bite-sized chunks, featuring expert and real-people testimonials. The results always sell. Christian’s clients span industries, with brands like Sony Music, Oyakata, Tinder, Allgeier, Kiss Cosmetics, DATEV, and Teichmann Racing. Christian now heads his own Berlin- and Munich-based collective, Kopfkino Kollektiv. The producer-turned-director provides the vital link between the client, the agency, and the crew. He never stopped turning out stunning work of his own—always with the story at its heart.