STEPHANIE MISHELLE ARD is a Brooklyn-based, Texas-bred, emerging filmmaker with a background in producing and directing narrative, unscripted and commercial content.
Stephanie Mishelle Ard—SMA, for short (though, at 6 ft. tall, she’s anything but)— is a storyteller behind and in-front-of the camera. Director, Producer, Writer, and Actress, SMA has been wearing all the entertainment hats even from an early age, when she’d take it upon herself to write, direct, and produce the annual family Christmas play, featuring a cast of her and her eight unwilling cousins. Beyond the home-spun shows of her youth, SMA’s work spans narrative film, unscripted series, documentary, music videos, and branded content. She hails from up and down the interminable I-35 in Central Texas, but now calls Brooklyn home.
SMA is drawn to exploring the universal truths of the human experience through her work—however deeply sad, hilariously weird, and brutally honest they may be. Her debut short film, an examination of teenage grief, does just that. That Day— a deeply personal portrayal of herself at age 15, on the day of her father’s passing—premiered at Berlinale 2016, and went on to play the 2016-2017 festival circuit, including Hollyshorts, Austin Film Festival and the Hill Country Film Festival. The film was also invited to screen at The Bullock Texas State History Museum’s Femme Film Fridays, which honors the work of Texas Independent Female Filmmakers.
From 2015-2024, SMA was a valued employee at Rooster Teeth Productions (a Warner Bros. Discovery company), where she began as the Art Department Coordinator for feature films, scripted, and unscripted series, then transitioned to a Director/Producer of Live Action and Branded content. She co-developed and directed two seasons of the comedy reality competition show Last Laugh, which became one of the company’s most-watched series and attributed 28,000 new subscribers to their SVOD.
SMA has had the opportunity to work with a variety of major brands and entertainment clients, including HBO Max, DC Comics, State Farm, Travel Channel, and Warner Bros. In 2023, she co-developed and directed a multi-level campaign for Warner Bros. that celebrated their centennial and the studio’s DEI initiatives. Shot over 3 days on the WB Burbank lot and one in the WBD Manhattan offices, SMA worked with celebrity talent Zachary Levi (Shazam, Chuck), Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes) and Amrit Kaur (The Sex Lives of College Girls), as well as the amazing young content creators of the Rooster Teeth’s Digital Creator Program.
SMA’s sophomore short film, Shelly Belly, follows Belly—a unique, round and opinionated tummy—as it challenges norms and shares its dreams of freedom, amidst a world riddled with body insecurities. Voiced by Ariel Kavoussi (Maniac, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Shelly Belly is a hilarious, intimate, and odd exploration of what our bodies might reveal… if they could talk. Coming soon to a film festival near you!
Stephanie’s highest career aim is to tell impactful stories that unify us around the human spirit, while continuing to create opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to work in this industry and tell their stories through film and television…and to one-day run a company that operates on a four-day work week. What a dream! 🙏
She is currently seeking Directing, Producing and Acting opportunities in the NYC area and beyond.
