Dylan Bradshaw ’19

The 30-second spot, “Abduction,” aired on Fox during Super Bowl LIX, which reportedly had more than 100 million viewers.

Bradshaw, a film and commercial director based in Los Angeles, California, was first inspired to pursue filmmaking by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. He said this achievement is not just a milestone, but the culmination of hard work, passion and perseverance.

“In high school, I was always showcasing my videos and projects and got to experience the excitement of a live audience and see how my work could impact people” he said, “When it came time for college, UNCW’s film department stood out to me because of the internship program and the great energy from the faculty. I am so grateful for my time at UNCW and my professors in the film studies program for giving me the confidence to go after my dreams—I wouldn’t be here without them!” 

He hopes the exposure from the contest will lead to even greater opportunities.

“Hopefully, this will open up more doors for us with agencies, whether it’s with studios or commercials,” said Bradshaw. “Potentially, this may lead to getting representation.”

The ad follows an alien’s attempt to steal a bag of Doritos from a man looking for UFOs.

“We were inspired a little by pop culture with the alien element and by social media,” said Norell. “We wanted something that would feel more evergreen.”

Watch the ad

The project took a month, during which Bradshaw and Norell brainstormed countless ideas, shot and edited the commercial. Barely making the submission deadline, “Abduction” was among 2,000 submissions.

“One lesson I learned that I still apply to my work today is the importance of honing my social skills and creating my own opportunities,” he said. “At UNCW, I really learned how to pitch myself and rally a community around the things I was passionate about. This still applies to my work today, especially with the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest.”