Brian Mancini: AFI Conservatory Producing Fellow and Second City Alum on Comedy‑Fueled Producing, Mentorship, and the Path to SNL

Brian Mancini is an AFI Conservatory Producing Fellow (Class of 2015) and a graduate of the Second City Toronto Conservatory. He spent seventeen years building a career across film, television, branded content, and commercials, serving in roles from crew member to Executive Producer and Head of Production at Power Digital. In addition to leading high‑profile campaigns for major brands, he continues to write and perform with his comedy troupes, drawing on his improv roots while developing new film and television projects.

Interviewer: You have a background in theatre and comedy. How did you transition into producing?

Brian Mancini: My career has been a straight line from stage to set. My training at Second City and UCB taught me collaboration and timing, and those improv instincts naturally translated to producing on film sets. Over seventeen years, I took on every role I could to learn the ropes, eventually moving into leadership positions like Executive Producer and Head of Production at Power Digital. I always ask myself if I would want to see the story I’m making; if the answer is no, I don’t do it.

Stories that ignite interest

Interviewer: Tell us about your signature branded projects, like the Wolf & Shepherd commercial with Rob Gronkowski and Mattel’s Fisher‑Price NFL Little People campaign. How do you make branded ads feel like real stories?

Brian Mancini: I treat branded content as another form of storytelling. When we produced the Wolf & Shepherd spot featuring Rob Gronkowski and Erin Andrews, I leaned into Gronk’s larger‑than‑life personality and let his natural humour drive the narrative. For Mattel’s Fisher‑Price NFL Little People campaign, we expanded the collectibles to all 32 teams and focused on making the ad feel authentic to football fandom, tapping nostalgia and the thrill of the game rather than just product features. My goal is always to make a 30‑second spot feel like a little movie.

Interviewer: The entertainment world is rapidly embracing new tech. How do you balance tools like AI with keeping your storytelling human‑centered?

Beyond the frame

Brian Mancini: Technology is both a blessing and a challenge. I embrace AI and automation when they help streamline research or post‑production, but I always come back to the human element; if the story doesn’t connect emotionally, no amount of technology matters.

Interviewer: Producers often talk about the long hours and challenges of the job. What’s it really like on your end?

Brian Mancini: The producer’s job doesn’t end when the camera stops. After the shoot, I’m still watching cuts, coordinating post, and making sure we stay on schedule and on budget. That work is worth it when a project resonates, seeing audiences connect with something we made is the payoff.

Unlock hidden pathways

Interviewer: You’ve worked with industry veterans. What lessons have you learned from mentors or icons?

Brian Mancini: I learned a lot from mentors like Neil Canton (Back to the Future), Betsy Pollock, and Associate Dean Marie Cantin. They taught me to balance artistry with logistics, how to keep a production on track without losing the creative spark. Their advice helped me push projects to higher levels, and several of my films have been selected at major festivals as a result.

Interviewer: You clearly value comedy and mentorship. How do you pay that forward in your career?

Brian Mancini: Comedy and mentorship are intertwined for me. I stay active in the improv community to keep my instincts sharp, and I mentor younger creators through AFI alumni events and on set. I tell my teams to think about how the audience will feel, whether it’s a laugh in a sketch or a branded moment, and I try to build inclusive crews where everyone’s voice is heard.

Interviewer: What’s next for you? Where do you see yourself in the future?

Brian Mancini: Long term, I want to fuse sketch comedy with broadcast TV, producing or writing for Saturday Night Live feels like the natural next step that combines my production expertise and comedy roots. In the meantime, I’m developing new film and TV projects in Los Angeles and continuing to grow the branded content studio I lead. It’s always about storytelling: I want every project, whether a feature or a 30‑second spot, to fuse human emotion and comedy into something memorable.

Discover what s next

Brian Mancini’s journey, from the stage to the producer’s chair, reflects his core values: passion, collaboration, and an unwavering focus on story. Colleagues praise his creativity and positivity, and he remains humble, channeling his comedy roots into every project while guiding teams with steady leadership. For him, technology and AI are tools, not replacements; human connection drives the work. As he builds his next slate of projects, and keeps an eye on that SNL dream, Brian will keep pushing the bar, mentoring the next generation and crafting funny, heartfelt stories that resonate.