about
John J. Budion is an award winning writer, director, and visual effects artist, with over 20 years of experience in the film and television world. He started out his career at the tender age of 17, while concurrently working towards his degree at New York University.
John demonstrated his knowledge of directing and visual effects in a campaign for E*TRADE's 2010 Talking Baby spots. Sneaking in his comedic style, the spots debuted during and after the Super Bowl of 2010. Many critics have regarded them as the "funniest" and most "believable" work on the campaign yet! In addition to still running on air today, the spots have wracked up millions of views on YouTube from people enjoying them from all around the world.
The campaign gained even more recognition when John was selected for SHOOT Magazine's 2010 New Director's Showcase for his Etrade "Lottery" spot. Additionally, his Etrade "First-Class" spot was Short-Listed in Cannes that same year!
In 2019, John jumped into the directing and writing of his first feature film titled ROCKAWAY. After winning 9 major awards including several BEST FEATURE FILM nods, ROCKAWAY attained a theatrical distributor as well as a streaming one. The film can now be found worldwide on almost every digital platform!
John completed VFX Supervision and lead the VFX team for Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move, for HBO Max, and Sean Baker’s Red Rocket, for A24. In addition he lent his visual effects talent to SMILE for Paramount, as well as I SAW THE TV GLOW for A24, which just made its premiere at Sundance 2024.
John is currently working on penning his sophomore script Civilian Suspicions, which follows a military veteran struggling to adjust to the monotony of civilian life after being deployed back into society. He is also slated to Direct Latchkey Kids starring Alan S. Kim (Golden Globe winner for Minari) Elsie Fisher (Golden Globe nominee for Eighth Grade) Idina Menzel and Jae Suh Park!
John is repped by Cory Thompson out of Stride Management.
Awards + Nominations
2008 SHOOT magazine's "Best Work You May Never See" (Director) -"The Great Escape" (Coca-Cola)
2010 SHOOT magazine's "New Director's Showcase" (Director) - "Lottery" (E*TRADE)
2010 Cannes Lions Shortlist (Director) - "First-Class" (E*TRADE)
2011 MTV VMA Nominee for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects (lead Flame Artist) - "Power" (Kanye West)
2012 MTV VMA Nominee for Best Direction and Cinematography (lead Flame Artist) - "Princess of China" (Coldplay feat.Rihanna)
2012 OMMA Winner for Best Online Integrated Campaign (Director) - "Business Speak" "Mustache" "Storytime" (Clean our Cloud campaign for Greenpeace)
2015 EFFIE Award winner - Positive Change Effie - (Director) - Clean our Cloud Greenpeace Campaign
vfx Supervision
"Perfect Stranger" (2007) Director James Foley
"The Nanny Diaries" (2007) Director Shari Springer Berman/Robert Pulcini
"An Invisible Sign of My Own" (2009) Director Marilyn Agrelo
"The Confession" (2011) Director Kiefer Sutherland
flame / vfx artist
"Silver City" (2004) Director John Sayles
"Perfect Stranger" (2007) Director James Foley
"The Nanny Diaries" (2007) Director Shari Springer Berman/Robert Pulcini
"It Might Get Loud" (2008) Director Davis Guggenheim
"After.Life" (2010) Director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo
"The Adjustment Bureau" (2011) Director George Nolfi
"Tower Heist" (2011) Director Brett Ratner
"Begin Again" (2013) Director John Carney
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014) Director Wes Anderson
"Beasts of No Nation" (2015) Director Cary Fukunaga
"Ithaca" (2015) Director Meg Ryan
"Daughter of God" (2015) Director Gee Malik Linton