Danyi Deats (born November 8, 1967) is an American film personality. She has acted in films, and is credited as a producer and writer for television, commercials and music videos.
Deats is most widely known for her portrayal of Jamie in the film River's Edge, with Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper.
Deats is a consultant and producer to several production companies such as Mirror Films, Partizan, Pulse Films, Victor Papa, London Alley and Danger Bird. She began producing for Propaganda Films, Angel City, Dark Light, Mad Hatter Films, Satellite, The End, DNA, Oil Factory, Original Films, HSI, Super Mega, and Believe Media.
She has produced music videos and television commercials with artists such as Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Jennifer Lopez, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Meghan Trainor, Sting, Missy Elliott, Shania Twain, Janet Jackson, and Jewel.
Deats is also a local artist with past exhibits at Ghetto Gloss in Los Angeles. She recently completed her first novel, Meow Meow.
Danyi Deats is from Los Angeles and currently lives there with her husband and business partner Eric Barrett. Together they own Mirror Filmss. They have three children, Noah (born 1998), Jade (born 2002), and Zane Elvis (born 2005). She was raised in a “film family”; she grew up on film sets, going from location to location- always on the move. Her mother Emmy (maiden name - Montoya) worked at Universal Studios for thirty years, starting in the legal department, and working her way to assistant to the president of talent, Peter Terranova, and then for the president of television, Erv Sepkowitz. Danyi's grandfather Rufus Deats, her father Richard "Dicky" Deats and her uncle Jerry Deats have all been Key grips. Her brother Jerry C. Deats is also a Key Grip. Dicky Deats won the Academy Award for Technical Achievement in 1984 for designing the “Little Big Crane”. It was the first camera crane that could you could disassemble and take out of the studio - it could be taken anywhere a man could get to. Its invention took filming to a new level, welcoming long sweeping crane shots in remote locations.
Awards and honors
1992, CLIO Award for Nike’s “Huarache” with David Fincher.
1993, CLIO Award for Nike’s “Instant Karma” with David Fincher.
1997, MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B for Blackstreet with Janet Jackson
1998, MTV Music Video Award for Best Group Video "Everybody" by Backstreet Boys.
2000, MTV Music Video Award for Best Hip-Hop Video for Sisqo’s, "The Thong Song".
2008, CLIO Award for the BMW campaign, "Transformer".
2014 MTV Music Video Award for Best Male Video by Ed Sheeran "Sing" featuring Pharrell Williams
2014 MTV Top 20 Most Played Video world-wide Calvin Harris "Summer" (as Executive Producer)
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Best Male Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Video Of The Year Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Best Pop Video Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Best Choreography Ed Sheeran "Don't"
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Best Editing Ed Sheeran "Don't"
2015 MTV Music Video Nominee for Best Cinematography Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"
2013
Gutsy Frog - TV Pilot, Jonas Brothers Enterprises
Tele 2 Campaign, KesselsKramer
Alex Gaudino, "Missing You" featuring Nicole Scherzinger, Paul Boyd director for Dave Stewart Entertainment
Dave Stewart "Every Single Night", Paul Boyd, director
Calvin Harris "Under Control", Emil Nava, director
Rixton "Make Out", Emil Nava, director
2014
Kaya Stewart "Jonah", Dave Stewart director
Coke, for World Cup, Paul Boyd, director
Calvin Harris "Summer", Emil Nava, director (as Exec. Producer)
Ed Sheeran, "Sing", Emil Nava, director
Jennifer Lopez album promo, Emil Nava, director
The Vamps, Emil Nava, director
Chloe Howell "Disappointed", Emil Nava, director
Ed Sheeren "Don't", Emil Nava, director
Stevie Nicks, Dave Stewart, director
The Vamps "Last Night, Emil Nava, director
Calvin Harris "Blame", Emil Nava, director
Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud" Emil Nava, director
Justin Bieber "Home To Muma" Emil Nava, director
Calvin Harris "Slow Acid" Emil Nava, director
Calvin Harris "Cube", featuring Big Sean, Emil Nava, director
Neyo "She Knows", featuring Juicy J, Emil Nava, director
Calvin Harris "Outside", featuring Ellie Goulding, Emil Nava, director
Pusha T "Lunch Money", Emil Nava, director
2015
Calvin Harris, "Pray To God", featuring Haim, Emil Nava, director
Alesso "Cool", Emil Nava, director
Lunch Money "Bills", Emil Nava, director
Ed Sheeran "Boodstream" featuring Ray Liotta, Emil Nava, director
T.I. "Private Show", featuring Chris Brown, Emil Nava, director
Tori Kelly, "Confetti" Emil Nava, director
The Voice, TV promos, Jessie Hill, director
Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud" Emil Nava, director
Ed Sheeran "Photograph" Emil Nava director
Calvin Harris "How Deep Is Your Love", featuring Gigi Haadid Emil Nava, director
Chris Cornell "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" Jessie Hill, director
Lana Rey “Music to watch boys to” Kinga Burza, director
Selena Gomez Same Old Love Michael Haussman
Miguel “Waves” director, Darren Craig
Selena Live Show - Revival Tour Michael Haussman, director
Tinashe “Player” Emil Nava, director
Zella Day "High" Jessie Hill director
2016
Meghan Trainor “No” Skechers- Thomas Kloss director
Broods “Free” Jessie Hill, director
Beyoncé "Lemonade Film" Kahlil Joseph, director
Mike Will featuring Big Sean "Come Up" Mike Piscitelli, director
