# Mike Diva

Mike Brenton Dahlquist (born June 23, 1987), known professionally as Mike Diva, is an American film director, visual effects artist, musician, and YouTuber. After establishing his YouTube channel in 2006, he created multiple internet videos that went viral on the platform, one of which being Japanese Donald Trump Commercialトランプ2016, a Japanese styled politically satirical video disguised as a campaign commercial for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, which gained international attention.
Diva has directed YouTube videos for Epic Rap Battles of History, music videos for 3OH!3, Kill the Noise, The M Machine, Mindless Self Indulgence, Savant, Lil Nas X, and Doja Cat, segments of Saturday Night Live, commercials and other promotional materials for Xbox, Mixer, Halo Top Creamery, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He also directed the Netflix special The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience.

## Early life and career

Mike Brenton Dahlquist was born on June 23, 1987, in Sacramento, California. He was introduced to filmmaking at the age of 14 after downloading VFX software from LimeWire. After dropping out of college, he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue filmmaking. He uploaded a prank video in 2011 titled "Sexy Sax Man" which revolved around Diva and his friend Sergio in various locations running around with a saxophone playing George Michael's "Careless Whisper" to people, which went viral on YouTube.
In June 2016, Diva's video Japanese Donald Trump Commercialトランプ2016 gained international attention, with some 8 million views on Facebook and almost 300,000 views on YouTube in its first 24 hours. The video is presented as a Japanese commercial promoting the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The video was shot over a month and a half with virtually no budget and stars the cosplayer and wig stylist known as sushimonstuh. Slate described the work as "a dizzying, sorbet-hued phantasmagoria that gestures toward the coming end times."
On August 11, 2016, Diva directed a similar politically satirical video for Super Deluxe about the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The video depicted a fictionalized Clinton attempting to connect with the millennial generation using various internet memes.
In 2017, Diva co-wrote and directed a stylized horror spot for Halo Top Creamery titled "Eat The Ice Cream," The advert made headlines in Adweek, AdAge, IndieWire, Munchies and Gizmodo. It won a number of awards, including AdWeek's Top 10 Ads of 2017.
In 2021, Diva moved to New York City and began directing video shorts for Saturday Night Live.

## Artistry

Diva is known for incorporating various aspects of Internet culture and Vaporwave aesthetics on his films. He is inspired by Japanese commercials, as well as Michel Gondry, and the Daniels.

## Personal life

Diva previously lived in Los Angeles, currently residing in New York City. He is apolitical and atheistic, and describes himself as someone afflicted with ADHD. He has an older brother who attended the University of California in Berkeley.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Work | Category | Award | Result |
| 2018 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Best Marketing and Communications Educational Effort | AdWheel Grand Award | Won |
| 2018 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Advertising, Media, & PR: Branded Content | People's Voice Award Winner | Won |
| 2018 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Internet Commercial (District 15) | American Advertising Awards (ADDY) | Silver |
| 2018 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Internet Commercial (Los Angeles) | American Advertising Awards (ADDY) | Silver |
| 2018 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Digital Marketing / Online Video Adverts | D&AD Awards | Won |
| 2017 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Humour in Advertising | EPICA Award | Bronze |
| 2017 | Halo Top Creamery "Eat The Ice Cream" | Advertising | The 10 Best Ads of 2017 | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Special Mention Award | Amarcort Film Festival | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Audience Award | FANCINE Festival de Cine Fantastico de la Universidad de Malaga | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Best Music Video | Fantastic Planet Film Festival | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Jury Award | London Short Series Fest | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Jury Award | Long Island International Film Expo | Won |
| 2016 | Savant: Kali 47 | Jury Award | Outlaw Film Festival | Won |
| 2015 | Thresher | Best Horror Film | Comicpalooza Film Festival | Won |
| 2015 | Savant: Kali 47 | Best VFX | Comicpalooza Film Festival | Won |
| 2015 | Savant: Kali 47 | Music Video of the Year | 2015 Geeky Awards | Won |
| 2015 | Savant: Kali 47 | Jury Award | Dragon*Con Independent Film Festival | Won |
| 2015 | Savant: Kali 47 | Best Short Film | Steampunk Chronicle Reader's Choice Awards | Won |
| 2015 | Savant: Kali 47 | Music Video | Steampunk Chronicle Reader's Choice Awards | Won |
| 2013 | Mike Diva Presents | Best Direction | 3rd Streamy Awards | Nominated |
| 2013 | Kill The Noise pt. 1 | Pick of the year | MTV Clubland | Won |