Daniel Schaefer and Szymon Rose are a directing duo who made a seamless transition to commercial filmmaking in late 2024 after two decades as top-tier advertising creatives. They first met at Jung von Matt Hamburg in 2006 and went on to work at BBH London and Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam before returning to Jung von Matt as Partners and Chief Creative Officers. Their debut directing work, "Silent Night" for Erste Bank, won two Clios and earned them an AICP Best New Director nomination in 2025. The film traced the 1818 origin of the hymn with cinematic craft and emotional depth. They followed with "Carry the Light" for Erste, traveling to Morocco's Atlas Mountains and consulting ancient Aramaic experts to ensure historical authenticity in a nativity story told through a donkey's perspective. Additional Erste campaigns include "Life Stories," "The Audition," and "The Bird," alongside European work for Migros and Persil. As agency creatives, they developed campaigns for Facebook, Hyundai, Axe, Samsung, and LEGO, collecting Cannes Lions, D&AD Pencils, and British Arrows. They signed with Arts & Sciences London in March 2025 and expanded to the US roster in March 2026.