Damian Collier
Damian Collier | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, lawyer, producer, businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Spiral Viral and Blend Media; producer of The War of the Worlds – Alive on Stage! |
'Damian Collier is a British entrepreneur, lawyer, producer, and businessman. He founded Spiral Viral, a firm that supported viral video creators with legal services, and currently acts as the founder, owner, and CEO of Blend Media, a marketplace and licensing company specializing in virtual reality. Collier produced the touring musical The War of the Worlds – Alive on Stage! by Jeff Wayne and oversees the Jeff Wayne Music Group. His film production work includes the 2005 adaptation of War of the Worlds. In 2014, he was recognized on Fast Companys list of the 1000 Most Creative People in Business.
Education
Collier pursued legal studies at University of Reading and gained professional experience at firms such as Latham & Watkins, Goldman Sachs, and Linklaters, where he worked from 1993 until 2003. Additionally, he spent a brief period studying at the University of Salamanca in Spain.
Career
As managing director of the Jeff Wayne Music Group, Collier produced the 2006 tour for The War of the Worlds – Alive on Stage!. Together with Wayne, he collaborated with Dark Horse Entertainment to develop an associated comic book. While promoting Wayne's latest concept album, The New Generation, Collier encountered Howard Davies-Carr, father to the viral video stars behind "Charlie Bit My Finger". Observing the absence of adequate representation for viral content creators, Collier leveraged his expertise in finance law and intellectual property to establish Viral Management Limited (also known as Viral Spiral) in 2011, signing the Davies-Carr family as its inaugural client. Jeff Wayne acted as a business partner. Viral Spiral’s portfolio included creators of viral hits like "Sneezing Baby Panda," "Talking Twin Babies," and "Fenton!".
By 2012, Viral Spiral had expanded to offices across the UK, US, and Japan and was developing a television program inspired by You've Been Framed!. The company secured partnerships with leading brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Samsung, BBC, and Comedy Central. Collaborations with Rightster facilitated broader distribution of "Charlie" content through agreements with Sprint and Google, granting Rightster exclusive rights to distribute Viral Spiral’s YouTube material. Viral Spiral was among the pioneering multi-channel networks representing stars from Vine. In 2014, Collier divested Viral Spiral to the Rightster Group.
In 2016, Collier launched Blend Media, focusing on licensing content in AR, MR, VR, and 360-degree formats. The company connects brands and agencies with vetted content creators and also operates within the realm of influencer marketing. By 2019, Collier took on the role of executive producer for a VR game inspired by Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds. In 2021, he was instrumental in converting "Charlie Bit Me" into a limited-edition NFT.
Personal life
Collier is married to actress Anna-Marie Wayne, daughter of his business associate Jeff Wayne. As of 2022, they live in Radlett, a village in Hertfordshire, with their two children. Their daughter was born prematurely, arriving nine weeks early. Their son Jonah features in Michael Hirst's 2022 television series Billy the Kid.
Film
From 2009 through 2015, Collier focused his production efforts mainly within the Damian Collier Entertainment label.
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Weird Travels | Camera operator | |
| Dance with Lisa: Red Hot Salsa Made Simple | Director of photography | ||
| 2005 | The Book of Tennis Chronicles | Executive producer | |
| War of the Worlds | Executive producer, screenwriter, producer | ||
| 2006 | Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds | Producer | |
| Prophets of Science Fiction | Content provider | ||
| 2007 | The War of the Worlds – Alive on Stage! | Producer | |
| 2008 | Evilution | Co-producer | |
| 2009 | Disappearing in America | Associate producer | |
| Space Girls in Beverly Hills | Director of photography | ||
| 2013 | Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds – The New Generation | Producer | |
| TBD | Paradise Lost | Producer | |
| The Car | Executive producer |