Stef Smith is an Australian comedy and performance director based in Greater Sydney, represented commercially by Photoplay’s Playtime for Australia and New Zealand and for narrative by United Agents in the UK. A NIDA-trained actor, voice artist and former puppeteer, she joined Playtime in July 2019 and has directed character-led comedy for Momentum Energy’s puppet spot “A Helping Hand,” Domain, Coates, Mars, Nuttelex, Netflix x Telstra, Bonds, Young Henrys’ “Lady Beer,” Red Rooster, Jaycar, McCain, Temple & Webster, Westpac mockumentary work, Commonwealth Bank inclusion campaigns, and cause/factual work for National Disability Services, Down Syndrome Australia, Kids’ Cancer Project and Bumble x Google. She is creator, showrunner and series director of the AACTA-nominated, AWGIE-winning SBS miniseries It’s Fine, I’m Fine (CanneSeries premiere), and directed the Stan Original Jones Family Christmas and AACTA-nominated series Monologue. Her short Joy Boy won Best Australian Short at MQFF 2019 and played the Cannes AmPav Emerging Directors Showcase. An ADG award-winning commercial director and 2018 ADG mentorship recipient, she is known for casting-led grounded comic beats, composed frames, unexpected angles, steadicam coverage and practical puppetry.