Rafael Novais

Rafa Novais is a Brazilian-born director and producer, and the founder of Novais Studios, known for crafting grounded, cinematic work that makes people feel. Based in Utah, his storytelling spans brand films, documentaries, commercials, and live events—rooted in authenticity, emotion, and strong visual language.

Rafa has directed and produced branded content and campaigns for a wide range of clients, including Little Sleepies, Crystal Palace Football Club, and multiple technology companies. His work includes tech ads and case studies such as Treads App x Anyline and 360 Smart Views, blending cinematic visuals with real-world utility and narrative clarity.

In commercial production, Rafa has also worked in supporting creative roles on major campaigns, including Land Rover, where he served as Second Camera and Director’s Assistant under director Warren Kushner. This experience further shaped his collaborative, set-driven approach to large-scale productions.

Rafa led creative campaigns for Tug, helping scale the brand from roughly 100 Amazon sales to over 100,000, while expanding into international markets including the Netherlands. His work spans short-form advertising, social campaigns, and performance-driven brand storytelling.

He has covered major cultural and entertainment events, including the Sundance Film Festival, producing video and event coverage for Hulu’s Deli Boys, The Powerhouse, and Collider panels. Through his work during Sundance Film Festival, Rafa contributed to coverage featuring John Malkovich, Carey Mulligan, Tim Key, Finn Wolfhard, Lili Reinhart, Juliette Lewis, Rachel Sennott, Rose Byrne, Dev Patel, Ben Whishaw, Rebecca Hall, and Alia Shawkat, Poorna Jagannathan, Saagar Shaikh, Asif Ali, Tan France, and DJ Jay Wolf.

Within the outdoor and sports world, Rafa has worked extensively in the ski and outdoor industry, including projects with Lindsey Vonn, as well as professional athletes across ski jumping, the broader ski industry, and international football (soccer) through work with Crystal Palace Football Club.

His documentary and event work includes projects with Wasatch Adaptive Sports, where he has filmed both professional and non-professional adaptive skiers, capturing human-centered stories within the adaptive and outdoor sports communities.

With a background in law school and entrepreneurship in Brazil, Rafa discovered his passion for photography and cinema after moving to the United States. That transition continues to shape his work—combining structure and intention with emotion, curiosity, and visual storytelling.

Rafa is currently developing his first film.