The origin of Deft LLC, which focuses on commercial video production, was in the short films and videos created by two friends in Providence.
Xander Monge and Robert McMahon, both 2018 graduates of Classical High School, met and became friends in the first grade. By the sixth grade, they had a YouTube channel called Deft and were producing short videos.
Monge, now 18, and McMahon, 19, have since created a business that is producing commercial ads and videos for businesses. One of their most visible clips was an ad for North Kingstown-based Gooseneck Vineyards, which aired on the Tennis Channel.
Deft, which was incorporated in January, has a website, which Monge and McMahon created. And while they can prepare websites and graphics for companies, their expertise is in the short narratives, ads and commercial videos.
Monge plans to enroll at Syracuse University in the fall, majoring in film production and ending a “gap year.” Deft will continue, regardless of where the two owners are located.
“There are always projects in schools, ‘What do you want to be?’ ” Monge said. “For me, forever, it was ‘filmmaker.’ ”
Mary MacDonald is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.
