Michael D. Ratner
Michael D. Ratner is an American entrepreneur and film producer. He is the chief executive officer of OBB Media, a Los Angeles-based production studio he founded in 2016. Ratner is also a co-founder of Rhode, alongside his wife Lauren and Hailey Bieber.
Ratner is known for producing sports and entertainment digital video content. He has worked closely with Justin Bieber on several productions, including the music video for "Intentions", Seasons, and Our World. Other OBB productions include Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, The Kid LAROI's Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named Laroi, Kevin Hart's Cold As Balls, ''and A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter.''
Early life
Ratner grew up in Long Island, New York. He studied acting at the Lee Strasberg [Theatre and Film Institute]. Ratner graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree in Film and English, and received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2014.During his second year at Tisch, he interned at Relativity Media where he created short-form video content.
Career
OBB
Ratner founded OBB Media in 2016.In 2016, Ratner produced the documentary film Gonzo @ the Derby as part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, marking OBB's first major deal. The film focuses on author Hunter S. Thompson’s trip to the Kentucky Derby and was narrated by Sean Penn. Ratner also produced One in a Billion, which was acquired by Netflix.
The same year, Ratner partnered with Mandalay Sports Media to direct and co-produce sports-related projects. Ratner also served as co-chair of the NYU Tisch Gala 2016, which raised $2.1 million.
Ratner pitched to Lionsgate and Laugh Out Loud Productions for a show where Kevin Hart interviewed athletes while sitting in ice baths. The first seasons of the resulting show Cold as Balls was released in 2017, and has since become a multi-season franchise.
In 2019, Ratner served as Executive Producer and director for the comedy show Historical Roasts, which aired on Netflix.
In early 2020, Ratner directed and produced the docuseries Justin Bieber: Seasons, which became the most-watched YouTube premiere at the time of its release. This was followed by the Bieber music video Intentions, and a documentary follow-up Next Chapter, and Our World in 2021.
In March 2021, Ratner and Hailey Bieber partnered to create a YouTube channel featuring beauty tutorials, lifestyle tips, and mental health awareness videos. The series Who’s In My Bathroom? became a viral success.
In April 2021, Ratner co-directed Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil. In July 2021, Ratner directed Inside Kylie Cosmetics, a mini-docuseries starring Kylie Jenner.
In 2022, Ratner announced a partnership with Kevin Hart to executive produce Storytown, a hip-hop animated series that would premiere on HBO Max.
Ratner directed the Spotify Billions Club: The Series, which won Best Social Video Series at the 2024 Webby Awards.
Ratner produced Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About A Kid Named LAROI which premiered on Prime Video in February 2024, chronicling the rise of The Kid LAROI.