A Creative “Director”.
I originally got into advertising hoping it would lead me to film and after a successful career as a creative, I’d spent enough time on film sets to learn a little. I decided to put myself through NYU Film School to learn a lot. My transition from coming up with the ideas to directing them was fast, as my industry peers were the first to back my vision. This "dual-perspective" led to big-budget automotive campaigns and an induction into the Cannes New Directors Showcase. Below is a small sample how I went from being a creative to a director.
Toyota:
Passenger-Driver.
Six days, two cars, a crew of fifty, and a steam train—all set against a backdrop that looked more like Middle-earth than a standard car shoot. We were deep in Lord of the Rings territory, and I lucked out with real snow falling exactly where the storyboards required it. Managing a production of this scale, complete with helicopter aerials and vintage rail requires a balance of precise logistics and the ability to pivot when the mountain weather shifts. One does not simply walk into a shoot this complex, but when the elements align, the result is pure magic.
Mitsubishi Pajero:
Astronaut.
Spending a week with a man who has walked on the moon is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Charlie Duke was as professional as they come. At 72, he was still at his Apollo 16 flying weight. I served as both writer and director on this project, liaising with NASA representatives to ensure the technical links between lunar tech and Mitsubishi engineering were authentic. We spent three days shooting in a coal mine to recreate the lunar surface, creating a campaign that launched during a turbulent time for the brand. The result was a massive shift in the market: Pajero ended up outselling the Toyota Landcruiser for an entire quarter. Naturally the client was…
well, you can probably guess.
Toyota:
The Search.
Six months after the previous Camry spot, I was called it again to make another one.
It's a bit of an epic this one but the story demanded it. I shot it in South Africa over three days which was a lot of pressure but still a lot of fun. I wanted to give it an old Nat Geo documentary feel and I think it worked out pretty good.
Today Singapore:
Classroom.
To anchor the launch in the premium fashion space, we commissioned Mario Testino to shoot the thematic campaign featuring Henry Cavill and Scarlett Johansson. By combining high-fashion photography with a grassroots influencer series, we hit the market from both ends; the aspirational and the authentic.
As my second major launch as Global Creative Director, the hands-on nature of managing every asset across every region was a massive undertaking, but it remains the most successful launch in the brand's history.