Armoury sat down with their beloved director, Jack Laurance, to chat all things adland, branded content, and most importantly making films for and with nice people! Read on to hear Jack’s take on the challenges filmmakers are facing, why longer form commercials are valuable and juggling roles of director and creative director on projects. We think you’ll love him just as much as we do.

To see Jack’s work please head here, and send over any inquiries to info@armourylondon.com.

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Q: Your work is often described as humorous yet very relatable and human. Would you say this is an instinctual thing for you, or have you learnt to wield a specific toolset when it comes to infusing your work with these elements?

Jack: As an often relatable and humorous human myself, I would say it’s a very instinctive impulse. At film school I was described by my tutor as ‘a little doggy that wouldn’t go away’ because I was always asking to borrow camera kit at weekends. It’s an accolade I treasure above any arrow or lion in my possession. So my toolset has only ever comprised of tenacity, which I keep in an XL neon bumbag I bought on Depop. It’s a real statement piece.

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Q: We’re seeing more and more branded content and episodic-style commercials. How do you see the landscape of commercial filmmaking evolving, and what unique opportunities do you think it presents for directors like yourself?

Jack: I think more developed and sophisticated iterations of ‘product placement’ are the future here. Longer form advertising that embodies the surprising yet inevitable spirit of a brand while subtly showcasing product. The benchmark for me is the Barbie movie, which whilst not a commercial, presents a potent example of what’s possible when bold brands engage with bold yet traditional long form storytelling. When a brand becomes an integral part of a great story and acknowledges all the other parts that a great story requires, it transcends the limits of what ads can do.

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Q: As both a director and creative director, you tend to be involved in concept development and scriptwriting on a lot of your projects. How do you balance creative freedom with the demands and objectives of your clients? Do you have to wear one hat and then the other, or have you found a way to do both simultaneously?

Jack: When it comes to advertising I think the idea of ‘creative freedom’ is a misnomer. As creative people we are hired to service a brief and an idea to the very best of our abilities to ensure an uptick in brand awareness and sales. Every creative thought and action must work in service of this goal. As the old saying goes, true creativity is born of necessity, which is kind of the opposite of creative freedom. I revel in it. And it’s true irrespective of which hat I’m wearing.

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Q: Your commercials often run longer than traditional spots, spanning a couple minutes generally. What advantages do you find in this extended format, and how do you ensure audience engagement throughout the duration in a time when doom scrolling and poor concentration skills are the norm?

Jack: The whole run time argument is interesting when we see hugely successful YouTubers like Mr Beast prove that mass audiences will keep watching if the content is good enough or different enough. It’s also another argument for new formats; if people feel like ‘it’s just an ad’ they switch off and scroll. I know we’re all tired of hearing that, but it’s the elephant (fucking the elephant) in the room and they're not leaving the building any time soon. Reverse psychology is interesting. Rather than ask people to passively engage with something they haven’t asked for, instead ask them not to push the big red button in the middle of their screen. Telling consumers they can’t have something, making it exclusive - limited runs and drops. I feel like we could apply this more to the way we make ads and content. Or simply by asking questions of our audience, like ‘can you spot the moonwalking bear’ from that ancient and famous TFL road safety spot. We need to reframe how we think about engaging audiences, as opposed to relying on influencers and celebs to front vacuous content.

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Q: What challenges are you facing as a director in the commercial film industry currently, specifically relating to this kind of filmmaking?

Jack: Algorithm’s and audience data often get used to argue the case for a certain structure - something exciting must happen within the first 5 secs etc. I think this is fair and makes sense, but beyond grabbing people’s attention we can’t be beholden to the minds of machines. Moving image has only been around for 100 years and yet we treat formulas for it like gospel.As far as AI is concerned, of course there’s a place for it in respect to non-sync photo real montage and animation, but a dialogue driven scene between two human beings is always going to have to be real. It’s the old ‘uncanny valley’ theory which I don’t see how AI will ever outwit… cut to…

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Q> Is it true we tend to see less budget for longer films in adland? What do you think about this?

Jack: I think this is where the opportunity lies to really evolve the idea of ‘branded content’ … - the (banjo playing) trash cousin of TVCs. To take the Barbie example again, a commitment to high end long form storytelling that is fucking bold, brave, self deprecating (if necessary) and compelling feels like a space any successful brand should get uncomfortable in… trepidation is healthy. What does this brand actually want to say and what kind of story will best serve that vision and purpose? Then we bring in product and brand assets as secondary characters in support of that vision. The story must come first. Cliche I know. But if it doesn’t you’re dead or boring or both.

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Q: Your body of work displays a preference for quirky characters and offbeat storytelling. What draws you to these types of narratives, and how do you ensure they resonate with a wide audience?

Jack: I’m always looking for characters that draw you in within seconds. It’s a rare thing. I’d much rather judge a potential cast member or character on a tape on my phone because that’s how everyone else is going to judge them. If I’ve shaken their hand and offered them a biscuit then it’s going to cloud my objectivity and that’s no good. The character then informs the nature of the storytelling, I like to be led by them as that’s what allows me to arrive at the sense of truth and transparency I’m always trying to capture. In term of reaching the audience, this truth and transparency must always draw us in. Few things resonate deeper than the mirror held up to our own experience.

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Q: In addition to your commercial work, you've also had your fair share of personal projects. Is your approach to these projects different? And what themes or stories do you find yourself drawn to when working outside of client needs?

Jack: I say ordinary to extraordinary, in respect to both story and character. In my commercial work this is a common theme. The same is true of personal projects but the messaging and ‘take outs’ are intentionally opaque. A film should be felt before it’s understood, as I think Renoir once said. Yes babes. I also love Hanneke’s quote about pushing the audience into autonomy - when we bring something of ourselves to the table there’s nothing better. My BAFTA qualifying short film ‘Take A Look At God’s Face’ was about how we can pass great stories by if we don’t know where to look. Unearthing these treasures and allowing them to glint in a new light we weren’t expecting is a process I like - a lot. It tells the story of a West London tailor who becomes inadvertently embroiled in a gang land turf war. The whole thing is presented as a documentary, but it’s total fiction. Much of it captured on CCTV. The idea came to me after I walked into the real shop one day and felt this strong sense that there was a story in it. I had no idea what in the moment. But it was there for the taking - and the telling - if I knew where to look.

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Q: Looking back at your past projects, is there one in particular that stands out to you as a defining moment in your career? If so, what made it memorable, and how did it shape your approach to filmmaking?

Jack: I directed an episodic series for Carlsberg about 6 strangers building the world’s first waterfall powered pub in five days in an off grid forest in Cornwall. My pitch opened with the line ‘Strangers don’t have to be strange’. The creative through line was about how the friendships they were building alongside the pub would go on to eclipse the task at hand in a surprising, moving and inevitable way. This is what I’m referring to when I say that product and brand need to take a back seat. They can only meaningfully connect with audiences if they tell meaningful engaging stories, but they must always be a supporting character and never the hero.

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Q: Beyond filmmaking, what passions or interests do you pursue in your personal life, and do they influence your work in any way?

Jack: I’m always telling my kids to ‘think of an interesting question, from which you might learn something new about a person’ - to try and foster a sense of ongoing optimistic inquiry in the world around them. For me, this is the definition of creativity. Being always open to the possibility of discovery anywhere and everywhere… and then tidying up after yourself.

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Q: Throughout your career, have you had any key collaborators or do you tend to mix it up?

Jack: Far and away one of the best producers and exec producers I’ve worked with has been Matt Hichens. He consistently conjures swan like magic behind the scenes and has always helped push the needle from good to great. We’re all capable of doing good work, but it takes a producer like Matt to back you, help you climb higher and summit the rolling hills of higher creative standards… and have fun while you’re at it (once you’ve wrapped…)

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