The Directors: Kieran J Edwards
Kieran J Edwards has over a decade’s experience in the creative and advertising industries. Having started his career as an agency creative, he went on to build and co-own a thriving commercial production company before exiting in 2024 to focus solely on directorial projects.
He now uses his commercial acumen and directorial eye to develop and lead the production of concepts for food, sports and lifestyle brands. He is recognised for his punchy, dynamic and head-turning treatments, utilising bespoke filmmaking techniques paired with a deep understanding of consumer behaviours. An advertising background means there is always a consideration for digital outputs and performance, ensuring brands get the most bang for their buck.
He has directed TV commercials and branded content for the likes of Subaru, BBC Food, Life Fitness, Hyundai, Sharwoods, Oxo, Myprotein, Goodyear, Velo and JD Sports.
Name: Kieran J Edwards
Location: Manchester
Repped by/in: Treacle7 (UK) / NM Productions (UK) / SPANDY (Middle East & North Africa)
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Kieran> I’ve got a few projects in the pipeline that I’m really excited about, mainly because of the opportunities to collaborate with new people. I’ve spent the last five years running a production company as well as directing all of that company’s work. It’s been a wild ride but it can be limiting at times as to who you can work with.
But since going freelance in December 2024, it’s like having a new lease of life. There are creatives all over Europe that I’ve been connecting with that can help bring some of my visions to the screen.
I’ve got a commercial for an app which involves five actors and motion control, lots of experimenting which will be fun. And I’m also going to be working on my first short outside of the commercial world. Something involving quite a bit of VFX and I’m really excited to bridge the gap between what I know I can do in camera, with what some very talented people can do in post.
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Kieran> The appetite for narrative is building again and I’m all here for it. In my honest opinion, it was lost for a short while.
Everyone talks about storytelling but seeing spots that make you forget that it’s an advert has been rare. The increase in super short form content (TikToks etc) had a huge impact in how brands put time and resource into something with feeling.
The dash for impressions took focus elsewhere, but many are now realising that the impact might be quick but it’s low. And with the continued increase in tech, and cameras like the Arri Mini being so cheap and widely available now, creatives are starting to get excited about pushing boundaries again.
Depth of field, set design, colour, lighting - these are all areas that are back in favour as they really separate a visual and deliver a stronger message when done well and paired with a good concept or script. And you can achieve it without always needing six figures. I’m very excited to be a director at a time when brands now understand this more and see the production value as a necessity.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Kieran> I love anything that allows me to speak with a shot. It’s great when a 30 second script is that good that it does most of the work for you, but it’s few and far between. And getting creative with frames and movements can often hinder how the viewer interprets the dialogue. But when a script requires you to create an impact or speak without relying purely on words, that’s where things get really exciting for me.
Body language, camera movement, speeds, sound design - these are all elements which are relatively inexpensive to a production but I know I can do so much with. The timing of the look, the speed at which the drink pours, the satisfying match cut; I get excited when I read a script or storyboard and these ideas pop into my head as a way to portray the action or message.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Kieran> I like talking about it, especially with the agency creatives and producers. I’m not the kind of director that likes to bury myself away until I have a solid treatment. We’re making films for people, so I like to throw things out there and bounce off other humans to understand how my ideas land. It also helps to really draw out the intention behind the concept which needs to shape where I go with it.
Once I feel like I truly understand the idea or message, I then like to go through my references. As thoughts and ideas start to come into my head, I scour my extensive list of ads, shots and campaigns that I’ve saved over the years to start to populate a map of possible solutions. I like to keep it open with no structure to begin with, a bit like a detective’s wall connecting all of the suspects and locations together.
Once I have enough of a picture within my own workings, I then start to structure everything in a way that would make sense to anyone reading it. That usually includes mood boards, facial expression references, set design, wardrobe suggestions, visual examples etc.
The final touch is usually some form of storyboard. It may not be the final boards, but it should represent the scene enough for anyone to put themselves in the middle of the spot. I’m quite big on using new technologies, so I’ve done a lot of research into new software that can support this step and I’m currently quite enjoying creating 3D mocks of the shots to sell things in.
LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?
Kieran> This is heavily dictated by the market, closely followed by how the brand wants to be perceived.
For example, if I don’t know the market, then I’ll always do as much research as I can. This is where my ADHD becomes an asset - it’s like plugging into the Matrix; I’ll have all the knowledge I need in rapid time.
But if it’s a market that I’m very familiar with, then I don’t necessarily need to do lots of research. That’s where it comes down to what the brand wants. If they want to fit in, then I can do a little research but my initial direction is likely to be on the right lines. But if they want to be different or break a mould, then I need to forget what I think I know and find more insight to inform my creative decisions. This is where my six years in advertising strategy (before moving into production) comes in handy.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Kieran> Annoyingly, I’m going to give another two-fold answer here.
For product-led ads, the DoP and director relationship is vital. They need to work as one mind.
As a director, I’ve often been involved in many meetings with the agency and/or client that the DoP isn’t involved in. This means that I’ve got a better understanding of what’s been sold, agreed and planned for. But I can’t make every decision myself. I need to rely on the head of departments to carry the same vision and make choices that bring us closer to it. And the DoP is the one which can have the biggest impact if we’re not on the same page.
They have the ability to completely change the output if they decide to do something differently. It’s not about taking orders, but I like to be very collaborative with a DoP from the start. Because if we shape the kit list and lightning spec together, we can leverage both of our experience, whilst both feeling fulfilled enough to stay enthusiastic about the project.
Where this can slightly differ is if the spot is heavily reliant on the performance of actors. The talent needs to know that I’m their biggest supporter. They need to feel safe enough to explore and use their skills, but confident enough in knowing what I want from them AND why. If the relationship between director and actor isn’t strong, then performance can take a hit and no matter how well lit or shot it is, the ad flops.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
Kieran> Most of my experience is within food, sports and lifestyle. But I’m obsessed with any concept where I can play with ‘reactions’. And that goes for both ads I like watching and the ones I prefer to make.
The most obvious examples of this are spots like the John Lewis Christmas campaigns - there’s always a reaction from a child or sibling. And those scenes give directors a sandbox to play in. It’s an opportunity to make a series of choices which really elevate a character’s emotion on screen - similar to my point in one of the earlier questions about being able to speak with a shot/frame/expression, rather than dialogue.
But the real fun challenges come in the less emotional scripts. Depicting a reaction in a comedy spot or car commercial is much harder but often more satisfying.
You can picture the difference between the face of a ‘petrol head’ in the street hearing the sound of a Harley Davidson drive by as the camera slowly tracks in, versus the face of a person opening the fridge and realising they’ve forgotten key ingredients (for a subscription box ad). The first one will say ‘oooh yeah’ but the latter will scream ‘oh no!’. That’s a simple example, but I’m drawn to any commercial or script that allows me to play with that notion.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Kieran> This is probably something quite specific to my experience but I think people often misjudge my experience on ‘why’ we’re doing something (in terms of advertising strategy and consumer behaviour).
I didn’t go to film school or work my way up from a runner. So I’m not the traditional director. I did six years in advertising and, after realising I was directing (and loving it) as a bi-product of my creative agency role, I switched to focus on filmmaking in 2019 to launch and co-run a production company. I then spent five years building that company and being the in-house director before going freelance in December 2024. This is just context as to why my thought process often differs.
Until going freelance, I’ve never had to rely on a showreel or portfolio in the same sense, so my decisions haven’t come from what I think would look amazing and add to my reel, they’ve been driven by a strategic knowledge and business/commercial acumen due to the cost of production often affecting my own back pocket.
But it’s often a blessing because once I talk through a treatment and my clients can see that so much thought has gone into why something is the right decision, it’s often a much easier sell.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Kieran> Probably a disconnection between a brand and agency. I shot a commercial and some YouTube pre-roll spots for a car brand in Europe. It was a week-long shoot in Austria, involving road closures, car-to-car action and two new vehicle models that were yet to be revealed to the public. The shoot itself wasn’t hugely complex in terms of what we were creating but we needed to do things in a way that allowed us (logistically) to get around without the cars being spotted.
This meant working to a very tight schedule, not much room for spontaneity as we were constantly loading the cars on and off the wagon to move around.
The crew (including myself and the production company) had been kept at a distance from the brand and the majority of interaction was with the creative agency. This wasn’t a problem and it all felt very smooth, until day four of the five days when the brand vocalised that they weren’t seeing the stills captured that were crucial to their campaign plan.
It became apparent that there was a miscommunication surrounding the focus of the shoot. The brand wanted high-end lifestyle stills as well as the films. Yet the brief given to us was to capture the films as a priority, along with some behind-the-scenes stills for social if there’s time. The difference became more obvious when the brand started to vocalise their desire for actors (that we didn’t have) and props (that we didn’t have) to be in the stills shots.
There was a 30 minute window where it felt like time stopped as the brand manager and account director tried to iron it out. I managed to solve it by asking for more visibility on their marketing plan. By understanding where the assets were going, I was able to form a plan of which content requirements could be taken from the video footage shot in 5K (perfect for digital use) and which would need more large-format stills for the out of home and print activity.
Having the marketing knowledge allowed me to really bridge the gap between client services and production on that occasion and, with a slight re-jig to the schedule, we were able to make sure that no budget was wasted and we ticked off all of the shots.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Kieran> Speaking their language. It’s not the brand or agency’s responsibility to have a technical understanding of filmmaking. So when you start talking about ideas followed by how you’ll execute it (e.g. frame rates, shot types, lenses, grip kit) it can feel like you’re running away with things.
But I like to marry those elements with why I’m choosing them. For example, “I want to shoot some of this with a high-speed camera at 1,000 frames per second BECAUSE that will allow us to slow things down up to 40 times slower than real life. The purpose of that is to be able to utilise some slow motion shots in the opening five seconds, which will help to prevent people from skipping the ad and increase the conversion rate”
The agency may have not wanted or considered slow motion here, but if my experience in food tells me that it’s perfect for this concept with liquids, then I want to be open as to why I’m doing it. If we all buy into the rationale then we’re starting from a good foundation, if not, the output will suffer. So I’m keen to adapt and collaborate to get to that point.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?
Kieran> 100%. I hate gate-keeping. And I believe that everyone can help someone. I’m 34, have a good level of experience and I still message other directors to see if I can get on a call and pick their brain about things I’m less skilled with. It’s quite often rejected due to people wanting to keep their knowledge to themselves but I think that’s a short term mentality.
So if I can offer guidance, experience or mentorship to anyone else then I always will. It’s just usually dependent on whether the client is okay with it or if it’s more of a closed set.
I also do regular talks at colleges and universities which I really enjoy - I think it’s important that we (as an industry) find more ways to educate younger creatives on the vastly different roles available in production. It was only last week that I had a conversation with a 15 year old about what a food stylist does. The student loves food tech but didn’t like the idea of working in hospitality - they’re now researching a whole new career path but these conversations need to be part of the curriculum.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Kieran> It’s important until it starts to impact the quality of the spot. I’m brought in to develop a vision and do everything I can to see it through to the end. As part of that, I’ll always consider different uses, whether that be other ratios (9x16, 1x1 etc) or social cut downs for specific platforms. We can often do this by factoring in time for different shots or shooting on a 6K camera that allows for multiple crops without impacting resolution.
But in cases where re-frames aren’t enough and we need to start shooting two versions, I’ll always be clear and vocal about how this impacts a shoot. E.g. if shooting alternate versions leaves less time to re-light the last shot, we’re starting to compromise on the quality of the visual output and that’s on me. This is where I’ll draw the line and give the client the options.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?
Kieran> At the moment, I’m loving exploring and testing new tech but I tend not to rely on things until they’re no longer ‘new’. Production is a team game and, whilst I may think I’ve really got my head around some new AI tech or doing something unique with virtual production for example, I can’t guarantee that the rest of the team have the same understanding.
A common example of this is where a director has a great idea with a VP wall, but the DoP and gaffer have never lit a scene in that scenario. The spill from the virtual backgrounds and lack of real depth can be a huge problem, and not knowing how to work with that does result in a very ‘digital look’.
So I keep embracing new tech and find ways to test and play with new tools / techniques when I can, but I make sure I’m confident in problem solving if it goes wrong when I’m shooting with someone else's money.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Kieran> I’ve supplied four projects here that show what I’m about for different reasons. It’s not all cinematic visuals, but also about utilising what you have, being resourceful and finding cost-effective solutions.
This is one of a suite of films for Life Fitness. The aim was to introduce a new line of commercial and indoor exercise machines. The challenge for me here was to convey an energetic product using one location that’s not a gym, but do so in a way that feels calming and connected. The lighting and set design played a huge part in creating this ethereal environment where the user becomes one with the machine.
I’ll be the first to admit that there’s nothing ground-breaking about this project but I’m incredibly proud of what we did and it's a great example of how resourceful I like to be.
This was a pro-bono ad for the mental health charity’s Christmas campaign that I wrote, produced, directed and edited in my spare time. I focused on what I knew I could do with no budget in an evening, opting to shoot on a low loader with a crew of 10 who all gave up their time to help make it happen. The final film has had a huge impact for the charity and aired across ITV, Sky Be and Channel 4 across December 2024.
Despite being on TV a lot, Rio Ferdinand hasn’t really done much in the realm of acting. But when he invested in a new distribution tech company, I was asked to help write and direct an ad that featured him ahead of the Black Friday campaign. Coaching Rio through the script and working on his delivery was a fun challenge and a good laugh. All shot within a six hour window with the talent.
Another limited resource shoot with a team of six and one day to throw the rule book out and capture the ‘unconventional’ ways that Fred Sirieix likes to enjoy a glass of G’Vine - an unconventional gin brand made with grapes instead of grain.
