The Directors: Shawn Butcher

Born in Germany and raised in Los Angeles, Shawn Butcher is a versatile creative force that effortlessly bridges the realms of advertising, film, fashion, and music. His passion lies in capturing the essence of the human form with all its complexities and potential, crafting narratives that not only resonate with authenticity but also boast a striking visual sensibility, showcasing beauty in its most genuine form. With a remarkable portfolio of collaborating with established brands, Shawn is often sought after by emerging companies to artfully convey their stories to modern consumers. 

Having honed his skills during his early years working on feature films and dedicating the past decade to evolving as both a director and cinematographer, he possesses the unique ability to shepherd projects from inception to completion, all while executing them with exceptional precision and attention to detail. 

Shawn Butcher's dedication to the art of storytelling pushes boundaries and captures the essence of humanity through the lens of creativity. His creations not only leave a lasting impact but also resonate deeply with audiences.

LBB> What scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Shawn> Since it’s a visual medium, I love a script you can see. When I read it I want to be able to envision it. When a strong script evokes specific visuals I can know immediately what I want to do with it, and that’s the best feeling.

From a stylistic perspective, I love when brand projects can honestly and authentically relate to a human experience, opening opportunities to not just promote a product but bring across an idea, and create a relatable emotional narrative. I like to tell a brand or product story from the eye of a human user so they can see themselves and their stories inside of the work.

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Shawn> Treatments are hard. Creatively, I’m inspired by many mediums, and I want to create something new and original that hasn’t been seen before. I can’t just say I’m going to give you something you haven’t seen before because the process doesn’t work like that. I have to say “here’s an example of something that has been done before, but I’m going to make something new, different and specific to you.” I have to point to references and say “it’s none of these individual ideas or images but hopefully as an amalgam you can see what I’m trying to do.” It’s creating a mosaic from the many disparate details to create an overall picture. It’s Impressionism in the small scale. With treatments, ultimately you try to make something as close to the finished piece of work as you can in a static and two-dimensional format, and if you’re lucky the concept resonates clearly. 

LBB> If the script is for a brand you’re not familiar with or you don’t have a big affinity for 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? Is it important to you and how do you do it?

Shawn> Research is pivotal. I work for a broad range of brands and often the products I’m working with are not targeted to me. Out of necessity to understand and relate to people we are speaking to, I research as much as I can to figure out how this product fits into someone’s world, and how I can connect to it from a storytelling perspective. Right now I’m also working in a lot of foreign markets that have their own customs and cultures, so it behooves me to immerse myself in how these brands or products relate to their lived experiences. We didn’t all grow up using the same brands, or seeing the same ads, but at the core I am trying to be a storyteller and regardless of the product, if I am coming at it from an emotional angle, I can find a way in.

There are also times where a brand I’ve never heard of reaches out with a cold call or email. Then I get to dive into their brand story and imagine what they could be or what they haven’t done yet. I like to think about something new and bold and different that can be done with this iteration, knowing it’s a chapter in their story that both reflects what came before and how it can bring in something new.

LBB> What is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad and why?

Shawn> Filmmaking is a collaborative medium. Every role is incredibly important from the first idea to the final logo at the end. You can do it by yourself, but it’s long and slow and lonely, and usually not better. I worked in most departments and have an appreciation for each of their roles. Depending on the specific ad, the art department may bring it to life, or we find the magic with the editor, or the music supervisor or sound designer may be the integral piece that ties it all together. Overall though, I think the best projects are where from start to finish you can partner with people who are just as excited and passionate and committed to bringing this thing to life as you are.

Whenever I talk to any producer about crew hiring, I tell them I would way rather have someone newer, greener, and maybe not even as talented, if that person is excited to be there. I want someone who is willing to get down in the mud with me and give their best. I find that the only relationship to me that feels long and tedious on set, is one where not only is the job potentially hard, but I’m also having to emotionally drag someone up the hill because, maybe, it’s just a paycheck or they’d rather not be there. That attitude can wear down on my excitement because I’m passionate about every project I take on. Otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it. So my hope is to always find collaborators who are as excited to be involved as I am.

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?

Shawn> My roots are in cinema, and I am a passionate fan of filmmaking whether I’m doing something for a beauty brand or a personal narrative project. Whatever the project, I am always looking at it as a narrative piece, from a human storytelling perspective. That may be translated through character, or the way the camera is used, or as simple as a lighting change. Whatever it is, I am always conceptualising pieces through a narrative lens. I want to be able to see the story, even if it’s a small story – the beginning, middle and end of that story is always interesting to me. If there’s no narrative component and just style, I struggle a little, which is why I’ve pulled myself back from those pieces. It’s not where my mind naturally goes. Some people are incredible with visually impressive pieces and create amazing moments of impact through that, but I want to know why I’m seeing what I’m seeing, and create a story about why things are unfolding the way they are. 

LBB> What misconception about you and your work do you most encounter and why is it wrong?

Shawn> I don’t encounter a lot to be honest. I think one disappointing thing that happens to directors at large is pigeonholing. People see one piece of work I’ve done and assume that’s all I want to do or all I can do. In practice, you only win work when you show you have done that work before, which continues the cycle. Specialising is one thing, but I think we are all creatives and are excited to try new things, at least I know I am. I’m always excited about telling different types of stories and telling them in different types of ways. 

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open and collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Shawn> I try and leave any ego out of it and just acknowledge whatever I think is the best idea. If the agency has a very specific direction, knowledge and skill set I respect that. So if they very specifically tell me that the first three seconds has to have a product shot, or if they have some very specific core ideas about something, I try to make it part of the shoot bible. I know there are data points, research and guardrails behind that a lot of the time, so within the creative sandbox we are playing in I want to make the best film possible within that space.

I like to be collaborative by default and at the end of the day when it comes to commercial work it’s a product we are being asked to deliver and I consider myself playing a role on set to help them do that. That said, I will usually have a director’s cut where I can capture my vision if there was more left on the floor I thought may have got lost in the cut. However, I know that brand and commercial work is a collaborative process so you know what you are signing up for. If I truly feel like there is an important element that maybe isn’t being understood and needs to be seen to be appreciated then I will fight for whatever I think will make the work the best. 

LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent?

Shawn> We’ve seen that diverse voices bring diverse creative, and I think opening opportunities for people who wouldn’t otherwise have them is how we get fantastic people from all walks of life involved in the industry. The best thing to happen to all forms of media and creativity in my lifetime was the democratisation of tools so it’s no longer cost prohibitive for anyone to find their skills and voice and have access to equipment. I’ve seen fantastic cinema length movies shot on iPhones and it’s been amazing to see those barriers to entry be broken down.

From the agencies and production companies I’ve worked with, I feel like there is a universal push to find and encourage inclusivity. At every level of production, I’ve seen a demonstrable effort put toward bringing in as many unique voices as possible. I think how small the world has become in recent years helps, so that you can find talent from every country in the world and more easily find people who are the best at what they do. I love pitching to make something worldwide so that we can make it a more globally appealing film.

I think one of the best things about getting to do commercial work today, is that often you are trying to appeal to and broadcast to a global audience. Another is that brands are finally acknowledging that in order for people to relate and connect to stories they have to be able to see themselves in it or see how it relates to them. You can’t just target one percent or ten percent, you have to try a majority of the people that watch it and have an emotional response to it. In order to do that, you have to be able to look broadly for those voices and collaborators who can help tell that story honestly.

LBB> Are you open to mentorship on set?

Shawn> Absolutely. Exposure is so key and time on set without all the pressure is really a great way to see how the machine works and see where you can see yourself in the process.

I also try and bring up people who want to work in certain roles but are struggling to make the leap. I know how hard that can be if you are 2nd AC and you want to 1st, or if you’re a PA and you want to AD. I know from experience those jumps can be really hard.

Luckily I like to work on a lot of smaller projects as well as big ones, so I talk to folks and try and understand where they want to be, because I feel like most of the people you talk to might be in a defined role now, but they want to stretch to a new one, or to be doing something at that next level. So I try and give opportunities to people to work in those roles when we have the freedom to, and help them to develop the skills needed so they can take those roles on bigger productions. 

LBB> In what way do you think the pandemic has influenced how you work longer term? And have you picked up new habits that you feel will stick around for a long time?

Shawn> A good thing that came out of the pandemic was an increased focus on health and safety practices that was beyond what they were before. It was great to see a consciousness of crew wellness rise to the forefront and I think that is something we should maintain. It’s an important conversation that’s been happening and needs to stay front of mind.

Second, from a creative space it absolutely opened the world to production in a new way, where a lot more remote interaction became possible. Suddenly you could work with remote post houses and do remote shoots, even remote direct. You could have an A unit in Buenos Aires and a B unit in Mumbai. People got used to Zoom so you were working for months with people you’d never meet until you go on set. I personally got connected to a global network of creatives and was able to create relationships with people I’d never met face to face but loved partnering with. I think for all of us that will have a lasting impact in how we work. 

LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats, to what degree do you keep each in mind when working?

Shawn> I was part of the generation where it was mandatory from day one to work in different formats, so sometimes I try to shoot with a hero format in mind while also knowing we are going to cut it up for socials. Or I shoot social first knowing we’re going to have to walk that back a bit to use on traditional TV cuts. I think it’s fun to shoot for an entire day and then watch forty-five different pieces and edits come out of that. It’s interesting what you can do in six seconds, or what you can do in sixty that you can’t do in fifteen. I love to keep all of those format possibilities in mind while I’m shooting and do the best for all frames knowing where it’s going to be seen at the end of the day. If I shoot something that I would love for people to see on TV but that they will only ever watch on their phone, I want to make sure that that piece of content is going to be just as good on their phone as it is anywhere else.