Rogue Films Directors

Sam’s ability to consistently deliver beautiful and unique films has been recognised at the highest level in the industry.

He started out in music videos and became one of the most sought after promo directors in the world, winning arm full’s of MTV, VMA & CAD awards. Sam’s videos for Jay-Z - ‘On to The Next One’ (70m hits), Foo Fighters ‘The Pretender’ (186m hits), Adele’s ‘Rolling In The Deep’, (950m hits and a Grammy for ‘Best Video’) and London Grammar’s ‘Strong’ (30m hits) have cemented his reputation as a director who will continue to craft music videos which are always beautiful and always quite unlike anything else.

He has created powerful ads for high-profile brands including BBC, Virgin, Honda, Adidas, Audi, Lexus and Guinness. Sam’s work continues to be as eclectic as ever...the only similarity being exquisite photography and impeccable attention to detail. His awards include Golds at British Arrows, Cannes, London International, Creative Circle and a best direction pencil at D&AD.

Sam epitomises what it takes to be a Rogue, except for a habit of running out of all awards events at 10.45pm sharp, by getting you to hold his glass, saying he’s off for a pee and’ll be back ‘in a minute or two’. 

After playing rugby for Cambridge University and Gloucester (as a pretty tidy scrum half), Dan followed his twin passions for filmmaking and travelling the world, working as a creative consultant, concept and storyboard artist and second unit director for Dreamworks, Universal, Paramount and Warner Brothers - with Tim Burton, Spike Lee, David Fincher, Paul Greengrass, Guy Ritchie and our own Kevin Macdonald. Having learnt from that lot, we thought it was high time that Dan was doing it for himself, so now he's directed the 'Can and Will’ films for Land Rover and three ’Spine Tingling’ commercials for the Guinness ‘Made of More’ campaign - click here to view. He’s also got an original drama, 'Terminus' exec produced by David Fincher, in development with HBO, but he’ll be far too busy being a Rogue to go and do that, obviously. 

Sam has a knack of getting brilliant unexpected performances out of non-actors…

Majoring with a 1st Class Degree in Graphics from Middlesex University It wasn’t long before he sowed the seeds for what was about to become an international phenomena; Trigger Happy TV. 3 years spent perfecting anarchic guerrilla TV, that won him the Silver Rose D’Or, shifted a million DVD’s and was sold to over 50 countries.

He’s been awarded at Cannes, won Gold at the BTAA’s, and In 2004 he made his US debut with an anarchic campaign for Ikea whilst being honoured in both the ‘Talent/Performance’ and ‘Dialogue/Monologue’ categories at the AICP in New York (which means it’s kept in the permanent collection of MOMA) for his Sprint commercial ‘The Man’

Talking of which, Sam spends a lot of time in the US and there’s nothing that he doesn’t know about American food… He’s shot ads for all the best places (well all the ones that serve Cajun Fries, Chicken-ring Sliders and Biscuit Holes) – like McDonalds Burger King, Popeye’s and Hardees. His ‘A-Holes vs B-Holes’ spot was voted the funniest ad of the year by TV Viewers in the USA.

Sam is the Rogues, Rogue. No-one can walk faster or pack their whole life into one child-sized backpack when travelling, and don’t be fooled by the Amish beard. That’s been protected by the RSPB as a nesting site for rare birds. 

Tom’s is a writer/director of documentary ads and content. His story-telling is diverse, beautifully composed and radiates warmth. He’s covered Wild Horses in Colorado, Sharks in Western Australia and crazy Norwegian inventors starved of sunlight in Northern Europe. He’s clearly a director who likes a challenge.

He’s worked with a host of broadcasters and producers picking up numerous awards and nominations along the way including the most prestigious Documentary award in the US (the IDA’s) and Europe (The Grierson Award). He’s shot in the furthest flung corners of the globe from Siberia to Sierra Leone, Peru to Taiwan and Paris to, er… Dunstable. In fact he’s shot on six of the seven continents with the one remaining ambition being Antarctica; so all Albatross based scripts, with or without wafers, gratefully received…

Tom prides himself on bringing cinematic beauty to documentary filmmaking. He also likes it when things are funny and moving - and genuinely believes in the power of documentary to impact the world and reach audiences in the most profound and extraordinary way. He considers doing his job a 'bloody massive privilege’ and can’t quite get over the fact he gets paid to turn great stories into films.

Tom plays guitar in the Noise Collective ‘Silverhead’ which sounds like a racket if you ask me, and likes to take pictures of Standing Stones, so if you see a man hammering away on a Gibson SG whilst knee deep in a bog, that’ll be him. No wonder he’s a Rogue... 

We like UK Ad Watcher site, David Reviews. They said, "If the likes of Glazer and Budgen are creating giant canvases that no one can miss, Barker is the creator of masterful miniatures of understatement."

Acclaimed for "His extraordinary ability to distil something quirky from ordinariness", Nicholas trained as an anthropologist before joining the BBC as a radio producer. Whilst at the BBC, he went on to create and direct three critically acclaimed series: 'Washes Whiter', 'Signs of the Times' (the hilarious and harrowing chronicle of family relationships posing as a study of home decorating), and 'From A to B' (the infamous study of people and their cars). The latter two mini-series rapidly gained cult status and heralded a new genre in British documentary making, perfectly demonstrating his idiosyncratic visual style and caustic sense of humour.

Playing fast and loose with documentary conventions, Barker gives us an often hilarious, sometimes poignant horror story, walking a line between sophisticated genre busting and sneery cheap shot. Nicholas's film, Unmade Beds, received much critical acclaim and picked up numerous awards on the festival circuit.

Nicholas’s credits include some definitive moments in advertising, including Cannes Lion-winning Carte D'Or Sunday Lunch and Centraal Beheer Cleaning Ladies. He has more recently had an organic online hit with his short film Tokyo Dreams, a Zen-like film about sleeping commuters on the Tokyo subway. It won at the Sunset Film Festival 2013, Best Shorts Competition, La Jolla 2013 and at IFFSRV, Jakarta 2013.

Nicholas is a Rogue beyond doubt, albeit the original metrosexual one – He practices guerrilla gardening on Hampstead Heath incase you were wondering where all those crocuses suddenly appeared from. 

A child actor and tap dancer of no particular talent, Mark nonetheless almost became Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. Pod-Racing’s loss was Rogue’s gain though, as those days have given him a great affinity with actors (not the ones with floppy ears) and an ability to infuse all his work with a warmth and emotion that most directors would take years to acquire.

Mark has quickly developed his craft not just as a gifted director but as a master of the technical. He started off as a performance director but maybe because he spent so many hours up to his elbows in grease, fixing up his Dad’s motorbikes, has always had a thing about engines. In 2013, he proved it by taking the back off a V10 Audi R8 and getting the driver to take it up to 200mph and back down again as quickly as possible which went from a small thing for the internet into a very big thing on TV and Cinema -and awards shows. The brand still regard it as their benchmark film in the performance category and overnight, it made him the go-to guy for cars. And that was before he even got his own driving licence. He’s since shot award winning films in amazing locations for Mercedes, Lexus, AMG, Renault, Nissan, BMW and Porsche – and always makes sure he leaves at least three car-lengths for braking – particularly if he’s eating a burger an d ‘slaw at the same time.

Mark still loves shooting fast things – collaborating with BBH on the latest R8 model for which he developed a new way of having the car take a moving selfie, whilst doing multiple donuts at the same time. The shot and the car worked just as he’d planned but the Russian Arm is still being re-built. He’s happy he didn’t get blamed for that – and also that his success at dreaming up new ways to shoot cars has led him back into more performance work with real people which is what he likes doing more than anything.

Except perhaps fixing up that BSA Bantam... And that’s why he’s a Rogue. 

Kevin is one of the most revered storytellers of his generation. He is a hugely awarded filmmaker who has worked across game-changing documentaries through to emotive and inspiring features. The Last King of Scotland won Forrest Whittaker the Academy Award for Best Actor, along with 3 BAFTAs for Best British Film, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay - and Kevin, the Best Director at the British Independent Film Awards. Touching The Void won him 'Best British Film' at The Evening Standard British Film Awards and at BAFTA - the first time a documentary / drama has beaten a feature film in the Best Film category.

"One Day In September", which explored the tragic events surrounding the Israeli Olympic team hostage-taking at the 1972 Munich Games, won Kevin an Academy Award for Best Documentary, together with an EMMY in the same category. He was also voted Best New Director at the British Independent Film Awards in the same year.

‘Life in a Day’ The revolutionary 90-minute document of highly personal footage was assembled by Kevin from YouTube videos shot by ordinary people on a single day during the course of a year. It was noted by The Telegraph as ‘a bold new adventure in cinema’ which was then re-appropriated for the multi-award winning Sainsbury’s Christmas campaign in both TVC’s and a 40 minute documentary.

Kevin gained more critical acclaim for his hugely respected biopic ‘Marley’, a definitive documentary on the life, legacy and global impact of Bob Marley, one of the 20th centuries most enduring icons.

He’s just finished submarine thriller ‘Black Sea’ staring Jude Law and is confirmed to direct the new Elvis biopic.

Kevin would be the consummate Rogue, if only he’d stop banging on about it… 

Misha started life as a documentary editor but quickly moved into directing and has gone on to rack up a number of TV credits including the multi-Emmy and BAFTA winning Death In Gaza (HBO) and BBC2’s ‘Excluded’ as well as comedy series, including the British Comedy Award winning My New Best Friend (C4), BBC3’s applauded comedy series ‘Pramface’ and his BAFTA Breakthrough Talent Award winning ‘High Spirits With Shirley Ghostman’ from the BBC.

His first ad was the award winning Google ‘Online Checkout In Real Life’. To fit with Google's own very particular sensibility, the spots had to be cast and directed with wit, charm and an understated naturalism. As long time fans of his TV work, particularly in comedy, Misha was the perfect fit and he came on board to both write and direct .

Shot over one day in LA for Funny Or Die, his short film ‘Barbados’ stars Michael Sheen as David a middle class guy with middle class problems, despite his lovely home and beautiful middle class wife (Radha Mitchell). His son Gary (Ty Simpkins) is the same, just thirty years younger. Both are looking for a way out from suburbia and all its trappings. One Sunday lunchtime, however, when the police come knocking… David’s world suddenly becomes even more claustrophobic.

Misha was born to be a Rogue and we’ll have him here forever – although he works with Will Farrell, who we’d have to take in a straight swap, which I’m sure he’d understand. 

Stuart was born in Colorado but grew up just outside Toronto, on a diet of VHS’s, which means that he’s seen 97% of all films released between 1983 and 1997. Despite never seeing 'Spice Girls, The Movie', he still discovered a great passion for film by learning from the world’s best film makers. After years of editing other people's commercials, Stuart eventually stopped talking about wanting to be a director and actually became one. In a very short time, his work – all of which feels like strikingly personal stories, rich with detail and emotional connection - has been recognised from Cannes to The Clios. Stuart intuitively taps into an underlying sense of humanity, truth and grace, whatever the genre. We knew he had to be a Rogue - not only because he’s got more luxurious hair than David and Charlie put together, but because he loves being in London and is the only Canadian we know who actually understands the rules of both rugby and cricket.

A native of Perth, Australia, the largest most remote city on earth, Simon studied graphic design at University, graduating to ply his trade as an art director for agencies across Australia. In 1995, Simon was enticed across the Pacific by Clarity Coverdale Fury in Minneapolis. Specifically, in January 1995. Unimpressed by the weather, Simon moved on to Hill Holliday in Boston before ultimately landing at TBWA\Chiat\Day NY as Group Creative Director. In 2003 Simon transitioned to directing and has since worked with clients as varied as Volkswagen, HBO, Xbox, Audi, Intel, HP, Holiday Inn Express and Mercedes... among others. His films for Xbox/Halo 3, HBO and PlayStation have collectively won him a Grand Clio, a D&AD Yellow Pencil, a GRANDY Award, One Show Gold Pencils, Cannes Gold Lions, the 2012 AICP honor for Best Direction and the Film Grand Prix at Cannes, none of which he has displayed anywhere. Simon recently wrapped his short film The Stone Forest and continues to divide his time between Perth and the US, chasing the ever-elusive Perth shoot.

Starting life as a stills photographer before moving into film, Charlie is like the ace fighter-pilot of food and drink with an eye for detail that would put a Frank Drebin to shame… Lighting all his own work brings an inimitable authorship and distinctive style. M&S, Waitrose, Aldi are all slices of the close up world that he inhabits and has found so rewarding. Basically, if you’ve ever looked longingly at an ad and thought “I’m going to go out and buy that chocolate pudding right now” even though it’s 7am and you’re still in your pyjamas, that’s basically because Charlie shot it.

Marcus is an innovative director known for his ability to create beautifully crafted and heartfelt work that captures something real and authentic in every subject. From athletes and stars to real people, Marcus has a talent for cinematic storytelling and bringing out the best in people that is evident in all of his work. Marcus quickly became one of Sweden’s most renowned directors, making films for global brands such as IKEA, EA Games, Nike, Coke Zero, UNICEF, Jaguar, Blackberry and Reebok. Marcus’s clever and insightful work has won him critical acclaim across the industry, including multiple Eurobest Gold, EPICA Gold & Grand Prix + Gold Lions in Cannes.

Chris’s parents were always doing up their houses, for a 10th of what it should cost and then moving on before anyone in the family leaned against a wall and went through it by mistake.

Lucky for us, Christopher is best known not for being found barely alive behind some hastily constructed faux wooden paneling but for his subversive pop promos. His most well known collaboration is with Lily Allen, with ‘Hard out Here’ which has notched up 38 million hits - and they’re not all by us, either.

He graduated in Film and TV Production at Bournemouth in 2005 and from there blagged himself a job as Content Director at MTV, telling them he knew exactly what he was doing - and was so convincing he almost believed it himself. Armed with a camera and a retro school satchel full of ideas, Chris had four years and a free rein to ‘craft intelligent, quirky and engaging stories’ but in actual fact was left to do whatever he wanted, because as they all said at MTV at the time “It doesn’t matter, nobody’s watching”.

Besides Lily Allen, Chris has built relationships with Lana del Rey, Sam Smith, Foals, Friendly Fires and Will Young getting lots of attention along the way including Best New Director and Best Indie Video at the MVA's. His work has been featured in Vogue, Dazed and Confused and the New York Times.

He still likes doing the odd music video but in the meantime, his commercials work is gathering momentum.He likes making films that are eye catching and layered with warmth and humour...

Chris is convinced that he does his best writing when he’s moving, so when he’s got a treatment deadline he’s mostly to be found on the East Coast train going up to Edinburgh and back again, getting a free view and all the tea and sandwiches he can eat as he types away like Jack Nicholson in The Shining but hopefully with some better ideas. In his spare time, he’s aware that he was in danger of becoming a bit of an incessant home re-decorator like his parents but thank goodness he became a Rogue instead. 

Born in Germany, Stacy Wall grew up and watched a lot of television in North Carolina. The perfect grounding to a career in advertising – he spent nine years at Wieden+Kennedy as a copywriter and Creative Director on Nike and ESPN.

Stacy transitioned to directing commercials in 2001. He has since imposed his artful directorial style on countless ads in both the US and UK.

In 2009, Stacy launched Imperial Woodpecker in the US, a company dedicated to making Sno-Balls, sponsoring the Japan Men’s National Cricket Team and producing the last TV commercial ever made. But after receiving the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in TV Commercials, it appears there’s still a lot more work to be done….

We’re glad Stacy is a Rogue… And not just because he’s got a Vox Continental organ either… Although it is a splendid organ. 

Mark Zibert has been a professional photographer since 2000. From his first major break for Nike to an Adidas campaign for the Beijing Olympics - which won China its first Cannes Gold and was named Photography Campaign of the Year at the prestigious Lucie Awards NY - his work is constantly evolving.

Moving into commercials, Mark’s talent was recognized early, winning the New Directors Award at the Canadian Bessies in 2008, as well as a Cannes Bronze the same year. Effortlessly original and technically abstract, in a very short time, Mark has shot many of the world’s top athletes - and also Wayne Rooney.

Mark is a natural Rogue… He loves a pint, so we’re taking him to Manzi’s Eel & Pie shop in Deptford to see how much British he can really handle…