In the director’s chair: John Poliquin on being inspired by Spike Jonze and working without creative agency involvement

Who or what inspired you to be a Director? (Or who are your creative heroes and why?)

When I was in university, my roommate owned that infamous Director’s Label DVD boxed set with Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham, and Michel Gondry. I think I watched and re-watched it a thousand times that year, until it wouldn’t play anymore. That set was a big inspiration. I couldn’t get over the creativity and visual magic - and I always wanted to be a magician as a kid. It drove me to start shooting and experimenting with footage and effects - and that year I changed my study focus from design and animation to live action.

Outside of work, what are you into?

Travel. Thankfully, over the last five years I’ve been able to travel all over the globe to shoot. It’s always fascinating when you’re immersed into different cultures. I’m also a social being, and I get a lot of inspiration from the different people I meet. Last week I was returning from a shoot in Eastern Europe, and I had a 24-hour layover in Istanbul. I ended up meeting this incredible woman from San Francisco in the airport, and we decided to take a cab into Istanbul and allow ourselves to get lost in the city. It turned into an adventure I’ll never forget.

How would you describe your style of commercial/filmmaking? What are you known for?

My style of filmmaking is very visual, and I typically like to marry graphic design qualities with classic cinematic influences. And against the pretty visuals, I always try to ground my work with an emotional honesty from my cast. I’d say I’m known for my fashion and beauty eye, thanks to my time living in New York when I would shoot a fashion film almost every week. And for my technical approach - I regularly find myself working on effects-heavy projects.

Have you got an idea about what sort of projects you’d like to work on or are you quite open minded about what work comes your way?

I love storytelling, so any script that has well-conceived characters and takes the audience on an emotional journey will always catch my eye. I also love projects that are visually imaginative and allow me to build a world from scratch.

When you’re looking at scripts and projects that come in, is there anything in particular that you’re looking for?

I love when a script does something unexpected, or tells a story that is under-represented.

What's your funniest moment on set?

Probably when I was directing a project in Paris - we were shooting in a city square with about 150 extras. I grabbed the megaphone from my 1st AD and began speaking in French to the extras. Even though I studied French Immersion in school (I’m Canadian), I still somehow managed to mix up a verb when shooting direction. Instead of telling them to move to the back, I essentially told them all to move to my ass. Everyone started laughing and once I realized what I’d said, I joined them. It became a running gag for the rest of the shoot.

What's your best piece of work?

In terms of branded content, my favorite projects have been my collaboration with S'well Bottle. Last year's idea started with a simple, three-sentence idea and I was able to build from that, creating a world of characters and a bold visual approach. Both projects were untraditional in terms of advertising – we were working without an agency but instead had incredible in-house creative directors who had a strong understanding of the brand. It made for a very creative collaborative process. "Hydration Magic" was the first film we made, shooting on the Phantom Flex in NYC, and this year, it was "We Are All Made of Stars," shooting primarily underwater and in Uruguay.

Which ad do you wish you'd made?

If we’re talking about recent ads, I’d have to say Nike ‘Da Da Ding’ from India. I love the feeling of female empowerment - sign me up.

Nike 'Da Da Ding' - Director: Francois Rousselet from Tom Lindsay on Vimeo.

How well does the information flow between client, agency and production company on a job?

It’s really dependent on the specific teams, though I always try my best to keep communication open. I’ve shot some international ads where the production company has really tried to shelter me from direct contact with the agency or client, and I’ve always found this tactic has a reverse effect. Instead of protecting the director, it adds a lot of grey area and miscommunication. My favorite projects have always been instances where information flows freely and communication is open (while of course following proper etiquette).

What's been the biggest change to the industry during your career?

Social media has changed everything. Not only how the ads are shown, but also how the industry operates. Social media presence has never been more important, and I’ve often found myself looking through Instagram for inspiration and talent. That, and of course camera technology. The changes over the last 10 years have been nothing short of revolutionary. But while digital has in a lot of ways taken over, I still go crazy for anything shot on film.

Have you worked on any client direct commercials (no agency involved)? What's been the difference?

I have, and I’ve enjoyed the process. I’ve found that the brand creative director will be very specific regarding brand details, but they’ll simultaneously give more freedom to me in terms of filmmaking approach. If the work dynamic is open and clear, then the project usually thrives.