Director Richard Ellis

Currently residing in Sydney, Richard Ellis is one who likes to keep busy. Fresh from shooting a TV commercial in Japan, we found out what else he has in the pipeline.

What have you been working on lately?
Mostly just been working on TVC’s and music videos. Probably the more rewarding jobs I have worked on this year has been dircecting the latest spot in series of internationally acclaimed HP commercials and also working in Japan on a TVC for the new high rise Gransky Tower. On top of that – pretty knee deep in a feature film script. The teaser featurette will be shot in the coming months and then we head off to the states to shop that baby around . See how we go. Will keep you posted.

Stills from the HP commercial

What have some of your influences been?
Funny enough most of my influences come from the music side of things – If I’m ever stuck on a job or need some inspiration i throw some beats on. Anything from J Dilla to Pete Rock. Some good old bangers. I guess my biggest influences come from my mates who i work with. They always give you a good kick in the ass to follow what you believe in, and if you don’t they give you shit. Entourage ( yes the TV show) always gets my in the mood for some creative stuff.

Still from Gransky Tower TV commercial

How did you get into directing?
Directing was just a natural progression really – I have always been a keen photographer and working in the TVC industry you are always working with live action . Sooner or later people start asking you to shoot stuff for them and next thing your are pursuing a career as a director . I mean i didn’t wake up one day and think ” Hey i want to be a director” its just kind of happened, and once you have a taste of it you don’t want give it up.Having said that its a tough industry and its something you really have to work hard at. There are lots of directors out there that you have to compete with.

Bobby Flynn - Milky Way music video

What has been some of your more memorable experiences working as a director?
I have had many – some gorilla moments that i shouldn’t really talk about – but every shoot memorable experiences – even it is just talking about how many rounds of food I destroyed from the catering crew.
Funny enough though I think the most memorable moment while looking down the viewfinder of a camera was back in college . My good college friend Simon Baird and I were out shooting stuff on the brand new college digital video camera – nothing special now but it was good back then . Anyways we shot our stuff then left the gear in the back of our friends car later that day. We ducked into a shop ( for 15mins max) came back and bam – all or shit was stolen including this new camera – to cut a long story short a transit cop found the camera dangling in a tree below a bridge at the Perth train station the next morning . The dude who stole our stuff ended up being chased down and ditched the gear over the edge which had been hanging in this tree all night. And yes of course we got the camera back – digitized our shit and handed it back in. Sweet

You are currently living in Sydney. Why have you chosen this city to live in and what do you think it offers that others don’t?
Well while I’m living in Australia Sydney seem like the place to be for my kind of work – Its a good thing as Sydney has many places to shoot – some beautiful places some fucked up places. There is lots to choose from. So yeah thats what it offers for me. I originally started my career in Perth, Western Australia, which didn’t really have much of a film/TVC/television industry so i decided to move.

Lifetimes

Lifetimes

What do you think of the standard of work coming out of Australia at the moment?
I think Australia does pretty well considering some of the budgets we have to work to compared to the rest of the world. I think Australia could be a bit more risky when it comes to marketing and advertising, but again i think that comes a little down to how much money you have to play with sometimes. In terms of creative and technical execution I think Aussies are right up there.

Anyone out there at the moment doing great work who has caught your eye?
All the guys from quad in france.
inspiring , flawless work . love it!

Links:
www.richiellis.com