“Film Is as Much About What You Don’t See”: Jeremy Grant on the Invisible Art of Storytelling

Jeremy Grant is a Canadian born director that garnered acclaim across multiple genres including feature length documentaries, commercials and live broadcast events.

He is known for his documentary work in the action sports category but has since branched out to directing award winning commercials and narrative shorts.

His work on the Unfiltered docu series for OLG has won awards at prestigious shows like the Clio's and Effie's. His recent narrative short DAWN, won Best Short Film at the New York International Film Awards and Best Director at the London International Film Awards. Jeremy also won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Digital Innovation for his work on the annual Red Bull Rampage live event.

Jeremy is represented for commercial work by BUG Content and lives with his family in Nelson, BC.

Name: Jeremy Grant
Location: Nelson, BC / Wherever The Camera Takes Me.
Repped by/in: Bug Content
Awards:

2020 Sports Emmys - Outstanding Digital Innovation - Red Bull Rampage
2024 CLIO Sports Awards Silver - Film -Unfiltered Season 1
2024 Canadian Marketing Association - Gold Brand Impact -Unfiltered Season 1
2024 Effie Awards - Bronze Entertainment & Sports - Unfiltered Season 1
2019 Mammoth Film Festival - Best Action Sports Feature - North Of Nightfall

LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about?

Jeremy> For me, filmmaking is an excuse to connect with people. I love skipping the small talk and getting straight to what really matters – what drives someone, what breaks them, and how they put themselves back together.

I’ve been working with X Games gold medalist Tom van Steenbergen on a documentary chronicling his extraordinary four-year recovery from a life-threatening mountain bike crash that happened live on television. What began as a way to give him focus – something to work toward when he couldn’t even walk – has grown into a deeply human story.

Athletes are often guarded when it comes to their inner world, but over the course of this film, Tom made space for some incredibly honest conversations about risk, identity, and the drive to push beyond both physical and mental limits. He’s now recovered beyond where he was pre-injury, and the arc is massive – not just physically, but emotionally.

It’s been a rewarding experience – one where I’ve learned as much as I’ve contributed.

The series is currently in post, and I’m excited to share it with the world.

LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director?

Jeremy> The growing pushback toward genuine connection with the subject and the audience. As technology advances, it’s easy and often more exciting to allow the tools to take centre stage. In a way the tail is waging the dog. I remember when Cineflex first came out and we were shooting from an AStar Helicopter. At the time, that tech was so novel it became the entire creative direction.

However, over time I noticed that those flashy shots didn’t age well. Instead, the work that endured, the work that people still talk about, were the ones where the tech served to help tell a deeper human story.

I believe that the most exciting opportunities in advertising lie in combining cutting-edge tools with timeless storytelling instincts. I love collaborating with creative people who are drawn to that same balance – who want to push boundaries without losing sight of what makes a story matter.

LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Jeremy> There are a lot of great scripts out there – but what really gets me excited is the chance to collaborate with a great team.

I get a lot from those early phone calls. I believe that it’s less about chasing the ‘perfect’ script and more about understanding the creative vision behind it. I can also gain a lot by understanding the people that shaped that vision.

My background is in documentary film, so I’ve learned the power of asking the right questions early on. I try to get to the heart of not just what we’re making, but why we’re making it.

Directing is about telling someone else’s story as powerfully as possible. That starts with really understanding their goals, tone, and intent. When there’s strong alignment and mutual trust, that’s when the work comes alive. Scripts are blueprints – but it’s the collaboration that builds something great.

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?

Jeremy> I think it’s essential to do as much research as possible – and just as important to be upfront about what you don’t know. I directed a documentary series for OLG with VML, the series is called ‘Unfiltered’ and it focuses on the horse racing circuit in Ontario. While I’ve spent over 20 years working in sports documentaries, I hadn’t worked with thoroughbred horses before. Instead of taking a ‘fake it till you make it’ approach, I was honest with the agency, the client, and the horse racing community about my blind spots.

That honesty actually became an asset. I ended up serving as a kind of surrogate for the new audience they were trying to reach – curious, respectful, and learning as I went. The series has won multiple awards and served its purpose of increasing attendance at the racetrack. I’m also proud that it resonated strongly with the horse racing community.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad?

Jeremy> It might sound cliché, but the most important working relationship for a director is with everyone involved in the project. Filmmaking is a team sport. The director may carry the ‘shiny’ title, but where you focus your energy matters. It’s my job to get everyone aligned with the vision as early and clearly as possible.

Respect is a kind of currency on set, and the return on that is huge. That means extending it to everyone: from PAs and ACs to DPs, ECDs, and all the acronyms in between. I actually think picking one ‘most important’ relationship is a little dangerous. Sure, you have to be smart with your time – you can’t give 100% of yourself to everyone at all times – but you can make sure everyone feels their value in the process.

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?

Jeremy> I know directors are supposed to have all the answers, but my favourite part of the job is learning. I’ve directed everything from scripted narratives and documentaries to live television and social content – and each one has taught me something that’s shaped the others.

This is the coolest job in the world because you’re never done growing. I remember learning to shoot on 16mm film just in time for the industry to go digital. I learned to edit tape-to-tape as a teen, only to pivot to computers soon after – and in the end, the format, the genre, even the platform all come second to the human connection at the core.

Genre and medium are often overhyped. Whether it’s an eight-hour live broadcast or a 15-second reel, the biggest misconception in visual storytelling is that it’s about making the audience look at you. But the truth is: it’s about making the audience feel seen. That’s the job – and I’m excited to keep exploring as many genres and mediums as I can to keep learning.

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

Jeremy> The biggest misconception I encounter is the classic one: ‘If it’s not in your reel, you can’t do it.’

As someone who moves between genres and mediums, I run into that a lot. But honestly, I don’t blame the industry – it makes sense. When you’re handing over a big creative idea, you want to feel like you’re in safe hands.

That’s why I always tell aspiring directors: whatever you want to do in the commercial space, do it first in your passion projects. That’s where you have the freedom to explore, to iron out your style, and really shape your voice.

It’s also why I still make time for passion projects. They give me space to grow, take risks, and reshape my own voice.

LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

Jeremy> While scouting for the Red Bull film ‘North of Nightfall’, we chartered a small Twin Otter plane to land on uninhabited islands around the North Pole. These planes are equipped with tundra tires, so they don’t need a formal runway. Our pilot was incredible, but when we touched down on Devon Island – the largest uninhabited island on Earth – we got stuck. The front tire began sinking into soft soil, and the plane couldn’t move.

Luckily, it was summer and we had 24-hour daylight. So we started building a makeshift track out of rocks to support the tires and create enough traction to get free. It took time and a lot of teamwork, but eventually we were able to move the plane and take off.

As we lifted off and flew out over the ocean, we spotted a polar bear swimming between icebergs toward the island, and it looked hungry. The timing couldn’t have been better.

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?

Jeremy> I’m all for it. I’m a product of mentoring myself. When I was 15, I carried a tripod around for an established DP. Sometimes mentorship isn’t just about technical skills like which lens to use – it’s often more subtle. I still remember when my mentor would introduce me by saying, “This is Jeremy. He’s a filmmaker,” long before I had the courage to call myself that. That really gave me permission to chase this crazy dream of being a director.

I’m a huge fan of bringing anyone in who wants to be part of this industry, especially people from diverse backgrounds with their own unique stories. Film is never objective – the storyteller’s perspective always shines through. Having a wide range of life experiences shaping our stories is essential for any community to grow and thrive.

LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working?

Jeremy> This is something I’m always exploring as visual storytelling expands. I’m going to nerd out a little here, but I believe film is as much about what you don’t see as what you do. So framing – and what you choose to include or exclude – is incredibly important.

I love all formats – from XR to the classic 1.24:1 theatrical ratio and even the 9:16 vertical for phones. But what I really focus on is making each piece of content feel native to how it’s displayed.

For commercial directors, the challenge often lies in reframing one image or idea to fit multiple platforms. Like any filmmaking challenge, the solutions have to be creative. I’m always exploring this. I do think that by shooting for every format all at once, we risk losing some traditional tools – but as always, it’s up to us to develop new ones.

LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?

Jeremy> ‘Unfiltered’ – docu series/branded content. I really enjoyed working on ‘Unfiltered’ OLG with the amazing team at VML! It allowed me to dive head first into the horse racing community. The level of collaboration and trust between the client, the agency and production was uncanny.

Michelin – ‘The Leap’ – commercial. This was my first commercial shoot with BUG and I couldn’t have imagined a better start to that relationship. We shot with BETC out of France. The shoot took place in the Utah desert and we ended up bringing in crew members from all over North America that were experts at their craft. It was an awesome experience!

‘North of Nightfall’ – documentary feature. From a production standpoint, this was one of the most challenging jobs that I’ve been a part of. Our location was Alex Heiberg Island in the Arctic. We were completely shut off from the rest of the world so we had to figure out basic requirements like recharging our batteries and packing enough food to last the three weeks that we were shooting. Oh yeah, we also had an electric fence around our camp to keep the polar bears away.

‘Dawn’ – short film. This was a recently completed film that pushed me in directions that I hadn’t experimented with yet. First of all, it is a performance driven piece and a lot of my work has been with doc and visual story telling. It was also my first foray into the thriller genre. I enjoyed playing with the darker tones.