Giant Films’ Hana Sho on Finding the Emotional Core Within Stylised Visuals
Visually surprising and emotionally resonant is how Hana Sho’s work has been described. Films for the likes of Gatorade, Oakley, and Brutal Fruits show off the strength of her distinct, perceptive approach to directing, switching up perspectives to make familiar contexts feel fresh, while a heavy dose of dynamism celebrates the energy brimming inside the people she focuses her lens on.
The experimental director is proving to be one to watch, so LBB caught up with Hana following her signing at South Africa’s Giant Films. Read on to find out what she learnt from her years as director’s assistant to Karien Cherry, with whom she now shares a roster, how she maintains her voice within a brand’s identity, and why stylised visuals only work when there’s motivation behind them.
Above: Brutal Fruit 'Be In The Moment'
LBB> Welcome to Giant Films! How does it feel to join their roster, and what drew you to collaborate with them?
Hana> It feels like a full-circle moment! They’re people who lead with care, trust, and real intention, and that kind of energy is rare to find, and the kind of environment I want to grow in.
What drew me into becoming a director at Giant was really the journey. Years ago, during my final year of studying, I sent them a hopeful email with my CV. It included every passion project and small job I’d done to date – and, coincidentally, I’d just produced and collaborated on a music video with WARD (also on Giant’s roster) for our mutual friend PHFAT. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but they trusted me and saw something in me, and I’ll never stop being grateful for it!
Throwing that in there did catch Giant’s attention, and shortly after that, I was interviewed by Karien Cherry (also on Giant’s roster), who was looking for a director’s assistant at the time. It’s a role that often gets overlooked, but is so full of impact for a director. We clicked right away, and she took the time to teach me – intention, care, and so much trust. And I chose to go to war with her for about three years straight, and couldn’t be more grateful for it. At the same time, I assisted a few other Giant directors and also found myself immersed in creative research, which I quickly fell in love with.
Directing is intuitive, but it’s also like a muscle. Knowing how to hold a story’s shape while still letting it breathe, knowing how to work with the agency and the client. And actually learning to drive the ship – things like pre-production, PPM decks, castings, callbacks. All those details that come with directing is like a muscle. And I wouldn’t have the creative capacity that I have now without all the groundwork. So what drew me to collaborate with them is the people. And that matters most to me.
LBB> Your work blends a strong visual aesthetic with deep emotion. How would you describe your approach to storytelling, and what influences have shaped your creative style?
Hana> I’ve always been driven by the desire to unpack the human condition. I first fell in love with storytelling through photography – it gave me a reason to understand people. Let me observe them, connect with them, and reflect something back. A lot of my influence comes from that, and to be honest, a personal need to understand others and myself. And to hold a moment that reveals something real about being human.
I’m also a little obsessed with strong visual aesthetics, and it’s fun to experiment. Photography, film, motion graphics, VJing, all the disciplines I've explored over the years have shaped how I approach storytelling. I’ve always been curious about different tools and mediums, and that’s definitely influenced my love for pushing the visual. But strong visuals only work when they’re motivated by emotion, the story, or the idea behind it. I could go into specifics about who or what influences me, but in a nutshell, I am shaped by my experiences, curiosity, the people I surround myself with and a drive to express something honestly. Sometimes the strongest visual choice is also restraint. But what I care most about is how a story makes someone feel.
Above: Gatorade 'More Inside'
LBB> Let’s talk about your new work for Gatorade. How did this project come about, and what excited you most about working on it?
Hana> We had the chance to work with 180 Amsterdam, who I think were drawn to our Brutal Fruit piece ‘Be in the Moment’ – a story told through the quiet perspective of a phone left on the table. Every shot was considered, almost like a photograph. The idea was simple, but the technique had to carry emotion.
What excited me most was the challenge of keeping it human, especially with a format like first-person POV. It’s easy for it to feel like a gimmick, but we wanted it to feel like a glimpse into someone’s world.
I’ve also always loved the storytelling in sport. There’s so much truth to it, and the emotion is all there if you let it be. And casting was a big part of that – finding people who can play sports and react comfortably with a helmet rig, on top of conveying a real performance. It was important to find that balance – something bold and visual, but still grounded in reality. And in general, I am so moved by sport and the opportunity it allows for human truth.
LBB> Gatorade is a brand deeply tied to movement, performance, and energy. How did you bring those elements to life in your direction?
Hana> Sport is such a natural space to tap into humanity – there’s already energy, drive, and vulnerability. The first-person POV already gives it a strong visual identity and pace. I’d never shot a first-person POV film before, so I knew I wanted to work with someone I could really lean on. I worked closely with DP Deon Van Zyl, who engineered a lightweight helmet rig that the cast could move in freely, because if it didn’t move well, or sit right, it would heavily affect both their physical and emotional performances.
Casting became everything. We were looking for people who truly embodied the sport, who could adapt to the helmet rig without losing their performance. The energy was also shaped in the edit, and especially in the sound design. We paid close attention to how it felt, by building a layered sonic atmosphere that felt textured and real. Even in the POV shots, there are little imperfections, stumbles, bumps, and I love how human that makes it feel – and it really adds to the energy and tone of the overall piece.
Above: Stills from Gatorade 'More Inside'
LBB> Every project comes with its own challenges. Were there any key moments in the production of the Gatorade piece that pushed you creatively?
Hana> One of the biggest creative challenges was finding the emotional core within such a stylised camera language. On top of that, also asking the agency and client to trust us, as we could only fully grasp what the film would look like once we got to rehearsals. A lot of the development in movement came to light in rehearsals – the comfort of the cast was really something we cared about, and making sure they felt good in the rig shaped everything.
The project also evolved throughout the process! From pitch to shoot, we kept simplifying the concept and asking ourselves how we can bring more emotional connection to the characters. At first I thought we should fully commit to the first-person POV… but I love the conscious decision we made to pull out of the first-person POV in key moments, which helped us connect more deeply to how the characters were feeling. That rhythm of being inside and outside of their world became a big part of the emotional thread.
We choreographed the movement quite a bit, but also left room to play. Working with both actors and real athletes, I found each person brought something different to the table. They suggested ideas, and ways of moving with the helmet rig – it became quite collaborative, and I really like how the POV feels really human and alive. So the challenge was in the technique. We realised that we needed to experiment, play, and sometimes let it be in order to get the shots we wanted.
LBB> Collaboration is a big part of filmmaking. Who were some of the key creative partners on this project, and how did their contributions help shape the final result?
Hana> What I love most about filmmaking is the collaboration. I mentioned earlier, but our DP, Deon Van Zyl, and his team were integral in engineering the POV rig. Working with Deon was something I am so grateful for. He approached our job with such care and intention, and both of us really cared about making sure the POV and non-POV shots felt really real and intimate.
Julian Redpath, our editor, really brought it to life! With the first-person POV, the editing becomes its own kind of choreography and really comes together with very clever editing. You might notice jump cuts, and many different shots stitched together, and there’s a rhythm in that itself that guides the movement and pace of the sport.
We also collaborated with Field Audio, led by Simon Kohler and Nic Van Reenan, who composed the music and crafted the sound design. Our focus was heavily on the sound design: building something textured, alive, real, and connected to the POV. Certain sounds had to feel more upfront and diegetic.
The 180 Amsterdam team brought so much to the journey, also trusted me from start to finish. Having that trust really contributed to the final result. Trust and collaboration go a really long way!
Above: Oakley 'Be Who You Are'
LBB> You’ve worked with brands like Nike, Adidas, Gucci, and now Gatorade. How do you balance maintaining your unique voice while working within a brand’s identity?
Hana> Truthfully, it’s challenging, but as a starting point, I like to make sure I align with the brand and its identity to begin with, and think deeply about how I can bring myself into the project. As a director, my job is to honour the brand’s identity while finding space to bring my creative perspective into the execution, and importantly, to work collaboratively with the agency and client to ensure we’re answering the brief but also bringing something special. So I always try to stay curious in the process.
Ultimately, the brand’s identity is a framework to build within – and the goal for me is to always stay true to work that I believe in, and continuously question how to make it feel special, how to make it feel real, and I always strive to make work that I’m really proud of. So I carry a lot of my values (and my heart) on my sleeve!
LBB> Looking ahead, what kinds of stories or projects are you most eager to explore in the future?
Hana> Without sounding too repetitive, I’m really drawn to projects and stories that explore the human condition – what it means to feel, connect, and overcome.
Shamelessly sounding like a broken record, but it is the dream to make work that speaks to something meaningful, or even just the opportunity to make someone feel something. That’s the power of filmmaking, right? A girl can dream!
I’m drawn to briefs with emotional nuance – something grounded in real human experience, resilience, and transformation. At the same time, projects that offer the opportunity to push the visuals and experiment. Projects that aren’t afraid to be a little more sensitive, bold, brave or honest.
LBB> Finally, what advice would you give to up-and-coming directors looking to carve their own path in the industry?
Hana> The importance of discomfort and growth! Sometimes it feels like you really shouldn’t be in the room — like, how on earth do I belong here? So, finding that confidence and belief in yourself is important. Also, things take time. Trusting in that is important too. I remember this one interview with Ethan Hawke where he said, “You have to know who you are so you can do what you love. Give yourself permission to be creative.” (This note is plastered to my monitor on my desk. Unfortunately, I am not joking). So much of creativity is on you as an individual. And the work that actually moves people doesn’t come from trying to keep up, it comes from being innately yourself.
Real growth doesn’t come from waiting for the perfect opportunity. You have to create it. And yes, I read corny quotes and take them way too seriously, but some of them are true! The best advice I ever received was: surround yourself with people who are better than you. Reach out to them. Learn from them. Absorb everything. And not knowing something is a secret weapon! What comes out of that is asking questions, the instinct, the not-quite-sure-how-it’ll-land… and something new usually comes from that. Your weird little instinct is probably the most honest thing in the room. Follow that.
