The Work That Made Sara Dunlop
After graduating in Film from the University of Westminster, Sara Dunlop was soon named one of the Top 25 Directors to Watch by Creativity Magazine. Through her work, she demonstrates a particular affinity with cinematic realism, full of authenticity and beauty. She has a gift for narrative storytelling, with inspired casting and performances across her work.
Early in her career, Sara was named one of Creativity Magazine’s Top 25 Directors to Watch, setting the stage for a body of work that seamlessly combines artistry and storytelling. Her short film Dreamlands (2016) was the only UK short in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, chosen from over 5,000 global submissions. It went on to win Best Narrative Short at the Brooklyn Film Festival and was featured at the London Film Festival.
Sara has chalked up an impressive array of brands and productions on her reel. From Nike, Levis, Apple, Royal Air Force, Virgin Trains, Vodafone, Walgreens, ATT NBA and Sky to Facebook. Sara brings an effortless quality to her films and shows a real flair for big ideas. In 2023, Dunlop directed the ground breaking campaign 'He's Coming Home' for Women's Aid, addressing domestic abuse through a powerful and resonant narrative. The campaign received critical acclaim and swept multiple industry awards, including but not limited to a Cannes Gold Lion, D&AD Wooden Pencil, British Arrows Award, and more.
Sara’s work continues to gather industry recognition, evident through the awards that she has accumulated since starting her career. Her commercial work has been awarded and shortlisted at LIA, Art Directors Club of Europe, Creative Circle, Ciclope, Cannes Lions and A-List Hollywood Craft.
Sara’s talent extends beyond commercials; she co-wrote and directed the Mr. Burberry three-part series for GQ and Burberry, which garnered critical acclaim and featured in The Hollywood Reporter and Hypebeast. These projects demonstrate her ability to merge cinematic storytelling with luxury branding. She has also created award-winning films for The Big Issue, Plan, shoe designer Jonathan Kelsey and The Havens Crisis Centre, which picked up several awards at the British Arrows Craft Awards including Best Director.
LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
Sara> 'Papa Don’t Preach' by Madonna.
I’ve always loved narrative storytelling in music videos, and this video is the first time I remember seeing this. That haircut and that stripey Breton top – so iconic and so cinematic, as if every shot was taken from scenes in a longer film.
LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Sara> Volkswagen 'Protection,' directed by Jonathan Glazer. A good idea, brilliantly executed.
LBB> The creative work that I keep revisiting…
Sara> I’ve been writing a labour of love project for quite some time, and in the process, discovered Soul Mining by The The. When I feel like giving up, I go back to it. Imagining scenes set to these songs make me feel inspired to keep going.
LBB> My first professional project…
Sara> Dave Trott was on a mission to cancel third-world debt. I worked in a cinema at the time that agreed to run his ad for free – I asked if I could direct it - correction, my mate who worked in the head office asked him as I was too shy - and he said yes. Bearing in mind I hadn’t made a commercial before, this was a giant leap of faith for him. My love of using advertising to help create positive change was certainly ignited here. Thank you, Dave.
LBB> The piece of work that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Sara> Barclays 'BIG'
Set in a world of wealth and privilege, with Anthony Hopkins playing the big I am, as he describes why big is always better – end line: A Big World needs a Big Bank.
It felt so tone-deaf, as so many people were struggling to make ends meet at the time, in fact, it made me so angry that I made a film for The Big Issue in response. It felt good to realise I could use my voice to call out things I think are wrong.
LBB> The piece of work that still makes me jealous…
Sara> There is a pleasurable pain when you like the work that you lost out on, which is why I am still jealous of Kim Gehrig’s “THIS GIRL CAN” for Sport England. The joy, the authenticity, the humour, the music...She absolutely nailed it.
LBB> The creative project that changed my career…
Sara> I was in Sao Paulo shooting a beauty campaign - in a studio! I felt so frustrated that I asked some creative mates to write me an ad that I could shoot while I was there.
And Sky 'Billboards' was the resulting film. Written in less than a week and produced in less than two, it went on to win awards and finally got people to see me in a different way.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…
Sara> A film about sexual consent made for The Havens – a Rape Crisis centre in London, budget: £12k. The emotional response to this film made me realise that the world needed a sea change.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Sara> When I started directing commercials, the industry only really felt comfortable hiring female directors to shoot fashion and beauty commercials. They weren’t all bad, but I do cringe at the thought of those slow-motion swinging hair shots I perfected back then.
LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
I recently directed a TV show, Dreamers, which was the hardest and most rewarding experience of my directing career so far. It’s far from perfect, but I definitely tried to leave a part of me indelibly imprinted in its DNA. Working with a young cast, with little or no acting
experience, improvising dialogue, shooting in a verité style, and working with the local
community...these are the things that make me want to direct every day.
