Adapting Creativity to Shake Things up and Defy Expectations
Photographer: Maya Fuhr
In the gloom of the Pacific Northwest, to a soundtrack of Avril Lavigne, Emma Higgins forged her creative voice. Warped depravity in pop bubble gum packaging, Emma is interested in telling stories she hasn’t seen before through a genre lens.
A prolific director in the commercial and music video spaces, she gained recognition for her work on Jessie Reyez's ‘No One’s in the Room,’ which won Video of the Year at the 2021 Juno Awards. She has also collaborated with major brands such as Rockstar Energy, YouTube, Cheetos, A&W, and Best Buy. Her obsession with color, wardrobe, art direction, and hair and makeup consistently elevates her work, giving it a unique and memorable visual style.
Emma has directed short films that have been screened at prestigious festivals, including the Atlanta Film Festival, the CFC Film Festival, the Sacramento Horror Festival, the Citizen Jane Film Festival, and the Hollyshorts Film Festival. Her debut feature film, Sweetness, premiered at SXSW 2025 to critical acclaim.
In addition to her directing work, Emma has been a core member of We Direct Music Videos (founded by Daniel Kwan) since 2018, hosting regular events in Los Angeles to foster community and promote the betterment of the industry.
She’s a reformed Christian horse girl but can still do a killer French braid; she’s lived in a converted dominatrix sex house with plexiglass walls; she once got morning drunk with Wayne Gretzky in an airport; and she’s lived in three major cities so far. Ultimately, she’s a softy with a punk rock heart.
Name: Emma Higgins
Location: Los Angeles, California
Repped by/in: Fela in the US and Canada.
Awards: Juno Award - Video of The Year - 2021 - Jessie Reyez ‘No One's In The Room’
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Emma> I am excited about the release of my debut feature film SWEETNESS. We recently premiered it at the 2025 SXSW film festival, to some amazing reviews. Now I’m looking forward to finally showing a wider audience what we have been working on this last year. SWEETNESS is a coming of age thriller centred around a popstar and superfan that is a reflection of my time in music videos with a fresh new girlhood take on the fan subgenre. This is also the first feature for Fela as a production company so it’s been a huge undertaking but also the greatest joy of my career thus far.
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Emma> I’m really more excited about where I’m meeting the industry at this moment in time. I’m feeling a general sense of wanting to create work that stands out, and I’m ready to rise to the occasion to shake things up.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Emma> I get excited when I feel like we can do something totally fresh. Especially when I read a script that feels like it’s not trying to be something that already exists but breaks into new visual, tone, or storytelling approaches. I really love it when we get a balance of humour and humanity, or any opportunity to challenge audience expectations to get a laugh or pull at some heartstrings.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Emma> It entirely depends on the script itself. I have a long history in film in a variety of positions, and I try to see where the particular script needs the most attention. Is it heavy on story, cast, or product? I like to first outline the topline goals and work down from there.
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? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?
Emma> I lean on the agency and client during a production to help guide the way here, and I like to think I am good at listening to their needs. They know their market better than I ever could, and I’m the supporting role in this bigger picture, meant to make their brand shine. I, of course, ALWAYS do my research at the pitch/ bidding stage as well, and try to understand what the aim is moving forward - do they like the previous ads they’ve put out, is there a progression or a total shift? I find I learn the most by asking direct questions.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Emma> The agency and director relationship is number one. We need trust and alignment that we are working towards the same goal, and can both keep our individual sides of the creative process balanced. Of course, relationships with HODs and actors are very important, but it needs to start at the top with the agency and the client and trickle down from there.
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?
Emma> I really enjoy doing anything that feels a bit quirky or left of centre. I always like to try and add a little spice to my work where I can. This might just be an added style element, or a wink to the audience with how we build tone or pacing. I’m interested in creating work that is memorable, regardless of genre.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Emma> I think there are a lot of misconceptions often about how my gender informs my work and assumptions that I don’t have the techspeak or skill know-how of some of my counterparts. There is an assumption that intuitive creative process working with performance on the emotional side, means you aren’t also the nerdy camera, tech, colour space nerd at the same time. However, I do feel it’s all in balance. It’s a bigger can of worms here on gender assumptions in our business, but all in all, I prefer to keep myself focused on the work and the incredible people I get to do it with!
LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?
Emma> This is not my area so much as something my incredible producers would deal with. However, I do feel that cost consultants can often feel like they’re on the opposing side from us in production. I hope that moving forward, we can build stronger relationships so we can all work towards an industry that is healthy for workers and clients alike. We want to build strong, lasting industries.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Emma> You name it - losing locations to fire the day before, having talent fall on their face and get road rash, most recently having a flasher show us more than we wanted to see at 8am on the street… I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all solution to problems in production, but I love that about our business. I’ve learned to keep calm, trust my team, and actually enjoy the rollercoaster that is production. If it were easy, everyone would do it!
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Emma> Ultimately, if we can’t find common ground between the idea and the client and agency needs, then the idea isn’t the right one. There is almost always a solution to meet both creative and practical needs of a shoot, and I see it as my job to drop my ego and see the bigger picture. This means killing some darlings, but there are always future opportunities to pull back out ideas and techniques when it makes sense to the whole of the project.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentorship?
Emma> We desperately need more diversity in ALL forms in our world. Mentorship and shadow opportunities are wonderful, but we need to be creating viable paid opportunities in order for new people to gain meaningful access to the industry. Finances are one of the biggest barriers to entry for a lot of people, especially those who aren’t coming from major city centres or school environments. I especially want to challenge those who hold the most power in the industry currently to do their part. I often feel like the entire burden is put upon marginalised folks to do the work of holding the door open for others, but I’d love to see more agencies, production companies, and directors putting their time and money where their mouths are and working to make change where it counts and getting money into the pockets of new talent. This might mean pushing away from the comfort zone, but it’s something we especially need in the current climate.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Emma> This is a challenge, it's a discussion that should be had early on in the process— is there a priority for format? If so, let's adapt creatively to make sure we hit that target first.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?
Emma> I find it difficult to add much to the discourse on the rapidly changing tech of our work, because like most people, I’m simultaneously frightened at the loss of work it could mean for humans, and excited by the possibilities it offers. I’m especially interested in ways that it can add to a healthier planet and to human experience.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Emma>
Rockstar
Rockstar gave me the incredible opportunity to dip my toes into the world of three different athletes over the course of the project. From Rally Racing, to golf and professional skateboarding, I got to be a guest to these worlds and learn so much from these talents, I also loved working with Makers and Pepsico who worked with me to add a bit of fun and playfulness to the visuals.
This feels like one of those spots where I can let my music video background shine, very musically driven with an energy that packs a lot in a short amount of time. Love the warmth to the characters in this spot, to me it feels like it’s got this lived in and approachable quality to it, even with all the high style.
Look no further than this spot to know my sense of humour. It’s always about the balance, and here we had an absurd situation with some very grounded reactions and world. The humour is as dry as the McCain’s cakes are moist with a very funny concept by the team at Rethink.
YouTube holds such a special place in my heart, being one of those unique jobs that puts all my skills to use and was so genuinely fun to make. Music and creator driven, this is another one I felt privileged to get to spend time with different artists in their spaces from dance to music, to fashion and gaming.
