Campbell Hooper Brings a Cinematic Perspective to EXIT
With a career that includes film premieres at Cannes, music videos for Coldplay, and campaigns for Lexus, Campbell Hooper has navigated an eclectic creative path from indie music to high-end fashion.
The newest addition to EXIT’s director roster, Campbell brings a cinematic and multi-disciplinary flair to his latest work with Jessica McCormack, producing an atmospheric series with brand ambassador Zoë Kravitz. Known for his hands-on approach, Campbell embraces every step of the process — from writing to sound design — crafting visuals rooted in spontaneity and refined detail.
Speaking to LBB, he reflects on his journey, his influences, and what’s in store now he’s at EXIT.
LBB> How and why did the evolution of Campbell Hooper grow from graphic design to television commercials? What has remained a constant throughout?
Campbell> Well, I came up not through graphic design per se, but more through the indie music and fashion scenes. So, from the get-go, it was album covers, music videos, fashion films, and everything in and around that world. And, of course, I had no money, so I had to do everything.
This is great because while it comes with a zero budget, it also means an unrestricted creative space. Who cares when you're 25 anyway? So that work with friends' bands and labels swelled into shooting for international bands like Tame Impala, Coldplay, Flying Lotus, and various British and European luxury labels.
The simplest explanation, however, is that the difference between shooting film and stills, illustration, graphic design, and composing music is “it’s just different buttons.” You press it and see what happens.
LBB> What do you feel are the signature characteristics of your work?
Campbell> It’s hard to see your own "signature". But I would guess it comes from having to work through every role in the filmmaking process. In the last few projects, I've, of course, directed the films but also gone back to shooting the stills, editing, grading, composing the music, and mixing the sound design. I'm intentionally choosing projects that allow this process.
The other aspect is that I find the project's voice through the craft of making it through to the end. The form opens and reveals itself by working with the material. It's harder to do that on a commercial where everything is heavily vetted, but it's important to try and hold onto the spontaneity and allow for creative movement. You just have to hold your nerve.
LBB> What are you most proud of? What have been the greatest challenges you've conquered in your career?
Campbell> The greatest challenge is learning self-preservation in a commercial industry that assesses you over a process in which you have little control.
I've learnt to listen — to creatives and especially to clients — to get a real sense of what they actually want so I can understand what I can give back in response. That goes equally for really mainstream brands like supermarkets and banks or more left-field creative or luxury brands. It's less ego. Less performative. That's a hard but important lesson for an art school kid who was taught that it was all about breaking things and not giving a shit.
LBB> Why Exit? What does it mean to you to be joining Exit?
Campbell> I've always really admired Exit. That's in the calibre of the senior directors that came before me, but also, they seemed to possess a certain humility and sincerity — things that now, for me, come at the top of the list.
LBB> Can you walk us through your creative process when developing the films and photographs for Jessica McCormack?
Campbell> Like any commercial project, no matter how experimental, it all stems from a conversation between the specific product and the brand that conceives it. With JM, it's very much Jess' personal expression. She always comes with a new jewellery collection, a theme, and a fashion-leaning moodboard that connects it all.
From there, I just started writing. She tweaks. I write more. She tweaks some more. I get on a plane.
LBB> How did you collaborate with Zoë Kravitz during this process?
Campbell> Zoë saw my approach before the project, but her input came to the fore during the shoot. She's a great director in her own right, and her instincts on set were totally on point. She knows the light and how to move in relation to it. She was superb.
LBB> What inspired the concept of using place names as poetry in the films? How did you arrive at that unique approach?
Campbell> I knew I wanted to use Zoë’s voice. It was the one thing that pulled us out of a traditional fashion shoot. But I knew a heavily loaded text would come under too much scrutiny. The place names — the streets between Jessica's two townhouses — was a shoo-in. Then Jess floated the pub names as another way in — a master stroke.
LBB> What were some of the challenges you faced while working with a luxury brand and a celebrity like Zoë Kravitz?
Campbell> Scheduling. And wardrobe — which I quickly learned to stay the fuck out of.
LBB> How do you see your style evolving after this collaboration?
Campbell> I suppose that traditional advertising projects have taught me how to scale. I understand better now where to put resources — or, more importantly, where not to put them. I'm trying more and more to take on the process of film craft — the photography, the editing, the grading, the music — myself. That's the only way I can find my aesthetic. Not all directors can relate to this, but I feel like I lost something when I gave away all the tools and pointed from the couch.
LBB> Are there particular themes or ideas you want to explore in future projects?
Campbell> Every project needs to be reimagined again and again from scratch. I try to avoid bringing up my conceptual agendas. That should just occur naturally through instinct.
LBB> Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you're particularly excited about that you can share with us?
Campbell> There's another project with Jessica and Zoë fresh in the new year. It's an evolution from the current campaign, and it's great we all know each other creatively to push the boat out a little further.
