“Ideas Are Living Things” for Justin Liberman

Justin Liberman grew up traveling around the country exploring dusty flea markets and rural country fairs hawking fake watches with his parents. He developed a profound fascination with locations and characters. He heard the same themes: hard work, curiosity, adventure, and independence.

As a filmmaker, Justin is continuously inspired by those qualities and seeks out projects that embody his deep passion for narrative storytelling.

Name: Justin Liberman

Location: Boston, MA

Repped by/in: ELEMENT

Awards: Telly Awards, Hatch Awards

LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them. 

Justin> I am in the finishing stages of a feature length documentary for Deloitte called “Chasing Purpose”. It’s an ambitious project spearheaded by GCD and head of experience and design at Green Dot Agency, Mark Chamberlain. I was encouraged to think beyond the aesthetic trappings of corporate docs and lean into a more hyper-cinematic shooting style. 

LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?  

Justin> The volume stage has been an exciting new frontier for me. Since my filmmaking is rooted in humanist story-driven styles, I tend to want to use organic production methods. However, having shot several pieces now on a volume stage, I see how incredibly useful it is, not only for efficiency and budget restraints, but it also opens creative possibilities that would otherwise be limited by production logistics.

I recently did a lifestyle shoot on a volume stage where we filmed six different actors in six different locations in one day - a scope that would have been impossible to achieve without it. 

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

Justin> When boards demand specificity or require unique locations, I find myself really leaning in and getting excited. The smaller the needle I have to thread, the farther outside the box I go for creative solutions.

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Justin> It all starts with the writing for me. I almost approach my treatments like I do a journal or a diary. The first pass is usually very personal and freeing. It allows me to find an emotional connection to the boards and once that connection is made, I can step back and think more strategically about my approach to the material. 

Once I write a couple drafts, I then hunt for images that evoke the sensibility of my vision. At that point, it’s a fun back and forth process where the images start to inform the writing, and the writing inspires the image search. 

I know a lot of directors are using AI to help write treatments. I don’t judge anyone’s process, but for me, the writing process is vital for me to connect to the material, so I would never want to forfeit that process. 

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?

Justin> I want every project I do to feel personal, so it’s critical that I do research on a new brand or market that I am working with. Otherwise, I feel like my creative approach would feel hollow and the final product would feel generic. 

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

Justin> Within the process of creating a spot, every relationship is important, they just take different positions of priority throughout. 

For example, as a director, there is no more important relationship that you have than with your executive producer. They are your primary partner, and you need to have a fluid and open relationship with them for the right opportunities to come your way. 

Then when you get a set of boards, the creative director becomes the most important relationship, because they are your first creative collaborator and the person you get to really cook up ideas with. Then your producer becomes your best friend as you build your team and work through logistics, and then once production starts, it’s the DP, the production designer, art director, wardrobe and all the crew on set that you’re in the mud with, working together to create a vision with. 

Then after wrap, you get to retreat with your editors and colourists, composers, sound designers, and all the post artists that help sculpt and refine the final piece. 

Managing relationships is one of the most overlooked qualities that I think a great director should have. 

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?

Justin> I love the diversity of stories and subject matters that commercial filmmaking affords me, but any time I get to work with sports is exciting for me. 

I grew up entrenched in sports and played baseball in college, so in many ways, sports are my natural lens in which I see the world through. As a former athlete, I feel like I have a good understanding of the minutia of an athlete and the dramatic opportunities that sports driven stories can provide. 

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

Justin> I was shooting a project in Thailand on a speedboat off the coast of Phuket. The drivers of the boat were trying to outrun a storm that broke out over the ocean, so they were gunning it back to the mainland. 

Our boat kept slamming against giant swell. The crew and our gear were being violently thrown around the boat. After a few minutes, we noticed that the boat was taking on a lot of water. The captain of the boat started to fling life vests at us and one of the crewmates climbed to the top of the deck and started to wave a white flag. We were sinking. 

So there we were, off the coast of Thailand, standing in a sinking boat holding our camera and G&E gear over our heads to protect it from the oncoming water. 

After about fifteen minutes, another boat came to our rescue, and we evacuated from one boat to the other. Once we got on the rescue boat, we all watched as our original boat completely sank into the Andaman Sea. 

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Justin> I always approach my projects with the mind-set that ideas are living things, and the entire production process is best when collaborative. I love it when a creative challenges me on an idea and forces me to consider a different perspective. Working together with them will always yield a more creative solution. 

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? 

Justin> Diversity in storytelling is critical, and I think brands and agencies need to do more to cultivate diverse perspectives. I have been teaching in higher education since 2013, so mentorship is a big part of my process. Each semester, I invite a handful of students to participate in projects and help shepherd new voices into the industry. 

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

Justin> Roots of Fight: Roberto Clemente

Everything about Roberto Clemente is cinematic – his looks, the way he played, what he did for his people, even how he died. What he means to both baseball and the Latino community has always inspired me. With this spot, I got to partner with a rad brand to pay tribute to him.

Hartford Healthcare: National Player

I always love the work Adams + Knight creates for Hartford Healthcare, but there was something extra special in the process of making this one because we got to film at two basketball courts that I spent my childhood playing at. This spot is a perfect example of how I emotionally connect to a project and pour myself into it. 

Boston Celtics: Different Here

As a lifelong fan, I have always looked to the Celtics as a source of inspiration. There was a pinch me quality in making this spot. Getting to create the anthem that played on the jumbotron before playoffs made me a feel like I was a tiny part of the Celtics tradition.

Kittles x Zenni: 2025 Brand Spot

This is my second collaboration with George Kittles and Zenni Eyewear, and it is a good example of pushing style a little further than I could on my first spot with them. In addition to the style, I am really proud that George had such a good time on set shooting this. He and his team are awesome to work with and he’s a great reminder that at the end of the day, we’re all just here for vibes and with George, there is no shortage of them.