Cuppa with UNIT Executive Producer Phil McCluney

We sat down for a chat with Phil to discuss all things UNIT. Here's what he had to say…

Q> What inspires you and drives you as an EP?

Phil> For me, it’s all about the people. I love finding new opportunities, meeting fresh faces, and connecting our team at UNIT with exciting clients and projects. Building those close-knit relationships is one of the best parts of my job.

I’m also inspired by technology, especially Virtual Production (VP). We’ve recently launched a new VP department at UNIT, which I’ve been fortunate to help set up. The possibilities in this space are incredible, and I’m excited about the amazing work we’ll create as it evolves.

AI is another area I’m passionate about—whether it’s enhancing visuals or streamlining workflows behind the scenes. It’s all about integrating innovation into our VFX pipeline to push boundaries and create more efficient ways of working. 

Forging real connections in this rapidly changing world keeps me motivated every day.

Q> How is it being part of such a characterful EP team?

Phil> It’s amazing - I genuinely love the people here at UNIT. We’ve got some fantastic characters who make every day better. People like Darryl Bolton, Jenny Standish, Phil Delaney, and Danny Coster always bring great energy, and our production team with Tania De Souza as HoP is just as wonderful. It’s a joy to work with a team that not only inspires but also makes the job so much fun.

Q> Tell us about your previous adland / post experience? 

Phil> I started my career in 2000 as a receptionist at Framestore, which was a great introduction to the industry. I accidentally stumbled into an assistant role at BMPDDB when I made tea for a fantastic lady, Maggie Blundle, who later became Head of Television. It wasn’t just about making tea (though I was very good at it) - I also learned the ropes of the industry before computers and emails were widespread, there’s nothing a producer can’t do in five phonecalls as someone once said. I spent eight years at DDB, working with incredible creatives like John Webster, Jeremy Craigen, Sam Oliver, Shishir Patel, Graeme Hall, Feargal Ballance, Dylan Harrison and many others on many accounts, which helped me develop into a producer.

After DDB, I moved to McCann for a year, which offered a very different environment but still one I enjoyed and learnt much from, the highlight was shooting a great Xbox campaign with Michael Flatt. Then, I joined The Mill, where I trained as a post-producer. I learned a great deal about the technical and creative aspects of post-production, and it was a turning point in my career.

Following that, I worked at a small production company where we discovered some of the best new directors working now, like Ian Pons-Jewell and Sacred Egg. From there, I went to B-Reel, which was an exciting space bridging the gap between digital and film. It was an amazing experience at a company at the edge of what was possible at the intersection of digital explorations and film, at a point that you could watch video on the internet almost as well as you can today! 

I then freelanced at various places like Fallon, Mother, and in Amsterdam, agency producing at 72 and Sunny on Google projects, I also had the chance to work client-side at Deliveroo as their EP, which gave me a new perspective on how to collaborate with brands and an insight into how large tech companies work. I worked at Facebook for a bit as well which had a feeling of drinking the Kool Aid but no one there seemed to notice. After a spell as EP at prod co DogEatDog during lockdown where I signed fantastic directors like The Queen and Iain Morris (of InBetweeners fame), I joined Uncommon Creative Studio and produced a British Airways In-flight Safety film over almost a year, and some other stuff which was an interesting chapter in itself. 

Finally, I joined UNIT, and it feels like a full circle moment. The scope of what we do here from Post Production and Virtual Production to AI, Shortform, and Longform excites me every day. It’s a place where creativity has no limits, and that’s what I love most. I love building teams around an idea to make it become real. That’s great production for me.

Q> What first inspired you to get into this career?

Phil> It all happened completely by accident. I studied an MA in Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, after studying fine art at Oxford. At the time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do - I just knew I wanted to be an artist. But, as you can imagine, that’s a tough path, and I needed to make some money. I worked at Interstate Jeans on Endell Street in Covent Garden, selling cool clothes and Carhartt jeans, before landing a job as a receptionist in a post house, that path set me on the way into film making and advertising. I was incredibly lucky to fall into one of the most creative places at BMPDDB, and that really set my life on this wonderful path. Sometimes, the best opportunities come when you least expect them.

Q> Tell us about a recent creative highlight project you have been proud to bring in?

Phil> One of the standout projects I’m really proud of is the recent British Airways safety information film, Directed by Sharon Maguire - one of Britain’s greatest female directors, best known for Bridget Jones’s Diary. It was such a pleasure to collaborate with her on this. The film went very viral as they say, reaching 2 million views, and while these films can reach over 80 million people worldwide, this one really stood out for its impact.

Q> How has it been launching the UNIT Virtual Production division?

Phil> Launching the UNIT Virtual Production division has been super super exciting. We’re really looking forward to collaborating with people and pushing the boundaries of new tech to show what’s possible—and in some cases, make filming much easier. We’ve already got some amazing directors on board, and we can’t wait to bring the tech to life, enabling filmmakers to shoot more than they ever could before. The potential is huge, and I want to be part of this new visual chapter.

Q> What are you watching / reading / listening to right now? 

Phil> I recently watched Lucan, which i thought was a good exploration into lots of parts of British society across the years. On Netflix, I watched Turning Point, an eight part doc series about the historical path from the Atomic test through the Cold War to the current situation in the Ukraine and the creation of Putin. I’m a big fan of factual documentaries - it’s a passion of mine. I love working on doc-style content, especially with real protagonists and real people, so that type of work really resonates with me. I’m lucky enough to be involved in a lot of it, having worked with some incredible directors like triple Bafta winner Antony Wonke, Peter Lydon (great doc about Peter Sellers) and the occasional Oscar winner. Music wise I saw Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics with the Jules Buckley Orchestra at the O2 the other day. It was a banger. And you can't beat a Greg Wilson mix or three. Check him out when you can.