Directing Neolo’s Sobering Message for Drinkaware

When I came across this film, I didn’t really expect to see Irish hip-hop artist Nealo’s name beside a brand like Ireland’s ‘Drinkaware’. But after watching, it made total sense. Neolo is adored by many for his gift of the gab that acts as a vehicle for delivering all kinds of uberpersonal tales about life, upholstered always with vulnerability. That’s no different here.

The short film, created by Bonfire Agency, and directed by Leo Hynes, makes a call for positive change surrounding more mindful drinking. In a country known for its fondness for a few pints, we’ve been becoming more aware of the dark undercurrent that can stain mental health when indulgence goes unnoticed.

In recent years, there has been a notable rise in sobriety, 0% and low-alcohol options, and sober-curious ways of thinking. Reassessing, investigating, or changing your relationship with alcohol can seem daunting, especially given the ritualistic tradition of social drinking. But campaigns like this work to dismantle that mindset and instead put hope in its place.

Speaking to Leo, we find out how he approached directing the film and what went into delivering justice to its message.

LBB> Given your background as a cinematographer and director, what personal experiences or insights did you bring to this project that influenced its direction and tone?

Leo> With my background in cinematography, I’ll always have strong opinions on the look and visual language of a project. I knew I wanted this project to be a film that captured attention with imagery that acted not just as a background but as a storytelling element in itself. The shots we needed weren’t overly complicated, but without them, things would have just felt a bit flatter. I worked carefully with our fantastic director of photography, Conor Hayes, to plan out the shooting style and schedule so that we had set the lighting and mood for the film.
In reality, the hard yards of this film are covered by the talented Nealo and his script.

My job was to format his performance into something visually engaging and help elevate his message. I’m really happy with how it turned out. I think we got the right mix of substance and style.

LBB> How did you collaborate with Nealo in translating his personal journey of adopting a sober lifestyle into the film's narrative? Were there specific aspects of his story you aimed to highlight?

Leo> To be honest, all credit here should go to Nealo! He’s a very talented artist, and having seen his previous work and chatted with him, I knew the best version of his story would come from his words. Any attempt to alter or tweak his script too much would have resulted in something that felt less personal and it would have disrupted the spoken-word flow of the piece. Nealo is a hugely respected wordsmith and his words have an integrity that audiences recognise.

LBB> How did you visually represent the theme of embracing positive change throughout the film? Were there specific cinematic techniques or symbolism employed to convey this message?

Leo> Very simply, we embraced a dark-to-light theme across the film. We wanted to give the feeling of growing positivity as Nealo speaks and to mirror the positive feelings of taking an early morning walk – which can feel difficult at first but is always super rewarding. In many ways, the shoot day felt emblematic of the final film. We had done the hard work of getting up at the crack of dawn and, unusually for Ireland, were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise.

We purposefully stayed away from slow-motion cutaways of Nealo and kept things at real speed. This helped convey a sense of momentum and progress rather than the forlorn feeling that slow motion gives. Conor did a great job of capturing the dynamic movement we were looking for. We used a special tilt-bar on the gimbal to make the shots feel more like a steadicam with added flexibility. I love how it turned out; there’s an energy to the way the camera moves that really suits the piece.

LBB> What challenges did you face in ensuring the film's authenticity, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like alcohol consumption and personal transformation? How did you overcome them?

Leo> In reality, we were dealt a great hand because Nealo is the authentic heartbeat of this piece. This would have been challenging with anyone else, especially if they were trying to perform a story that wasn’t personal to them. And this sort of message can feel preachy if it’s told in the wrong way, but Nealo is such a genuine person – he makes it easy to connect with what he’s saying.

My job on the day was to help Nealo get his message across most effectively and ensure his tone hit the right notes.

LBB> Were there particular shooting locations that held significance to the narrative?

Leo> We filmed the whole piece in and around Bull Island in Dublin, which is a bit of a cliched spot, but there’s a good reason people film there! Because we wanted to get across the feeling of an early morning walk, it had to be somewhere worth getting up for… and it truly was. It’s a spectacular location, which I sometimes take for granted as it’s on my doorstep.

I had scouted a few locations ahead of time, and despite visiting Bull Island in a downpour, it clearly had all the ingredients we needed. We wanted several different elements in close proximity to give the shots some variety, and here we had a beach, pier, woodland, and park all within a stone’s throw.

The weather was so critical to the shoot’s success that we ended up pushing the original date as things were looking uncertain. This can be a risky move, especially with how fickle Irish weather can be, but thankfully the weather played ball and that tee’d us up for a great shoot. I’ve rarely been so delighted to see a clear sky!

LBB> The campaign reflects a shift towards mindful drinking in Ireland. How did you aim to capture this cultural evolution in the film, and what impact do you hope it will have on viewers?

Leo> We’ve all seen a growing trend of drink awareness not just in Ireland but worldwide. Often the messaging can be quite negative, focused on the health risks of alcohol, which is very important. But I think this film inhabits a new space, focusing on the positives not just for physical health but mental wellbeing and the positive life changes that come from this.

LBB> How did you approach integrating the spoken word into the visual narrative, and what effect did you aim to achieve through this fusion?

Leo> Spoken word pieces can be so powerful and I took inspiration for the visual language from two of my favourite short films ever made: ‘Just Saying’ and ‘All of This Unreal Time’. These films are much grander in scope and much more serious but they were great examples of how to keep things visually engaging in what is effectively a walking piece-to-camera.

For me, the balance was keeping the viewer interested while also keeping enough focus on Nealo, who is the heartbeat of the film and whose delivery is so crucial. I think we achieved a nice balance of interspersed visuals to keep things dynamic while keeping Nealo centre-stage.

LBB> How has directing this campaign influenced your own perspective on mindful drinking and personal well-being?

Leo> Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the odd pint or two but it was hard not to get caught up in the positive message we were trying to tell. When I’m in the thick of a project, it can sometimes water down the message to feel like a cog in a wheel. But the way people have reacted to this film has really brought home how meaningful and important it is to be more aware of your drinking habits.

LBB> Since the film's release, what feedback or reactions have stood out to you? How do you measure the success of a campaign that seeks to inspire personal change?

Leo> With pieces like this, you’re obviously hoping for a positive reaction. but it’s hard to judge whether it will really strike the chord you hope it will. I sometimes shy away from checking the feedback on my work, but from what I have seen, this film has been received really well. I’m sure someone has been checking the marketing metrics and evaluating its success that way, but honestly, with a campaign like this, if you’ve made even one person think twice about their relationship with alcohol, then we’ve done something right. And yes, that person is me.

LBB> Anything else you'd like to add?

Leo> I have to give credit to both the agency, Bonfire, and the client, Drinkaware, for having absolute faith in me on this one. It might be the first time in my career that a first cut went through without a single change, which is a great feeling!