“Everything Is Falling into Place” for Gabriel Novis

It’s no surprise that Gabriel Novis is a director who’s in demand. He’s booked, busy and “still having tons of fun”. And why wouldn’t he be? LBB first spoke with Gabriel two years ago, he’d just completed his first major American commercial project, ‘Tear the Paper Ceiling’ for AdCouncil and was ambitious to make his mark in the US as a Brazilian director.

Fast forward to now, and most recently, Gabriel’s worked on a sky-high campaign with FARM RIO x adidas, taken a rock and roll inspired tour through the streets of New York with Speaqua Sound and The Rolling Stones, and been chosen by the NFL to launch American football in his native Brazil. 

It’s fair to say he’s made his mark in the US market. Represented by LOS FILMS, the commercial production division of LA-based creative studio LOS YORK, Gabriel is consistently redefining the limits of creativity. Drawing inspiration from travel, Brazilian culture and real life stories, his work is bold and full of character, with the ability to really make people stop and listen. 

Catching up with Gabriel, LBB’s Abi Lightfoot hears more about his recent work, the positive change he’s seen in the industry and why he “can’t wait to get lost in the jungle”... 

LBB> Hey Gabriel! It’s been two years since you first spoke with LBB, how would you reflect on the past couple of years in terms of your evolution as a director?

Gabriel> All I can say is that I am still having tons of fun! The more you work, the more you start understanding who you are as a director… your directorial approach, and how you want your films to look and feel. I am slowly identifying and using my strengths to my advantage when thinking about concepts, working on treatments, on set, and during post-production. Everything is falling into place. It feels good! I am excited.

LBB> The unique mashup of skateboarding, rock and roll, and the grittiness of New York really caught my eye in the Speaqua Sound x The Rolling Stones launch. What was the brief like, and how did you manage to bring that vision to life so vividly?

Gabriel> When I was first hit up about this project, and they told me that the Stones would be involved, I honestly could not believe it. My brain started firing up ideas, and what made the most sense to me was to create something that would feel iconic and timeless, just like The Rolling Stones. I wanted it to feel like an extract from a classic old movie... something with energy! Rock and roll and skateboarding was the way to go. We decided to shoot it all on super 16mm film, and everything clicked.

LBB> Your passion for travel and the environment around you is evident in so much of your work, how do you find time to pursue this passion?

Gabriel> I travel for work. My life is work, so my life is travelling. It’s just in my DNA. My mom has always worked in tourism and my dad was a pilot, so yeah, for me, being everywhere all at once is just the right thing to do.

LBB> As a Brazilian working in America, you advocate for diversity and inclusion on set. Would you say that there has been positive change in this area in recent years?

Gabriel> There definitely has. The industry is more welcoming and accepting than it was a few years ago, but I think we still have a lot of work to do to prove our worth. Hopefully, our work can get to a place where it will speak for itself, and we won’t need to explain ourselves anymore.

LBB> And in terms of areas where there could be improvement, what would you say?

Gabriel> Depending on the project, some clients and agencies would rather work with someone from the US, and that is totally cool with me. 

But there are also projects where I feel looked down upon just for being an outsider, having an accent, or thinking differently. Which is definitely not cool…

LBB> Tell us more about your recent campaign launching the first-ever NFL game in South America, why was this an important story for you to tell? 

Gabriel> It was a combination of the two worlds I live in - the US and Brazil… I got to combine everything I have learned about the game and American culture and mix it with my roots - the culture of my country that made me who I am. This was, for sure, one of my favourite projects to work on! The Weeknd tagged along, allowing us to use an unreleased track inspired by Brazil, which made a big difference. 

The commercial also went viral, with millions of views, so I am still pinching myself that I got to be a part of it and make history in Brazil.

LBB> How did you infuse your personal experiences and knowledge of Brazilian culture into the campaign? 

Gabriel> For me, Brazil is about energy, and so is American football, so that was it! I wanted it to feel raw and fun, which is exactly what the NFL was looking for.

LBB> Finally, what’s next for you as a director? Are there any new technologies or topics you want to tackle in your work? 

Gabriel> There is so much going on now. I have been working on a couple of projects that I am incredibly passionate about. I just wrapped a global commercial for Zara, also shot in Rio (Brazil), and I am on my way to the Amazon rainforest to shoot a film and tell the story of an Indigenous man who went very, very far just to try to save his home (our planet). Stories like that move me deeply, and I can’t wait to get lost in the jungle.

I am also waiting for a few festival submissions for my latest short film about Alice, one of the very few transgender women surfers out there. The story is close to my heart because she’s a close friend, and I can't wait to share it with the world.