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From Intricate Stop-Motion to Storytelling on an Epic Scale: Inside the “Itchy Brain” of Drew Lightfoot

18/11/2022
Production Company
Toronto, Canada
270
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The Someplace Nice director reflects on his extraordinarily broad filmmaking career to date - and how it all started by building off a few LEGO bricks

Don’t try to pin Drew Lightfoot down. The director, represented in Canada by Someplace Nice, has a staggeringly versatile approach to his craft. Whether it’s animation, storytelling, stop-motion, VR, 360 and more, Drew can point towards work which shines across multiple formats. Not content with mastering one aspect of filmmaking, Drew is already invariably moving onto something new in order to scratch what he describes as his ‘itchy brain’. 

Figuring out what makes the director tick is a fascinating process. It’s equal parts interesting and unsurprising to discover that, for example, he was putting together stop-motion animation films using his own childhood toys at the age of ten. 

Far more recently, Drew was behind the camera on a resolutely ambitious and gripping spot for BC Children’s Hospital. The impactful and intensely watchable ad, which spans almost as many aspects of film craft across 90 seconds as Drew has in his career to date, landed earlier this week. 

To find out how it all came together - and get more insight on that itchy brain itself - LBB sat down for a conversation with Drew. 


Above: This latest spot for BC Children’s Hospital offers a masterclass in animation, storytelling, and creative direction. 


LBB> Drew, let’s start right at the beginning - what kind of a kid were you growing up, and at what point did you start to think of yourself as a ‘creative’ person?

Drew> I was certainly a curious kid. I used to take apart everything from VCRs to radios to understand how it all worked. The only toy I ever wanted was LEGO, so I collected a sizable LEGO collection over the years. Just this week, I handed over my stash to my son and his mind was blown! LEGO was limitless to me. Many of the crew I work with around the globe also started as LEGO kids - I guess it makes for good problem solvers. LEGO was my gateway to filmmaking too - I started bringing my LEGOs to life with stop-motion animation at 10. I felt lucky to have discovered this beautiful artform that combined so many of my interests: drawing, painting, storytelling, and filmmaking.


LBB> Did you have any early inspirations as a filmmaker? If so, who were they and why?

Drew> I was a member of the National Film Board at a time where a catalogue or two VHS tapes from the collection could be sent by mail at any given time, for free. Norman McLaren was a major influence - he was whimsical, experimental, and human-centric. I watched so many different films, some of which I would memorise. 


LBB> I saw a previous interview with you where you mentioned you have an ‘itchy brain’. How do you scratch that itch?

Drew> Engaging in different projects does a pretty good job of scratching those hard to reach places. I’m spoiled that I get to direct commercials, episodic TV, animation, films, documentaries, experimental, and VR productions. I think the most rewarding projects are the ones that travel me to new places, for a double dose of inspiration.


LBB> You directed Horizon, a beautiful 9k 360 film to coincide with Canada’s 150th birthday. You shot all across the country as part of that project - did you learn anything which changed your perception of Canada in some way as part of the process? 

Drew> This was a daydream project. I didn’t consider myself all that ‘patriotic’ as I had lived in so many different cities and countries around the world. But I rediscovered that Canada is vast, spectacular and filled with incredible artists. I wanted to explore and celebrate the artistry in sport, dance and everyday life in Canada. 

I was determined to show places that most people don’t experience and to delve deeper, showing unexpected events in remarkable locations. We knew at the time it was a special project that would never likely repeat, with 40 shoot days across the country in all seasons with a skilled team of ninjas.


Above: Drew’s expertise in 360 filmmaking was put to use in this beautiful film, launched to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Canada in 2017. 


LBB> More recently, you worked on a great spot with BC Children’s Hospital. What was the biggest challenge you encountered on that project, and how did you overcome it? 

Drew> It was beautifully ambitious creative. I had this moment on set where I realised we had scheduled and were capturing every outlandish idea from my original treatment… that rarely happens! There was tremendous trust from the team at 123w and the client themselves to action the vision. I had included helicopters, projections, tilt-shift lenses, underwater moments, even an oversized goliath made of paper. The schedule was tight so I sought ways to capture it mostly in-camera, to tread lightly on post.


Above: A behind-the-scenes film taking us through the creation process of Drew's BC Children's Hospital spot.


LBB> You work with so many different mediums in film, including (but not limited to) animation, VR, 360, stop-motion, and VFX. Is there any kind of filmmaking where you do feel most ‘at-home’? Or are you most comfortable when trying something new? 

Drew> The recent BC Children’s Hospital project was the high water mark - an emotionally charged story with a powerful message. It awarded the opportunity to create visual metaphors to depict the struggle, perseverance and determination of these tiny humans. I looked for interesting ways to make the kids seem at times small and vulnerable, whilst at other times the mightiest of conquerors. We utilised lensing tricks and myriad in-camera techniques to hammer home the concept of “small is mighty” - from puppeteering a giant paper monster, to illustrating mental health with animated projections, all on the same day as flying with an air ambulance helicopter crew. What was most humbling was filming in a working hospital with real patients.


LBB> Taking a step back, are there any other projects or moments from the course of your career that stand out in your memory as especially meaningful or significant? If so, why? 

Drew> I’m grateful for so many incredible opportunities early in my career and in my formative stages, shooting in New Zealand, America and the UK. The most meaningful projects are the ones that make a difference, in addition to creating a beautiful film and unforgettable experiences. I directed a 360 film for charity: water where I travelled with a small team to Ethiopia to document the journey of a villager collecting dirty water for her family. The shoot itself was otherworldly, capturing these magnificent villagers in a breathtaking setting. We screened the film in San Francisco on a 300 foot circular LED screen with a live band performing the soundtrack. The event raised over $7 million for the charity in one night. It was stressful to execute something so experimental on the fly, but so rewarding to pull off.


Above: The Gift of Time tells the story of Abrehet Gebreyohannes, who travels across difficult terrain each and every day to collect water for her family. 


LBB> Having worked with plenty of exciting technology throughout your career, how do you consider the industry’s current hype around virtual production? Is there anything in particular about VP which especially excites you as a filmmaker? 

Drew> If the technology services the story, then I’m all for it. Further, if it’s better for the environment to create 3D worlds rather than building sets that ultimately get trashed, I’m in. I love that it’s limited only by imagination and is tremendous for realistic lighting, on top of it giving actors real elements to interact with. We created a micro version of VP for BC Children’s Hospital to simulate an anime background effect of blasting through space and time - and the kids loved it. 


LBB> As someone who has worked across multiple countries and continents, how did you contend with the lockdowns of the past few years? Has the impact of the pandemic affected your creative process in any way? 

Drew> The lockdown was rough but thankfully my family got over Covid pretty early and quickly in 2020 and we decided not to live in fear. Early on, in the slump of it all, I needed to create something so bad that I called up my friend and longtime collaborator, Martina from Dragonette to shoot a video, just the two of us. It was very intimate and demanding but I loved it, taxing but so very freeing. 

Throughout the pandemic, we pretty much carried on as usual, with travels to Europe, a healthy amount of US work that shot in Vancouver and the opportunity to live in New Zealand again, this time Animation Directing a TV show for nine months. It was wonderful to have more time with my son, my family, and focus on living a healthy and active lifestyle.


LBB> Finally - if you had the ability to travel back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be and why?

Drew> Hmm… Know yourself. Give fewer fucks. And never quit your daydream.

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