Rory Forrest Joins BBH as Creative Director of Black Sheep Studios

BBH London has appointed Rory Forrest as creative director of Black Sheep Studios, working alongside Head of Production Stephen Ledger-Lomas to drive creative output and commercial growth at the in-house production company.

Rory Forrest will move back to London from LA, where he has spent the last eight years working as a creative director, writer and director, firstly for Mistress (The Many), and then at Fullscreen Media, the world’s first and biggest influencer representation and content agency. He began his career as an art director at Grey London.

At Fullscreen Media, Rory created and directed suites of original branded entertainment for clients like AT&T and Mattel, most notably ‘Guilty Party: History of Lying” & ‘Hot Wheels Unlimited’ (which became the namesake of Hot Wheels’ biggest product line after the show’s success). He left Fullscreen in January 2020 to write his first published novel and to work as a consultant, while remaining signed as a Director/Writer to production company, Monument.

Stephen Ledger-Lomas, head of production and a partner at BBH London, says of the hire: “Black Sheep Studios has always given BBH a competitive advantage in terms of our film production capability. Since its inception seven years ago the team have worked incredibly hard to elevate in-house production and prove time and again that craft and creative excellence are central to this offering. Rory brings with him 15 years’ experience as a creative director, director and writer, and will help us elevate the work that we do not only with our brilliant BBH clients but also as a direct offering for any brands looking for the very best ideas and production craft in film.”

Rory said: “This is the most exciting opportunity in my career to date. Black Sheep Studios is already exceptional and creating a role like this really drives home the ambition you feel the BBH leadership has for what it can be. There’s been a lot of changes and reimagining of the industry recently, with agencies bringing production in-house, or production companies hiring agency people, and both trying to understand social influence as it remakes the world around us. But there’s never been a better time to drive harder with a vision informed by all three worlds.’’

Black Sheep Studios is BBH London’s seven year old BAFTA-winning creative production studio at the heart of BBH London with a rich history in production craft. They don’t believe in rosters, which gives them the freedom to unearth bespoke creative talent and build teams around every project.

As creative director, Rory will be jointly responsible for the creative output of Black Sheep Studios, as well as contributing to its commercial growth. His remit includes attracting and securing projects directly from external and internal clients and helping Black Sheep Studios to continue its mission to grow as an innovative film production company.