Starling Welcomes Directors Jim Pilling and Jess Journo

STARLING have signed two new directors, Jim Pilling and Jess Journo, to their growing UK roster. 

Jim has directed commercials for Paul Smith and Adidas and garnered well deserved industry attention for his trio of conceptual promos for the artist Samm Henshaw. Of his style Jim says, "Visually, I want to find those little sweet spots where style and story intersect - every frame a beautiful, photographic composition but with loads of layers to it and rich with story. It's all about being able to get the art and the poetic moments from relatively everyday things on the screen."

Jess Journo's background as a dancer and choreographer has informed her uniquely serene yet physical aesthetic. With beautiful promos and spots for Libresse under her belt, as well as her exceptional dance based piece for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, her work is bold and cinematic with powerful female imagery and movement at it's core. On joining STARLING, Jess says, "I'm thrilled to be joining the STARLING roster where I hope to develop my beauty, lifestyle and fashion work. I'm really looking forward to seeing my journey with STARLING unfold and flourish."

The final words go to STARLING's Founder and EP Charlie Stanfield, "We are so excited to bring Jess and Jim on board with us here at STARLING. There's a lot of young talent out there, but always stiff competition for the best of it, so it's been hugely exciting to be able to snap up two such exceptional young directors as they emerge into the commercial space. 

Jess has such an distinctive choreographic style that exudes originality, I knew immediately that I hadn't seen anything quite like it out there. And Jim's promo Joy knocked me sideways when I saw it. I watched it over and over again. It's staggeringly beautiful and just six shots! Ostensively it's so simple, but conceptually there's so much more going on under the surface. 

Ultimately, we're all in the business of telling stories and telling them well. It's  central to our ethos at STARLING, and something that weaves every director on our roster, whatever their style or genre, together. Both Jess and Jim fit this storytelling mould, in their own unique and stylish ways, down to a tee, and we're thrilled to move forward into 2023 with them as part of team STARLING."

And you can see Jess’s work here, and Jim’s here. If you want to chat more about either of them or STARLING please get in touch with Charlie here.