The Directors: BRBR
BRBR is a film collective, a family made of a duo of directors, a cinematographer, and a few more siblings. Now they live in London, Bratislava and Madrid, yet they work together globally. Specialising in research of the audiovisual experience, BRBR operates on the intersection of film, music and visual arts.
They met in 2013 coming from a mixed background of arts and cinema and they have worked together since then. They share a pursuit of beauty, power, craft and storytelling. They know where they are from, they have an identity, they are local and speak globally.
They constantly want to push boundaries and explore new possibilities on how to produce and create contemporary visual culture. Their film series 'Heroes of Today' has earned them recognition on the global stage at numerous film festivals and art institutions. In an ever-changing world, BRBR is interested in finding new ways of producing, especially in the film industry and is ready to face whatever challenges that come their way.
Name: BRBR (Luis Rojo y & Nacho A Villar)
Location: London, Madrid
Repped by/in: Birth (UK, US, FR, IT)
Awards: Cannes Lions 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, Saatchi&Saatchi New Creators showcase,
Shots, Young Directors Awards, Ciclope.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
BRBR> The best scripts are always those that involve some risk, genuine approaches, and somehow transcend the consumer object and contribute to society in some way. In that sense, we get excited about humanistic scripts that involve a certain epic quality and empower their characters.
We also like technical challenges, facing scripts that force us to invent new ways of working, to surpass our limits. A good script is always a good new challenge; conveying this to the viewer is about surprising them, being forward-thinking, achieving that unique feeling of 'seeing something new for the first time.'
LBB>How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
BRBR> For us, it's very important to visualise the film as much as possible before we start writing.
Since we are a director duo, we generally take some time to think individually and then come together to merge perspectives and find the one that fits best. From there, we begin to search for the aesthetic universe of the piece, where to place it in terms of image form, and think of possible references that help us communicate it.
We understand references not as what we want to do, but as triggers to present ideas. Therefore, we like to look for references outside of advertising, which helps to expand the imagination, to think out of the box. Once we have the framework and the formal proposal clear, we like to go into great detail and go as far as possible. It is not uncommon for us to create animatics, camera tests, or other types of exercises that help us resolve and communicate the complexities of the film, as these complexities are usually its strengths.
LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don't have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it's important to you, how do you do it?
BRBR> We usually work with products that we could consume. For us, it is important to be honest in what we do and not sell anything we don't sympathise with, and this often involves having to research the product/brand if we are not familiar with it. Once this is done, we work closely with the agencies to learn more about this new market and fully understand their strategic perspective in order to contribute the most richness to the piece.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
BRBR> Cinema is the ultimate collaborative form of work, and from this perspective, the director is just another part of the mechanism. It's not so much that they are at the centre but rather that they are directly responsible for ensuring the film meets the expected creativity and artistic relevance. In this sense, their role is more about harmonising the needs and capabilities of each team member so that the final combined result is the best possible.
Advertising also operates on different levels, and the relationship between the director and the agency's creative director, their producer, or the crew is equally important. In each of these areas, crucial and very different aspects of the project are discussed. If there is consensus among these three parts, success is almost guaranteed (almost, there is never 100% guaranteed success, haha).
Some of our best pieces are due to a very good relationship with the ECD.
By thoroughly understanding what they had in mind, their expectations, fears, or precautions towards the client, and where their excitement for the project came from, we were able to go much further, making their expectations, fears, or excitement our own. A good example would be the Heroes series; in the first edition, there was very good understanding, and from there, the trust allowed us to access the core of the idea much earlier before it was fully established in the agency network.
This enabled us to start thinking months before shooting, crossing references, visualising the film in our heads... It is a very enriching process for all parties and makes us dream of times and workflows that would be radical in the contemporary advertising landscape.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
BRBR> Our background is in film school and fine arts, and this is reflected in our way of working. Obviously, we are passionate about a project that involves cinematic storytelling or a bold and visually impactful formal intention, but we are quite eclectic in our working style and the types of projects we undertake.
Throughout our career, we have made documentary films (our latest feature film is on Netflix, ‘La Mala Familia’), worked with electronic music composers who are very daring formally (‘Territeire’), which have been celebrated as the Best Musical Project of the Year on Nowness and also exhibited in museums like the Eye Museum in Amsterdam, and highly narrative commercial proposals (‘Heroes of Today, Jesse Owens’), which have earned us recognitions of excellence such as being included in the Saatchi & Saatchi New Creators Shortlist.
We are passionate about continuing to grow, and we find it difficult to stick to a single genre or format. We like to work with a bold, passionate creative who is eager to dive into something uncertain about how it will turn out.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
BRBR> Sometimes we are exclusively associated with PSAs. It's a genre we greatly enjoy making and in which we also feel very comfortable on a moral or political level, but one where we can't always fully pursue other interests that have been inherent to our vision and way of working since the beginning, such as formal experimentation, access to new technologies or tools, or more complex or costly work processes.
It's true that we see ourselves a lot in films that address the humanity of their characters, with a strong narrative and storytelling, but also in our pieces that are more aesthetic, with a discourse closer to fashion editorials or 'audio-visual hedonism'. Being able to delve into the worlds of fashion, automotive, or sports are some of the themes we would like to develop more in the near future.
LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?
BRBR> As we mentioned before, the relationship with the producer must be as close and as honest as possible. We need to be very clear about our vision for the film and have a deep understanding of the existing limitations. From this starting point, it's very easy to move forward with the project without major surprises. There are always unexpected things; it's part of the magic (unfortunately, haha) of this profession, but in the end, it's the waves that allow you to surf.
LBB> What's the craziest problem you've come across in the course of a production - and how did you solve it?
BRBR> During the pre-production of our first feature film, ‘La Mala Familia’, our protagonist was put in jail just 30 days before filming.
This was undoubtedly the hardest thing we've experienced during a shoot, as the protagonist was also a good friend of ours. What did we do? Since we couldn't plan a breakout without blowing the film's budget, we quickly adapted the script to what was happening and incorporated reality into the scene.
Due to the judicial situation, we had to shoot the entire film with several possible scenarios (with the protagonist, without the protagonist, with the protagonist but for less time...). It was a tremendous exercise in flexibility and resilience. The result can be seen on Netflix.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
BRBR> The idea comes from the agency and is based on a much more complex and extended relationship than the process of creating the spot. The vision, execution, and realisation of this idea-the process of bringing it to life through images–is our responsibility. We believe that understanding where the idea originates, what its key points are, its no-go areas, and what concerns the client is fundamental to proposing a good execution.
We understand that in advertising, our role is important, but it adheres to a pyramid of needs and is not at the top. That being said, our value as directors lies in being genuine, honest, and committed to our way of seeing and doing things. Advertising is just another space to do this, and we are fortunate to be able to create a very broad and diversified body of work that allows us to speak with agencies and clients as authors, with a defined vision and a strong identity, working with them to achieve a common goal.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?
BRBR> This is fundamental, not just in the film industry. The shift towards a plural and inclusive society, with everything it entails (postcolonial thought, redistribution of various types of heritage - cultural, symbolic, etc. critical ecology.), is a necessary step for our survival as a society.
We live in a transitional era, and the increasing conflict in all aspects of society is clear evidence of this. For our part, we are clear about which side we want to be on in the history books, and it aligns with the idea of a better society that sets new challenges and embraces new possibilities, learning from the past and without fear of the future. Regarding mentorship and sharing knowledge, we always have new talents on set, be it students or very young and eager people.
We also make significant efforts to help those who have not yet entered the circle of film and audio-visual production to get their first opportunities. We come from working-class neighbourhoods, and our access to cinema was not typical, so we keep this in mind when opening doors for those who come after us.
LBB> How do you feel the pandemic is going to influence the way you work into the longer term? Have you picked up new habits that you feel will stick around for a long time?
BRBR> We are a collective spread across different countries around the world, so our working method already involved video calls, and working worldwide, we are accustomed to online presentations. We believe that certain things will become increasingly valuable, such as offline presence, in-person meetings, the ability to value the tactile, and creating healthy and non-suffocating work/life environments, etc.
That said, we try to look forward and see more potential for change in new challenges through technology or ways of life in cities (climate change, etc.) than in the pandemic from a few years ago.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
BRBR> It is important to think about how your work will be received, without prejudice and being realistic. It's true that the smartphone is a fundamental screen in the contemporary world, and it's key to take this into account.
That said, it's not the only one. When we make films, we like to keep in mind the cinema experience-shared, in the dark, on a big screen, a physical event. When we create art, we think a lot about the context in which it will be received–and here we don't even consider the screen as the only way to make cinema; we increasingly find ourselves in formats close to the live arts.
But of course, the phone is always there, occupying many hours of the day, and a large part of the bombardment of images so representative of contemporary life is thanks to or because of this. It's a more complex question about how to consume advertising, and consequently, how to produce it. We have several hypotheses and few certainties.
LBB> What's your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, Al/ data-driven visuals etc)?
BRBR> We are very interested in exploring new technologies and are developing several formats. We believe it is essential for creative thinking to accompany technological development. While we may not be at the forefront of technology, we can be at the forefront of how to use it. These are two sides of the same coin, in the same way that science fiction has sown scenarios that scientists would later develop because they already existed in their imaginations.
LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best - and why?
BRBR> Heroes of today I, ‘Jesse Owens’
Heroes of today II, ‘Stonewall’
Salvation Army, ‘I’m Hiring’
Territoire: 'Exil'
