The Directors: Charlie Sarsfield
Charlie is a passionate and prolific director and photographer who regularly works with globally renowned musicians as well as high-profile fashion, sports, and lifestyle brands.
His portfolio includes collaborations with Stormzy, Mabel, Yungblud, Kojey Radical, Rita Ora, Sam Fender, Ghetts, and Louis Tomlinson, as well as Land Rover Defender, Levi’s, Nike, JD Sports, and Puma.
Name: Charlie Sarsfield
Repped by: Untold Studios
Location: London, UK
LBB> What elements of a script set one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Charlie> To me, a script has the potential to be exciting - and the prospect of getting on-set to shoot is the most inspiring part to me. I love to be on set, which is and it’s an inherent part of being a director, but being surrounded by talented people and creative minds who translate ideas to the screen is an incredibly special part of what I do.
I love it when I come across a project that allows me to create photographic frames, in which the camera doesn’t move but the frame is action packed. I love something that reads fast, feels explosive, and allows me to create emotion on screen.
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?
Charlie> Without understanding a brand's positioning within the market it becomes almost impossible to convey their required brief, so in-depth research is vital. I often dive into reading a number of brand decks and guidelines, always leading to new ideas, which is one of the reasons I love my job.
It’s important to first understand where the brand sits within the wider cultural zeitgeist. I always review any previous spots they’ve done, and research who the brand has worked with behind the camera to get a clearer picture of their style. Once I have a basic understanding I then ask the brand or agency any outstanding questions I have about how they perceive themselves, and in-turn want to be perceived by their audience.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Charlie> Every relationship is important on set, but I believe establishing a strong relationship with the brand or agency creative team is key. It’s super important the two of you are both aligned on the creative and have the hard conversations before you get on set. At the end of the day, you both want to do the best thing possible, and there are a million ways to approach a creative idea, so making sure we all arrive on-set on the same page, with no creative possibility left unturned is key.
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?
Charlie> I love working on projects that transcend simple consumer communications and boost sales, and that actually emotionally connect with people. It’s the hardest thing to do, but making work with a strong message allows the whole crew to connect with the piece in a different way.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Charlie> I often get dubbed a ‘pop music’ director because of my extensive list of music collaborations, which sometimes leads commercial teams to perceive me in a very one-sided light. There is a habit in the commercial industry of pigeon-holing directors, which can definitely hold emerging creatives back who are trying to break into new industries and spaces. The idea that you can’t shoot a football ad if you’ve never done it before frustrates me, if anything a director from a traditional music background is likely to approach a commercial in a fresh creative way, an important consideration if we don’t want all commercials to look the same!
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Charlie> Problems happen every shoot, so staying nimble and having a plan B, C, and D on standby is the key to shoot success in my mind. I’ve had talent not turn up for two days in a row, I’ve blown studio electrics, and countless other mishaps, but with the help of an amazing crew we’ve always put our heads together and come up with solutions to deliver a final product we’re always proud of.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Charlie> Everyone involved in any production wants the final product to be great and any collaboration between a bunch of creative minds is always a delicate balance. At the end of the day, as I director I am being hired to tell a story about someone else’s product, and creating something they love is of top importance. As a creative with a strong vision, compromises can be frustrating, but they are an inherent part of the process, and when tackled in a proactive way don’t need to detrimentally affect the final product.
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?
Charlie> I think it’s vital that our crews become more diverse; the strength of the creative industry thrives on diverse tales, perspectives and voices. It’s our job as people with experience and strong industry voices to do our part to bring more people through the door of our industry, who perhaps didn’t even know these jobs existed or how to get started.
I always make a point of being available to young directors, or even young people who just want to understand more about industry so I can offer my expertise and experiences. This often leads to mentorship or friendship which normally entails lots of coffees every month, or sending treatments to them and inviting them to be a part of the team in some capacity.
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?
Charlie> The pandemic really just taught me to enjoy the job more. There is always so much pressure on a job, and obviously lots of money being spent, but I never want to lose that joy of creating. I always feel lucky that I get to make my living being on set with good friends making good work.
LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best – and why?
Charlie> The recent project I did with Land Rover Defender and Kano was a big thing for me. I came up working with a lot of the UK grime artists and have amassed quite a portfolio of visuals or photographs of all of them, but Kano was one that I never had the opportunity to cross paths with. So it was a bucket list moment for me on that side, that was amplified by working with such an iconic brand. Landrover Defender really encouraged me to run with the brief and put my visual stamp on it, leading to one of my favourite pieces of work to date.
I shot a series of profile films for Levis last year, getting to film some amazing young people across a range of different fields and also photograph stills for the campaign. Sometimes projects are just so fun that they stay with you.
I shot a music video with Jesy Nelson at the start of this year in collaboration with Women’s Aid to raise awareness around domestic abuse. This is a topic extremely close to my heart and one that I’m extremely passionate about, so making this with Jesy and the whole team was very special. When it came out, myself and Jesy went to lunch and a woman came up to us and thanked us for making the video. That’s the reason I direct - to have a positive effect on people’s lives and tell stories that move them.
A couple of years ago, I was laying on a beach in Italy when my phone rang. It was from a record company and they wanted me to do a visual with one of their artists. Fast forward two days, six hours of pre-production, and not much sleep. My producer and I found ourselves on set with Stormzy filming the video for ‘Crown.’ This one is extremely special to me – I’ve known Michael for almost a decade now, and so having that moment where both our careers crossed over was extremely special and meaningful. We filmed it; it went out three days later, and the following day Stormzy became the first Black Male rapper to headline Glastonbury. My sister actually was part of the team that created the set for the iconic pyramid stage that year, so I had a very proud mum that weekend.
An honourable mention to Kojey Radicals ‘gangsta’ video, too! That one was a real celebration of mums, and that film still to this day is one of my favourite videos; and the song really slaps.
