Edwin McGill on Curve Balls, Comedy, and Leprechauns

Edwin McGill is best known for his work for Old Spice with US agency Wieden + Kennedy, which garnered 10 million views on YouTube in just a few days.

His work is driven by surreal comedy, strong character performances and pointing at things.

Name: Edwin McGill
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Repped by/in: Clockwork Films (Sydney)
Awards:
• SI SI – CC’S TVC - Creativepool Award 2024 (London)
• Pitch Black Friday TVC– Super Cheap auto (TVC) MADC Best in show 2023 (AUS)
• Booth story (short film) Film of the festival Raindance Int film Festival (UK)
• Booth story (short film) Best editing Flicker fest Int film Festival (AUS)
• Booth story (short film) First Prize Best in festival Realm of the senses Int Film Festival (AUS)
• Booth story (short film) Best crafted Film St Kilda Int Film Festival (AUS)
• Lone Rider (Short Film) Palm Springs Audience Favourite screening (US)
• The movement ISF (TVC) Best Direction Bronze Phoenix award (Singapore)
• Your Move – Department of Justice (TVC) Best Direction Silver Phoenix Award (Singapore)

LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?

Edwin> I’m currently writing a feature film script that is in draft stage. It’s a low budget Australian dark comedy / thriller, it’s been a labour of love and I’m feeling really excited about where it’s at. I love the challenge of developing a long form piece while balancing that with the speed and complexity of deadline-driven advertising work.

LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?

Edwin> I’m seeing some brave, high concept ideas that clients are willing to get on board with. That’s the most exciting part of the job, when you have this amazing idea that is fun, clever, and that you know is going to cut through.

LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Edwin> I love high concept comedy with an unexpected twist or surprise. I’m also very partial to anything with mythical creatures - from vampires, yetis, and even leprechauns!

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Edwin> It’s a process that I actually really enjoy -- really delving into an idea and thinking about all the ways in which I want to help an agency and a client realise their vision. I love working through the script and trying to find an angle or an idea that may not have been thought of yet, so I’m adding my own touch to the creative outcome.

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?

Edwin> Research is always important -- it grounds your work in the context of the company and makes you feel comfortable that you understand the purpose behind the ad, as well as its place in a bigger whole. For me, it’s not as much about having affinity with a brand, but more about trying to understand the problem they want to solve and helping them to do that.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?

Edwin> There’s no ‘one’ person! Being a director is a collaborative role, being in-sync with the creatives is so important. When it just clicks, it just generates so many great ideas. But also the whole team is critical to getting a TVC to really work -- from the DOP to the 1st AD, the producer to the runner, it’s so important that everyone is working together to achieve one singular vision.

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?

Edwin> I love comedy that has an opportunity for unexpected, interesting casting. If the script has a surreal bent or the option for us to utilise some VFX, then I’m all there.

LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

Edwin> There have been lots of curve balls over the years, which I weirdly enjoy. The creative problem solving is one of the best parts of the job. One of the trickiest conundrums was creating a leprechaun for a spot but the actual actor was about 6”5. So, we had to scale everything on set and work through the camera positioning really carefully to make him look tiny. That was a headscratcher, for sure.

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Edwin> It’s a tricky balance but I always believe in being diplomatic and am very committed to the gentle art of persuasion.

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?

Edwin> Absolutely -- the move towards greater diversity has transformed the industry in such a positive way. I love to work with a diversity of team members and help them develop their skill sets and experience.

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)?

Edwin> We’re always working under advice from the creatives on issues like this, so that if we know it’s going to be shot at 9:16, for example, we simply shoot uncompressed so that we have enough room to scan and pan and find the frame.

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, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?

Edwin> I find AI useful for key reference images for treatments, although I feel it is still pretty obvious which ones are computer generated and which ones aren’t. I am yet to use virtual studios like LED virtual production studio Dreamscreen, but have been hanging out for the opportunity with the right script.

LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?

Edwin> Old Spice - shooting on 35mm film at Frank Sinatra’s old house in the Hollywood Hills, this was an advertising dream come true. There was also another layer of complexity as it required complicated post effects on film -- lots of fun!

Budget - 'Get to the Good Stuff'. From a visual and technical point of view, this was a challenging project that I feel came off in a great way.

CC's. It was great to delve into the telenovela genre of the Spanish miniseries. Definitely a
world I hadn’t worked in before and even the tongue-in-cheek version we produced was still vibrant and dramatic.