The Directors: Franck Trozzo Kazagui
Franck Trozzo Kazagui is a French commercial and film director. After spending most of his childhood in the Central Africa Republic, he returned to his hometown Le Mans as a teenager, where he studied architecture. Eventually, Franck’s career as a team manager in the skate industry led him to pursue his passion for moving pictures and inspired him to start a career as a self-taught film director.
With a modern approach to his work and a focus on crafting culturally driven films, Franck uses cinematic language paired with unexpected camera transitions to create an intimate relationship between his protagonists and viewers. Franck has developed and self-produced several personal projects with an inclusive approach allowing his characters to truly feel seen. His recent short film 'LUCIA', which premiered on Nowness, breaks the stigma of being a pole dancer in modern times.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Franck> The scripts that excite me the most are those that resonate with my cultural background.
For example, with the Zidane project, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the GOAT who has made an immense impact on football history and the French legacy. This project also allowed me to tap into a cherished childhood memory. In 1998, I spent my last summer living in the Central African Republic with my father, and we watched the game where the French team won the World Cup that year.
Another example is the 'Clark's Original x Themskate' collaboration. Prior to my directing career, I was a skater and team manager, and Themskate founder Jon Julio was my first skate sponsor when I was 18 years old.
When I got a call from him to make a trip to Paris and link up with him and Clark's Original creative team to discuss ideas and give back to a community that shaped me, it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, also in streetwear history, this is the first-ever collaboration between a shoe and inline skate brands, marking a significant milestone.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Franck> Trust and transparency—these two factors are essential in bringing an ad to life; it is a collective effort! We can only work as a team if we trust each other and are fully transparent from the beginning.
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?
Franck> I’m very passionate about work that is culturally relevant, projects that mix art, fashion, and technology, like what Mercedes did with 'Project MAYBACH' in collaboration with Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Maybach, or 'The Art of Imagination' in collaboration with Moncler.
Experimental projects with a sense of fashion are the style of work I’m drawn to, like my short film 'LUCIA'.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Franck> People often think I only work on high-budget productions due to the quality of my work, or that I only do sports and lifestyle productions. In reality, I consider every possibility as long as the concept is interesting or if I have some room for creative freedom.
I truly believe that some agencies are missing out on great opportunities with talented artists nowadays because they are too afraid to take risks if they don’t see their brief reflected in the reel.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Franck> So many! For my latest commercial for Adidas with Zidane, we needed to shoot on top of the Arc de Triomphe. However, with the Olympic Games happening in Paris this summer, it was becoming increasingly difficult to get permits, and the agency was freaking out, as a problem solver, my team and I came up with a plan B. We shot the film in a studio with a green background and recreated every single detail in post-production. Nobody knew it was fake until reading this interview, hahaha!
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Franck> As I mentioned earlier, trust and transparency are the keys to a great project/film, If the agency is open to that, and new ideas or suggestions, I always try to find a middle ground, since I’m aware that they spend weeks convincing their client of their concept.
When I face difficulty pushing ideas to make a better film, I remind myself that it’s not my project nor my money, which makes it easier to have peace of mind. Generally, it doesn’t always result in a better film, but we can’t force people to work with better ideas, hahaha!
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?
Franck> Since a panel talk I did with Nike in 2022, I have been mentoring new talent, sharing with them how to create treatments, and giving creative advice on their projects or suggesting them for projects. I also bring some of them on set, allowing them to observe and ask questions as much as they want to.
The great thing about being signed with production companies that share my values regarding diversity is our commitment to making changes in the industry. We aim to see more self-taught creative minds from diverse backgrounds, like me, getting the opportunities and spotlight they deserve.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?
Franck> I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s already predominant in the advertising and music video world. Like it or not, these are the new tools we need to be familiar with. I love projects that mix technology and traditional cinematography in clever ways like I did with my short film 'LUCIA', using 3D scanning and point cloud.
LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best – and why?
Franck> Salomon, 'LUCIA', Adidas x Zidane and the Stormzy Merky Fc piece are the projects that I believe showcase my best work, or at least the ones people talk about the most.
Salomon’s project is a great example of how agency creatives and directors should work together, hands in hand. They had a great concept from the beginning and asked me to elevate it. For example, when I suggested shooting on film to make the story more authentic within our timeframe or pushing for a female protagonist instead of the usual male character we oversee, they said yes without hesitation.
'LUCIA's project was a carte blanche. My goal was to make a film that breaks the stigma of being a pole dancer in modern times and pays homage to that culture. I had no one to stop me or give feedback, except for Lucia herself if she felt uncomfortable with something, which never happened. That’s the beauty of collective effort and collaboration—a group of people coming together to deliver a project that showcases their best skills, and you can see it.
Zidane’s project is a film that showcases my ability to combine 3D/VFX work with real imagery in a surreal way.
Stormzy’s project showcases how a technical project with motion control can look very simple if used cleverly. This is something I aim for, coming up with clever ideas.
