The Directors: James F. Coton

James F. Coton, a director renowned for his dynamic and visionary style, possesses a global perspective that infuses his work with a trademark aesthetic, making him much sought-after by brands worldwide.

Born into a generation heavily influenced by Japanese video games, cutting-edge technologies, and the rise of Hip Hop in the 1980s, James has an inherent appreciation for the ever-evolving landscape of innovation and diversity. He’s known for his use of fluid camera movements, a signature visual style that underpins his distinctive approach to capturing both performance and product to create visually stunning films.

James has helmed campaigns around the world for such brands as BMW, Mercedes, Lancôme, Volkswagen, T-Mobile, Lexus, and Nokia, to name a few, leaving an indelible mark through his innovative and premium visual storytelling, continually seeking to push creative boundaries and deliver fresh perspectives.

Name: James F. Coton

Location: Paris

Repped by/in: OB42 in the UK

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

James> When the script is more oriented towards storytelling and humour, because that's where I'd like to push my direction work. All scripts that take me out of my comfort zone.

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

James> It really depends on the project. I always ask the creatives what leeway there is to challenge the project. From there, I decide whether or not to push the envelope on the agency brief. I have two ways of doing things; either I look for a lot of references from ads, movies, photos and I build my film with that or I take a blank page, a cup of coffee and just go for it, writing in one go. For this I need to be inspired and my brain must be in ultra-open creative mode.

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?

James> ‘It's hard to say because people often come to me for what I do, and my style touches different markets like automotive, youth, lifestyle and others, as well as different countries. However, for certain brands or markets it’s different. For example, between Lamborghini and Dacia, the car shots and the edginess cannot be the same. Generally, I try to quickly grasp the universe of the brand and the territory to know how far I can push it.

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

James> The two people I work most closely with are the DOP and the producer. Firstly, I need to align my vision with the producer to see if they’ve understood what is desired and more importantly, how to achieve it. There is often an underestimation of the budget for the intention of the project, so I am not there to conflict with the producer but to work together on the trade-offs and ideas to achieve it. As for the DOP, I try to push the creativity and let them inject their vision and style into it.

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?

James> I prefer strong, simple concepts that are straight to the point and ideas that play with humour and comedy. I would love to push more in this direction. I have some of this work on my reel but would love to do more.

LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?

James> Most often, creatives think that my reel is lacking in comedy, yet I have quite a few jobs with elements of comedy but the work that stands out the most and leaves a mark are the more elaborate, visual, lifestyle films.

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

James> I love to solve problems. I seem to have a good brain for that. How can I solve a problem without compromising the story, the concept and the craft? I did a big project where we had about a hundred shots. The agency and the client had a large number of very tricky requests, and sometimes impossible comments on each of the shots. The process quickly became unmanageable but when this happens, we adapt. For example, during shooting, one of the cast was no longer liked so we had to find someone on the spot. Then the set was no longer liked, so we had to repaint and rebuild part of it.” As I said, I like to solve problems!

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

James> My treatment is my 'contract', so I always use it as a reference. If they push back from that vision, I try to understand why in order to find another way. I'm really collaborative on that point, if the idea we change is the same level of creativity and craft. I'm here to deliver something good that the client will love. Of course, I need to be bold sometimes fighting for my vision but it’s always clear in my treatment.

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?

James> Absolutely! It’s clearly not diverse enough, predominantly white and male. I try to help with mentoring when I can, but we need to push this further. I’m all for it!

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?

James> I love the way that the PPM and offline presentation can be done remotely now. I prefer it. We need to be more efficient; time is priceless for two reasons, having more time for your personal life and being able to work more. I'm always trying to see where I can improve it.

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)?

James> To be honest, I don't think about it too much. There are always plenty of solutions for adapting to the variety of deliverables. Moreover, I shoot in full format, which allows me to have more options.

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.)?

James> I love technology and do try to integrate it into relevant projects. But what I've learned is that a lot of it is just fast trends that become creatively obsolete. So, if you're quick, you can implement it into your work to be on trend and one of the first. However, when it starts to become popular, it looks more like a cheap technique that makes no sense. It's important to utilise technology for what it's designed for. For example, I did a short experimental film after the first covid lockdown shot entirely in a virtual studio. What I learned is that I will never use this again just for fun. Let's use it for: never-ending sunsets, pack shots or to recreate an impossible location.

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

James> I love this one, this music video was so spontaneous. So real. It's a kind of improvised documentary. I know it would be impossible to do the same again. 

"This one had no budget and little prep, and it was also the actor's first time in front of the camera. So, a lot of challenges. I like it because it's simple and funny. 

"This one too, a simple clip with a simple idea. A day of shooting and a lot of improvisation. The actors were great. 

"This one is important to me because this film changed my reel in the world of automotive, I could say it was a game changer for me."