“We’re Not Chasing Pretty Pictures – We’re Framing Feelings”

Jungle, the director duo behind award-winning spots for Uber, FIFA, Jägermeister and more tell stories of misfit characters through heart-racing action and textural visual effects against epic natural landscapes and city skylines.

Having made their start in post production and fine arts, the duo burst onto the scene in 2020 with the film ‘Trapped’ for Jägermeister – in which a man’s tether to his intense city life manifests as his body contorting in architecture – earning them the Gold British Arrow for Best New Director in 2020.

Jungle’s films have been awarded various accolades – from being shortlisted at the Cannes Lions 2022, winning Silver, Wood and Graphite Pencils at D&AD in 2022, to winning a Webby in 2022 and winning a Golden Clio in 2022. Jungle partnered with Wieden + Kennedy/Portland and FIFA 23 for ‘Matchday’, a cinematic anthem that captures the passion of soccer’s global fanbase. The film was chosen as an Editor’s Pick in AdAge.

Name: Jungle

Location: Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro

Repped by/in: Park Pictures, U.S. and U.K (US / UK / Netherlands)

Awards: British Arrows, Clio, D&AD, El Ojo

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

Jungle> We've just wrapped a short film set in L.A., centred around a Brazilian immigrant navigating the complexities of building something real in a new place – without a clear path, just a lot of hope and uncertainty.

It's part of a bigger project that is still unfolding, and we’re excited to see where it leads. Personal projects like these keep things fresh; they give us room to experiment, fail, and surprise ourselves. And that energy spills over into our commercial work.

It’s amazing how personal and commercial work are part of the same engine – one feeds the other. One pulls inward, the other outward. And we need both impulses – in Portuguese, "director" translates to "Realizador," literally "the one who makes it happen" – which feels like a good description of the job, honestly.

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

Jungle> We get excited by scripts that push past the obvious and embrace a bit of the strange – characters or worlds that feel slightly odd yet utterly believable. When a creative team is chasing something fresh, and isn’t afraid of emotional complexity or a little messiness, it opens space for stories that resonate deeply and linger longer in our opinion. It leans into authenticity, honesty – not overly neat – we're drawn in immediately. Those slightly human elements are what make scripts truthful and memorable.

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

Jungle> The treatment stage is probably the most critical part for us. It’s the real space for creativity before the machine kicks in. In the first days, we explore ideas freely and push the boundaries of the original concept. Over the next few days, we decide how we want the story to feel – visually and emotionally – by diving into the brand’s backstory, playing with visuals, and even testing rough shots. After putting in all the work, the story begins to shape itself. If the treatment feels compelling on its own, we know the film will, too – we’re probably on the right track.

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?

Jungle> Research is pretty crucial. Brands have their own language and history. You can’t fake your way into it, you have to connect with that DNA or you won’t go far. So we spend time learning their story – sometimes extensively. It might seem like extra work, but it definitely pays off.

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

Jungle> Probably the relationship between directors and producers. Trust is essential here. We depend on each other to make ideas happen, and that means open communication and shared goals. When we’re in sync, the entire project flows better.

LBB> What work are you most passionate about?

Jungle> We gravitate toward stories that invite people in emotionally – those slightly mysterious worlds that feel real, even if they're a bit off-centre. There’s something powerful about drawing people into a narrative that's unfamiliar yet relatable.

LBB> Common misconceptions about your work?

Jungle> One thing we sometimes hear is that our work is “too crafted”. As if visual intention somehow distances the audience. But for us, composition and emotion go hand in hand. We're not chasing pretty pictures – we're framing feelings.

Maybe it’s because we learned to tell stories where every shot had to matter. We speak in images, in rhythm, in atmosphere. So yes, we’re intentional with how things look – but only because it directly shapes how things feel.

The idea that style competes with substance? We don’t buy it. For us, the two are inseparable.

LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?

Jungle> Yes, and honestly, it's been mostly positive. Cost consultants push you to think clearly about creative decisions. Budgets are real, and constraints can sometimes sharpen ideas rather than limit them.

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

Jungle> During a shoot for an upcoming spot – beautiful, cinematic shots on a vintage train – we ran into a logistical snag: the train track schedule got to a stand still – meaning the train couldn’t move backward (half our shoot depended on that). We spent long hours standing still, unable to film. So we decided to keep going forward, filming the rest of the shots turning it into an unexpected road trip. Oddly enough, those unplanned stops gave us fresh locations we hadn’t scoped – and, in a weird way, improved the final piece.

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

Jungle> It's always a balancing act. We try to remain flexible and listen openly, but ultimately we come back to the emotional heart of the story. When disagreements arise, focusing on what’s true to the narrative usually clears things up – whether it’s the bigger picture, the scene’s rhythm, or the emotional arc – rather than personal preferences. Sometimes we shoot both ways if needed, but mostly clarity in storytelling helps.

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?

Jungle> Absolutely. Mentorship opened so many doors for us, and we’re 100% behind helping new voices. It’s important that support comes directly - director to director – someone who’s walked the path and isn’t tied to the production company politics.

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?

Jungle> We're intrigued by new technology but try to keep it grounded. It’s tempting to jump onto the latest tech trend, but the key for us is always whether it enhances storytelling or not. If it adds something genuinely valuable, we'll explore it. If not, simpler usually works better.

LBB> Work examples that best represent your style:

Jungle> Trapped in Time - Jägermeister: A surreal, time-bending piece that won Best New Directors at the British Arrows. It blends emotion, bold visual storytelling, and a sense of suspended reality that reflects our love for cinematic tension.

Karman: Visually poetic, emotionally resonant.

Cupra: Dynamic storytelling with a strong visual identity.

FIFA: Rich, culturally grounded, authentic storytelling.