Why Johnny Green Is Clay Born's Creative Hero

Clay Born is a Canadian-born director based in Los Angeles. Educated in fine art, with a degree in sculpture and installation, he has a penchant for using new technologies and his work is often driven by light. His vision for storytelling is born out of a desire to frame the world with a fresh eye.

With over 10 years experience as a top tier production designer, Clay’s experience lends him a unique perspective amongst his peers. His process balances wildly imaginative ideas with inherent pragmatism. He is always solution-driven. 

LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero?  

Clay> Someone who has always inspired me as a heroic creative is director Johnny Green. The legend of his path from production designer to director was certainly what inspired me to do the same.

LBB> How long has this person been important to you and what are your first memories of meeting them or coming across their work? 

Clay> It often feels like I've been in the film industry my entire life. Starting so young, I've forgotten more jobs than I can remember. Somehow Johnny has always been in the ether.

I believe I was introduced to Johnny's work through a friend Stuart McIntyre when I was working as a designer in Toronto. This was an incredibly inspiring time for me; I was building my career as a production designer with such momentum that I found myself contemplating how far I could go. 

Something clicked for me when I saw this work. It felt brave and boundless, anchored by a deep emotional core. For the first time, I realized that advertising can be poetic — that it can be an art form. This revelation made me want to further be a part of it all. 

I always return to the image from his Guinness ad, 'Bring it to Life.'

It features men pulling a carpet of lush green grass over a barren landscape. While the film as a whole is filled with visual poetry, this particular image resonates with me the most. Its simplicity makes it easy to digest, yet it carries deep emotional weight in both its concept and execution.

You need just a few elements to create a scene, but it takes a few more to build an entire world. Whenever I'm looking for inspiration on how to elevate a scene, I can always watch that ad and find my way back into the zone.

What I find truly inspiring about this work is its portrayal of healthy masculine energy—men motivating one another to create a positive impact in the world.

It's about getting our hands dirty, putting in the effort, and experiencing the joy that comes from our hard - earned creations.

This is the essence of what we do in the film industry; we dive into the trenches time and again, building our way forward.