Will Innes Smith is a passionate multi-faceted lifestyle film-maker. His style focuses on the aesthetic and the emotive, an eye for detail often combining a stylish visual approach with a love for contemporary culture.
His work aligns captivating images with exciting ideas creating films that resonate with a modern audience. His work straddles a range of media - including live-action, CGI and animation across a number of lifestyle subjects in youth culture, sport, food and fashion.
As a creative Will has written and conceived a number of viral successes including the well renowned ‘4 The Players since 1995’ launch film for Sony Playstation. Will’s work has been recognised by D&AD, The Royal Television Society, Promax and BDA.
Director and writer with almost 20 years of experience in the audiovisual industry, including over a decade aboard Platige Image, an award-winning Polish production and postproduction powerhouse, responsible for bringing THE WITCHER franchise to Hollywood.
He started out in the industry as a writer, publishing his debut science fiction short story at 19. Today, most of his writing efforts are focused around screenplays, and his passion for literature fuels his adaptation work.
Michael Medoway is known for telling authentic stories that weave brand culture into honest narratives, blending elements of vérité realism with cinematic polish. Michael was selected for a 2019 YDA and included in SHOOT’s 2019 New Directors Showcase for his work on the Lexus branded film, ”The Art of The Dunk”. For the 2020 & 2021 Detroit Pistons anthem campaigns, Michael was awarded several CLIOS and shortlisted for D&AD, ONE SHOW, 1.4, Webby and ADC Awards. His short doc “El Gallo” on world-champion boxer Juan Estrada, was an official selection at DOC NYC 2018, winning ‘Best Short Documentary’ at the Rome Independent Cinema Festival and was picked up by DAZN for broadcast. Michael’s work has been featured in Shots, Little Black Book, BooooooomTV and Director’s Notes. Michael loves, in no particular order: basketball, coffee, Haruki Murakami novels, red wine and good company
Gabriel’s visual language originates from a place of poetic imagery and rhythmic editing. To create films is to sculpture in time is the motto he lives by. Add a clear sense of storytelling and you’ve captured the essence of Gabriel’s approach to filmmaking. His ability to direct actors stands out and is always rooted in the here and now. Listening and being present is the main ingredient of every great performance and communication. If Gabriel isn’t intensely busy watching his monitor on set, you’ll probably find him on the golf course or meditating in some corner of the office.
Edward began professional life as an animator before becoming an editor. Since then, work as a director has taken him all around the world. With a portfolio of work across various styles and executions, Edward has built a reputation on capturing beautiful, organic moments against breathtaking global landscapes.
Edward’s love for travel permeates his work. His knack for putting people at ease and capturing genuine moments of emotion has seen him create memorable work for the likes of American Express, Canon, Facebook, Cathay Pacific, Saudia and Chang Beer.
Born in Valencia, living in Madrid, Manuel Portillo is a young director of TV commercials, fashion films and strong storytelling branded content. He is obsessed with the feelings that each story evokes, and its beautiful and cautiously organic construction. In the last few years he has won 12 International Awards over 3 continents, including Best Commercial at the European Cinematography Awards and Best Film at The International Fashion Film Awards in Hollywood. In advertising, he has worked with brands like Audi, KFO, Warner, Red Bull, Heineken, Revlon, Sony, Microsoft and Samsung among others.
Zornitsa is a Berlin-based director and a graduate of the Film Academy in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg. Her diploma short film ‘A Dark Moment of Faith’ won multiple awards at prestigious festivals like D&AD, the Young Director Award at Cannes Lions, 1.4 the Award Show, Shots Awards EMEA, Clio, and Berlin Commercial.
Zornitsa's directing style blends precision with improvisation, focusing on strong, character-driven storytelling with a distinctive angle and a beautifully cinematic visual style. She has a special passion for telling stories about strong women. Her commercials, even in short formats, feel like feature films, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. If you look closely, you’ll often find a hidden middle finger woven into the narrative.
We trust you found our proposed directors for this project to your liking. We eagerly anticipate the shortlist and stand prepared to bring your vision to life with our directors. Thank you!