Creative production studio London Alley has added international director Sidney Van Wichelen to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. This marks the first representation in the American market for the Brussels-based director.
Van Wichelen has directed commercials for brands including McDonald’s, LinkedIn and Lotus, and music videos for popular European artists Roméo Elvis, Lefa and JeanJass, among others. One of Van Wichelen’s most notable projects is “Céline Dion” for Spotfiy. The commercial focuses on a bodybuilder going through a breakup, listening to “All By Myself” to cope. Van Wichelen played with various cliches in his directing to break the typical breakup stereotypes and surprise the audience.
“As a director I love mixing genres and mediums, from comedic commercial work to strong, emotional PSAs and documentary-style short films. No matter what genre I’m working in, my inspiration comes from the talent. I am very hands-on, and make it my mission to pull the best performances out of every actor and authentic individual I work with. This way, we all achieve our greatest potential,” said Van Wichelen. “By joining London Alley, I am being given the unique opportunity to bridge my background in creativity with my passion for directing. I cannot wait to dive in.”
Van Wichelen began his career in broadcasting and soon after transitioned into advertising, working at agency Grey Worldwide-owned agency FamousGrey. Van Wichelen’s work has been recognized by advertising award competitions including D&AD, The Effie Awards, The One Show, The Webby Awards, and Epica Awards. In 2022, his emotional film, “Break Away,” was awarded two Grand Prix honors and Van Wichelen was named in the top director rankings of the year by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
“We are thrilled to have Sidney join us as we expand our international roster of directors,” said Brandon Bonfiglio, London Alley partner. “He is extremely accomplished and has the drive to create amazing work. Paired with his creative agency experience, Sidney brings a unique perspective and we are looking forward to seeing what he does next.”
