Content development and production company Rodeo Show has signed British director Jamie Lane for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. He has directed for a wide range of clients, including BMW, McDonald’s, Mars, Kellogg’s, and Vodafone.
“I was first introduced to Rodeo Show through [commercial rep] Corey Rodgers in New York,” recalled Lane from his home in London. “Not only are they just really nice people who take the time to listen to and chat with you, but they’re also exactly the right size where you know you’ll truly be supported as a director.”
Lane has been in the industry for almost three decades, directing commercials for the past 18 years, all the while building a name for himself, particularly in comedy, across the U.K. and Europe. He got his start as a director in the London arm of award-winning production company Great Guns, before moving on to helm commercials for The Love commercial production company, as well as HOBEN. Along the way, Lane also honed his craft by working as an assistant at Partizan to established directors, including Michel Gondry and Doug Nichol, to name but a few.
Lane has been described as having an eye for natural and fluid performances, which he credits to his desire to discover new and engaging actors–all of which ties back to his general love of people-watching. “I can be on the bus, unable to stop watching two strangers have an argument, and I realize it’s just like creating comedy — it’s fundamentally about working with interesting people,” Lane notes. Having worked with Belinda Norcliffe Casting for 18 years, he also makes it a rule to never work with the same actor twice.
Having earned multiple Cannes Lions for his commercial work, namely for the hoax ComputerTan.com website via ad agency McCann Erickson London and client Skcin (The Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity), Lane has an eye for comedy that encompasses both everyday and slightly stylized situations. One of his most notable ads for online gambling company Sun Bingo features a dizzying range of subtly colorful individuals, all interacting in a lively series of kinetic whip pan shots. Another ad for Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut, titled “The Rummager,” sees a relatably rumpled office worker searching for any utensils he can find to enjoy his morning cereal, all while an unseen narrator dryly tweaks his unorthodox eating habits.
“Jamie is a master and commander of the commercial format in his own right,” said Mike Brady, Rodeo Show executive producer and managing partner. “One look at his reel and you’ll find an entire universe of offbeat worlds and characters brimming with life. Every story he tells manages to feel original and true to the brands he works with; but anyone who knows Jamie’s work will most certainly know it’s him. We’re excited for the U.S. market to see just what we’re talking about.”
Lane had been repped briefly in the U.S. (via Trio Films) early on in his career but has not been engaged in the American market since then. Beyond his European commercial work, Lane enjoys still photography, with a notable interest in documenting London’s closed shopfronts and more eccentric residents. Whether he’s “having more than one camera nicked in a dodgy neighborhood,” or photographing a train commuter with a large snake around his neck, Lane is not one to sit still.
He is eager to embrace the American ethos that gives commercial directors more creative freedom in the editing of projects, especially with the backing of Rodeo Show.
“I’m excited to see what we can achieve together,” concluded Lane.
