The Directors: Lex Hodge
Lex Hodge was a theatre kid who traded glitter and recitals for a wacom when she became a graphic designer. Her impetus to tell stories remained, and in directing she found the perfect marriage of design and performance. Always in service of story – Lex illuminates our most human experiences and translates that feeling into a visual spectacular.
Name: Lex Hodge
Location: Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Repped by/in: FINCH in Australasia, Buena Noche in Mexico
Awards: 1x Grand Prix, 2 x GOLD, 1 x Silver and 2 x Bronze at AXIS 2024
2 x Grand Prix, 1 x GOLD, 2 x Silver and 1 x Bronze at Spikes Asia 2024
GOLD Lotus for Sustainability (Gender Equality) at ADFEST 2024
SHOTS New Director of the Year 2023
1 x GOLD at Ciclope Global 2023
1 x GOLD at Ciclope Asia 2023
1 x GOLD, 2 x Silver at SHOTS Asia 2023
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Lex> Yes! I am working on a beautiful job that I can’t tell you about yet. It’s a moving and powerful piece. I can’t wait to shoot it. Always working away on personal scripts and music videos! Watch this space…
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Lex> It feels like fresh voices are being celebrated right now. Unique angles on stories, creative ways of pushing scripts. I’m all for the surreal and magical, so creating a visual representation of an emotion is really what gets me going. Comedy feels more insightful and abstract, and the world building is more and more stylised - this is what I live for.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Lex> Anything that allows me to sink my teeth into it visually and heighten the world, and push the performance with amazing talent. We always aim to take our audience on a journey, and a narrative with an unexpected twist is always what gets my cogs turning.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Lex> I am an instinctual director and I envision the script almost immediately upon reading it. My brain goes on tangents all over the place until I know when I’ve hit the sweet spot. I love to map out the script and techniques as clearly as I can, often creating imagery from scratch to visually showcase exactly what I want to create. I often shoot a film to test and illustrate my vision for the agency and client, and ya know what - it’s not only helpful, but hilarious.
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?
Lex> Super important! Not only do I need to understand where they’ve come from, but where they’re willing to go. A director’s role is to push the vision and take it into another realm. Therefore, we need to understand where the line is. I always start by looking at any or all work that has been made for a brand, and anything that it sparks in me. A way in for me emotionally so I can use that as the grounding idea that we always come back to.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Lex> It’s always ‘One team, One dream!’ I don’t know if there is one single relationship that is more important than the other. Everyone works so incredibly hard and everyone puts their magic touch on the craft. However on set, after all the other elements are in place, I believe my job is to make the talent comfortable and guide them through their performance. Before the shoot I’ve had a hundred conversations with incredible professionals who make set and post production the magical place it is. So making sure the people who are most vulnerable on set feel comfortable to make mistakes, be silly, try new things and collaborate to the fullest extent, is my priority.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
Lex> Stylised comedy speaks to me in an innate way. I am a lover of the beautiful, surreal and absurd, so the carefully thought out visual world of stylised comedy excites me immensely. And as an instinctual and off the cuff person, improvisational performative creativity is a match made in heaven.
However, if there's a subject matter that excites me most, it’s always in support of the underdog. A story that speaks to power imbalance or prejudice is always something I will be excited about. Not only is it a universal experience in some way or another, but I do truly believe that film is a vehicle for change, and I’m always chomping at the bit to be involved with projects like that.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Lex> That I’m not a comedy gal. C’mon gang - ladies are funny too. If you’ve spent any time with me you’ll know I’ll go to extreme lengths for the gag.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Lex> Probably needing to fill a stadium with off-brand smart speakers with no money and no time. Conveniently for me, I had the help of a wonderful friend who I collaborated with to 3D print 60 speakers in 3 days. And then of course the incredible VFX genius of Stu Bedford multiplied them into the thousands. ‘One team, One dream’ is always the mantra.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Lex> I believe that magic can come from conversation. Being able to express how I envision the idea, but taking into account the wants and needs of the client and agency can sometimes bring about even more magical ideas. It’s all about creating space for everyone to speak their truth so that we can always stay true to the core of the idea.
Collaboration doesn’t need to be a dirty word, it’s not compromising, it’s evolving.
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?
Lex> Yes! I was mentored on set, and have had young directors on my set too. Why should we gatekeep the secrets of the industry, when the key to directing is an insane level of self-belief in your own ideas. You can’t teach that. What you can teach is how to collaborate with the amazing professionals on set with you who elevate the craft with their skills.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Lex> It’s definitely important! More often than not, it’s a case of keeping the social aspect ratios in mind without compromising on your shot for the hero film. There’s always a way to make it work!
When shooting with various cameras i.e. film/vhs/super8 etc - I just know it needs to be in service of the story and not for the sake of a vibe.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?
Lex> I’m always here for new Technology. Get on board or get thrown overboard! I was definitely keen to sink my teeth into visual AI software. Not for a final product, because I believe we can never create authenticity and true emotion through AI, but for concepting and visual storytelling in a treatment context it’s an absolute game changer. As long as it’s not overused!! I’m all for leaning into new and immersive ways to tell stories. If there’s anything I’ve learned you can figure out how to make absolutely anything useful in film.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why? Include 3-4 links and a sentence or 2 about each piece of work!
Lex> ‘Correct The Internet’ was a joy to make because of the visual spectacle and scale we were able to create. Showcasing the volume of gender biased search engine responses and juxtaposing it with a young girl who has a lot of gumption speaks to the incredible power there is in questioning what is incorrect and standing up for what is right.
‘Get Up For it’ had all the ingredients I love, production challenges, a story told visually, authentic characters and a chance for understated and nuanced performances.
Creating a character from scratch was such an enjoyable experience. Sweating every detail about the way he moved, his voice, his look, his naive and open minded being was every drama kid’s dream. Not too mention we got to shut down the CBD of Auckland which felt like I was living that dream.
One Good Kiwi was an opportunity to let the freak flag fly! Dropping things all over the show, making people and objects fly and supporting a damn good cause allowed me to live out my childhood Peter Pan dream.
