CoMPANY Films Signs Ben Nakamura Whitehouse

CoMPANY Films has signed Ben Nakamura Whitehouse for exclusive commercial representation in the US. The new arrival to CoMPANY’S Stateside directorial roster was announced by executive producers Ron Cicero and Richard Goldstein. Ben has directed comedic, production-design intense spots for Subway, Twix, X/Twitter, Amazon, Pinterest, Nissan and Skoda, among others.  

Growing up alongside an engineer-minded father and an accomplished fine artist for a mother, it was almost inevitable Ben would be attracted to a creative profession that encompassed a diverse set of problem solving skills. 

“I had very little exposure to TV growing up, but was lucky to find a steady source of new and classic movies—which I loved,” noted Ben. “So when I walked into a London office as an assistant in my late teens, I really had a very limited idea of what commercials were —or how they could be related to the movies. Fortunately the office I walked into was Michel Gondry’s, at the very height of his commercial career. I was like, ‘Wait, you can do commercials like that?!’ AND, get paid for it?” It was all so incredibly glamorous. For a kid who grew up with a ceramics kiln in his kitchen, I was immediately hooked.”

Ben put his head down and proved his worth as a ghostwriter for some of the biggest spot directors in the business, a unique kind of film school that ultimately led him to the director’s chair. Ben said, “I absolutely love collaborating with agencies to continue to evolve the creative; to create unique settings, often heavily art directed, to elevate the creative and make sure whatever genre we are working in—Westerns, Adventure, Monster Sci-Fi, etc—that we bring an authenticity to the screen. Not so much keeping it true-to-life, but rather true to the cinematic style.”

Ben has countless examples in his library of work that embody this authentic-minded approach. One recent stand out is a Western stunt tribute for IRN-BLU, a 120 year old Scottish drink that is a national treasure. Ben explained, “We must have looked at 30 classic cowboy films, plus more sardonic takes like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Blazing Saddles. We were inspired by all of them, incorporating little Easter eggs into each scene, right down to the final frame in the product shot. Audiences appreciate this “pop-culture authenticity” and can sense the care it took to make — while still knowing it’s a commercial message.” 

To see more of Ben’s cinematic-inspired comedy, head here.

“Ben’s work has a dynamic mix of strong casting, character-driven story storytelling and visual humour, brought to life in visually rich worlds,” said Ron. “His experience, passion for fresh thinking and love of a good gag ensures his work is always visually compelling, deeply human and very entertaining.”