Make Friends with... Jack Weatherley

&FRIENDS is launching a new series of interviews for you to meet our makers and get the low-down on their backgrounds, creative inspirations, and things they can’t live without. 

Kicking off the series is award-winning director Jack Weatherley. 

“A clear voice in British cinema has arrived,” The Huffington Post declared writing about Jack’s short film Pieces, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival before a run on the international festival circuit.

Jack’s worked on film, commercials, digital campaigns and branded content – telling stories for the likes of Nike, Facebook, the NBA, Rolex, UEFA, Vodafone and LinkedIn. Much of his work has been in sports advertising, through which he’s had the honour of directing some of the world’s most influential athletes, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wladimir Klitschko, Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe to name a few.

Jack, that’s quite the CV. Tell us…

Q> How you got into directing.

Jack> I've been fascinated by film and the process of filmmaking since I was very young. I used to mess around with video camcorders that belonged to family friends but the concept of actually working in the industry never really occurred to me, as it felt a bit like an impossible dream. Like being an astronaut or something. I went on to study film at university and after graduating got a job at a sports agency / production company. I worked my way up until I was eventually directing. From there I went freelance.

Q> Three words that describe your work.

Jack> Emotive. Human. Resonant.

Q> Which project you're most proud of and why.

Jack> I think I'd have to say the first ever short film I made. Looking back now, I realise that I made it to see if I could actually do it. I was directing by then at the production company I worked at but it was the infancy of my career. I'd never written a script before, never worked with a professional actor. It was self-funded and we shot it in a day. It ended up being selected for the BFI London Film Festival and some other big festivals internationally. It was a calling card in the true sense and opened a lot of doors.

Q> What keeps you inspired.

Jack> So many things. Art, music, design, architecture, nature. I'm a firm believer that inspiration can genuinely come from anywhere at any time, provided you're open to it.

Q> Something you couldn’t live without.

Jack> Pretty much everything I mentioned in my previous answer! It's a bit of a cop out but I'll say art - in the broad sense of everything it encompasses... Music, film, TV, design. With all of the distraction around us now, we need great art more than ever.

Q> The best advice you've ever received.

Jack> Appropriately enough given the advertising context of this interview it's, 'just do it'. In directing specifically you have to get out there and make stuff happen. It's a bit of a bananas job really, in that you can go from a small, independent, self-funded thing to a massive commercial, TV show or film in a relatively short time.

Q> If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

Jack> I think I'd take great satisfaction from being an architect. There must be something magical about standing in a physical space that you conceived and designed.

Q> A friendship that's changed your life.

Jack> What a lovely question. I won't name him here but an actor I worked with a few years ago has become a very dear friend and that friendship in and of itself could be life changing. We've been working on a feature project for a little while now, which could well come to fruition very soon.

Check out Jack’s portfolio on &FRIENDS here and to work together, contact@andfriends.world