Quick-Fire Questions with Kode Director Locky

Kode director Locky (A.K.A Lochlainn McKenna) finds great satisfaction in making every shot it’s own beautiful picture and bringing out the most unique elements of people's characteristics wherever possible. A recent recipient of the Kinsale Best New Director award, Locky's music promo ‘In My Darkest Moment’ also won best low budget music video and best cinematography. In 2017, his music video 'Better' won Best Editing at Kinsale and also earned a special mention at the ICAD Young Director Awards.

Hailing from Cork, Ireland, Locky has conceived and created music videos for Daithí, 1000 Beasts, Tim Chadwick & Eve Belle amongst others. Commercially he has worked for Sky, Toyota, Now TV, Heineken and Aer Lingus. Here, Kode gets to know the director a little more, talking In Bruges, signature dishes, and career influences.

Q> What would your ultimate cast be (four actors)? 

Locky> Clémence Poésy, Colin Farrell, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman, Brad Pitt (Can’t pick between Farrell and Fassbender!)

Q> Greatest influence on your career? 

Locky> Mates in my community who have, and are doing, fantastic work - they always give me something to aspire towards. 

Q> Favourite music promo and ad? (Obvious but always good fun!)

Locky> MV - Time to Dance by The Shoes or Territory by The Blaze - Commercial - Canon - Wedding (best copy ever). 

Q> Favourite thing to do in London or your hometown (keep it clean!)?

Locky> London… jumping from boozer to boozer in parts of town I don’t know. In Ireland, travelling around the west coast - especially West Cork and Kerry. 

Q> Brand you’d most like to work with? 

Locky> IKEA or Canon.

Q> Your favourite film character? 

Locky> Ray - In Bruges. 

Q> Favourite ever holiday and worst? 

Locky> Best - Iceland in 2018 (we drove around in snow storms for five days, it was incredible) or Australia in 2008. Worst… when I was a kid we went to France, big group of about 15 or so. Cousins, grandmothers everything… when we arrived the woman who had they keys to our villa had fucked off on holidays for herself and wouldn't accommodate us (and ultimately never refunded us). We had to reorganise and stay in a shitty hotel. The grown ups were not happy... 

Q> If you were mayor of London (or your hometown) for a day what rule would you implement? 

Locky> I’d install split recycling bins on the street for a start anyway… we still have one bin for all rubbish over here which is frustrating. 

Q> Bafta, Golden Globe, Emmy or Oscar? 

Locky> Palme D’Or (an Oscar would be okay too). 

Q> If you had to live in one other city on earth which would you choose?

Locky> Copenhagen or Berlin.

Q> What did you want to be when you were a child? 

Locky> An aeronautical engineer, a lawyer, then a garda (policeman), then an actor...

Q> What’s your signature dish? 

Locky> I’m a notoriously picky eater… I was reared on chicken nuggets so my taste buds haven’t developed properly. My favourite meal is probably bacon and cabbage (signature Irish dish) but I make pretty mean fajitas...