Escaping Creative Straitjackets
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Anyone who has worked to establish themselves within the creative industry will know a thing or two about working towards a niche. Finding your groove in a particular area and then carving out a creative signature. It works wonders for defining then harnessing your skillset, and creating that all important name for yourself. But what happens when you find yourself backed into a corner that you鈥檝e comfortably created? You may look up one day to find yourself fastened into a creative straitjacket of your own making.
It鈥檚 a story many creative folks are acquainted with, and it was no different for Banjoman director, Dermot Malone. Dermot has had a brilliant career that鈥檚 gone from strength to strength over the years, propelled by his ability to tell deep, meaningful, and often emotional stories. When he was approached to direct a campaign for comedy, it didn't come without hesitation. We spoke to Dermot to find out about the journey of unboxing himself, and experiencing a creative metamorphosis along the way.
"What if this f*cks everything up?"
Dermot says when he first got the call asking him to direct the campaign for Strong Roots, his biggest worry was about eroding his reputation as an emotional storyteller. 鈥淚 genuinely thought for a second, 鈥業f I do this am I going to ruin things?鈥. That鈥檚 both scary and exciting all at once. But ultimately some of the great filmmakers that I love and admire, dip their toe into all manner of genre,鈥 says Dermot. He wanted to show that filmmaking as a craft transcends these man-made borders. 鈥淚f I were to happily live in a pigeonhole, I鈥檇 call myself a performance director,鈥 he explains. 鈥淪o this piece, albeit happy, comedic and light, is still centred around performance.鈥
The approach to directing the comedy spot was interestingly similar to that of the more meaning-dense projects that Dermot has been accustomed to. 鈥淢y process didn鈥檛 really change at all. When working with actors, it鈥檚 always about having a conversation with them, focusing on understanding, and making sure we all know where we stand. Then it鈥檚 just about trusting one-another to try things and creating a space where the actors feel comfortable to explore. That goes for meaning-heavy projects as much as it does comedy. The only difference being that with the latter, it鈥檚 more immediately fun,鈥 Dermot tells us.
In terms of the language of the camera though, Dermot admits that was a first. He says you must use the camera to lean into the genre, which will include things like different pans, and interesting pushes and pulls that he wouldn鈥檛 typically use in emotive pieces. 鈥淭he output changed but the process remained the same; it鈥檚 all about respecting the cameras and the actors in a massive way.鈥
It's easier to get a tear than a laugh
The big question on set was considering whether the lines on the script which read to be funny would do the same thing when brought to life in a 3D format. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 very different from drama and emotive storytelling,鈥 says Dermot. 鈥淭ypically, what would work on the page there, will work in a scene. But in comedy, it can read okay and then fall flat. That鈥檚 when you need to be able to ask 鈥榳hat do we change?鈥 That again comes back to having confidence in yourself, the device, and your actors. You can then begin to workshop in the moment.鈥 Dermot says the spot was filled with plenty of improvisation. It seems that many of the challenges that arise can be put back to bed if you work with trust.
When it comes to Dermot's perspective, he reckons the experience brought about a massive shift. 鈥淚 now have a perspective on being able to approach different projects and something physical to show a different muscle,鈥 he explains. While it鈥檚 unlikely Dermot will become a full time comedy director, he鈥檚 delighted at having been able to step out and experience craft and performance from a new angle. 鈥淭he new perspective I have is that it鈥檚 probably harder to get a laugh than it is to make someone feel something; or at least the feeling part comes more naturally to me,鈥 he says.
The golden marriage
Comedy as a genre is renowned for being beholden to the golden marriage of timing and tone. Dermot knew from the outset that that would be the case. Luckily the tone was nicely set by the world they built, the music, and the production design. It all came down to the timing. 鈥淭he funny thing you notice is that with comedy, you know immediately on set whether it鈥檚 going to land or not. With drama you鈥檙e left wondering how it鈥檒l be received within the context of the larger scene,鈥 Dermot tells us.
Within the film there is a talking head sequence which makes it feel almost mockumentary, as well as the observation of two karma technicians in the flow of their world. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of like having two languages,鈥 says Dermot. 鈥淭he talking head completely breaks the fourth wall, and then you have this observational sequence. It鈥檚 as if they are fighting each other. That was definitely a consideration.鈥 Dermot says that usually the modes of stories he tells are linear, so it took a bit of adapting.
Boxes
For Dermot, he believes that there is a differentiation between being boxed-in, and being happily boxed-in. 鈥淭here are comedy directors, storytelling directors, documentary directors who nine times out of 10 stay in that genre or style. It鈥檚 very difficult to take out because there鈥檚 so much amazing directing talent, many of which are operating in their own genre,鈥 he says. 鈥淪ome people are very happy because they鈥檙e doing the job they want to do in a genre that speaks to them. But I鈥檓 just interested in exploring.鈥 Dermot says he feels a pull in numerous directions and after a near decade in emotional storytelling, he鈥檚 open to exploration 鈥 but his love for the deeper stuff will be a permanent fixture.
For anyone considering new territories, Dermot says it鈥檚 all about taking the leap. He believes that once upon a time he would鈥檝e seen the idea, and thought 鈥榥o, this isn鈥檛 for me, I鈥檓 the emotional storytelling guy鈥. In doing so, he鈥檇 have cut himself off from the experience before anyone else had the chance to.
Maybe the best method of escaping creative straitjackets is to remember you have the ability to pull apart the seams.
