James Lawes

I absolutely love telling stories!

Known for my emotive, visceral films and ability to get strong performances from both actors and non-actors alike, my style mixes the authentic with the sometimes otherworldly.

Through my distinctive mix of in-camera visual effects and highly considered, cinematic style, I aim to bring a touch of the unexpected to the everyday. My work has consistently won awards at Cannes, EvCom and the New York Film Festival, including Best Charity Film three times, Best Industry Newcomer and Best Director twice.

After graduating from New York Film Academy, I directed a series of idents for ITV that won the Cobra Vision Film Festival. This landed me a year’s supply of beer, but also an introduction to the London Borough Film Funding board who subsequently funded my debut short, ‘Lady Macbeth’.

Since then, I have been working in both the UK and around the world, across a range of projects, from commercials, music promos, short films, TV shows, and documentaries, always striving to create a memorable and thought-provoking connection between audience and subject.

My previous clients include Renault, McDonalds, Cancer Research UK, Nature Valley, Sainsbury’s Bank, RBS, Halifax, EDF, Meningitis Now, Accenture, B&Q, Canon, Ministry of Defence, Royal Mail, Pfizer, Age UK and Lexus to name a few.

Awards

• 3 Misty Moon International Film Festival
• 12 New York Film Festival
• 6 Cannes Media
• 11 IVCA
• 5 EvCom
• 1 British Horror Film Festival
• 1 Brand Film Festival
• 1 WorldFest Houston
• 1 Questar
• 1 APA Top 50 Commercial