Episode 48: Guy Shelmerdine

Guy Shelmerdine is one of the most respected commercial directors of the past two decades, known for his inspiring focus on craft, performance, characters and concept with a comedic through line. He joined the production company SMUGGLER in 2003 shortly after winning Best New Director at Cannes. He has helmed award-winning spots for clients such as MINI Cooper, IKEA, Virgin Mobile, Coca-Cola, Honda, Range Rover, Skittles, Snickers, Volkswagen, Weetabix, and Barclays Bank. He’s a rare talent to find equal levels of success in the US and European markets. Recent notable work includes his campaign for UberEats featuring Patrick Stewart and Mark Hamill, the Star Wars vs. Star Trek face-off we’ve all been waiting for. Other fan favorites include his inventive work for Starburst “Vertical Salon”, considered a technical feat of production design. Guy also created the pioneering VR genre experience, Catatonic, the first ever live-action virtual reality horror film, which was lauded at SXSW, Cannes and Comic Con. He’s a storyteller and comedy maker who has created one of the most original and distinctive bodies of work in advertising.