James Lawes
Food & Drink

  • Get Out More

    Nature Valley

  • Circle

    Ökopharm

  • Game Night

    Old El Paso

  • Better Health

    Phe

  • Smile Cookies

    Tim Hortons

James Lawes is an award-winning commercials director known for emotive, visceral films that bring a touch of the unexpected to grounded human storytelling.

His work combines strong performances from actors and non-actors with cinematic craft, in-camera visual effects and a highly considered visual style. Whether working with real people, scripted performance or more heightened visual ideas, James is drawn to stories that feel memorable, immediate and emotionally connected.

After graduating from New York Film Academy, James directed a series of idents for ITV that won the Cobra Vision Film Festival. The prize included a year’s supply of beer, but more importantly led to funding for his debut short film, Lady Macbeth.

Since then, James has directed commercials, branded films, music promos, documentaries, short films and television work across the UK and internationally, for clients including Amazon, Disney, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Lexus, Canon, Pfizer, Renault, Old El Paso, WWF, Nature Valley and Age UK.

His work has picked up more than 45 international awards across Cannes Media & TV Awards, New York Festivals, EvCom, The Drum Roses, WorldFest Houston and the British Horror Film Festival, with recognition for direction, writing, drama, public-interest storytelling, brand film and health campaigns.

At the heart of it all is a simple aim: to make work that feels cinematic, distinctive and emotionally alive.