Face to Face with... Peter King

In a unique spot for its category, DLKW Lowe and Outsider director Peter King have created a touching story about the relationship between two girls who are forced to live together, with their new Stepsisters film for Unilever’s detergent brand Omo. We talked to King to find out about the inspiration for the ad and why white t-shirts are a big no when it comes to war.

What was your initial reaction when you saw the script for the spot?

It was really refreshing to get sent a really strong narrative, character-driven script. What was really exciting was that it presented an opportunity to create a film that had a resonating story about real family issues. The thing that excites me as a director is the craft of telling stories, so I couldn’t wait to get my teeth into it.

How much input did you have with regards to how the film would feel?

After the first meeting with [creative directors] Christian and Andy it was clear that their main focus was to achieve a sense of reality. I also wanted to add a real feeling of claustrophobia, by playing with the small space that an ex-council house would provide and adding elements such as them sharing a bedroom. This also presented the opportunity for a little humour when they battle over the light switch.

Do you think the style follows any particular current trend?

I think that stylistically the advert is quite unique. We didn’t want it to feel at all like an advert, so that it would resonate better with a discerning modern audience. From the handheld camera work to the subtle performances, each element was considered to create the raw style that we felt was required to make this film affect the audience.

Were there any particular challenges to overcome during the shoot?

My producer Joseph and I kept saying to each other in the run up to the shoot, ‘This is going too smoothly.’ And right up to the morning of the shoot it was. Then all of sudden our DP was very ill and couldn't work. We decided to shoot the first shot with the focus puller operating the camera and our gaffer lighting to our DP’s original instructions. In the meantime, I called someone I had worked with a lot in the past, Carl Burke, who luckily had a rare day off and was on set within 50 minutes. I ran him through the script, which he had never seen before, and from there we just got on with it. Amazingly, we had planned to shoot 23 set-ups in one day, with children, and we only had to drop one. A testament to everyone’s hard work.

The two girls give very subtle performances. Was it difficult to cast them?

The girls were both great. We actually only did one casting session and were lucky enough to find them both there. We had rehearsed the key scenes a few days before the shoot, so when it came to the day they understood exactly the tone that we wanted to achieve and they got on with it.

Were you one of the kids who always went home covered in dirt?

Yes! I’m from a rural village so I used to spend a lot of time building dens and running around in fields playing armies with my mates. A white t-shirt attracts the enemy so it’s best to rub it in the grass for camouflage.

What can we expect to see from you next?

I’m really looking forward to doing more great narrative work at Outsider and of course, having a lot of fun in the process.