Peer Review: Peter O'Brien

Who are three contemporaries that you admire?

Over the past few years, I’ve been loving everything Saman Aminzadeh and Elliott Power have put out. Their work is bold, innovative, and consistently pushes boundaries, redefining what commercials can be. Instead of feeling like bright, shiny disposable pieces of communication, their projects seem to elevate the medium and bring it into a new space, making pieces that are genuinely watchable. It really forces me to rethink my own work and how I can push it in this direction.  

You become an expert on butter for a week and the next, you're the go-to man on how much cereal looks normal in a bowl.

I really admire the work of Molly Manning-Walker. Her work as a D.O.P. was a constant reference in my pitch decks for their strong visual style. I was excited for her move into directing and it didn’t disappoint; her debut feature How to Have Sex is phenomenal and her first commercial The Grit for Amazon is right up my street—visceral, with strong performances and visual flair.  

The directing duo thirtytwo have long been a source of inspiration for me. Their documentary work is exceptional, and their ability to infuse that documentary sensibility into their commercials is second to none. It’s a balance I deeply admire and strive to emulate in my own projects, blending the authenticity of documentary storytelling with the precision of commercial craft. They make me want to be in a directing duo. Anyone out there drop me a line!

Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great direction.

One that's caught my eye recently is the new JD Sports Christmas ad The Family Portrait by Elliott Power. It's a Christmas ad that goes against the grain; it's human, with little tiny moments that are so real, you can see your friends, family, and yourself in there. It’s so great. That ‘bye’ gets me every time. (I also really loved their one from last year) 

Music is huge for me too. I feel like it can make or break a commercial, so I like to get involved if I can and work with the creative team to find the perfect track. 

Love a car ad where, just seconds in, you forget you’re being sold a car—New Land’s Marcus Ibanez' Volvo Little Things spot does just that. The edit flows beautifully on this one and the performances are really outstanding; the chemistry between father and daughter blew me away.  

I would say this is my most referenced ad ever; so many of my treatments have seen this ad plastered across them. Department of Education’s Every Lesson Shapes a Life by thirtytwo. Tonally this piece is perfect for me. It’s gentle and warm and builds beautifully without being flashy or overly cutty. It’s just lovely.  

What do you like most about the work that you do?   

What I love about my job is that it's something different every day. You become an expert on butter for a week and the next, you're the go-to man on how much cereal looks normal in a bowl. I love how you can be standing in a muddy trench in the lashings of rain on one job and the next you can feel the soles of your runners melting under your feet in 40-degree heat. It’s the variety that keeps it interesting.  

My parents would always ask me, “Are you going to be a director?” I always said no, afraid of the responsibility of being the ‘one in charge.’ 

What I really love though is collaborating with so many amazing people, and I’ve been lucky to do so on every project over the years. Everyone, an expert in their field. Everyone from production, agency, cast, crew and post-production. They lift you up, help you, challenge you and make you better. This all trickles down into the work, and hopefully in the end you can come out with something you're all proud of.  

What was your journey to becoming a director?   

Like in nearly every article I’ve read about how someone got into filmmaking, I too started making skate videos, filming my friends and making little edits. During secondary school (high school) when I really started showing an interest in filmmaking, my parents would always ask me, “Are you going to be a director?” I always said no, afraid of the responsibility of being the ‘one in charge.’ 

Sound is at least half of what makes a film work—sometimes, it’s pretty much everything.

In college, I majored in sound design and minored in documentary direction. My graduate film Rose did well on the festival circuit, so I guess that was the first spark of something, where I thought maybe direction was something I could pursue. Then, after college, I worked in all departments—sound, camera and editing. So directing was the next natural step. Ten years later, and here we are. 

Do you think your background working in sound made you a better director?

A better director I’m not sure, but I feel like it's something I care about a lot when it comes to making a film or commercial. Sound is at least half of what makes a film work—sometimes, it’s pretty much everything. In certain scenes, it’s the sound that brings all the emotion, sets the mood, and builds a whole world around the story. It’s not just there to support the visuals; it has to blend with them seamlessly. Take sound away, and you’re left with only half the experience—it’s that crucial. 

My parents have also been amazing. They never questioned me getting into the creative industry (even though, in their heads, they were probably slightly worried at the beginning).

For me, it starts in pre-production planning what we need to capture. Is there anything specific or key I need to chat with our location sound recordist about? Or VO, dialog, etc.? Music is huge for me too. I feel like it can make or break a commercial, so I like to get involved if I can and work with the creative team to find the perfect track. 

In offline edits, my goal is to have the sound feeling as strong as it would in the final mix. This helps in viewing sessions with clients I feel, and also acts as a guide for online mix. Then, when it comes to the final mix, I usually have a lot of notes…sorry to all the mixers I have annoyed over the years. 

What is one thing every director needs?   

A great producer and patience. For me, being calm (or at least seeming that way) at all stages of production is one of the most important things.  

I recently shot my first commercial in the US and the team at Emerald, John and Mara, made the process so smooth it was a joy. 

Did you have a mentor? Who was it? 

I’ve had so many mentors and people who have influenced my journey over the years. Ross Killeen (Founder of Motherland) was the first person to give me a break straight out of college. He gave me the practical experience I needed, and his advice and trust has helped shape me into the director I am today. For that I’m forever grateful.  

 My Mum’s nature has been the one thing that I used every day on set—that calmness and a cool head in stressful situations is something I learned from her for sure.

My parents have also been amazing. They never questioned me getting into the creative industry (even though, in their heads, they were probably slightly worried at the beginning). My Dad, being a live sound engineer, has had a clear influence on my interest in that side of things; not by pushing it but just from being exposed to that world for as far back as I can remember. My Mum’s nature has been the one thing that I used every day on set—that calmness and a cool head in stressful situations is something I learned from her for sure.