James Lawes

Background

About 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.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, Tim Hortons, Chevrolet, Nature Valley, Sainsbury’s Bank, RBS, EDF, Meningitis Now, Best Buy, B&Q, Canon, Ministry of Defence, Royal Mail, Pfizer, Age UK and Lexus to name a few.Award Highlights:My work has earned over 45 international awards spanning 11 major festivals and industry bodies, including Cannes, New York Festivals, EvCom, The Drum Roses, WorldFest Houston, the British Horror Film Festival and more.Multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze wins at the Cannes Media & TV Awards and the New York Festivals, from Best Event Film to Best Direction, Best Writing, and Best Public Information.A standout EvCom presence with numerous Golds for Best Director, Best Drama, and Best Health & Safety Film.Acclaimed in prestige cinema, including Best Director at the British Horror Film Festival and multiple jury and audience prizes at the Misty Moon International Film Festival for the short horror Be Good.Recognized for powerful public-interest storytelling, with repeated wins for projects such as Crossing Over (Network Rail), Nathan (Network Rail), and Graffiti (McDonald’s).Honoured for brand films - for example, Welcome to Our World (Smiths Group) and Who Else (Doncasters)- as well as high-impact charity and health campaigns like Rachel’s Story (Tearfund), Your Family Needs You (MTR), and The Fastest Hour (Meningitis Now).