#9: Director - Michael Spiccia

Michael Spiccia is an award-winning filmmaker who blends emotional authenticity with striking visual imagination. Trained as a visual artist and graphic designer, he gained international recognition when his short film YARDBIRD competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Named shots Director of the Year multiple times, Spiccia has directed acclaimed global campaigns for brands like Apple, Amazon, Uber, Honda, and Samsung, winning top industry honors at Cannes Lions, AICP, and The Clios.

Aoife McArdle is an award-winning writer and director working across film, TV, and commercials. Renowned for her striking visual style that blends emotional realism with surrealism, her credits include directing episodes of Apple TV+’s Emmy-winning Severance, her acclaimed feature film Kissing Candice, and award-winning campaigns for Apple, Squarespace, and Absolut.

Johan Renck is a highly acclaimed Swedish director globally renowned for his award-winning commercials and music videos. He began his career in 1992, later co-founding the successful production company Renck Åkerlund Films while also running his own hit music project, Stakka Bo.Transitioning to full-time directing in 1997, Renck has since collaborated with major global brands (such as Nike, Mercedes, and H&M) and iconic artists (including Madonna, Beyoncé, and Robbie Williams). He has won numerous prestigious industry awards, including multiple Cannes Lions. Beyond commercials and music videos, his diverse portfolio includes photography, theater, tv series and feature films.

Fredrik Bond is an internationally acclaimed director celebrated for emotionally driven, character-led storytelling that defies traditional genre. His cinematic approach and deep sense of empathy have made him one of the most sought-after directors in global advertising, collaborating with iconic brands including Adidas, Guinness, Levi’s, Nike, Heineken, and United Airlines. Bond’s work has been recognized with top honors across Cannes Lions, Clios, D&AD, The One Show, and an Emmy nomination. He made his feature film debut at the Sundance Film Festival, further establishing his reputation for creating powerful, human stories that resonate far beyond the screen.

Henry-Alex Rubin is a French-American filmmaker raised between New York and Paris. A Columbia University grad mentored by James Mangold, he broke out with Murderball — winner at Sundance and nominee for the Academy Award.He has since directed two features (Disconnect and Semper Fi) and become one of the most decorated commercial directors globally: 100+ Cannes Lions, 44 Clios (including 3 Grand), 40 Pencils, 22 AICP awards, and 8 Emmy nominations with 2 wins for Sandy Hook Promise.Recognized for emotional realism, Rubin’s early “Whopper Freakout” became a Cannes sweep and AICP winner. He has crafted dozens of Super Bowl spots (including Budweiser Clydesdales), seven films for Sandy Hook Promise, and standout work such as Dove’s “The Cost of Beauty,” Gatorade’s Derek Jeter tribute, and Apple’s AirPods story - all earning further Emmy recognition.Across film and advertising, Rubin’s signature lies in human truth, naturalism, and culturally resonant storytelling.

Antoine Bardou-Jacquet is a multi award-winning director. His Honda ‘Cog’ film is the most awarded commercial in the history of advertising. His first music video for Alex Gopher explored fresh ways of working with type fonts, which later was used by the studio he founded, H5, in the Oscar winning short ‘Logorama’. In 2014 Antoine directed his first feature film, ‘Moonwalkers’, which was selected at SXSW and stars Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint. For over 20 years he has directed commercials for international brands including Visa, DHL, Virgin Atlantic, Shell, Peugeot, Nissan, Coca Cola, Heineken, Guiness, Belvedere and Canal Plus. 

Paul Middleditch is regarded as one of the top performance TV Commercial Directors in the world. He is Australia’s most-awarded commercial director with over 300 awards to his name, including 8 Cannes Lions - 4 of which are gold - and numerous other international and national awards. Having directed commercials for Carlton Draught, Budweiser, Pepsi, Optus and New Zealand Lotteries to name a few, Paul’s madcap humor and full-on energy have made him far and away one of the most successful commercial directors to come out of Australia and New Zealand. His ‘Happy Passports’ campaign for Tourism Fiji has been awarded Silver in the Destination International category at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) 2025. Paul’s most recent feature film ‘UPROAR,’ starring Julian Dennison, Minnie Driver, and Rhys Darby, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim. He works internationally between Australia, the US, the UK, Europe and Asia.

Jamie read law at Oxford and qualified as a barrister before following his lifelong passion for film. His debut feature Soho Square (2000), made for just a few thousand dollars, was picked up by The Sundance Channel and paved the way for award-winning shorts like She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (Saatchi & Saatchi New Director Showcase) and Tokyo Jim (European Film Award nominee, TCM Film Festival winner). Alongside his film work, Jamie built an acclaimed commercial portfolio for brands including Johnnie Walker, Budweiser, Toyota, Volvo, and American Family Insurance. His Johnnie Walker spot The Man Who Walked Around the World, starring Robert Carlyle, became a global hit—winning a Cannes Gold Lion and multiple international awards. Jamie has also directed for television, including Rob Newman’s The History of the World Backwards and BBC’s Roger & Val Have Just Got In, which earned Dawn French a BAFTA nomination.

A master of ironic comedy and cinematic storytelling, Matthijs van Heijningen has built a career blending humor, humanity, and striking visuals. From award-winning commercials for Heineken, Canal +, and Edeka to his feature film The Thing, his work is defined by creativity and soul. This podcast explores his journey - from early days on his father’s film sets to becoming one of Europe’s most acclaimed directors.