From Vision to Execution: Roxie’s Creative Process Revealed

In this edition, our talented director and creative, Roxanne Halley, takes you behind the scenes of her creative process. Discover how she collaborates with clients to transform their ideas into compelling, on-brief content. From brainstorming innovative concepts to ensuring seamless execution, Roxie shares her approach to crafting work that resonates, engages, and delivers results.

The four stages of the director / client collaboration

As a director and creative, my job is to craft a film that aligns seamlessly with a client’s brand, product and audience - which? can only be achieved through solid collaboration and communication. At the heart of every project is one core idea: the client’s message must lead the way. Every creative decision I make flows from understanding their goals, tone and vision, making sure we are aligned throughout the process.

Here’s how I approach the collaboration with clients, step by step:

1. Identify Needs

This starts with discussing the client’s goals, their audience, and what sets them apart - and this will form the core of everything we do. At this stage we might discuss past work they’ve admired, and the specific tone of voice they want to maintain. It’s all about honing in on their brand message, so we can find a way to communicate that as clearly and creatively as possible. These early conversations are key to building trust and ensuring we’re aligned from the start.?

TIP: It’s really helpful to know what has worked for your brand in the past. Having previous work to refer back to keeps us reaching for a similar goal

2. Creative Research

References are a huge part of how I work. Once we’re aligned on the tone and voice, I dive into commercials, films, or previous campaigns that have a similar aesthetic, tone or target audience. Whether it’s an interesting shooting style, casting choice, a sense of humour, or a surprising twist, the inspirations I find in these references act as a springboard for new ideas.

TIP: Send your director any commercials, films, music you’ve seen recently that has felt in-line with your brand voice and goals. It helps us get on the same page!

3. Ideation and Feedback

This is where the magic happens. Keeping the client’s brand and core message front and centre, I brainstorm and refine multiple ideas. Some paths lead nowhere, but the process of writing everything down usually reveals 2-3 concepts worth pursuing. It’s about allowing creativity to flow while staying focused on the end goal.?

We then present the selected ideas to the client, which is always an exciting moment. It’s usually clear which concepts resonate most with the team. There’s nothing better than seeing a client’s excitement when an idea clicks, it’s the sign of true creative alignment.

TIP: Share honest feedback about what excites you and what doesn’t - even if you can’t put your finger on why. This helps refine the concept into something truly aligned with your vision.

4. Refining

Once we’ve settled on an idea, we refine it to perfection. This might mean tweaking voiceover dialogue, adjusting the shot list, or removing any script beats that feel unnecessary or could affect the timing. Every element is sharpened to ensure the brand message shines through.

At the end of this process, through collaboration, iteration, and open communication, we arrive at a script that’s polished, streamlined and ready for production.

TIP: Before we head into production, it’s crucial for the client to offer their thoughts on how we can better align with their brand. Now is the time to go over granular details - saving us time on the shoot day!

Every project is a partnership, and my role is to ensure that the final film not only looks great but also speaks directly to the client’s audience. Having an open channel of communication throughout the project, and taking feedback on board, guarantees that the end product will be something we can all be proud of!

You can see some of Roxie's great work here: https://slt.re/166b45

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