Rollo Hollins - Shiny Rising Stars

Rising Stars profiles talented and often under-represented directors, who are achieving amazing career milestones since first submitting work into the Shiny Award. This month we spoke to former Shiny winner and Armoury signing, Rollo Hollins. He joined us for a chat to discuss his latest work and career so far.?

Rollo, when did you first know directing was for you?

Do we ever know? Am I? I apprenticed an infamous, very wild Director/DoP from when I was about 18. We travelled the world together shooting documentaries, promos, ads, anything and everything and he indoctrinated me into the cult of ignoring any sensible life choice in favour of trying to tell stories with a camera. I’m 100% sure I haven’t lived up to his expectations but he also literally nearly killed me twice, so I reckon we’re even.

And what about your directing style, how would you describe it??

A lot comes back to being a DoP and wanting to push around the camera in new ways to provoke a reaction but when I started shooting it was in observational docs, so I’m also always trying to capture the beautiful and strange chaos of being a human. Really I have no idea how those two things go together but I’m getting more and more confident in forcing them to.

Do you have any key influences that have really helped mould your work into what it is today?

Early on has to be Johnny Green. I was a runner and saw his first short Nyemka's Dream about an ice speedway racer on a VHS I found on a shelf. It’s perfect and still stays with me. His Audi Satellite spot showed me ads could have their own language. He’s a hero. Now I try to collect images and ideas from what my partner calls ‘the primary source’, ideas and art pre-advertising; documentary photography, film archives, forgotten cartoons, painting, internet holes, user-generated CGI fever-memes. Anything that sparks as interesting to me. Every year I make a print book of all of my finds and I’ll often look through those for inspiration.

And in regards to Armoury, how did your relationship with them come about?

I was repped globally by a bunch of heroes whom I love, but my hunch (which may be wrong) is that as advertising becomes more personal and the line between selling and entertaining gets more blurred, it’s better to work with smaller boutique production companies with voices unique to their particular market. So that’s what I’ve been searching for and so far have found a bunch of companies from all over the world who get my work and know how it sells for their very specific market and then Matt at Armoury trapped me in this room and made me sign a piece of paper and now I’m writing this, send help!

Can you tell us about your best experience as a director?

I was making a short and met with the line producer who suggested shooting it over 2 days with a full feature style crew but I managed to persuade them that we should lose almost everything, borrow a 35mm camera, buy a load of stock and shoot it over 8 days for the same money with a tiny core crew. We only had 20 minutes of stock to shoot each day but it gave us so much free time that we could travel to the best locations, rehearse/build each scene as a group, wait for the best light and all take communal naps at lunch. It was the best.

How about the worst?

I wish I could tell you, it's horrifically hilarious. But everyone survived and it wasn’t my fault.

And if money were no object, what kind of films could you see yourself making?

I’ve been wanting to make my first feature for years but even though it’s been a slog at times, I don’t mind the time it’s taken. I think you have to be able to prove it’s worth the insane money it costs. Even the wildest, weirdest films are wrapped in some Exec Producers sensible business plan. So if you're offering ultimate money I reckon funnel it away to mentor new voices and I’ll keep working to prove these scripts are worth the investment. I’m taking this question too literally aren’t I? Big massive movies that prod reality, snap heart strings and make me proud on my deathbed, please, thanks.?

Finally, can you give us an insight into what exciting projects are next for you?

My first feature is out to cast and looking to shoot at the beginning of next year, pandemics willing (which is still a surprise to me as the script is mental) and I’ve literally just yesterday finished the script on a second feature I have in development in the US. I’ve also just landed my first big US Ad campaign which is cool as I’m also working as the Creative Director (and they passed up RGA!), so there is a nice amount of prep time which is a joy. In-between I should have a couple of nice spots for a big tech brand shooting here in the UK and then popping over to the Middle East for a quick thing if I can fit it in. Should be good!

You can check out more of Rollo’s amazing work, including his Shiny Award-winning film ‘Bears Den’, here.