Podcast Episode: Directing Branded Content in the Outdoors
When I look back on the arc of my filmmaking journey, one question keeps resurfacing:
How do I use film to show the best of humanity?
That’s what I got the chance to explore in a recent podcast interview where we had a conversation that went way deeper than gear or technique. We talked about where this all started for me, how I transitioned from international diplomacy to filmmaking, and why I approach commercial work with the same intentionality I once reserved for documentaries. Whether I’m shooting a ski commercial, a fashion spot, or a film about a blind climber chasing freedom in the mountains, my goal is the same: to show people as joyful, resilient, beautiful, and deeply human.
From Diplomacy to Directing
Before I ever picked up a camera, I was on track to become a diplomat. I studied Arabic and Spanish. I lived in Costa Rica and Wales. I thought my role in the world would be building bridges between cultures.
And then somewhere between skateboarding with my friends in the UK and documenting cold, awkward surf sessions, I started to fall in love with capturing moments on film. It was never supposed to become a career. But by the end of college, after four years of making wedding films, mini-docs, and freelance promos, I found myself at a crossroads: take a job in foreign affairs or give filmmaking a real shot.
I chose the camera.
My lifestyle work for Wishgarden Herbs, one of the 10 videos we created to boost their social presence
The Experiential Approach
People often associate me with outdoor filmmaking and yes, I’ve made a lot of adventure films. I’ve ice climbed with blind athletes, run behind ultramarathoners at Barkley, and surfed jellyfish strewn waves in Senegal with my camera housing flooding up from the inside.
But whether it’s a gritty alpine film or a lifestyle commercial, I approach every shoot the same way:
I don’t stage moments. I create space for them to happen.
I call this the experiential approach. It means directing in a way that honors reality where talent can just be, and my job is to capture the emotional truth of that moment. Not force it. Not over-choreograph it. But witness it.
That’s why clients bring me into commercial projects. Not just for epic drone shots or technical climbing skills, but because I help brands tell relevant character-driven stories that feel authentic, not manufactured.
Creative Meets Commercial
As I moved deeper into commercial work, I realized the best directors aren’t just artists. They’re also strategic thinkers. You need to understand the brand’s values, the campaign goals, the media placement, and the message hierarchy. You need to know what ROI means not just numerically, but emotionally.
My work for Patagonia with athlete Katie Lamb showing how she makes her own clothes, contributing to the brand building of Patagonia’s sustainability ethos.
So I started treating every brand like a relationship. I ask real questions. I listen for what success means to them. Sometimes it’s sales. Sometimes it’s visibility. Sometimes it’s just creating something they’re proud to share.
When I know that, I can direct commercials that feel authentic to the audience and true to the brand. That’s how you make a piece of content actually strategically work.
Wearing All the Hats
Most of my projects start and end with me. I direct, shoot, edit - often wearing all those hats in one project. And to keep it from becoming chaos, I treat each hat as its own voice.
There’s Cinematographer Roo who’s just trying to get good light.
Then Editor Roo shows up and judges that shot harshly.
Director Roo leaves notes to both: this moment needs to breathe a bit or cut this, it’s not saying anything.
This system lets me stay accountable to the story rather than get stuck in one role. It also helps me remove ego from the process and focus on the soul of the piece. Because at the end of the day, my films are about people - not gear, not perfection, not polish. Just people.
Storytelling with Purpose
I’ve spent the last decade telling stories that spotlight empathy, resilience, and connection. Whether it’s in outdoor spaces or in fashion or biotech, I’m drawn to projects that help people feel more hopeful, more seen, more empowered.
And I don’t think commercials are any less meaningful than documentaries. Some of the most creative, emotionally resonant ideas I’ve seen lately have been in 30-second ad spots. I’m excited to bring that level of storytelling into new industries - ones that maybe haven’t seen what experiential commercial filmmaking can really do.
Because when people feel something, they remember it. And that’s the real goal, isn’t it?
Making Space for Growth
Part of what drives me is the idea that I’m always learning. Always building the creative muscle. I don’t wait around for inspiration, I treat creativity like training. Every time I sit down to edit or start pre-pro on a campaign, I’m building the muscle to keep doing this work for the long haul.
And as I grow, I’m branching out into fashion, into biotech, into stories that live outside the traditional “adventure” space. But even in those new spaces, I bring the same principles with me:
Be human. Be curious. Make it matter.
The Films I Want to Make
My good friend and Netflix Director of the Alpinist, the Dawn Wall and Valley Uprising once told me my work feels “cute,” but I took it as a compliment since it’s totally true. What he really meant, I think, is that my films feel wholesome. And yeah, they are. I want people to feel good. To feel seen. To feel like the world is still full of joy and resilience and beauty, because it is.
That’s why I make the films I make.
And if you’re a brand or a person trying to tell that kind of story too, one rooted in empathy, optimism, and truth, then I’d love to make it with you.
Let’s Make Your Next Commercial Unforgettable
If you’re tired of commercials that look good but feel hollow…
If your brand has a message that deserves to be remembered…
If you’re looking for a commercial director who gets it…
Let’s talk.
I’m based in Colorado but work worldwide.
I’ve directed commercials in cities, deserts, mountains, and oceans.
I bring 10+ years of experience in outdoor storytelling, brand strategy, and commercial filmmaking and I’d love to bring it to your next campaign…