Over the last two decades, director Jim Gilchrist has cultivated a well-earned reputation for a no-nonsense approach, and now he has established a film production company with that same ethos.
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Something quite revealing about Jim Gilchrist both as a human and as a director is his reluctance when it comes to self-promotion. Even as he recognises the necessity of getting it out there that he's launching Barn Door Films - his own production company - when talking to him about it, it's abundantly clear that he'd rather be making commercials.
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The name he's chosen for his start-up hints at the straightforwardness that has run through his career as a director. While he has been won many of the awards used to measure success in the ad industry, his work has also been characterised by a determination that the resulting film do the job that was intended by those who commissioned it. As he puts it himself, he takes pride in making "advertising that works". This shouldn't be a radical notion, but it kind of is. |
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about an updating of the production model, but meaningful change has remained elusive. In such circumstances, concepts like 'lean', 'agile' and 'streamlined' can become oft-repeated buzzwords, divorced from the action that would yield the overhaul many believe is inevitable. Barn Door Films is a reflection of Jim Gilchrist's aspiration to get ahead of this curve, and move forward with a dynamic set-up that's fit to do business in the second quarter of the 21st century. |
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The approach is simple: stay small, think big and always strive for brilliance. |
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Jim Gilchrist |
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Gilchrist has always been a very versatile director but if you had to attribute a specialism to him, it would have to be comedy. He handles funny scripts with aplomb and - just as important.- often manages to draw a levity from scripts where comedy wasn't on the cards. |
Amplifying the essence of a decent script is a passion of Gilchrist's: "my job is to turn what's on the page into the best version it can be." This, he believes, is best achieved by being across the multitude of skills required to direct a piece of advertising. He places "an emphasis on strong casting, unwavering commitment to craft, and a considered, photographic approach to every shot". |
It's an approach that has served him well over the past twenty years, and has made him a director who wins a lot of repeat business... an accolade that means that, as well as getting the work made to a very high standard, he promotes a good vibe throughout the process of getting it done. That's one of the many reasons why a company made in his image can immediately be thought of as a winning proposition. |
The Barn Door website is up and running, and can be found via this link. There, you can find contact details and further examples of Jim Gilchrist's work. |
Posted: 16 January 2025 - 01:41 |
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