Style reflects

background

It helps to know a little bit about how Matthew Harris got into commercial direction to fully appreciate the diverse elements of the New York-based director/cameraman’s style.

The understanding human touches, the attention to detail and the accomplished visual style are what you might expect from someone who went from philosophy to science to editing to directing.

Philosophy major

Harris began his college studies in Boston in philosophy, was about to enter pre-med on the research side of medical science, but then decided he was too independent-minded to spend the rest of his life lobbying for research grants.

While trying to decide which direction to take, Harris was introduced to the world of film by a friend, who later became his wife. The work appealed to both the emotional and problem-solving sides of his personality. So after leaving college, Harris began a career as an editor of commercials and industrial films.

He’s been working as a national commercial director in the u.s since 1987, and has also been doing his own cinematography for about five years.

In Toronto recently to direct a candy bar commercial for a Toronto agency through his Canadian production house, Avion Films, Harris talked about what it’s like directing commercials in the wildly competitive 1990s.

‘One of the reasons I started doing my own dop-ing is because with commercials being so style-dependent, you want at some point to cut out the middleman and gain more control over style.

‘Also, if you are a visual person, you want to get more involved. There are always new skills to learn.’

Adds Harris: ‘The one constant about this business is that you must always be ready to try new and different things.

‘When I launched (into directing), the style was reality, really gritty, long-lens stuff. And now that’s all changed.’

The one formula for successful commercial-making that will probably never change will be the value of a good idea. And that plays into Harris’ reel.

Concept behind board

‘The one thing I always look for in a board is the concept or the idea behind it. I look for that and the potential of being able to work collaboratively with an agency and whether I can bring something different and interesting to the spot.

‘I’m always looking for whether I feel this collaborative relationship with the agency is going to work.’

But while the challenge is in fleshing out a concept, Harris says he also needs to have an emotional connection to the idea as well.

‘I like things that have a sense of humor and a smile. I’m not a comedy director, but I do need to feel that emotional element. I like to be able to think things through, but I also need that other piece to make it connect.’