Ridley Scott Creative Group’s RSA Films and Black Dog Films have signed multi-faceted director Christian Lamb for commercials and music videos, respectively, in the U.S. With roots in photography and cinematography, Lamb sports credits spanning music videos, commercials, branded content, documentaries, webcasts and live event broadcasts. He recently directed OneRepublic’s music video for “Rescue Me” which has racked up over 32 million views, Michael Bublé’s NBC Special bublé!, Beyonce’s “Formation” tour and Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” tour.
Lamb had been associated with Black Dog for music video projects but has now formalized that relationship by signing with the company. On the commercialmaking front, he also just connected with RSA Films. Earlier he had been directing independently and prior company affiliations were Hello and Company and a WHITELABEL product
“Christian is the first person I think of when a project comes in that blurs all the lines,” commented David Mitchell, managing director, RSA Films. “He directs narratives and documentaries, and he goes beyond traditional storytelling documenting live events with multiple cameras to cover the audience, the artists’ performances, simultaneously shooting for the edit and more. He’s collaborative with no ego and a pleasure to work with. Christian represents where we’re headed.”
Lamb noted, “As companies, RSA and Black Dog were intriguing to me because they incorporate everything I love to do with an eye towards what I want to do. I can shoot the music videos, commercials, docs and live TV, but this also sets me up to eventually shoot a scripted feature. It’s a place I can grow in any direction with. And I’ve always been a massive fan of Ridley and his work. Blade Runner was the first movie that spoke to me as a kid.”
Lamb’s extensive credits also include directing Mötley Crüe’s film The End, Jennifer Lopez’s Cantando Mi Vida feature music documentary which he’s currently filming on and off, Gwen Stefani’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas TV special, and Dolly Parton and Bob Dylan MusiCares shows in Los Angeles; music videos for Kelis, Taylor Swift, Hunger, Pentatonix, Incubus, and many more; multiple tours for Madonna including “Confessions on a Dance Floor” and “Sticky and Sweet;” along with Rio De Janeiro’s Oi Fashion Rocks. On the commercial side, he’s directed content for brands such as Ford, Jaguar, Wildfox, Lacoste, Volvo and Land Rover.
Joining RSA provides Lamb with a springboard to continue that diverse storytelling. “I’d like to look at a broad spectrum of advertising, from doc-style free flow, branded to scripted short film, dramatic to fashion to comedic,” Lamb said. “That’s the beauty of ads now, they can look and feel like anything.”
Lamb just wrapped the music video for OneRepublic’s “Wanted” which drops this fall. It follows his popular promo for the band’s catchy single “Rescue Me,” centering around a young boy fleeing a gang of bullies who he thwarts in spectacular fashion in a dance choreographed by Sherrie Silver (“This Is America”).
Being a go-to director for the music industry is something Lamb attributes to the creative kinship he strives for with artists, something aligning with Black Dog will enable him to focus on. “Black Dog gives me the opportunity to narrow down the path where I feel like we create overall the best brain trust as collaborators,” he said. “Having a go-to production family with the resources at Black Dog’s disposal allows me to pour more energy into the art of what we do. There’s nothing more taxing than having to micro manage with a new team every time out. Short hand and trust, the method to the lunacy, makes it easier to take on just about anything moving forward.”
Black Dog Films EP Julia Ochsenreiter assessed, “What’s amazing about Christian is his ability to go back and forth between big live productions and more intimate storytelling.”
