Interview with Tyrone Satchwell
Newly-signed Movidiam Talent director Tyrone tells us about his multi-national career, and his goals for the future.
Who is Tyrone Satchwell?
I’m a filmmaker, visual artist and producer.
A traveller who has been to over 30 countries and lived in 6.
An Arsenal fan.
Keen to learn and happy to teach.
How did you come to directing as your main focus?
It happened naturally really. I had worked as an assistant producer, producer, and fixer on a variety of productions including factual TV content, commercials and short films before setting up my own production house. Shortly after, I was commissioned by Microsoft APAC to direct and produce 3 commercials for the launch of the Surface Pro 4 in Thailand. It was my first big project as director and executive producer and I was responsible for every aspect of the project, from storyboard to delivery. They only confirmed with me 48 hours before the shoot was due to happen, so I literally had 2 days to plan 3 commercials and then shoot them over 3 consecutive days. The project was difficult but my team and I managed to pull it off, and the rest is history really.
I’ve been directing ever since. I enjoy crafting narratives and telling stories. I try to take the audience on a journey. I also believe that it’s my job to tell stories that may have never been told had I not been the one to tell it, such as my documentary “Black in Bangkok”. It’s a story about a subject that most people wouldn’t even think about. I love it when people watch it and tell me that it’s made them think, and taught them something new. I think that it’s the filmmaker’s job to make the audience think, and spark debate, because it means that the audience is engaged with the content, which is the goal of every director and every brand.
How would you describe your style?
I’m a big fan of camera movement and I shoot on a Steadicam/Ronin whenever I can, because I believe that camera movement creates a type of “kinetic energy” that keeps the viewer’s eyes glued to the screen. They want to see where the journey leads. In terms of aesthetics, I love cinematic images, and working with high end cameras and lenses.
On a commercial I made for Red Planet Hotels, I used an Alexa Mini with Leica Summilux-C lenses and the results were stunning! The skin tones and colours were fantastic and I was very pleased with the final result. I’m also a big fan of stylish transitions, as you can see in my Soapbox film which I think flows perfectly because of the editing style. We planned for it when shooting and then put together in the edit suite. It came out just the way I wanted it to!
But to be honest, each project requires a unique approach depending on the subject matter, brand, and target audience. Red Planet had lots of continuous camera movement and cinematic shots, because it was aimed at young travellers who would be the most likely to stay at their hotel; Soapbox was all about faster camera moves and quick and stylish transitions because was trying to capture the energy of the Soapbox facility which is always buzzing and full of young people engaging in a range of activities. We captured this energy perfectly
‘Black in Bangkok’ is an example of a more narrative style, which delves deeper into the lives of the subjects. This project was all about carefully constructing a narrative which informed and entertained the audience, and made them think about a subject they had probably never considered before — showing them a world that they may not have known existed.
Tell us about your work in Thailand — how does running a company over there compare to freelance work in the UK?
I run a production house based in Bangkok. We have our own studio, and provide full production services and facilitate shoots anywhere in Thailand or Southeast Asia. Thailand has a fairly advanced production industry, as big foreign films have been shot there for years and it’s one of the most popular locations in Asia for shooting big budget commercials and films.
The locations there are great for shooting, and the lower cost of labour means I often work with a big crew on many shoots, but actually it’s often more expensive to rent the higher end cameras and equipment there. In comparison to working in the UK, I find that I have to work with smaller crews here due to tight budgets. But because London is a major city, it’s easy to find talented crew members, so even with a smaller team the quality of the work is still high.
Apart from that, the principles of good filmmaking are the same wherever you are in the world, so there are far more similarities than differences in working either in London or Bangkok.
What would you say is your biggest attribute as a director?
I think my biggest attributes are my ability to work well under pressure, manage both small and large teams, and oversee the project from inception to final delivery, always making sure that the client’s needs are met and they are happy with the process and end result. I’m equally at home on small, tw man “run & gun” shoots, or large scale shoots with big crews. I’m also skilled in crafting narratives and storytelling.
Describe your dream project.
My dream project would definitely involve working on the Arri Alexa LF with Arri Signature Primes. It’s the kit that was used to shoot the film 1917 and the cinematography is stunning! In terms of the type clients that I’d love to work with, Apple, Nike, Adidas are good examples; high profile brands that it would be great to create work for. But I’m happy to work for a variety of brands in any industry. I think the main thing is being able to tell stories through film, because that’s my passion.
Do you find it challenging making content while moving between vastly different markets? (i.e. the asian market vs the european marketing)
I think that working in different markets gives me a global outlook and viewpoint which adds to any project I undertake. There are lots of similarities in terms of content because globally all brands are trying to gain engagement in the digital space. For instance, when I was commissioned by Microsoft to make the Surface Pro 4 adverts in Southeast Asia, Microsoft made a special landing page for the videos. But when you clicked on the link in the UK, it took you to the UK version of 3 similar commercials which had been made locally. And if you were in the US it would have taken you to the US page etc.. So I think because of globalization generally and the fact that most content is online, the differences aren’t that huge.
What are your professional/creative goals for 2020?
In 2020 I’m hoping to make more great content for brands, hopefully get a factual
series commissioned, and to make a feature film.
