About me

www.laurenmidwinter.com Lauren Midwinter is a Midlands-born director living and working in London. She works in film and commercials. She has worked with brands such as Google, NHS and Samsung, creating story-led campaigns with heart. Her narrative film work has played at festivals worldwide, aired on TV and featured on major digital publishers. She is part of the BAFTA Connects Cohort.

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Projects

• 3

  OOO (Out Of Office)Out Of Office (OOO) is a bold dance film. Sick of always doing what she thinks she "should" do, Bernie is finally tempted on a chaotic, boundary-pushing, playful adventure of self-discovery. Launched on Girls In Film and screened at Flatpack Film Festival. Directed by Lauren Midwinter. The Director of Photography is Sara Deane
• 'Right by Us' - Bella & DukeOur pets are part of our family. In this engaging, playful TV commercial for Bella and Duke, we are invited into the heat of a family home. Through snapshots into a family's life, the ups and the downs, we see the constant loving connection between pets and family. They're right by us, so we do right by them. Director Lauren Midwinter. Director of Photography Harry Jenkinson.
• 'Trying and Failing Is Strong' - Just StrongDynamic, energetic sports and fitness film for sportswear brand Just Strong, putting the idea of imperfection being a strength at its heart. Written and directed by Lauren Midwinter, and Director of Photography Nathalie Pitters.
• The Heavy Gown - Plan InternationalA film created for Plan International for the United Nations 'Day of the Girl 2021'. “Lauren Midwinter's restrained approach ensures the film's message lands, as she captures the dynamic and naturalistic qualities of Goksan's performance in arresting fashion. This is a valuable and thought-provoking addition to the Day of the Girl canon” - 5* review - DAVID REVIEWS Young women and girls face a barrage of negative messages from birth. This film turns those messages into a physical object - a d
• 'Unfilter Your Life' BUPA"The two films are short, sharp, brilliantly acted and sure to resonate with women everywhere" - SHOTS. Two TV commercials to highlight the long-tail impact the Covid lockdowns have had on women's mental health and the free mental health service available through BUPA. Director: Lauren Midwinter. Director of Photography: Natasha Duursma
• 'Not Ready'Retirement no longer looks like pipes and slippers and twinsets. This commercial campaign for The Phoenix Group smashes the stereotypes around retirement and demands that we prepare for it differently. Directed by Lauren Midwinter. Director of Photography Anna Macdonald

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Projects credited in

• 1

  Swarovski Spark Delight 2020We produced a series of films for Instagram to highlight the small pleasures that bring us joy in spite of 2020. Working with Candice Brathwaite, Nadiya Hussain and Louise Pentland to create personal insights into the simple things that spark delight for them.

Work history

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DirectorMIDWINTER
Jul 2018London, United KingdomFreelance
I'm a freelance director working in film and commercials. My work often explores bold subject matters with a sensitive and curious approach. I'm drawn to stories that look at social norms through a fresh lens and playful, tongue-in-cheek storytelling. I trained as a director at Drama Centre London (Central St. Martins) by the formidable theatre director Di Trevis, which is reflected in my performer-centric approach; I encourage talent to feel comfortable and give honest, open performances. Whilst performance is at the heart of my work, I'm very much a visual storyteller. My use of colour, composition and camera movement thoughtfully invites an audience into the story. It's naturalism with an unexpected, subtle visual twist.
Lead Directer Commercial VideoTime Inc UK
Jan 2017 - Jun 2018London, United KingdomFull Time
I was promoted to lead director on commercial video content across all of Time Inc. brand partnerships. Creating a range of content, anything from fashion and beauty to lifestyle and sports, and developing work for a variety of audience demographics. • Strong communication skills - With extensive client facing experience I worked on large multi-video commercial briefs that across multiple websites. With over 10 different departments to work with clear communication was paramount. • Experienced project manager - Working with both in-house departments and external agencies I had a highly organised approach to deadlines, confidently handling a variety of budgets and multiple schedules. I worked on large budget productions as well as lean briefs and so understand the areas of production to invest in to reap the best results. Achievements • Social first, mobile first executions - I created the company’s first vertical commercial video - a fashion film for clothing retailer NEXT, which out performed all previous fashion content the company had previously partnered with them on. • Multi-camera, multi-location directing - Part travel and discovery film, part cooking show I directed the company’s largest brand partnership video, a 6 part series touring the UK.

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Skills

• Directing
• Creative Direction
• Adobe Editing
• Script Writer
• Creative
• Videography
• Directing Actors
• Video Directing
• Theatre Directing
• Film Directing

Education

BA (Hons) Directing
Sep 2005London, United Kingdom