Cinematic Alchemy

What happens when one of the most iconic TV shows of all time gets turned into a Super Bowl ad?

In this episode, we break down the Breaking Bad x PopCorners commercial, featuring Bryan Cranston, Aaro…

La La Land is one of those films that looks like a classic romance on the surface-but then flips everything you expect on its head. 

In this episode, Amber is back and we’re unpacking what makes this …

What makes an ad unforgettable? In this episode, we break down the brilliance of Life is Short, a HBO commercial featuring the legendary James Gandolfini channeling his iconic Tony Soprano energy. 

Wi…

What happens when you put a comedic legend like Eugene Levy in the driver’s seat of a high-octane action film? 

In this episode, we dissect Nissan’s thrilling Super Bowl ad, Thrill Driver, starring Le…

What makes an ad iconic—or forgettable? In this episode, Baltasar Cuellar joins me to break down Amazon’s “Alexa Lost Her Voice” Super Bowl commercial. 

We explore the impact of its star-studded cast,…

Ever wondered what it takes to create music that shapes a story? In this episode, I’m joined by Eleanor Fineston-Robertson, a London-based composer and sound designer, to uncover the magic behind fil…

In this episode, we chat with costume maker Anne Thomson, fondly known in the industry as Bam, about her incredible career crafting costumes for theatre and film. 

From period dramas to superhero suit…

In this episode, we’re joined by filmmaker Harry Norton for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of his short film Under Heavy Lead. 

From writing and directing to taking on unexpected p…

In this episode, we sit down with the brilliant Amie Page, a freelance production assistant and producer, as we peel back the curtain on creating a standout marketing campaign for None of This Is Tru…

In this episode, we’re joined by Harry Norton, first assistant director, filmmaker, and Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast, as he shares what it really takes to keep a film set running smoothly. 

Harry b…

In this episode, we unravel the magic behind Waitrose’s “Sweet Suspicion” Christmas campaign, exploring how it masterfully combined mystery, humour, and a star-studded cast to captivate audiences.

Wi…

This episode takes you behind the scenes of filmmaking with Thomas Bickley, a freelance script supervisor who's worked with everyone from the BBC to Disney. We chat about the intricacies of script su…

Sitcoms have a special place in our hearts for their mix of relatable situations and laugh-out-loud moments. In this episode, we break down what makes a sitcom a sitcom—from its early roots in the go…

In this episode, we sit down with Khalif Sultan, a film colourist with a unique approach to visual storytelling. Khalif opens up about the fascinating, often overlooked world of colour grading in fil…

In this episode, we’re joined by Tripti Rai, who’s here to pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to work behind the scenes in film production.

We laugh about some of the unexpected moments o…

In this Halloween special of Cinematic Alchemy, we’re joined by Syd for a deep dive into all things spooky!

Syd shares their journey into horror, from the first movie that hooked them to why they’re d…

In this episode of Cinematic Alchemy, we’re diving into an amazing live-action version of My Hero Academia made by a talented group of stunt performers. They’ve managed to bring the fast, action-pack…

In this episode, I’m excited to have guest host Nick Peter Yee join me as we unpack the clever advertising strategy behind the recent ASICs ad featuring the legendary Brian Cox.

We explore how the ad…

In this episode, we’re talking all things music videos!

We discuss the behind the scenes of creating music videos, from the challenges of directing a first music video to exploring the creative freed…

In this episode of Cinematic Alchemy, we have the absolute pleasure of chatting with Adam Howe as we pay tribute to the legendary Dame Maggie Smith.

From her iconic portrayal in Downton Abbey to her …