One of the ads on John Moore’s showreel shows a well-muscled young man
etching the words ‘I love you’ on his upper torso with a hunting knife.
After he finishes this self-mutilation, the object of his affections
walks over and splashes some aftershave over his slashed body. The ad,
for Paco Rabanne, would not be deemed suitable for British cinema
screens, let alone TV, but the spot was shown on TV in France. ‘I don’t
see how it can be deemed controversial,’ Moore insists.
Since graduating from the film and television course at the Dublin
Institute of Technology, 26-year-old Moore has concentrated more on
directing short films than ads, but the commercials that he has created
so far indicate a definitive tone. His latest work is a Commission for
Racial Equality film through Saatchi and Saatchi, shot in subdued
lighting. ‘I didn’t feel too strongly about the subject, but once I met
the creative team, I had to do the film. It was rare to find people in
the industry with such a strong belief in what they were doing.’
After college Moore trained with Sky, working as a news cameraman, and
gaining experience in lighting. His first feature film, Jack’s Bicycle,
won Best Irish Short Film at the Cork International Film Festival, and
was screened on BBC TV. Another of his short films, He Shoots, he
Scores, due for a screening on Channel 4, scooped prizes at festivals in
Galway, Berlin, Chicago and Ludwigsburg.
Recently signed up by Helen Langridge Associates, Moore is shortlisted
in the best new director category at the British Television Advertising
Craft Awards, the results of which are announced on 19 October. Other
credits include films for Aer Lingus, some spots for the Irish National
Lottery and corporate Shell work. At the moment he is shooting a Toyota
corporate campaign, and is also working on a feature film. His heart is
firmly set on directing, but he wants to concentrate more on films than
ads. ‘What I like most about my work is the huge amount of money I get
paid,’ he laughs. ‘Although I enjoy ads, I’d much rather use them to
fall back on.’
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