GETTING STUCK ON STICKER - FOUNDERS LUKE BROOKNER AND HARLEYMOON KEMP TALK ABOUT THEIR NIMBLE OUTFIT STICKER STUDIOS.

Sticker Studios was Founded by Director Luke Brookner and Producer/Photographer/Director Harleymoon Kemp in 2019. Born on a wing and prayer and a whole heap of talent, Sticker is going from strength to strength! This fresh and exciting duo took the industry by storm with spots like ‘I Got Through’ for Grief Encounter, a Charity for bereaved Children providing a lifeline for young people helping them to cope with loss, a story very close to Luke.. A relatively new Director to take the Ad Industry by storm, his skill and emotional maturity convey a lightness of touch and a depth that can be at times breathtaking…. At the other end of the spectrum, watching his (self penned) Panna piece - a trailer for a documentary on Panna (a football technique that goes way beyond the Beautiful Game) he has a dynamism and energy for all things sport! It’s clear that Luke’s star is on the rise.. As is Harleymoon’s.. but far from holding on to all the brief’s for themselves, Luke and Harleymoon have since expanded the roster to include fresh faces like Tom Clover and India Harris, to name but two of the additional unique talent that Sticker has to offer.

So...Sticker is proving to be a hotbed of visual jewels - which brings us on to founding talent: Harleymoon Kemp, whose many hats include Stickers Exec Producer. She is also an accomplished photographer and recently adding, burgeoning director to her long list of skills… Oh and she is also an incredible singer...although that is basically in the blood! 

Founder Director Luke Brookner also has a unique perspective having been a Creative and Strategist at various Agencies including Brothers And Sisters and Beats by Dre. Which adds another dimension to the visual eye he can bring to a project. Not only in his understanding of the brief, and what the Creatives may be trying to achieve, but also in Client speak. He is an advertiser's dream.. he understands in front of and behind the camera, all the way to the Client’s boardroom with a lightness of touch that is rare in one so young. 

 We caught up with both Luke and HMK at Sticker HQ to find out more about what gets Sticker stuck…

To both:

When and How did you meet?

At a Partyyyyyyyy… maybe it was the combination of Luke’s ‘Dad’ dance moves, and tequilas that ignited our friendship, but we reconnected five years later and realised we should work together.

When and why did you decide to start up Sticker Studios?

 We tried out a few projects together and then things got busy pretty fast! We realised we had complementing skills, Harleymoon was a photographer and no-nonsense producer, with her own production team and knew how to say no. Luke was a director and creative who had experienced agency life, who was good at making things and had a habit of saying “yes”.  

We recognised quickly that we had something to offer agencies and brands as turn-around times were speeding up. There was high demand for fast content and nimble teams, with Luke’s writing and directing experience, and Harley’s photographic and production experience - we could solve a lot of problems together.

After winning our first big commercial, the Client asked us for our bank account details (which we hadn’t set up yet!!) so we had to run to the bank and Sticker Studios ‘officially’ started there… 

What springs to mind as Sticker’s defining moment to date good or bad?

We shot our first big TVC barely six months into Sticker. It was a 100 person production, Luke was very green as a director and it was the biggest production we had managed. We shot multiple locations in one day, nightclub scenes and shot motorbikes on roads without anyone being killed. We had one very happy client! It gave us the confidence to know that we were on the right track. 

What project have you worked on that really ticked all your boxes?

From a commercial point of view, it has to be a recent project we did with Facebook. It was a lovely piece of emotional storytelling. However a charity project we did with Grief Encounter is very close to our hearts. The piece, made up of vignettes of children who have lost a parent, shows  the impact of grief in adolescence. Young people, and kids in general aren’t that great at opening up and talking about how they feel, particularly teenagers. So aside from raising the profile of the charity we really hope it connects with the young people who may be experiencing that, to help them to express themselves and to know it’s ok to express themselves.


How do you feel the industry is expanding to allow people to have more strings to their bow?
Haha, it seems like today everyone is a singer slash, juggler slash bodyguard.  I think everyone is becoming ‘SLASH’ people.. Director slash Editor. Creative slash Director. The world of advertising is moving fast, with so many new platforms that need content, which sadly seems to  mean budgets are smaller, being spread more thinly, and the pace is even faster. It’s helpful for us to have experienced a lot of the jobs, so we can understand what people really do and have a greater appreciation of what makes them good and how long things take.

To Luke:

Luke, how has the transition been from Strategist, creative to director?

I feel like a butterfly coming out a cocoon. I’ve learnt a lot in my career in advertising which has helped me a better director.  As a strategist, you’re looking for human truths. I didn’t realise how crucial this is to me as a director. I’ve never been into bombastic ads, so a lot of the learning has stayed with me, finding authenticity and humanity. I’d say my experiences with agencies helped me refine my sensibilities and taste. The first few years as a director, I definitely felt like an imposter pretending to understand what the difference between a 35mm and 55mm lens is and what frame rate to shoot at… but once I was comfortable with myself and I developed my style,  I just began enjoying making honest, emotional stories whatever the brief.

Do you think it’s easy to be taken seriously in a new role with old faces

I think you’d have to ask them :) It doesn’t really concern me though. I think as humans, we’re all constantly changing and evolving and it’s fairly common in our industry to move roles . I would also encourage young creatives to try as many different roles as possible to find the role that they feel most comfortable in or best suits their abilities. I think it’s important that we all try and stay open-minded to people and try and embrace them as they want to be seen.

Who has been your biggest influence?

Creatively, I would say the films of Spike Jonze,  Richard Linklater, Charlie Kaufmann but having a good network of friends in the industry to help steer my decisions and encourage me to have the confidence to do things in my own style. Shout outs to Geej Ower, Jamie Mitchell and of course Harleymoon.

Grief Encounter is a really powerful piece. Can you tell us a bit about the process and the story behind it?

For sure. It was one of the most positive things to come out of lockdown – it was a time of deep contemplation for me. Having lost my parents as a child, I always felt my purpose as a filmmaker was to use my experiences to help those who had suffered similar experiences. During the first lockdown, I reached out to charity Grief Encounter with a poem I had written. They had an idea to make a film for Grief Awareness week and introduced me to Hussain Manawer and Joe Bellman and we quickly began brainstorming what it might be. Probably the most critical part was one evening when the three of us sat in Hussain’s studio sharing our stories and those formed the basis for many of the vignettes in the film. Hussain and I then wrote a poem with those scenes in mind and the rest, as they say, is history. I have to say an amazing crew and team in place that really helped bring the story to life.

TO HMK:

You are Sticker Studios exec Producer and produce a lot of the jobs you do, how has this informed you as a director?

I think over the past 12 years I have experienced so many different parts of the industry, that I feel lucky to be able to incorporate that knowledge into everything I do. I started as a runner when I was 16 then eventually set up my own photographic business servicing magazines and highstreet brands. My thinking has always come from a creative place but being able to think laterally and logistically has really helped me grow as a EP and film director.

Tell us about your blossoming career as a director?

Coming from fashion photography I love working with models, beauty lighting and pushing the commercial clients a touch further into the unknown. I love working with romantic or beauty brands, two of my favourite clients are GHOST and GHD .. that's when I feel most in my element… without sounding like a character from Absolutely Fabulous…I love just making things look BLOODY GORGEOUS!

You are also a photographer - do you feel that has made your transition into directing easier?

For me there isn't much difference (apart from wanting to hold the camera!) I am still working in the fashion and beauty sectors and the world of directing moving image feels so close to home.

You are also a singer *a really good one at that, we stalked you on the internet! Where does this fit in and will you direct your own music video?Ok, that’s three questions but please do answer them all!

 Yes I have always done music as an after school release. I just have a lot of creative blood in me, so most evenings I sit with the guitar and piano and write songs. I never really intended it to go anywhere but the internet had picked it up! Yes I directed a music video ( for myself) with my dop friend Daniel Morgan. It's fun to be able to play in a pressure free zone - outside of work. 

You have talented parents - how was that a defining factor in deciding a life path?

 Everyone in my house is a creative, whether it's in music or writing or tv. It wasn’t much of a shock that I ended up falling into the world of visuals! 

TO BOTH:

Sticker is your baby and you have other ‘kids’. Tell us about the roster.

We have an amazing family here at Sticker. During the past year we’ve grown with really talented directors alongside us. We’ve most recently signed India Rose Harris who brings empowering visuals and narrative. 

India started as a Creative and built herself up to becoming a director. Since the first moment we worked with her we knew she had to be part of the sticker team - we  were in awe with her energy on set! 

Tom Clover has definitely got to be the sunbeam of Sticker. His funny bone definitely translates in the work he does!! Let’s just say, the set is never quiet.

Oldie was a COVID baby - we totally clicked with Rex and Luke and thought it was a natural connection. We’re always really excited to see their ideas as we’ve always been big fans.

There are more directors in our roster and words can not express how happy we are with them. Seeing their new perspectives, ideas and work gives us a very exciting feeling for what is to come here at Sticker.

How do you feel Sticker fits into the current climate in advertising?

We are fast and nimble film makers, we have our fingers on the pulse (and phone screens) of youth culture. We know how to be flexible due to our nimble model and our team is second to none.

What is Sticker’s USP?

BEING NIMBLE and having great talent - We are creative producers who know how to move fast, a new generation who can move as quick as the trends. 

Where do you both see Sticker in five years time?

We try not to think that far ahead. Obviously we’re very ambitious but our focus is very much on creating great work in the here in and now. Every year, we just want to keep moving on our work creatively, continue working with great people, doing good and creating powerful stories.

What is the best thing about advertising?

When advertising is at it’s best it is a reflection of society and has the power to change culture and challenge traditional ideals and move us all forward.