Making the Impossible Possible: The Real Craftsmanship of Producing a John Lewis Christmas Ad

“Great work is making the impossible possible,” said Ace of Hearts co-founder Rick Brim on stage at the British Arrow’s Art of Craft festival last week. “And it only happens when there’s a genuinely collaborative relationship between agency and production.”

That collaboration is what makes execution work. With tightening budgets and increasingly complex client demands, producers are the ones navigating the realities, figuring out logistics, stretching resources and ensuring the idea survives the constraints of time and money constraints.

“Ideally, the producer can get involved as early as possible, to know where value can be added and to put the budget in the right place,” said Shirley O’Connor, managing director at Love Song.

Often the industry’s unsung heroes, producers sit at the centre of it all, acting as the bridge between client, agency and director, and shaping how an idea is actually brought to life. That means balancing ambition with practicality, getting realistic about what’s actually possible and getting the team right.

“Casting the team is everything,” said Sally Pritchett, co-founder and director of production at Chuckles. “You need the right people, the right personalities. People who have each other’s backs when it gets tough. Because it will get tough. If you don’t get that right, it shows in the work.”

“The producer relationship is vital,” agreed Academy director Seb Edwards. “I want a creative producer, someone who’s emotionally invested, who shares the same taste, and who’s as committed as I am. If you’re not aligned, it becomes very difficult.”

Once that synergy and alignment is in place, teams have the confidence to take creative risks together, and that’s often where the best work comes from.

“Do the exact opposite of what you can’t do,” said Rick, reflecting on the making of John Lewis’ 2018 Christmas campaign, ‘The Boy and The Piano’.

Telling the story of Elton John’s first piano, the film leaned into the brand’s emotional legacy while offering something new, reinforcing its philosophy for thoughtful gift giving.

“John Lewis was known for its emotional Christmas ads,” said Seb. “So we wanted to make it personal and give the audience a backstage pass down memory lane and offer a new perspective on Elton.”

Early involvement from production allowed the team to prioritise which scenes would land emotionally and allocate resources accordingly. From script adjustments to shaping the structure, the project’s producers made sure the film stayed within its practical limits without losing its impact.

Seb’s treatment was ambitious and more expensive than a simpler stock-footage alternative. So, Sally presented John Lewis marketer, Craig Inglis, with a choice: either to go with the pared-back version that was closer to budget, or to invest in a more crafted, riskier version. The film landed somewhere in between, striking the balance between ambition and feasibility.

“The hard way is always more interesting,” said Rick.”There were so many unknowns, casting, likeness, whether it would all come together… But that’s the nature of it. That’s what makes it exciting.”

Great execution, however, depends on precision. “I like to be about 80% prepared,” said Seb. “Preparation allows you to spot things on the day and improvise, but full improv can be messy. If you’re underprepared, it’s carnage. But if you’re overprepared, it loses life. There’s a real tension between balancing structure and spontaneity, and getting that right is where the magic happens. It’s the producer’s role to create the conditions for it.”

For Seb, the ideal producer is not just operational, they’re emotionally and creatively invested, and take ownership of the vision. Collaboration underpins everything, from scene prioritisation to budget decisions with trust across agency, director, and client proving critical to the outcome.

“If everyone’s aligned early, you end up with the film you set out to make,” he concluded.