Finding the Sincerity in the Story with Ben & Ilia
Ben & Ilia are a directing duo driven by a lifelong fascination with history, mythology, and the human stories that sit beneath the surface. Childhood friends who first built a career in travel photography, they spent years exploring the world, developing a strong visual instinct and a deep appreciation for authenticity. When the pandemic paused their travels, they took a creative leap into filmmaking, quickly discovering a natural fit in commercial and branded storytelling.
Today, Ben and Ilia helm the Halifax-based production company Far & Away, where they tell stories with sincerity and humanity. Whether directing branded films, documentary shorts, or commercials, they share a guiding belief: push every piece to its limits, and make each better than the last.
Their approach has led to collaborations with brands such as Under Armour, RBC Training Ground, Air Canada, and Mark’s Canada. In 2024, they were shortlisted for a Young Director Award at Cannes Lions, received a selection at the Berlin Commercial Awards, and won Beyond the Short for their film ‘Always Felt’ for MS Canada, establishing them as some of the country’s most exciting emerging voices in human-centred storytelling.
Ben and Ilia sat down with LBB to discuss the rise of AI, pushing creative boundaries, and their love for character driven stories.
Name: Ben Consmueller and Ilia Lipsman (Ben & Ilia)
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Repped by/in: Far & Away Studios
Awards: Young Director Award Shortlist, Berlin Commercial Awards Selection, Beyond the Short Winner
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Ben> There are two that come to mind. We’re working on two separate PSAs with a mentor of ours. We can’t share too much, but the creative on these ones is something we’re incredibly excited about, and it is always amazing creating meaningful work like these.
Secondly, we’re collaborating with a local agency in Halifax on a spot for a mission-critical software company. We’ve got some out-there ideas on how we’re going to showcase its capabilities and tell that story.
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Ilia> One thing we find interesting is the rise of AI and all its utilisations. It has made it feel more important than ever to tell stories that connect us with our shared humanity. There’s something there that AI just can’t seem to replicate. Stories that feel timeless – those are the ones we want to tell. We think there’s a real and ever-growing appetite for these kinds of spots and films.
As directors who own our own production company, we always have to have our fingers on the pulse. It seems like there’s a new trend every day. For us, it’s about understanding why something is trending. Why is it connecting with people? Looking at it that way allows us to avoid hopping on every trend and changing our style, and get to the root of the feeling behind it. In today's ever-changing world, it would be so easy to feel directionless (which, as a director, is the kiss of death, haha).
We believe the most exciting opportunities come when you understand what’s resonating in a trend or technology, and then use that understanding to tell a deeply human story.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Ben> Honestly, we love it when we are briefed about a project, and the client or agency is taking a bit of a swing. We love exploring the unknown together. That might mean chasing an ambitious idea, questioning assumptions, or reshaping how a story gets told. That’s the work we’re drawn to. We’ve learned that it’s often in the unfamiliar where something honest starts to take shape. We’re always looking for that sincerity – the kind that feels raw, and honest – and that truly connects.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Ilia> Because there are two of us, we typically spend an entire day just throwing ideas back and forth. I’m is pretty analytical and visually oriented, while Ben is more free-flowing and comes from a writing background. So, there is a lot of back and forth. We’re very honest with each other, so we’re able to weed through things pretty efficiently, and once we land on something we both like, we know it’s a strong idea.
At this stage, we start figuring out our references, create a bit of a moodboard, and write our idea/spin/concept. From there, it’s just tweaking around the edges until we’ve got it dialled in.
One of the advantages we have is that we’ve both spent time in post-production, editing our own work. That experience really informs how we approach an idea and treatment. We’re always thinking about how our concept will be captured on set, and how it will come together in the edit. It gives us a clear sense of what’s achievable, and allows us to push the creative boundaries in our treatment while still staying grounded.
LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?
Ben> We think it’s incredibly important to do as much upfront work to familiarise yourself as possible, but before we do, we like to take an outside view of the script. This allows our unfiltered first impression to lead our creative instincts first, before our perspective is shaped by research.
After doing our deep dive, we can understand if those initial thoughts or ideas hold up. To be completely honest, sometimes we throw them out, but a lot of the time we take that initial spark and pressure test it with the knowledge we’ve gained in our research.
That process usually leads us to something that’s both instinctively exciting and strategically grounded, the best of both worlds.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
Ben> We’re most drawn to projects that live and die by their story and characters. Whether it’s a sports spot, a narrative/docu-style brand film, or a lifestyle ad, to us, it’s always about finding the sincerity in the story. Find that thing – that feeling that resonates with people – no matter the genre or subject matter, and you’ll create great work.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Ilia> It’s pretty common for directors to get boxed into a genre. We’re often labelled as docu-style directors. It makes sense – agencies and clients like knowing you’ve done something before so they can trust you’ll deliver it again.
What is sometimes overlooked is our narrative work on projects like ‘Always Felt’ for MS Canada, where performance, visual intent, and shaping an emotional arc really matter.
We’re less interested in fitting a category, and more interested in telling strong, human-first stories, whatever form they take.
We’re also commonly known as ‘those guys from Halifax’, but truth is, most of our work is done across the country. Coming to the end of 2025, we’ll only have had two shooting days in Halifax all year!
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Ben> We had a spot last year where the location had been double-booked. We were mid-setup, working through blocking, when we learned a full farmer’s market was scheduled to load in, right where our scene was supposed to happen.
Thankfully, with some quick communication and a lot of trust in our producer and DoP, we reworked the shot list, adjusted blocking and lighting on the fly, and managed to capture everything we needed while the market set up around us.
At the end of the day, a large part of directing is creative problem-solving. Our approach is to stay steady, communicate clearly, and tackle the issue as a team. There’s always a way through; you just have to manage the chaos without losing sight of the story you’re trying to tell.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Ilia> It starts with remembering we’re all on the same team. We’re all trying to make the best piece possible, and that only works with open, honest communication. Our job is to make sure the agency and client understand the creative choices we’re making, and, just as importantly, for us to understand the factors driving their decisions.
When both sides are transparent, it’s easy to merge their priorities with our vision. That collaboration is what ultimately protects the idea and makes the work stronger.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Ben> MS Canada: ‘Always Felt’
MS Canada had never done a brand film before, so when we approached the team with this creative, it was completely new territory for them. Through many conversations, we worked together to ensure we could represent a young person’s journey with MS in the most respectful and authentic way possible.
From there, the momentum just snowballed, almost as if the universe understood how much blood, sweat, and tears went into this film. It went on to receive international recognition at the Young Directors Awards at Cannes Lion, a selection at the Berlin Commercial Awards, and took home the win for Beyond the Short. It was extremely gratifying, as we had truly poured our hearts and souls into this project.
Mark’s: ‘Father’s Day’ This spot from a couple years ago is the kind of sincere, visually-driven storytelling we love to do. In casting, we discovered a real family of actors from rural Nova Scotia, and they just happened to have the perfect farm. Their natural chemistry came through on screen, creating a heartfelt Father’s Day spot that truly embodied what Mark’s is all about.
Halifax Mooseheads: ‘Moose Country’ - We loved collaborating with Halifax’s Major Junior Hockey team to create a hype film leading up to the season. With pretty much full creative freedom, we had a blast coming up with the narrative and weaving dynamic shots from the team and the community with footage from the Mooseheads’ archives to create a film that captured the energy and spirit surrounding the team heading into the season.
NS Legal Aid: ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ - In early 2024, we created a short biopic of R. Gordon Murray, the first executive director of Legal Aid Nova Scotia. Meeting 92-year-old Gordon in his retirement home, we were able to tell the organisation’s story through the eyes of the man who founded it in the late ’60s. The film culminated in an intimate premiere with his family and friends (and one of the most emotional moments of our careers). We feel incredibly privileged to have shared his legacy with him before his passing late last year.
