Hoj Jomehri on Advertising’s Return to Entertainment
Hoj Jomehri is a director and storyteller drawn to the deeply human. A first-generation Iranian immigrant growing up in California, his Persian roots mixed with westerns and MTV. His early immersion in a vibrant new culture continues to shape his voice: immersive, intuitive, and always chasing the feeling.
Before turning fully to directing, Hoj built a career in the commercial world, crafting award-winning work for brands like Absolut Vodka, Nike, Xbox, 2K Sports, and Airbnb. He’s also toured internationally as a DJ and dance music producer – moving between the worlds of sound and image with a filmmaker’s eye for narrative.
Hoj sat down with LBB to discuss his upcoming feature-length documentary ‘Sound of a Dream’, what healthy collaborations look like, and robot dogs on set.
Name: Hoj Jomehri
Location: Los Angeles
Repped by/in: Believe Media
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Hoj> I recently finished a feature-length documentary called ‘Sound of a Dream’ about DJ Lee Burridge. He’s been a DJ for 40 years and is still gaining momentum. It premiered at the Doc’n Roll Film Festival in London, and is headed to the US this May.
I’m also in post production on a short narrative film called ‘The Last Mullet’. It’s about a mullet – the last mullet in Iran, to be specific. I came across an article about how, in 2010, the Iranian regime officially banned the mullet hairstyle for men. I was inspired to write a fictional tale about a guy who becomes an outlaw because of his party-in-the-back haircut. Given what’s going on in my home country at the moment, I’m excited to get it finished.
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Hoj> What excites me right now is work that feels closer to entertainment than marketing. It feels like there’s room for directors with distinct voices to bring something unexpected to the table.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Hoj> A script with a strong idea told through simple, focused storytelling is compelling to me. Scripts that make me smile and trust visual storytelling rise to the top.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Hoj> The treatment is my chance to really dive into the brand and the script. Having worked on both the agency and brand side, I know how much thought, iteration, and collaboration has already gone into the work before it gets to the director’s treatment, so I start there.
Then, I break the script down into scenes and moments, thinking through shots, pacing, and how the story unfolds visually. Music is usually playing a bit too loud at this point, as I'm searching for the emotional rhythm of the piece. At the same time, I’m looking at a lot of reference material to find the visual core of the cinematic world.
Once the vision feels clear, I focus on the treatment itself as a communication tool – something that translates the feeling, tone, and intent of the film, so that everyone involved can see the movie I'm seeing.
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?
Hoj> The more context I have, the better equipped I am to make creative decisions that feel intentional. I like to research a brand’s previous work, as well as what its competitors are doing. That helps me understand not only where the brand has been visually and tonally, but also how it differentiates itself within its category. I also spend time with brand guidelines whenever they’re available. Even when they’re focused on design systems or photography rather than film, I find that documentation useful for understanding a brand’s voice, values, and boundaries.
From a strategic standpoint, this is often a collaborative process with the agency/brand. I like to have a clear understanding of the audience, the role the spot plays within the larger campaign, and, most importantly, how we want the audience to feel after watching the work.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Hoj> The creative team – specifically the creatives and producers on the brand/agency side – are deeply embedded in both the idea and the practical realities of making it happen. They’re balancing strategy, budget, timeline, and expectations, while also protecting the core idea. When my relationship with the creative team works well, it creates space for true collaboration, better work, a positive atmosphere, and a more memorable working experience.
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?
Hoj> I’m most drawn to work centred on people – authentic human stories, or ideas rooted in a real insight about who we are and how we experience the world.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Hoj> A common misconception is that my work is defined solely by documentary. While that background strongly informs how I approach storytelling, it doesn’t limit me. I see documentary as a foundation – an attention to authenticity, performance, and real human moments – that carries into everything I make, whether it’s narrative, commercial, music video, or social.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Hoj> There was a film we had written and pitched to a brand about Daft Punk. All systems go – the brand, the artist, the budget – everything was approved and we were deep in pre-production. It was going to be epic.
One day, for reasons outside of our control, the artist changed. The robots were out, and Swedish House Mafia was in. We had very little time, but we had to adapt the idea for the non-robot artists. There is always a creative solution, and after some time spent mourning the original idea, we found it. The idea evolved from robots to the members of Swedish House Mafia controlling robot dogs. It was still epic.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Hoj> I’m protective of my vision for the film, and I deeply trust the collaborative process – those two things don’t have to be in conflict. Collaboration requires openness and communication, so I embrace that. My role is to find solutions that elevate the idea and the film, not just in the treatment stage but all the way through production and post. I see that as a daily, ongoing responsibility.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?
Hoj> I think it’s really important. Production can feel closed-off and difficult to break into, and that limits who gets to participate and whose perspectives are represented. I’m a first-generation immigrant, and I learned on set. Early in my career, I worked as a PA and in production sound. That hands-on experience was invaluable.
Mentoring and apprenticeships on set are a way to give people that same kind of access – real, practical experience that helps demystify the process and opens the door for new voices.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats – to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Hoj> I try to embrace the reality of multiple formats rather than fight it. The priority is always the hero format; whatever it is, getting that right comes first. From there, I’m very conscious of how the work will live across other formats. That planning happens early, in pre-production, so it doesn’t feel like an afterthought on set.
With increasingly diverse media buys, it’s important to capture the right coverage to make compelling work for each format. If you plan for that up front, you can protect the core idea while still giving the brand strong, intentional assets across every placement.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?
Hoj> I use new technologies every day at nearly every stage of my process. For me, they’re tools – not the point of the work, but a means to help tell the story more clearly or efficiently. If a technology supports the idea, I’m interested in it. If it doesn’t, I’m comfortable leaving it aside.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Hoj> ‘Sound of a Dream’: An intimate, character-driven, feature-length music documentary reveals my passion for people and for music. The film utilises different mediums to tell the story, from live action to animation to archival. It shows what I love to do: rich storytelling that grounds big, cinematic ideas in authentic human moments. It brings together my documentary instincts, sensitivity to performance, and attention to atmosphere to create work that feels both emotional and real.
‘Voicemail’: A simple commercial for Airbnb that took on a life of its own after airing. It was an exercise in simplicity and restraint. Shaping authentic moments from a real trip into a cohesive emotional arc, the spot reflects my commitment to the idea and to telling stories that feel focused and human.
‘Circus Will Save The World’: Branded content for Airbnb, this short-form documentary about a circus troupe in Ethiopia reflects my passion for telling emotional stories about people and experiencing different cultures. It conveys the authenticity and humanity I’m drawn to, finding genuine narratives within a branded context.
