From Camberwell to Knucklehead: Broken Antenna on The Friendship Behind Their Filmmaking

There’s no set formula for what makes a directing duo work, but an unspoken visual shorthand, mutual creative trust and the space to argue over the smallest production details are definitely vital. Knucklehead’s Broken Antenna – the Camberwell-born directing duo made up of Myles McAuliffe and Gustav “Gus” Newby – have instinctively refined their synergy over two decades, based on their friendship that’s lasted even longer. With 49 music videos under their belt and their 50th milestone already in the works, their dynamic shows just how strongly a teenage friendship can lay the groundwork for a career in filmmaking.

They first met through mutual friends at Deal Real, the iconic Soho record shop and open mic space that once hosted Amy Winehouse, Kano, and Mos Def. It quickly became the backbone of their early social life and a creative hub that opened doors into London’s underground hip-hop scene, where they first connected with artists they still collaborate with today.

“Everyone at Deal Real was from all over London,” says Gus. “You’d meet people at the nights, then travel back together. That’s how we became mates.”

Bonding over film, rap, and those long night-bus rides home, Myles and Gus realised they had a shared taste in cinema and ambition. They followed each other to Bath Spa University to study film — sharing a flat, obsessing over arthouse DVDs, and developing their creative language. “We were watching all the weird stuff,” says Gus. “Michael Haneke, Gaspar Noé, all those films that make you uncomfortable but stay with you.”

They left the course with a fully-fleshed out docu-short to their name, ‘Lo Down in London’ (2011). The film showcased their early ability to tap into nascent youth trends and underground culture, capturing the rise of London’s Polo Ralph Lauren-wearing scene, but it also marked their first properly structured piece, reinforced their connection and professional synergy. “it wasn’t until our final film that we really thought we had something,” reflects Myles.

It was also the birth of their directing name. “We needed a production name for the credits, so we just shuffled through song names until one felt right,” says Gus. “We landed on the ‘Broken Antenna’ track from underground American rapper, Jack Progresso and it just stuck.”

Without a clear path post uni – Gus initially wanted to work at a DVD distributor like Artificial Eye, while Myles had his eye on the British Board of Film Classification – directing began as more of a side gig.

“Myles bought a DSLR, and we started making little documentaries,” says Gus. “We showed them to anyone who would watch and eventually, we got it in front of former Mother creative director, Charlie Inman, who thought they were pretty cool. That led to us making pitch films and mini documentaries about youth culture and trainers for the agency.”

Despite early work in location departments on productions like ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Made in Dagenham’, it was their combined initiative and commitment to filmmaking these projects that impressed their seniors, opening doors to other in-house production gigs at M&C Saatchi.

Alongside this, they developed their promo work, initially collaborating with rapper friends and gradually building a reputation for gritty multia-media visuals. Recognition followed in the form of a 2015 Berlin Music Video Awards nomination for Dark Sky’s ‘Silent Fall and later acclaim for ‘Scars’ with London grime duo, Newham Generals featuring Wiley. Their DIY and craft-first approach, making the most of those early low budgets, earned them a UKMVA nomination and solidified their place in the industry.

After years of consistent recognition, their 2018 promo for Jam Baxter featuring Rag'n'Bone Man & OG Rootz promo, 'Mask', drew attention from production companies, eventually leading to their signing with Knucklehead. They’ve enjoyed several long-term artistic collaborations, such as with Rag’n’Bone Man (just yesterday launching Time to Love) and British rapper Hak Baker – who they first met at Deal Real – are like extended family rather than just clients, with nine videos made with Hak Baker to date.

“Making videos with smaller, collaborative artists, that’s where the fun is,” says Myles. But the duo are also adept at high pressure brand work, creatively problem solving and working weekends to make sure every detail meets their standard. “We always get fire in the belly when things go wrong,” says Myles. “We never walk away — we just make it work.”

Today, alongside their directing work, Myles works as a director and lead editor at Mother, while Gus freelance at agencies like Uncommon. This insider experience has sharpened their creative eye, improved their treatment writing and helped their understanding of industry expectations.

For Broken Antenna, the greatest benefit of being in a duo is the creative consolidation between them. Creative spats are inevitable but they’re quick to resolve a spat – or easily mediated by the Knucklehead team.

“If we can’t agree on something for an advert, we get a mediator and go with what they say,” says Myles. “By that point, it’s just small difference, often something irrelevant like the colour of a top.”

For Gus, the reassurance comes from knowing they have each other and are always striving for the best: “If one of us has a bad idea, the other calls it out. You can’t always do that solo.”

Broken Antenna plan to keep directing, focusing on both ads and completing some short film projects currently in development. But for the pair, nothing has changed since those early days in Camberwell. They’re still committed to their community, to each other and to their shared love of film. “We even try to go to the cinema together every week,” concludes Gus – it’s a small ritual that encapsulates their friendship beyond their work as a directing duo.