‘Mama’, Stanley Kubrick, and ‘Shrek’: The Work That Made Tony Roberts

Tony Roberts is co-founder of Common People Studio and Future Crea+ives. Common People Studio is a talent-led production studio operating at the intersection of entertainment and advertising, distinguished by a client-first mindset.

Following a 20-year career in film advertising, Tony spent several years working as an independent consultant before leading a content studio based in Portugal. Drawing on this breadth of experience, he channelled his expertise into building a production studio designed for the evolving landscape of the industry.

Tony sat down with LBB to discuss the pinnacle of British creativity, Pink Floyd, and Lacoste’s ‘Crocodile Inside’ campaign.

The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…

It was probably the Run DMC and Aerosmith ‘Walk This Way’ video. This was the mid-80s, I was about twelve, and at the time it felt genuinely unique. Those two worlds – West Coast big-hair rock and East Coast rap – had always been kept completely separate, so seeing them collide like that felt special. It was just really cool.

The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…

There wasn't one single thing that pulled me in – I actually came into production quite late, after spending around twenty years in film advertising first.

From the film side, I used to look at the big agencies and their work with real envy; the industry just seemed so sexy, the pinnacle of British creativity.

The adverts that really got under my skin were the classic campaigns of the 00s – Cadbury, Honda, Sony, John Smith's. That kind of work is what made me think, I want to be part of that.

The creative work that I keep revisiting…

This one's tricky, because there's so much brilliant work out there. On film, ‘Singin' in the Rain’ is amazing – I'm a sucker for a musical, and it's still one of the greatest films ever made, with some of the best dance routines ever put to screen. It's a genuine classic.

On music, I'm a lifelong Pink Floyd and Beatles fan – they're my default when I can't think what else to put on. I've never really been much of a gamer, but I do love JD Salinger and the poetry of W.H. Davies. So it's a real eclectic mix that keeps me going.

My first professional project…

My actual first professional project was in film advertising – I remember working on the UK campaign for ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. I'd probably worked on things before that, but that's the one that really stuck. Stanley Kubrick came into the studio to talk through the key art, which was surreal – I'd only been in London a few years, and you don't often get to sit next to someone that important and that inspiring. He was right there next to me while I worked on elements of the UK campaign on an early Mac.

The piece of work that made me so angry I vowed never to make anything like that…

Not a piece of work but an industry… Fast fashion, without question. I think it's one of the most damaging industries in the world – the water usage, the transport, the sheer waste. It's an area I'd always refuse to work in. If you spend £150 on a good jumper, it'll last you ten or fifteen years. But some people will spend £10 on something and throw it away after wearing it three times. That gap is what really gets to me.

The piece of work that still makes me jealous…

I'd have to say the Lacoste spot directed by Megaforce – I'm insanely jealous of that piece of work. The VFX is incredible, the story is phenomenal, and the score is out of this world. In a world of chaos, there's real beauty to it. I think it's stunning.

The creative project that changed my career…

This goes back to our early days in film advertising, when we were a small agency up against a lot of the big players. We won the international campaign for ‘Shrek’ – huge for us at the time. The VP of marketing brought the other agencies in to showcase our work, holding it up as an example of how things should be done – the pinnacle of what we could achieve as a small studio. It's a project that really stayed with me, and it taught me that determination and persistence get you a long way – you could see that coming through in the campaign.

The work I'm proudest of…

It's a recent piece – a short film we made with the wonderful director Denise Moreno called ‘Mama’. It's a three-minute story about a young girl recording a message for her mum, telling her how beautiful and strong she is, as she prepares to leave the house for the first time after a mastectomy.

We tried hard to get charities involved, and it was a real struggle – one major charity eventually came on board, and the film ended up screening thanks to a generous donation of media space from DCM.

What's stayed with me is the number of people who got in touch after seeing the credits to say it was their story too, and that it captured exactly how it felt with their own daughters. It hasn't done anything commercially, but as a piece of work that's genuinely resonated with and affected people, it's the one I'm proudest of.

Something I was involved in that makes me cringe…

Honestly, I can't think of anything. I don't believe in having regrets, so I don't really have a cringe-worthy moment to offer up – though I'm sure someone else would happily remind me of one if I did.

The recent project that excited me the most…

We recently shot a huge campaign across three months in nine different locations with a big cast of talent – a real behemoth of a production for us, but genuinely special to be part of. It's been an exciting one to watch come together.