Sara Dunlop Tells Chaka Sobhani Why Production Companies Still Matter in “Risk-Averse” Creative Times

“Production companies still need to exist,” Sara Dunlop told a packed audience at this year’s D&AD Festival. “They need to provide that support — not just financially, but in terms of experience to guide someone’s career. There’s a lot of value in that.”

For Sara, whose work spans commercials, television and independent cinema, the creative industries are entering a moment defined by contradiction. On the one hand, there are more platforms, more content and more opportunities than ever before. On the other, she believes the industry has become increasingly cautious.

“It does feel like risk has dropped down the agenda,” she said during a conversation with TBWA global chief creative officer Chaka Sobhani. “It’s two steps forward, one step back.”

The session became an honest reflection about the realities of modern filmmaking, considering the pressures of commercial production, the importance of protecting creative environments and supporting new voices.

Sara is known for emotionally intimate work for brands including films for Nike, Apple, Levi's and McDonald's, and her approach to directing has always centred around authenticity.

“People come to me for intimacy and authenticity,” she explained. “I’m hyper-critical of believing what I’m seeing — from the casting, to the location, to what people are doing. I can’t have people doing things that don’t ring true.”

That pursuit of realism often begins long before a camera rolls. Sara described an unconventional casting process that prioritises personality and chemistry over performance.

“I don’t do performances in casting sessions, which freaks everyone out,” she said. “It’s about getting to know the person — what makes them tick, their sense of humour, their energy.”

For Sara, believable filmmaking isn’t achieved through grand gestures, but through what she described as “hundreds of imperceptible little things” — details audiences may never consciously notice, but instinctively feel. Like the music playing before a scene, a photograph pinned to a fridge, or the atmosphere on set, all of which can completely alter a performance.

“You need to create an atmosphere where people can be themselves,” she said. “I’m looking for energies rather than the specificities of how you get there.”

That philosophy extends to the culture of filmmaking itself. Reflecting on how sets have evolved since she began directing, Sara noted that productions today feel “less military” than they once did.

“People are allowed to talk now,” she said. “Other people are allowed to come up with ideas. There’s more inclusivity to the vibe.”

The conversation repeatedly returned to collaboration and trust — particularly within advertising, where multiple stakeholders and compressed timelines can often create tension.

For Sara, directing is fundamentally all about problem-solving. “You can still have an impact on culture and on the world,” she added. “But I don’t want to add to the noise. It’s about asking: what’s the point? How does this add value to someone’s life?”

Despite the challenges, Sara remains optimistic about the future of storytelling, advertising and craft, calling for more stories grounded in “truth, hope and escapism.”

“We make things, we make mistakes,” she concluded. “We’re like cockroaches. We keep going.”