Downing is best known for her distinctive food work. She has also brought her talent for creating worlds to directing lifestyle-driven spots, live music events, music videos and episodic, including two series with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, which was the project which sparked her passion for putting food on screen. Among her commercial credits are campaigns for Sainsbury’s, Blue Apron, Marks & Spencer, Stella Artois, Dominos, Progresso and most recently a holiday campaign for Walmart’s Asda.
Downing’s short film Food Glorious Food, a tantalizing journey from appetizer to dessert, has become a calling card for articulating how she sees food. “I’ve always been drawn to natural light, over-lit and sterile food work makes me think of a science experiment,” she said. “The first thing I did on that shoot was ask to lose the lights and position everything in the window. I believe that food is at its most beautiful, and critically its most appetizing, when lit with natural light. We often have to replicate that when shooting but it’s always with those sensibilities in mind.”
“It was such a pleasure to discover Helen, who is so accomplished and so dedicated to her craft,” said Caroline Gibney, Founding Partner of Station Film. “She’s been prolific as a director and is really invested in everything she does. Her food work is unrivalled, and she brings that same authenticity to her performances and her lifestyle-driven storytelling. Her work stands apart for her attention to every detail.”
“We jumped at the opportunity to work with Helen,” said Stephen Orent, Founding Partner of Station Film. “We love the dynamic she has with music and visuals. We are excited to collaborate with her and bring her new projects in the food realm along with more performance-driven stories. We couldn’t be happier to have her join the Station family.”
Read the full release on SHOTS.
See Helen’s work HERE.
