A cinematic highlights film for GQ Heroes, exploring the meaning of modern heroism through the voices of globally recognised cultural figures.
GQ | Heroes
ABOUT
LOCATION: London, England
This body of work brings together two films directed for GQ Heroes — a reflective and human-centred portrait of the event and its ideas, centred around GQ’s annual gathering of the world’s most influential figures across culture, business, entertainment, and sport.
Contributors include Richard Branson, Adwoa Aboah, Ricky Gervais and Gwendoline Christie.
The films are built around a central question: what does it mean to be a hero today? Through carefully selected interview fragments, observational moments, and a considered editorial structure, each film weaves together a diverse range of perspectives into a cohesive narrative.
Visually, the approach balances cinematic portraiture with a sense of immediacy; capturing both the scale of the event and the intimacy of individual thought.
Editing and sound design play a key role in shaping tone, allowing the films to move between energy and introspection while maintaining a clear emotional through-line.
Designed for digital audiences, the films act as both a record of the event and a standalone piece of storytelling; positioning GQ Heroes as not just a cultural moment, but a space for reflection on influence, responsibility, and identity in the modern world.
“The idea of being a hero — ordinary men who did extra-ordinary things...”
Personal Reflection
What interested me about these films wasn’t the scale of the event, or the profile of the people involved; it was the question at the centre of it.
“Hero” is a word that gets thrown around a lot, often without much interrogation. It carries weight, but also assumption. What I wanted to do with these films, was create something that allowed that word to be unpacked; subtly, honestly, and from multiple perspectives.
Working in that environment came with its own set of challenges. You’re moving quickly, capturing moments as they unfold, often with limited time and access. But within that, there’s an opportunity to find something more considered, if you know what to look for. For me, that meant focusing less on what was happening externally, and more on when the idea of “heroism” became less about status, and more about responsibility, vulnerability, and intent.
In the edit, it was about shaping those fragments into a cohesive, emotionally resonate film. Not forcing a single definition, but allowing different viewpoints to sit alongside each other and an experience that felt rich, deep and layered.
What I took from the experience is that even in fast-paced, high-profile environments, there’s always space to create something with depth — if the intention is there from the start.
And that’s ultimately what these films became. Not a celebration of individuals, but a reflection on the notion of ‘heroism’ itself.
