Leilani Croucher Brings Her Distinctive Aesthetic and Contemporary Voice to RSA Films
RSA Films welcomes Australian-born filmmaker Leilani Croucher for her first commercial and branded content representation in the US. Croucher’s distinctive style combines bold, colorful visuals with culturally sharp storytelling as seen in her Cannes Lion-winning Berlei bras’ “Boob Balls” (via The Monkeys) and McDonald’s “#TheOriginalMouthful”(via DDB); the first features disembodied breasts of all shapes and sizes being hit, squashed and batted around by women exercising and playing sports, and the second is a campy retro-themed shout out to a much beloved campaign - meticulously recreating eras from the 1960s through to the present - all set to one of the world’s catchiest jingles.
Another signature spot, Bonds “Cheer Bleeders” (via Special), plays like a music video fever dream celebrating a can-do attitude made possible by comfy period undies. It features cheerleaders who do not hold back despite the challenges of period pains, instead delivering a Super Bowl worthy cheer routine to a catchy song with hilariously honest lyrics. “Leilani is a unique voice who adds a new facet to the creative diversity of the RSA Films roster,” said Luke Ricci, President of RSA Films US. “Her work is vibrant and fresh and possesses a colorful lens which piqued our eyes from first glance. I look forward to the exciting collaborations to come from her talents in the US market.”
“My mum’s a painter, my dad was a sculptor,” Croucher explained, “so we were dragged through every gallery, festival and installation from birth. My house is a chaotic mash-up of paintings, trinkets and strange objects that shouldn’t go together but somehow do. I’ve always had a visual itch, and the world of commercials helps me scratch it.”
Croucher is eager to expand her reach as a director. “Conversations with RSA came at the perfect time, and they were easy,” she said. “I felt like they just got it and got me. I want to try new things and work with people who will push me, help me grow and build something great together.”
Croucher has already had a busy year working with her Sydney-based production home, Revolver. She has put her unique spin on spots including RMIT University “What The Future?!” (via Dentsu Creative), addressing a student’s interior world and how overwhelming it feels to navigate today’s complicated reality; MLC “Clarity” (via 72andSunny), which hones in on the financial app’s laser focus managing your financials; and Bras N Things “This Is Where I Change” (via FABRIC/TBWA), tracking how the right-fitting bra supports women literally and figuratively during life’s transformative moments.
Croucher has partnered with an eclectic mix of brands and her commercials consistently surpass the expected. “I’m drawn to the idea,” she said. “But also, the opportunity to collaborate. To do something different and to step outside the boundaries you’ve played within before.”
Croucher grew up in a place called Tamborine Mountain, a remote rainforest village in southeast Queensland she describes fondly as “beautiful, isolated and witchy.” She attended Queensland University of Technology, where she earned a Fine Arts degree. She moved to Sydney and worked first at a post production company, then did a brief stint in Japan teaching English. She started at Australia’s top production company, Revolver in 2011 in a front of house role. Over her tenure there, she worked her way up the ranks as a director’s assistant for esteemed talents including Kim Gehrig, Justin Kurzel, Glue Society, Andreas Nilsson and Steve Rogers (to name a few); from there she became the company’s creative director while assisting in development for the film division - all before moving to directing full time.
Croucher began directing with music videos for Jack Ladder, Polish Club and Olympia. “I started with very lo-fi music videos,” she said. “They’re this wild, weird space where logic goes out the window and you can play in dreamland. That’s a place I love to be. Big, surreal and unafraid. I still love music videos.” In addition to major campaigns for McDonald’s, Bonds and Berlei - her latest for Berlei starring Serena Williams, she has directed spots for NRMA, Telstra x Apple and has worked as a second unit director in collaboration with Gehrig, for Apple TV’s “Roar” starring Nicole Kidman.
