Joren Molter Returns to the Commercial Break

The reason we haven’t heard from Joren in a while, is because he was busy directing the film Nuclear Boy. “Making a feature film is different from making a commercial in many ways, but one of the biggest differences is the time it takes”, Joren explains. “It can sometimes take up to seven years from idea to release.”

Bond between actor and director

Nuclear Boy tells the story of the 17-year-old Aike, a lonely boy who decides to build a nuclear bomb in his own backyard. “Aike is portrayed by Guus Blanken, who had never acted in a film before.” For six months, Joren and the rest of the cast rehearsed for the film. “Every Tuesday, Guus got time off from school to work on the film. He really sort of became my brother during this process.”

The bond between the director and the young actor was so good, something special happened on set. “I didn’t have to say anything, he just… He knew everything. That’s pretty unique!” Guus proved himself to be a great actor. “He just got into the Theatre Academy in Arnhem. I’m pretty proud of that!”

Tragicomical tone

Now that the movie is out in the world, Joren is ready to make commercials again. For all of his career, spanning nearly twenty years, he’s combined working on fictional work as well as commercials. “I never had a traditional part-time job; I’ve always earned money by making commercials.”

And it shows, during his career he really found his own style and unique voice. Both in fiction and commercials. “They all have a tragicomic tone, a kind of humour where you’re not sure whether you should laugh or cry. Some moments are so painful and confronting that you can’t help but grin. It’s embarrassing to watch, but that’s also what makes it funny. I’d love to bring that kind of humour into commercials.”

Finding the right angle

If you ask Joren, there isn’t much of a difference between making commercials and making fiction. “With a commercial, you’re also telling a story for a brand or about a certain product or service. I often try to create a certain feeling to tell that story. It’s always fun to experiment and see if you can touch people in a short amount of time.”

His fictional work does complement his work on commercials, and vice versa. “I think it’s very characteristic that when I do something, whether it’s a film or a commercial, I go all in”, Joren explains. “I immerse myself completely and try to get the most out of it.” People sometimes describe his work as absurd, but it’s not a word he likes to use. “What I do, is observing humankind. That in itself is funny and a little bit awkward sometimes. My job is to determine the frame and therefore how the viewer sees a situation. I just put a camera on it.”

Loads of experience

It’s these moments or situations that people recognize, Joren explains. “Like the commercials by Roy Andersson, they’re pretty old. You see someone hanging a framed picture. It seems to work, but then an antique clock falls from the wall, breaks an aquarium, things start smoking and the guy hanging the frame falls from his ladder. It’s so simple but so funny. And it’s filmed like a little painting, it’s up to you to decide where you want to look.”

Joren also mentions the Belgian directing duo Koen Mortier and Joe Vanhoutteghem, better known as Lionel Goldstein. “They made this disgusting commercial for Bicky Burger, a Belgian hamburger brand.” The commercial shows a farmer who’s cow fell ill and is now shitting hamburgers. When the pastor hears about it, he’s trying to declare the cow sacred. “I don’t know how they got this approved, but it’s so funny.”

Working together to succeed

When Joren is working on a project, whether it’s a commercial or a film, he works very intuitively. “Of course, with commercials, that’s a bit different from feature films. Because for commercials there’s a briefing. If I have an idea or  a feeling about something I think is funny, I try to go for it. Because I have so much experience, I know what works and what doesn’t.”

If Joren works with a briefing from client, he’s not afraid to speak his mind. “If I think I have a better idea, I’m not afraid to share it”, he says. “They have something to sell and they know best how to sell it. I try to use my knowledge and expertise to make the best commercial possible. If you work together closely and all share your expertise, you’ll succeed in making a great commercial.”

More humor in commercials

If he were given total freedom to make whatever he wants, what would that be? “Sometimes in the Netherlands, we tend to be quite conservative when it comes to commercials. Everything has to look polished, and the humor can’t be too crude because we don’t want to offend anyone.” Joren would love to change that a little. “I think there’s room in the market for commercials that are both tragic and funny at the same time. Situations that feel very typical and recognizable, but also drift into something absurd and unexpected. That’s the kind of tone I’d love to bring to the table.”