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David Gandy talks to us behind the scenes on his directorial debut

The model-turned-director tells Gentleman's Journal how he created his first film

Words: The Gentleman

Earlier this summer, David Gandy and Gentleman’s Journal took to the Thames to create a short film showcasing the incredible amphibious Iguana Yacht.

With Savile Row tailoring, iconic landscapes and this innovative vessel, the buzz around the project was palpable. But what made the shoot even more exciting was Gandy’s presence – for the model was not starring in the production, but directing.

‘The idea was the ultimate gentleman’s commute in the morning,’ Gandy told Gentleman’s Journal during the edit. ‘What would every guy like to wake up to? How do I get to work today and it’s a pleasure?’

Marking his directorial debut, Gandy began the day at Putney Pier in West London, where he directed fellow model Simon Clark through various morning scenes. ‘I cast Simon because he’s a guy I look up to, and I thought he had that classic movie look,’ says Gandy. With shots of Clark beginning his day with a riverbank coffee, getting his hair trimmed, the film gets into full swing when the character sets off on his commute down the River Thames into central London.

David Gandy talks to us behind the scenes on his directorial debut

The crew followed on a camera boat to capture the morning commute, before Clark jumped into a tuxedo to shoot the evening scenes with Morven Macsween along some of the most striking sections of the Thames.

‘I’ve always been more part of the creative side over the past few years,’ the model says, ‘and I don’t think a lot of people realise that, so I get to include my ideas in campaigns. So, when I spoke to Gentleman’s Journal, I explained that I didn’t want to particularly be in front of the camera – I wanted to be behind it.

David Gandy talks to us behind the scenes on his directorial debut

‘Adam [Rogers] is another good friend of mine,’ Gandy says of the styling of the short film. ‘He’s got this old fashioned look, very Savile Row – quite relaxed tailoring, but the attention to detail is second to none.

‘And I too have always had an eye for how a shot should be,’ Gandy laughs. ‘But people are just so amazed by this boat. Everyone just stands and stares at it – which is quite difficult when you’re trying to do a film in London. But that’s why we did it with Iguana, to show off this incredible machine.’

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