"I used to take large fruit with me, like pineapples and watermelons just to say thanks to creatives for seeing me," reminisces Ringan Ledwidge on his ascent into the world of advertising, bashing the pavement of London for over a year with photographic portfolio in hand. "As stupid as it may sound, when I went back they'd always say stuff like, 'yeah, that watermelon was really tasty, man.'"

London-based Harry Nash native Ledwidge has rapidly ascended into the commercial production scene since those fruitful days of old. He completed a graphic design degree, got into photography, then travelled around the Middle East to collect a deluge of images. Armed with an impressive portfolio, he took the visual initiative when returning to London after the Guardian newspaper offered Ledwidge the opportunity to shoot a commercial.

"It was all quite accidental to be honest with you," recalls Ledwidge on stepping into the shoes of director. "I had already shot a lot on a video camera and Super 8 for my own pleasure, and after the Guardian job things suddenly started to get busy."

With an adept ability to convey the intricacies of subtle body language ("Ruth" for The AA through HHCL & Partners; "Self-Defence" for VW through BMP DDB, London); the voracious forces of nature (the "Fox NASCAR" campaign through Cliff Freeman & Partners, NY); and the comedic possibilities of sport ("Boats" and "Horses" for Adidas through 180, Amsterdam, and "Supermarket" for Nike through Wieden + Kennedy, Portland), Ledwidge continues to push the boundaries of directing.

"Look at Frank Budgen," says Ledwidge. "He's a fantastic director because he's so difficult to define -- that's what I really want to achieve by constantly seeking challenging new jobs that I haven't experienced before."

Ledwidge practices the preach with an arrangement of spots that cover the visual gamut; the aforementioned "Fox NASCAR" campaign is his most visceral work of late, throwing thrill-seeking NASCAR fans into the brunt of nature's forces. Take "Tornado" where a burly man nonchalantly unfolds a lawn chair to sit impassively in the face of a savage twister; as a siren pierces the air and a pick-up truck flies past, the protagonist sits in ecstasy until gale force winds finally mount to sweep the man away. "He's a Fan" reads the on-screen text as the adrenaline junkie freeze-frames in mid-air, attesting to his mind-numbing idolization of NASCAR racing.

"I was in constant fear during the making of this spot," confesses Ledwidge. "We had four huge wind machines and two fan boats with enormous engines on the back creating 80-90 mph winds -- we drilled them into the ground because they were so powerful. It was quite phenomenal. We also had a crane that picked up the truck and threw it through the air, while we created the effect of the guy getting blown away by the wind through the use of a bungee chord pulling and snapping the stuntman away [from the camera]."

Another high-energy spot on par with the "Fox NASCAR" campaign is "Car Chase" for Toyota through Saatchi & Saatchi, LA, where we follow the bone-crushing action of a car chase from inches away. Multiple camera angles follow a speeding criminal bashing into parked cars in an attempt to outrun police in the narrow streets of a Spanish town. He suddenly stops dead in his tracks as he comes across a gleaming Toyota, easing his bruised wheels past the Camry so as not to dent its buffed exterior, then continues on his rampage through the winding Spanish streets.

"This was such a technically demanding spot on a tight schedule," says Ledwidge. "We had three cameras rolling to capture the mind-fucking planning that went on for a week before we began shooting. I wanted to achieve the idea of contact because most car chases are brilliantly done in terms of the stunts, but quite often you don't feel the impacts and sense the hits."

Casting and music are a priority in any commercial project for Ledwidge, no matter the scope of the job. "So much of a director's job is casting," maintains Ledwidge. "I never say I'm satisfied until the last minute because if you get the right people and the right chemistry you're on to a winner. As for the music, I usually have a few pieces in mind for each job because it sets the tone for what you do. It's really about having a lot of patience and planning time up front to make sure you get it all right."

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