Director, Robin Walters is a people person. He is known for his character driven commercials. Acknowledged for being exceptionally good at it, in fact. He has been named Best Director at Adfest, and won awards for his short film, The Platform, at film festivals in Japan, Germany, Australia and Spain, where it won the Silver Spike Award at the Valladolid International Film Festival.

Walters has just become a Robber’s Dog, chosen by the production company for having directed “some of the most honest and funniest to come out of Australasia in recent years,” Robber’s Dog explained.

Walters commented, “I’ve always thought that the directors they have on their roster, and the overall company ethos, is one which I could buy into.”

Robbers was directed commercials for Vodafone, Nimble, Ebay, NZTA, Hyundai, McDonald’s, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Telecom, MICF and Spark.

Q: How did you come to have such a varied portfolio of styles and genres in your work?

Robin Walters: I used to specialise in food and table top. I would shoot the milk/chocolate/tomato at 300fps then the agency would hire a talent director for the appreciation shot. One ECD took the punt and said, “Mate, if you can direct a tomato, I’m sure you can direct a model”. So then I started specialising in beauty. Then I did a spot that people thought was funny, so I became that guy. Then I became the car guy. The thing is, I love doing it all but I am particularly good at directing tomatoes.

Like most creatives, Robin Walters’ creativity doesn’t turn on at 9am and off at 5pm, either. In December 2014, he produced a book, MARAE – TE TATAU POUNAMU: A Journey around New Zealand’s Meeting Houses, that publisher, Random House called, “A magnificent documentation of and tribute to New Zealand’s wharenui, big and small.”

His fascination with the quirks and nuances that make up human beings gives his work its engaging quality time and time again. Robin’s work has always been built around the genuine characters he uncovers in casting.

Q: Much of your work is character driven. How do you know when you’ve found the right cast members?

RW: It’s a number of things really. I’m quite familiar with the talent pool especially in New Zealand and Australia, so I’ll often have someone in mind before the casting process has begun. I have a close relationship with the casting directors who regularly update me with any new discoveries. I’m also constantly on the lookout for new and potential talent; I love street casting. There are a number of actors I work with regularly who are tried and trusted. I have tremendous respect and faith in actors; it’s not easy what they do, I certainly couldn’t do it! Then of course it could be that they have nice teeth.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new and potential talent; I love street casting. I have tremendous respect and faith in actors, because it’s not easy what they do.

Here’s a taste of what he can do:

Q: Why do you think Australia and New Zealand are so renowned for their comedic commercials?

RW: New Zealand certainly has a unique flavour which is different to the humour in Oz, Britain and the US. I’ve sat in cinemas in the States where all the locals are laughing their heads off and I’m like ‘WTF??’ – I don’t get it. Although I’ve introduced Kiwi comedy films to foreigners who have an equally baffled reaction…Big ears are funny though.

Q: What motivated your move from Curious to Robber’s Dog?

RW: They said they’d give me a shiny new phone… and Mark has big ears.