Ola! Films Turns 18, Director Amy Allais talks choreography, kids, and the name that got away

Founders Amy Allais and Olivia Leitch launched Ola! Films 18 years ago and have grown it into a top production company behind some of South Africa’s commercial gems. Now with Ola’s growing roster of directors, producers and the addition of an international service department, Amy reflects on the company’s journey, her own trajectory as a director and how she still wishes they called it Leotard Films.  

For the creative folks that haven’t worked with Ola! or director Amy Allais, here’s your cheat sheet; for almost 20 years, Amy’s been crafting work that stretches from the visually striking, fantastically choreographed and playfully irreverent to the really heartfelt tear-jerking stuff.  Amy never wastes a moment of screen time and brings her Amy-eye for design and fashion to the intricately detailed worlds she has built. So many of her commercials stick with you like a Chappie to a tekkie, except you want to rechew that Chappie again-and-again. Like Amy herself, her work is unexpected, can make you cackle out loud, and is a little weird and a bit awkward…all in the best possible way.

Q: 18 years of Ola! Films, congrats! We have to ask, where did the name come from?

Amy: It’s been an incredible ride. It’s funny because a lot of people think Ola! is an amalgamation of our names, Amy and Olivia, but it’s not! It was originally going to be Hola Films, but some stupid person had already registered the name, so we dropped the “H.” I of course desperately wanted to call it Leotard Films, but Oli would have none of it.

Q: Haha, why Leotard Films?

Amy: Hmh, well if you have to ask maybe it wasn’t such a great idea after all.

Q: What have been some of the highlights for you?

Amy: Building Ola! into what it is today and all the people we got to hang out and create with along the way. We’ve made some incredible work with some of our country’s top creatives and it’s been a dream come true. I remember the Thirsty Thursday gatherings we used to have, where we’d share inspiring work with friends in the industry and the sheer joy I felt of seeing a room filled with happy creatives. On a personal note, I remember back in the day, before drones and when we were still shooting on film, flying in helicopters to get aerial shots. That felt surreal, that I could do that, definitely a highlight.

Q: Your reel is so diverse, from choreography-heavy ads, to comedy, beauty, sport, heartfelt stories. Is there a golden thread that ties it all together?

Amy: For me, it all comes down to worldbuilding. I’m kind of obsessive, which is something you need, I think, if you want to really transport an audience to another world. You have 30 seconds, or 60 if you’re lucky, and every beat needs to contribute to the story. I love designing and stylising every element to create a cohesive world with a healthy dose of irreverence thrown in.

Screenshots from Amy’s campaigns from top left to bottom right: Noosa, Huggies, Mr D, ProteasSpar, King Price.

Q: Let’s talk about choreography. You’ve built quite a reputation in that space. Where does your love for it come from?

Amy: I’ve always been quite musical and theatrical. The nature of directing choreography-heavy projects appeals to me because it’s so controlled and planned out, which is exactly how I like to work. One of my favourite memories is working on the Pepsico ad, choreographer Natalie Fischer and I were literally mapping out sequences mid-flight to Istanbul. It was chaotic but so rewarding. That ad came off the back of directing Vodacom’s viral hit ‘Single Ladies’ which was before TikTok dances were even a thing I’ll have you know.

Pepsico

Single Ladies

Q: You also have a knack for working with kids, which can be tricky. What’s your secret?

Amy: Spending time with them beforehand. Rehearsals are key. By the time we’re on set, we’re already homies. It makes a huge difference in how natural and authentic their performances feel. The Checkers Little Garden campaign is a great example of this, it was such a joy to direct. 

Checkers ‘Little Garden’

Q: Do you ever regret becoming a director?

Amy: (without skipping a beat) Oh **** no, not for one minute. Do you know how lucky I feel. I have the potential to unravel like a jelly fish given the chance. But commercials, specifically commercials, that creativity it takes within clear parameters, that is where I thrive.

Q: You were one of the judges for Loeries at the end of last year in the category Film Craft. Any takeaways from sitting around the judges’ table?

Amy: It was great to judge alongside some greats and hang out with other greats likes of Carl Willoughby,  Suhana Gordhan, Roanna Williams, Neo Mashigo, Jake Bester, Laura Jordan Bambach, and Jack Renwick to name a few. There was some very good work but being surrounded by a collection of the creative community from South Africa and abroad was really what stuck with me.

Not surprising that Amy is asked to judge at top award shows, seeing as she herself has racked up quite the mantle piece of metal. Not that she likes to talk about it, but we do. Below a few of our fave spots from her reel, with Lexus taking home a Gold Pendoring, Biggest Curse a Gold at Ciclope and Capfin nabbing a Bronze and Silver Loerie.

Lexus ‘Snor’

Biggest Curse – Ft. Moonchild Sanelly – Original Swimming Party

Capfin ‘You’re not a loan’

King Price Insurance ‘Butterflies’

Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to Amy starting out 20 years ago?

Amy: Honestly, it’s turned out pretty well, so I wouldn’t want to mess with the space-time continuum, I’ve seen “Back to the Future!” But if I had to give advice to a young person starting out in the industry, I’d tell them to find the best people and go work for them. Get into the room with people you admire most and learn everything you can.

Q: Where did it all start for you as a director?

Amy: I remember directing my first commercial back in 2004 after starting out at Fresh Eye. Before that, I was directing a children’s show for KTV. A lot of really talented people, including Chloe Coetsee, launched their careers inside those banana walls. MTV ‘Besperm My’ was my first commercial work. I talked a friend into creating the most over-the-top, starry-eyed love song, and then, for reasons I still can’t quite explain, I recorded it in Afrikaans myself. The process was as quirky as the final result, including a surreal adventure through mannequin graveyards in search of the perfect dolls. We worked with the smallest crew imaginable, but that just made the whole thing feel more personal. There’s a raw, handcrafted charm to the ad that still makes me smile.

MTV ‘Besperm My’

Dear Reader, Amy said we needed to make it clear that the low res wasn’t a style choice, it’s cause it’s from the old days.

MTV ‘Besperm My’ got Amy shortlisted for the Young Director Award at Cannes.

Q: If your directing style were a meal, what would it be?

Amy: A big, elaborate contemporary banquet table with aspects of medieval abundance, a wild boar with an apple in its mouth right in the centre. Over the top, but with plenty of substance.
Just like Amy 😜

Wanna (s)talk some more? Check out Ola! Films on IDIDTHAT and Company Website.

Contact Ola! Films

Executive Producer: Olivia Leitch
olivia@olafilms.tv
011 447 6370

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Produced by the IDIDTHAT Content Studio – Credits: Anne Hirsch (Writer) / Julie Maunder

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