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David de Winter - freelance director

From art director to director. From concept to camera.

David spent 20 years in the creative departments of Ogilvy, Lowe, and Young & Rubicam, where he created award-winning campaigns. That experience - from brief to final product - forms the foundation of how he works as a director today.

As an art director, David wanted more control over the visual end result. So he learned to direct, not just to shoot images, but to tell stories with the same precision and attention to detail he had at the drawing table.

His cinematographic signature stems from his other discipline: since the 1990s, David has worked as a visual artist (pseudonym Staaf) with oil paint. That love for craft - from stop-motion animation to hand-painted imagery and the latest AI tools - is reflected in his commercials. Whether using analog techniques or cutting-edge technology: story comes first, technique follows.

David has directed commercials for Albert Heijn, Action, HEMA, Lidl, ING, KWF, Nationale Nederlanden, and many others. From humor to emotion, from retail to social campaigns - always with an eye for story and image.

Alongside freelance directing, David is co-founder of creative agency HUGO23 (together with Menno Koop and Rogier Cornelisse), specialized in the cultural sector.

Available for commercials, branded content, and experimental formats.