Dear friends,

I want to tell you a story about my eldest daughter and how she inspired me to create Heroic. Two days after she was born, I wrote her a letter to welcome her into this world. In that letter, I said: “Always remain curious and walk towards new experiences and the unknown. Seek out truth, share yours with others, and live with an open heart.” As I ventured into parenthood, those words stayed with me. I quickly realised that, as babies, we don’t need any persuading to be curious, truthful, or open-hearted - it’s simply who we are. So, I began to wonder if that advice wasn’t really meant for her but for me. And maybe she would teach me far more than I could teach her.

Whether it’s telling your truth when it’s easier to stay silent, standing out for all the right reasons, or questioning the status quo when everyone else is going with the flow, heroic actions can be small or mighty. But they all start with getting comfortable with the uncomfortable truth. I want my daughters to grow up in a world where we all take responsibility for our corner of it—a world where creativity is bold, diverse voices are heard, and the stories we tell reflect the world we want to build. This is the heartbeat of Heroic.

My vision was to create the kind of place where I would want to work. A place where we value our people as much as we value our clients and where everyone’s voice is heard. We’ve built a community of visionary filmmakers who are much more than just names on our website. Having been a freelance director and cinematographer, I know it can be a lonely sport, so this will always be a home where our directors feel supported and able to collaborate with each other. One of our proudest moments has been bringing two of our directors together to co-create a TV ad. They had never worked with each other, but by combining their complementary skill sets we felt the result would be greater than the sum of their parts. And so it was!

By approaching all of our projects with child-like curiosity, we ask the scary questions, embrace the tough conversations, and never settle for "good enough." Every film is crafted with care and every story powered by human truths. From big-screen TV campaigns to fast-turnaround digital content, our team is nimble, agile, and utterly obsessed with delivering films that are not only beautiful but deeply effective.

For too long brands have relied on the same few voices, representing a narrow vision of the world. So alongside our world-class directors, we’re championing new voices in filmmaking and giving the next generation a seat at the table. We believe talent shouldn’t be judged on what you’ve done but on what you can do. By nurturing fresh perspectives and building opportunities for emerging creators, we’re working to reshape the future of commercial film production - delivering authentic stories unconstrained by lived experience, cultural insight or territorial boundaries.

Because this isn’t about marketing to consumers—it’s about mattering to people. This is our mission and belief. Held to account by the power of our creator community who put ideas above ego and creativity above all else.

My daughter reminds me daily to remain curious, seek truth, and live with an open heart. They’re values we carry into every project, and it’s the foundation of everything we do at Heroic.

Together, let’s create something unforgettable.

James Stoneley

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CREATIVE PRODUCER