Adland has lost one of its most acclaimed directors. Ringan Ledwidge, who has died of cancer at just 50, started out as a photojournalist before moving into directing commercials, because filmmaking gave him “many frames to find the emotional truth”.
He created Rattling Stick in 2006 with fellow director Daniel Kleinman and producer Johnny Frankel. Although he directed films (Gone, 2005) and music videos (for Massive Attack), he was best known for his spectacular, cinematic commercials, including “Christmas Is For Sharing” for Sainsbury’s, “Duel” for Audi and “Three Little Pigs” for The Guardian newspaper.
Born in Canterbury, Kent, Ledwidge studied graphic design at the Ravensbourne School of Design in London. After a stint as a photojournalist in the Middle East, he began contacting advertising agencies in the hope of better earnings. Quoted by Shots, he recounted: “A couple of guys Kim [Papworth] and Tony [Davidson], who ran W&K London asked if I’d ever thought about directing. Which I hadn’t. With their help and some other mates' help we worked together and the result wasn’t too bad. I’d enjoyed myself and figured this is for me.”
Indeed, in 1999 he won Best Young Director at Cannes and continued to win multiple awards during his career.
Rattling Stick paid homage to the director: “It is with a very heavy heart we have to announce that our beloved Ringan passed away in his sleep. Cancer has taken him from us, and we already miss him dearly. No one will ever come close to the legend that he is. We could sit here and write up all the accolades he has won, or go into the magic he added to everything he touched, but that doesn’t feel right just now. Anyone that knew Ringan knew what a special, wonderful man he was. He will never be forgotten, and the industry has just lost one of its best.”
Find a selection of his work here
