August, 2026.- There is so much content being made today that the work people tend to connect with is the work that feels genuine. John Hollingsworth, Managing Partner & EVP at Late Shift, believes that whether it is a celebrity, an influencer, or someone who has never been on camera before, audiences can tell when a performance feels authentic. When you are working with personalities rather than trained actors, the goal is not to make them fit a script—it is to shape the creative around who they already are. That is what makes the work feel relatable, and ultimately, more memorable.
In this interview, Hollingsworth discusses what drew him to sign Mikael Tyrsén, a director known for bringing out authentic, effortless performances from celebrity talent. What drew them to Mikael was his visual style—a subtle sense of humor and playfulness that elevates celebrity campaigns without ever feeling forced. He also has a real talent for getting authentic performances out of people, especially those who are not professional actors. He creates an environment where people feel comfortable enough to just be themselves.
Hollingsworth also explains the difference between a production that merely executes a script and one that allows for unexpected, authentic moments. Creating the right environment starts with understanding both the talent and the scene. An intimate, emotional moment might call for a quieter set with fewer people, while a comedy spot benefits from an energetic atmosphere. When people feel comfortable enough to experiment, you often capture something more genuine than what was originally on the page.
For Late Shift, it is all about the prep work. The more you can solve before you get to set, the more freedom you have on the day to focus on the creative.+
You’ve signed Mikael Tyrsén, a director known for bringing out “authentic, effortless performances from celebrity talent.” What specifically drew you to Mikael, and how does his particular skill set complement Late Shift’s existing roster?
What drew us to Mikael was his visual style. There’s a subtle sense of humor and playfulness to his work that elevates celebrity campaigns without ever feeling forced. At the same time, he has a real talent for getting authentic performances out of people, especially those who aren’t professional actors. He creates an environment where people feel comfortable enough to just be themselves, and that’s something that comes across on camera. I think that combination of a distinctive visual point of view and an instinct for working with people made him a great addition to our roster.
Performance-Driven Content as a Category: You noted that Tyrsén is particularly effective in campaigns “where personality is the point.” In an era of polished, highly produced commercial content, why is authentic, relaxed performance becoming more valuable? What are brands seeking when they prioritize this kind of talent work?
There’s just so much content being made today that the work people tend to connect with is the work that feels genuine. Whether it’s a celebrity, an influencer, or someone who’s never been on camera before, audiences can tell when a performance feels authentic. When you’re working with personalities rather than trained actors, the goal isn’t to make them fit a script — it’s to shape the creative around who they already are. That’s what makes the work feel relatable, and ultimately, more memorable.
Creating the Environment for Surprise: Mikael said he’s drawn to work where “talent feels comfortable enough to surprise you.” As an executive producer, how do you help create that environment on set? What’s the difference between a production that merely executes a script and one that allows for those unexpected, authentic moments?
Creating the right environment starts with understanding both the talent and the scene. Every person works differently, and every performance requires something different. An intimate, emotional moment might call for a quieter set with fewer people in the room, while a comedy spot often benefits from an energetic atmosphere where laughter helps fuel the performance. As an executive producer, part of the job is helping shape that environment so the director and talent have what they need to do their best work.
The difference between a production that simply executes a script and one that creates unexpected, authentic moments is that the latter leaves room for discovery. When people feel comfortable enough to experiment, you often capture something more genuine than what was originally on the page. Those are the moments that make the work feel less like a commercial and more like something audiences can genuinely connect with.
Taste, Technical Fluency, and Instinct: You described Mikael’s combination of “taste, technical fluency, and an instinct for people.” How rare is this combination, and how do you identify it when you’re evaluating a director for representation? What do you look for beyond the reel?
It’s not a super common combination. Directors often lean more heavily toward either the technical craft or performance, whereas Mikael is genuinely strong at both. He’s incredibly technically minded — even building technology in his spare time — but he also has a real instinct for working with people and drawing out natural performances.
When we’re evaluating directors, the reel is just the starting point. You can see a lot in the work itself, but we’re also looking at the person behind it. Are they collaborative? Do they communicate well? Are they someone clients genuinely enjoy working with? In Mikael’s case, his work speaks for itself, but he’s also awesome to collaborate with, and that combination made him a natural fit for Late Shift.
Mikael said Late Shift “knows how to make ambitious work happen in a smart way.” What does that mean in practice? How does Late Shift’s production philosophy differ from other shops, and how does that philosophy attract directors like Tyrsén?
For us, it’s really all about the prep work. We always say, “fix it in prep,” because the more you can solve before you get to set, the more freedom you have on the day to focus on the creative. Coming from a line producing background, I understand the logistics of how projects actually get made from the ground up, so we’re able to make smart decisions early and anticipate challenges before they become problems. Every director works a little differently, so our job is to understand their process and build the production around that. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The better the preparation, the smoother the shoot goes, and the more ambitious you can be without creating unnecessary headaches. I think that’s something directors really value — they know they have a production partner who understands both the creative vision and the practical realities of bringing it to life.
