The filmmaker discusses classic ads, what kinds of stories he wants to tell now—and the alluring emptiness of AI.

“I guess it’s like speed chess,” Romanek said of why he enjoys creating in the ultra-condensed format of commercials. “I enjoy solving creative problems. Ads are usually about human behavior, which interests me. It’s quick in and out. It’s lucrative and creative. I don’t really think of it differently than other kinds of filmmaking—it’s a little story that has to be told in kind of a daring and sincere way, hopefully.”

Read the full interview here.