JAMSBASH: Directing Culture’s Pulse

“At the end of the day, we’re just trying to make something that feels alive.” — JAMSBASH

The Duo Changing the Frame

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through the best of modern TV, film, or even the wildest corners of branded content, you’ve probably seen their mark—whether you recognized it or not. JAMSBASH, the directing duo behind HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay and SoundCloud’s first feature film The Day Ones, have built a reputation for kinetic visuals, emotional honesty, and a humor that’s sharp without ever being cruel. Their credits read like a pop culture wish list: Mastercard, Disney, ESPN, Adidas, Vogue, Xfinity, eBay. And then there’s the talent—Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Samuel L. Jackson, Mindy Kaling, Michael B. Jordan, and Marshawn Lynch, to name a few.

But what makes JAMSBASH’s work truly singular isn’t just the scale or the star power—it’s the way their stories pulse with music, memory, and the kind of truth that lingers long after the credits roll.

“There’s a sound for every feeling, and we’re always chasing the way a project not only looks but also feels through its sound.”

Some moments stick with you. For JAMSBASH, it’s not the big explosions or the wildest set pieces. It’s the quiet, intimate scenes—the ones that sneak up on you and refuse to let go.

“There’s a scene in the Lion King short where we reveal the young woman we’ve been following is actually the older woman in the present, and it becomes this emotional memory of her time with her mother in the theater—they share a hug that still gets me every time.”

And then there’s The Day Ones—SoundCloud’s first feature film—where two friends finally confront their unspoken feelings. “Watching the actors fully inhabit that tension felt electric and deeply alive.”

It’s these moments—small, personal, but universally resonant—that define the JAMSBASH approach.

The Long Road to “Making It”

Ask them if they’ve “made it,” and you’ll get a grin and a shrug.

“I don’t know that we’ve fully ‘made it,’ but there are moments—like winning our first Clio or directing these actors we grew up admiring—that make us grateful to do this for a living.”

The trophies—two Gold Clios (including Best Direction), a Bronze Clio, a national ADDY, an Adweek Experiential Award, and the first-ever Grand Clio for a live entertainment brand—are nice. But for JAMSBASH, the real reward is being part of the creative conversation.

Join the unseen scene

“I’ve come to see awards more as markers within the community—a way of saying, ‘We’re here. We’re part of this. We’re excited about what others are making too.’”

Building Visual Rhythm: The Music in Everything

If you’ve ever noticed a certain musicality in their work, you’re not imagining things.

“I think you just have to have music in you. Both Bash and I are fans of music—it’s a big part of our creative process and how we express storytelling through sound and time.”

Early on, working with dancers and musicals shaped their sense of rhythm. Now, even in the most commercial of projects, you can feel the beat—visual, emotional, and literal.

Listen beyond illusions

“Sound naturally bleeds into everything we do.”

Keeping It Funny, Never Punching Down

Comedy is a tightrope. For JAMSBASH, the rule is simple: never punch down.

“You punch down until there’s nothing left to punch down on, and then you move to the positive stuff you can really use.”

That means one of them always acts as the audience, calling out when something doesn’t land. “We want to push boundaries without stepping on opportunity or adding to the world’s toxicity. We try to be thoughtful and responsible with what we put out there.”

Directing Legends—and Being Surprised

They’ve directed a who’s who of Hollywood and sports. But the biggest surprise? Marshawn Lynch.

“Marshawn has this rare ease—he’s completely himself at any moment, which makes him stand out.”

And as it turns out, athletes are often funnier and more grounded than anyone expects. “Our process—just joking around like we’re in a dorm room—helps put them at ease, letting them be as funny and real as they are with their friends.”

Commercials as Short Films

Every project, no matter how branded, is storytelling at its core.

“We’re always trying to make every project feel like that at the core, it’s all storytelling. Sure, there’s a product shot at the end, but we’re using the same cinematic tools: images arranged in sequence to tell a story.”

How do you create a culture bomb?

“Our role was about shepherding Sam’s vision for the show. She had very specific references and a clear sense of where she was creatively when the show was conceived. For us, it was about translating that into something cinematic and personal—building a world.”

Filmed at the height of COVID, the show became a fantasy of connection. “We wanted to capture that shared spirit and make viewers feel like flies on the wall.”

Explore the unexpected now

Watch Pause with Sam Jay on HBO:

https://www.hbo.com/pause-with-sam-jay

Dream Dinner Party: Chaos, Comedy, and Truth

If you could cast anyone, dead or alive, for a dinner party sketch?

“Start with Richard Pryor—he spoke truth and created chaos. Add the South Park guys, Red Fox, a Tim Robinson type, Nikki Glaser, Amy Poehler… That’s the real challenge.”

Kinetic Visuals: When to Pull a Punch

“We’ve never really had to pull a punch—it’s more about adjusting the approach to fit the tone. Early ideas start wild, but experience teaches you when to bring something more refined.”

The Clown Is King

“While we focus on humor, the clown is often the truth-teller, carrying the emotional backbone of the story. The clown’s versatility requires using every tool to make a joke work. Sometimes, their quiet moments—just an expression or a pause—are the most powerful and brilliant.”

The Weirdest Brand Note

“We’re always asked to do weird stuff—like, ‘Now we need to f** these watermelons.’ But when you see it through the client’s lens, it makes sense—they think about their product 24/7 and have a totally different mindset.”*

At the end of the day: “Our job is to sell a product and get someone to act. The notes might be odd, but when you remember that, it all fits.”

Protecting the Creative Voice

“Having a clear, focused vision is essential, especially with many decision-makers involved. After 15 years working together, we know our principles and hold others accountable, which builds integrity.”

Ultimately, it’s about respecting the audience and making sure you deliver something engaging—never boring.

The Real Meaning of Success

“Those Clios, Addys, and awards we’ve won for ideas people didn’t believe in—it feels good. There’s something deeply satisfying in knowing we fought for the right idea and that it was ultimately recognized.”

But the best work isn’t always the most awarded. “Some pieces are excruciating to pull off. You hit every bump and speed bump along the way. And then that’s the one that wins? While the piece you loved and poured your soul into just… doesn’t.”

Switching Genres: Loyalty to Story

“It’s always about telling the story right. Genre becomes secondary when you’re grounded in the tone and the truth of the idea.”

Juggling 15 projects in a month? That’s just another Tuesday.

Visual Signature: Serving the Story

“I don’t think we have a deliberate visual signature—and we’re not trying to insert one. We’re so focused on serving the story that we’re not standing outside it long enough to say, ‘And here’s where we stamp it with our signature.’”

Humor as Emotional Truth

“I keep going back to their Teenagers sketch, by Nichols and May. It’s so simple—just two people navigating the awkwardness of attraction. But it’s also deeply emotional. That combination—emotional truth wrapped in humor—is something I return to often.”

Key & Peele, Tim Robinson—masters of comedy that’s as painful as it is hilarious.

Times Square: Scale and Immediacy

“That project was wild—21 screens, thousands of people, a ton of planning. But at the core of it, the scale made us hyper-present. We had one shot, and it felt almost live.”

Improvisation became the secret weapon. “We were pulling families out of crowds, asking them to look up and react in real time. It became this joyful mess.”

The Creative Partnership: No Handshake, Just Rhythm

“Not a handshake, but definitely a look. We’ve been doing this long enough to know when one of us needs to step in and use our superpower. We have different strengths, and we trust each other to know when to lead or support. It’s an unspoken rhythm now.”

And when the stress hits? “Misery loves company. That’s the handshake.”

What’s “Cool” Anyway?

“To me, cool is about taste. It’s deeply personal—your lens, your instincts, the things that speak to you. It’s subjective, but when you put a piece of your heart and vision on screen and say, ‘This is what I think is dope,’ that’s cool.”

Bash adds: “Cool is confidence. Not swagger, but that quiet belief that your point of view matters. That your story’s worth telling.”

The Throughline: From High-Gloss to Raw

Whether it’s a Mastercard campaign or a raw, personal story, the throughline is honesty.

“We just focused on what was true for that story… Instead of trying to lock into a signature style, we developed a loyalty to the story—figuring out what would feel exciting and relevant to the audience right now.”

The First Shoot: Never Want to Relive

“I often tell Jamaal that it doesn’t feel real until the cameras are rolling. Before that, it’s mostly dreaming and dealing with all the agency or studio back-and-forth. The only thing I dread is the work not being seen—because we truly love what we do.”

The tough moments make you stronger. “If we discarded those challenges, we wouldn’t have the skills we do today.”

Knowing When It’s Done

“It’s never really ‘done’ because once it’s on TV, the conversation keeps going. You can keep sharpening something forever, but perfection is elusive.”

If Directing Were a Sport…

“I’m thinking of a bit of music, some action sequences, a couple of car chases, maybe a classic ‘saving a damsel in distress’ fish-out-of-water story… So honestly, the answer depends on what’s next.”

The Visual Idea That Haunts

“I’ve been thinking about what kind of comedy or story really needs to be seen on a huge screen, like IMAX—something you can only fully enjoy sitting shoulder to shoulder, laughing with a crowd. With great technology and a tight crew, I want to make films more often, embracing the raw, spontaneous moments instead of waiting for perfection.”

The Work, the Rhythm, the Culture

JAMSBASH are more than just directors—they’re culture’s pulse, channeling the chaos, humor, and heart of the moment into every frame. Whether they’re working with legends, wrangling a Times Square takeover, or making you laugh and cringe in equal measure, their work is a reminder: the best stories are the ones that feel alive.

“Our job is to sell a product and get someone to act. The notes might be odd, but when you remember that, it all fits.”

“Comedy is a tightrope. You never want to punch down.”

“Cool is confidence. Not swagger, but that quiet belief that your point of view matters.”