Meet Louis Ormond: The 21-Year-Old Local Filmmaker Who’s Worked With Charli XCX and Drake

Freelance filmmaker and producer, Louis Ormond, has taken the industry by storm. Landing jobs with the likes of Molly Mae, Drake and Charli XCX before graduating university, the 21-year-old is undoubtedly destined for success.

Having grown up on the Wirral, Ormond’s creative spark was apparent from a very young age. Remembering a family holiday to Portugal and the photograph he captured of a local lizard, he says: “The family camera was lying around and I took the most banging photo, it was our laptop screen saver for ages. I got my first camera when I was 10 and I was hooked.”

Suffering from anxiety in his early teens, Ormond became unable to leave the house and was taken out of school to be educated at home. Spending so much time alone, he found himself creating YouTube videos as a creative outlet. After discovering his artistic calling and going to therapy, he decided he wanted to study at LMA – the only nearby creative college at the time.

In true filmmaker fashion, Ormond recorded a YouTube video of himself revealing his GCSE results. Just short of the grade requirements for LMA’s Film and TV BTEC course, he broke down into tears.

Determined to make the dream a reality, Ormond’s parents set up a meeting with the principal to present his portfolio of work. This, combined with his evident passion, was enough to earn him a place on the course. Arriving at college, surrounded by open-minded creatives, he finally felt at home. “People always used to tell me it wasn’t a real career, but I was obsessed with it,” he expresses. “A lot of successful people I’ve met have said it’s the obsession that drives you to where you want to be.”

In university, Ormond was given the opportunity to gain some work experience on a short film with seven other students.

He recalls: “It was the five longest days of my life. I’d never been on set and I was exhausted, but I knew it was my one chance to impress.”

Ormond understood it was a ‘fake it ’til you make it’ situation and strove to bring the energy each day. The shoot’s First AD (Assistant Director), Billie Hallows, saw something in him and agreed to give Ormond her number. “You’ve got to be a bit cheeky,” he explains. “Your network is your net worth, it’s not an industry where you just apply for something.”

Ormond funded his driving lessons through his very first job in a garden centre. “It’s a joke between me and my dad that I’ve had more jobs than him,” he laughs. Bouncing around retail shops through college and university, he secured his first film job and immediately handed in his notice. “I was like f**k it,” he explains. “It was a bit ballsy after one job in the industry, but I’d just gotten my own car and it was my first time having bills to pay, so I had no choice but to make it work. That was my ‘peace out’ to ‘normal’ jobs.”

Ormond’s first film job was a Manchester United kit launch with Adidas, produced by Antfarm Film Services, just two months after the short with Billie Hallows. She had been impressed with his work ethic and reached out to offer him a role as a runner. “On Billie’s birthday I messaged her and said I owe my career to you,” he shares. “It’s all about someone just giving you a chance.”

Learning more about set etiquette, Ormond was asked to wear exclusively Adidas to the shoot. He explains: “It would be eye watering to turn up in Nike, their competitor, while they’re paying our wage.” Taking inspiration from the fashion world, he welcomed this, stating: “A fashion show isn’t just about clothes, it’s a story told by a designer.”

Despite such a bold debut, Ormond has “said no to so many opportunities” in the industry since then. “I’m very in touch with where I am and lucky enough to be offered other jobs, so if I felt too anxious to do something I’d never beat myself up for that. I knew if I messed up I wouldn’t be invited back. Hashtag no regrets,” he jokes, his sense of humour being one of the many reasons people enjoy having him on set.

“From the third job I got, it was a full on avalanche,” he reminisces. “One minute I knew no one and suddenly I had contacts across the whole North West.”

Balancing a full-time degree with freelance film work doesn’t appear to have held Ormond back, landing an AD runner job on the Molly Mae x Persil advert in June 2025, shortly followed by a Production Assistant role, live streaming with Drake in July 2025.

“How was I doing both?” he answers. “On breaks at uni I’d do freelance work and on breaks at work I’d do uni, that’s been my life for the past year.”

He recalls: “Drake wanted to do the live stream the night after booking me. It was intense because everything you’d normally do for a production across two or three weeks was squashed into 24 hours, but if Drake says jump, you jump.”

Drawing inspiration from music for his films, Ormond says: “I struggle to watch things and not think about how it was lit or shot. Music is a different art form, you can teach yourself to play an instrument but you have to have that musical instinct in your brain to make music. I could be listening to a new song and make a scene around it in my head.”

He also lists people-watching as one of his main muses, admitting: “I’m so nosey and I love it, sometimes I stand in the station with headphones in and listen to people.”

Ormond’s most notable accomplishment to date was working as a Production Assistant for Charli XCX in June 2026. “It was to build hype around her new album – a conversation with Charli and her husband, then a party afterwards,” he explains. “The best party I’ve ever been to.”

Having looked up to her as one of his favourite artists, Ormond remembers “jumping up and down” in excitement with his mum once the job was confirmed. “When I spoke to Charli I was professional but inside I was going insane,” he admits. “I never ask talent for photos as it’s an unwritten rule, but we got on really well and it happened naturally. The first one we took was bad, so I said ‘girl, I’m not serving’ and she said ‘girl, serve’. I wasn’t looking ugly for that photo.”

As a creative, Ormond fears becoming “stuck in a niche” and takes inspiration from the way Charli XCX navigates her career. “BRAT was huge and was an album unlike anything at the time,” he explains. “Her new album is the polar opposite because that’s what feels right for her and I can really relate to that.”

He revels in the chance to surround himself with other artists. “When I’m in their presence I feel so energised,” he says.

Reaping the benefits of his hard work having just graduated, Ormond is figuring out a new normal. “Now that I’m doing less jobs for more money, it’s almost less fulfilling than when I was doing more jobs for less money,” he reflects. “I’m craving the routine. It’s bittersweet.”

With no assignment deadlines looming, he’s focusing on writing and developing brand strategies for the time being, as well as various jobs under NDAs. Keen to make his mark in the fashion world, he asks: “I’ve done a lot of sports content but it doesn’t fill my cup as much. To combine fashion and film, why wouldn’t I do that?”

Ormond’s end goal is to run his own production company, having the freedom to produce or direct whatever feels right. “If I can tell someone else’s story, great, but I’d much rather create something for myself and feel fulfilled – if I think, ‘sick, I love this.’ I don’t want to force anything ever. You shouldn’t value your art on how much it sells. I don’t want to make everyone happy, I’d rather make the right people obsessed.”

Follow @louisormond on Instagram for updates.