QUALITY PRODUCTION
BUILT FOR PARTNERSHIP
MORE DOLLARS ON SCREEN
WE’RE A STRANGE BLEND OF

What Traditional Production Can't Offer

About

Departure is the first production entity to organize hundreds of directors under one roof. The talent in our pool spans every budget level, genre, and tonality. From Super Bowl spots to social content, we match the right creative talent to every brief.

In an era where marketing leaders are expected to do more with less, we built Departure to be different. We're not a traditional production company with an exclusive roster. We're a smarter model designed to put more of your budget on screen.

Our directors get shortlisted nearly 1 in 5 times by global agencies and brands with no strategic relationship with us - proof that the work speaks for itself.

We partner with brands and agencies who want to consolidate vendor relationships without sacrificing creative depth. Whether you need us front and center or powering your internal production capabilities behind the scenes, we flex to how you work.

Culture

We're passionate about finding the perfect creative fit for every project, regardless of status or name recognition. Our team gets just as excited about matching an emerging talent to a $100k brief as we do connecting a renowned name to a seven-figure production. This passion for perfect fit over fame drives everything we do.

We're deeply committed to fostering independence in the production community, frequenty hosting collaborative groups where independent directors and producers gather to refine their craft, strengthen their pitches, and build sustainable careers. By nurturing this ecosystem, we not only discover extraordinary talent but help create a more vibrant, innovative production landscape that benefits everyone.

In the News & On the Record
In the News & On the Record
In the News & On the Record
In the News & On the Record

Our coverage, ramblings,
and industry takes.

Departure Appoints J.B. Raftus as Strategic Advisor
Read: Full Article on LBB
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Thinking beyond just a handful of relationships on Brand Storytelling
Read: Rethinking Production Consistency
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How CMO's can use "internal production" to their advantage on Advertising Week
Read: What's The Point of Internal Production
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Luke Lashley discusses how the no-roster model better serves agencies and directors on Crossing The Axis Podcast.
Listen: Freelance vs. Roster
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Everything freelance directors should know in 2025 via The Howler.
Read: Director Tips for 2025
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We share our take on the Omnicom / IPG merger alongside 18 other Ad Execs on LBB Online
Read: Doubling Down on Efficiency & Scale
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“Departure's director reels are on point and stand out from the rest. They always give great context as to why the director is a great fit for my spots. They have a really good eye for what will work and their reels continually make it into my top 10.   

I recently shot with Departure and they over-delivered on set with a top notch talented professional crew and amazing hospitality in Austin.  I felt like I was working with an old friend who had my back.”

Laura P.
Senior Producer, FCB Chicago
140+

Agencies and brands regularly receiving reels from Departure

Departure does reel submissions unlike any production company I’ve worked with and every single time they submit a reel, I get hooked. You can tell departure takes time to really understand the brief and creative ask, and submit directors that truly fit the vibe, adding context around each director - spot for spot. 

The bidding process can be time consuming and tedious, and in a sea of sometimes monotonous reels, Departure reels always stand out to me. They are thoughtful, they are creative, they are intentional.”

Austin W.
Executive Producer, VML Atlanta
$12M+

Average board value submitted per month

"Working with Departure was seamless from pre-pro to post. Dell shoots are often complicated due to volume of products and variations of shots. Departure handled those logistics faultlessly and I was able to focus more on the creative and our stakeholders. They created a fun atmosphere on set and the work created was exceptional."

Ashley H.
Production Manager, Dell Blue Studio

Leadership

Luke Lashley - Founder & Executive Producer (ATX)

Luke is the founder and Executive Producer at Departure, his second production venture. After experimenting with various roster models at his first company, he founded Departure to solve a fundamental inefficiency in how  marketers access production talent, building a systematic alternative to the relationship-dependent sourcing that's long defined the industry.

His background in finance and entrepreneurship, paired with a deep knowledge of the craft, allows him to speak fluently to both the creative and business sides of production.

Lucas Markman - Executive Producer (LA)

Lucas came to production from an agency background working with global brands like BMW and Google. As Departure's Head of Talent, he oversees the director pool and daily submissions, while touching everything else the company does from business development to talent scouting.

His agency experience gives him a sharp eye for evaluating work from both the client and craft perspective.

J.B. Raftus - Strategic Advisor
Former CMO, GSD&M

With nearly 40 years of agency leadership experience, including 28 years at GSD&M where he served as Chief Marketing Officer, J.B. brings an invaluable perspective on the client-agency relationship from every angle.

His expertise helps us deliver talent solutions and enterprise offerings that directly address the production challenges CMOs and agency leaders face every day.

Sandra Duff - Strategic Advisor
Former President, Jackman

Duff spent nearly a decade at Jackman, the Toronto-based brand transformation consultancy, rising from Reinvention Director to President. In that role, she owned the P&L, business development, and client delivery while partnering with c-suite leaders at major retail, CPG, and B2B brands on customer-focused strategies.

Her focus is helping Departure structure its infrastructure to meet the strategic needs of major brands planning production over multi-year periods.

Whether you have a project in mind or just want to learn more about what we do, we’re here to answer your questions.
General Inquiries
hello@departure.us
New Project Inquiries
sales@departure.us
Bookkeeping & Accounting
accounting@departure.us