Brought up on the South Side of Chicago and now based in Brooklyn, director Rodney Lucas creates documentary and commercial work that is uniquely attuned to the language of the streets. A self-made artist through and through, Rodney began his career as a set design assistant for a company that worked closely with Annie Leibovitz. He went on to serve as an on-air host for VICE media, having first gained experience in the music industry as an acclaimed touring artist. He’s also released works with the London-based platinum-selling group, Bastille.

Filmmaking eventually became Rodney’s full-time passion, and he went on to create Southside Films, a cinematic house focused on collaborative Black storytelling. He now travels the world creating short documentaries, commercials, and branded content for the likes of Adidas, Beats by Dre, US Bank, Amazon, Square, Nike, Vice, Dicks Sporting Goods, Puma, Clarks Originals, Verizon, and Toms Shoes. Activating media as a vehicle of understanding, Rodney proudly utilizes commercial filmmaking as a cultural unifier.

In 2024, Rodney is set to release his film Black Hercules, a documentary film about Black Bodybuilders. His other awards include a Tribeca X, a Webby, 13 Telly Awards, 3 AdStar awards, and a shortlist spot at Cannes Lions.