2 Minutes With … Adam Morse, Who's Blind, and Directed Google's Big Game Spot

“It felt awesome,” says director Adam Morse about having “Javier in Frame,” his commercial for Google Pixel 8, debut during the Super Bowl.

“I’m aware of how big of a deal the Super Bowl is here,” the Brit enthuses. “Even back in the U.K., it’s an event that people stay up late at night for, and I know that the commercials are an event in and of themselves outside the game.'”

“Javier in Frame,” produced by SMUGGLER, won rave reviews for depicting how Google’s Guided Frame technology helps blind people like the spot’s titular Javier snap photos with their smartphones.

Morse lost most of his eyesight at the age of 19 due to a mitochondrial disease. That hasn’t stopped him from becoming an entertainment industry multi-hyphenate. Morse is perhaps best known for the feature film Lucid, which he wrote and directed. As an actor, he famously did his own stunts in a recurring role in the Jason Momoa Apple+ series See.

Morse is working hard to create opportunities for other disabled people in creative roles. Last year, he founded Crystal Vision Foundation, an organization that supports sight-impaired artists, and he is always happy to hear from people in search of guidance. So don’t be shy about hitting him up on IG.

We spent two minutes with Morse to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and his experience creating a Super Bowl ad.

Tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Kingston, South London. I now reside in West London.

How you first realized you were creative.

Pretty early. Probably when I was a young child. I remember doing impressions of family members and people on TV. Baywatch was a big deal when I was a kid, and I remember impersonating Pamela Anderson going down the beach in slow motion to make my family laugh.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

Martin Scorsese, because I saw Goodfellas probably way too young. I was 11 years old when I saw that movie, definitely at an inappropriate age, but I was blown away by his filmmaking. From there, I went down the rabbit hole of his entire filmography. I remember going to Blockbuster and renting every movie I could find of his in the store.

A band/musician you admire.

There’s this incredible band called Explosions in the Sky. I’ve loved them ever since they were first on the scene, or when I discovered them, in the mid- to late-2000s. They were a great source of inspiration for me as a filmmaker and storyteller, because their music is all instrumental. There’s no vocals, but every song takes you on a sonic journey and paints pictures in your head. It’s just so cinematic. 

A recent project you’re proud of. 

This [“Javier in Frame”] Super Bowl spot. I’m proud of it because it’s advertising an innovation that provides accessibility to people with disabilities. It is more than just showcasing a novel innovation. It’s something that’s going to benefit the lives of many, myself included, which is why I was so passionate about coming on board. I get a sense of excitement and purpose when I work on a project that has social impact.

Your main strength as a creative person.

My openness as a collaborator. When it comes to filmmaking, it’s the most collaborative art form, so you have to be open as an artist to get the best work from yourself and your team. It’s definitely been a massive asset for me. It allows me to receive and filter ideas and create a space where everybody can share and have input. And, ultimately, I’ll decipher what my instincts tell me works best.

I’m a very sensitive person. I think I was a sensitive soul even before I went blind. But there’s something that happens to you when you go blind, where your emotional sensitivity just dials up so hard and so much, where you’re very affected vibrationally and energetically by everything and everyone for better or worse. But I think it’s for the better when it comes to my work as a filmmaker, because it allows me to connect faster and deeper with my crew and my cast. I get to build these strong relationships with my team. That has been, I have to say, an amazing advantage.

A mentor that helped you navigate the industry.

One of my earliest mentors when I made my first short film was Elliot Grove. He owns a film school in London called Raindance. I had done a short course there in the beginning of my career. That’s pretty much the extent of my film school. But he was very forthcoming, somebody that I could reach out to for advice.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t doing all the things you do in the entertainment business.

Football specifically—soccer. I’m registered blind, but I did actually play blind soccer for the London league in the U.K. I’m 34 now, so I’m getting to retirement age in soccer. But I would want to be involved in some way, whether as a coach or a manager of a club or even an owner—that is actually a dream of mine. I would love to own my own team and develop a club from grassroots. To take them from the bottom leagues, get them promoted through the divisions. I think it would be another cool piece of history, to be the first blind soccer manager or coach/owner.