Meet the Creative Leads: James Hanrahan, Design Lead
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
We caught up with James Hanrahan to discuss craft, collaboration and inspiration...
At Blacklist, great ideas rarely live in one discipline. They’re shaped, challenged, and brought to life by a collective of specialists, from designers and animators to editors, storytellers, and makers who turn ambitious briefs into standout creative.
In ‘Meet the Leads: BLACKLIST’, a new Q&A series, Blacklist sits down with the creative leads behind the work to explore the people, processes, and perspectives that shape the studio’s output.
First up is James Hanrahan, design lead at Blacklist. Working across print, digital, branding and campaign design, James plays a key role in shaping projects from the very first spark of an idea through to final execution. Blacklist caught up with him to talk about craft, collaboration, inspiration, and, most importantly, the correct side to eat a chocolate digestive biscuit!
Q: Hello James, great to have you here. For those who may not know you yet - tell us about your role at Blacklist, and what a typical week looks like in your world?
James: I'm a design lead at Blacklist, heading up everything static and print. That usually means key art creation, branding, print and OOH campaigns, and generally anything that doesn't move. A typical week involves digesting briefs, navigating my way through endless spec sheets (all the trams and stations in Europe), brainstorming with the team and creating visuals that bring ideas to life.
Q: Every creative has a different way into the industry, what first pulled you towards this craft, and when did you realise this was what you wanted to do professionally?
James: I wanted to design album covers when I was younger. I remember interviewing a graphic designer as part of my degree when I was 18 or so. He was really cool (cannot remember his name) - he told me his first paid job was creating artwork for gigs and bands which, to me, sounded like a dream job. I actually went the other way and did anything but design work for about six years, then kind of stumbled back into it and found a love for it again.
Q: At BLACKLIST, you’re involved right from the earliest stages of a brief. What does your creative process look like from that first conversation through to final delivery?
James: I think from the very beginning, most briefs are a bit of a minefield. But generally, we will get together as a team and break it down, come up with a bunch of ideas, pick our strongest, disregard the rest, then build from there.
Q: When a new brief lands, what’s the first thing you’re looking for - what helps you spot the opportunity in a project?
James: I think it depends on how much involvement the client wants and what we've been provided in terms of assets. Any creative person will agree that creative freedom is the best kind of brief, so when that’s the case, we have the opportunity to go as bold as we want.
Q: Collaboration sits at the heart of what we do. How do you work with other creative leads across the company, to shape an idea into something tangible?
James: We talk constantly, which helps. If we're not all in the office together the same day, we're talking on Slack or video call most of the time (not always constructively). But we have a great working relationship where everyone knows what's needed of them and where each other’s strengths lie.
Q: Whether it’s a style frame, moodboard, rough design, or finished campaign - how do you know when a piece of work is starting to feel “right”?
James: I don't think I ever do know when it's right. When creating Key Art, for example, I like to try as many styles as I can, covering all bases, until something maybe glaringly sticks out as wrong, then I know what doesn't work. Then kind of work backwards.
Q: Looking back at your time at Blacklist, which project are you most proud of - and what made it such a memorable one?
James: It's hard to pick just one - I’m incredibly proud of the work we do for SkyShowtime because we've been working with them for four years, doing huge OOH campaigns across Europe and spearheading their rebrand. But I think working with Disney, creating the anamorphic deep screen at Piccadilly lights for ‘Star Wars’ was a particular highlight, because it’s such an iconic brand at such an iconic location and it was something new for me to be a part of.
Q: Every creative has their influences. What’s inspiring you right now - whether that’s design, film, music, architecture, gaming, fashion, or something completely unexpected?
James: Holidays. Hotels. I recently stayed at Margate House and now I need to completely redecorate my home. Again.
Q: Technology and tools are evolving faster than ever. How has your craft changed over the last few years, and what’s exciting - or challenging - you most about where things are heading?
James: Everything's a lot faster now. The tools keep getting better, which means less time spent figuring out how to make something and more time thinking about whether it's actually a good idea. AI is obviously changing things, and while it's useful, I think the real value still comes from creative thinking and good taste. The exciting bit is how quickly you can bring ideas to life. The challenge is making sure the work still feels human.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to the next generation of creatives looking to build a career in this industry?
James: Try everything, try anything. Don’t get too attached to your first idea. The best work comes from developing initial ideas, getting feedback, and improving it along the way.
Q: And finally… How do you eat a chocolate digestive biscuit?
James: Down in one.
