MEET THE DIRECTOR & FILMMAKER MERGING STRATEGY, CHAOS & CREATIVITY BEYOND THE MOOD BOARD

Behind the lens and beyond the stress, the rising director and filmmaker speaks on control, chaos, and making visuals that hit harder than the mood board.

Daryl Mansu, Ghanaian Director and Visual Storyteller

There’s a kind of quiet authority in how Daryl Mansu talks about creativity. Not the flashy, overproduced kind — but the type shaped by tight deadlines, vanishing locations, rogue security guards, and soaked equipment at the beach. The Accra-based director and visual storyteller has spent the last few years carving his own lane in fashion and music visuals, turning chaos into clarity with each project he touches.

What makes Daryl’s work stand out isn’t just aesthetics — it’s the relentless spirit behind the scenes. From rap cyphers at school to brand campaigns with Jordan, Free The Youth and music talents like Wizkid, he’s evolved from curiosity-led camerawork into full-blown conceptual directing. And yet, at the core, he’s still that guy who lives on YouTube, falls into rabbit holes, and lights up when ideas start to form. His creative discipline is real — but so is the wonder.

Image provided by Darryl Mansu/@Darylmansu Instagram

Who is Daryl Mansu when he’s not on set?

A guy who’s endlessly curious. I spend time with family & friends, fall into YouTube rabbit holes, and lately I’ve been getting into outdoor activities like hiking — just to break up the screen time.

How did it all start? What got you behind the camera?

It started with curiosity. I used to obsess over how videos were made, watching behind-the-scenes content. When my cousin got a professional camera, I started shooting random videos — parties, rap cyphers, behind-the-scenes stuff. That slowly turned into wedding videos, then fashion and music content.

During lockdown, I had time to imagine more. I pitched a few ideas to a thrift store called HS Vintage — it didn’t work out then, but we circled back and made it happen. That was my official directing debut. Since then, I’ve never looked back.

What project made you think, “Yeah… I can do this”?

Wizkid & Puma in 2021. That was the one that shifted things for me mentally. It made me believe there really aren’t any limits.

Music and fashion dominate your portfolio — why do they draw you in?

They’re just forms of art I naturally gravitate towards. But in terms of where I feel creatively free — that’s anywhere. It’s more about the environment than the genre. If the vibe is right, I can create.

Tell us about a shoot that nearly fell apart.

Definitely the recent music video shoot for UK poet/artiste Sophia Thakur’s shoot. We lost two key locations the night before. Then on shoot day, security tried to shut us down — even though we’d done a recce and gotten verbal permission.

While I was stuck in an office chasing a permit I knew wasn’t coming, I had to call my DOP and direct him to sneak some shots with Sophia.

We got the footage, then shot the final scene at the beach — only to be hit with heavy rain. The driver wouldn’t even let us into the bus because we were wet. But in the end, the footage was beautiful. That project took everything out of me… but it was worth it.

What’s your non-negotiable before starting a project?

Alignment. We all need to be working toward the same vision — client and creative team alike. Without that, it won’t reach its full potential.

And if you and the client don’t align?

I try to be easy to work with, so I’ll always propose middle-ground ideas. But if we still don’t see eye to eye, I’ll respectfully withdraw.

Is your work more planned or spontaneous?

Heavily planned. I like to know how something should feel from day one. But I leave space for spontaneous ideas — because those magic moments often show up on set.

What’s something people get wrong about directing?

That it’s glamorous. It’s not. It takes relentlessness. Things fall apart. People flake. Time runs out. You have to be the person who keeps going regardless.

What’s the most thrilling part for you — ideation, shoot, editing, or reaction?

I love every part, but conceptualising is the most exciting. Drafting ideas, building narratives, connecting dots — that’s the spark. And then seeing it actually come to life on set? Unreal.

What’s next? What do you want to explore?

Narrative work, brand storytelling, and pushing tech in filmmaking. I want more global collaborations too — there’s so much to learn out there.

What do you want your creative legacy to feel like?

That you can achieve whatever you imagine. I want people to look at my work and think, “If he did it, so can I.”

@DarylMansu is part of a new class of visual directors who aren’t waiting for permission or perfection. He’s making room for his vision, unexpected challenges and all — and reminding us that the only thing more powerful than a good idea is the courage to execute it.