Serious work. Light touch.
Stories that lead, edits that land, ideas that stick.
Commercial director, cinematographer and editor creating branded and documentary work.
Hi! I’m AARON LY
I’m a story-driven director, cinematographer and video editor based in Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau, creating emotionally resonant work across film, digital and commercial worlds.
My work sits between emotional sincerity and understated humour, grounded in a focus on authentic human behaviour - the subtle moments, reactions and connections that make stories feel real and engaging. I aim to create work that resonates with audiences by balancing emotional clarity with a distinctive visual approach.
Known for a thoughtful and collaborative approach, I work closely with artists and teams to build trust and creative ease, creating environments where ideas can evolve naturally and authentic performances can emerge. Visually, I combine stylised realism with strong cinematic craft, using light, atmosphere and composition to shape tone and bring stories to life.
With over a decade of award-winning experience across commercials, branded content, online campaigns, documentaries and short films, I bring strong narrative leadership alongside hands-on expertise in cinematography and editing - shaping projects from concept through to final delivery.
At my core, I love collaborating with great people and creating work that feels honest, purposeful and human.
Think of me as an extension of your team, let’s chat about bringing your next project to life.
select projects
SERVICES
An director and editor working across commercials and branded content, comfortable leading projects end to end or integrating seamlessly into agency and production teams, bringing together trusted collaborators as each job requires, with a focus on craft, clarity and delivery.
OFFLINE EDITING
ONLINE EDITING
COLOUR CORRECTION & GRADING
SOUND DESIGN & EDITING
2D MOTION GFX
VFX - COMPOSITING
PHOTO EDITING
cinematography
VIDEOGRAPHY
LIGHTING
CAMERA OPERATION
CAMERA, LIGHTING & SOUND GEAR
tvcs
BRANDED CONTENT
DIGITAL
FILM & TV
POST PRODUCTION
CREATIVE DIRECTION
visual storytelling
POST PRODUCTION
selected brand work
Lead director and video editor across campaigns for notable brands: