Face to Face with... Adrian Miller

Velocity Films in South Africa has a history of creating some of the most awarded and well regarded commercials and with a raft of directors including co-founder Keith Rose and Greg Gray it would be easy enough for the company to simply carry on doing what it does best.

But with the announcement of their new division, V+, Velocity is looking to the future, to how the business is changing and to the ever-evolving relationships within the industry. Velocity MD Barry Munchick (above left) has recruited former leading agency creative, Adrian Miller (above right) to head the new division, which will aim 'to provide alternate and integrated communication solutions for clients and agencies alike'. Here, Miller, the company's co-founder and creative director, explains the thinking behind the company and how it will work.

What makes V+ different from a ‘traditional’ production company?

Unlike a traditional production company, V+ is able to take on projects at the brief stage, do full conceptualisation, strategy and production. We are able to handle the entire job from start to finish. Where we are similar to a traditional production house is that we are strictly project based.

Is it more agency than production company?

Not really. It’s a production company with a full creative offering. There is no bureaucratic apparatus at V+. Ultimately V+ is an idea factory. We’re not dependent on processes and dozens of bag carriers. If it doesn’t benefit the creative idea we will eliminate it.

Will you be working with other agencies, directly with clients or both?

Preferably, we want to work with both. If an agency should need our services we are more than willing to come in and collaborate with them to generate the best solutions. There is no single entity that we see as a competitor. We’re much more focused on collaboration rather than competition.

Why do you think a company such as V+ is needed now?

The ad scene is becoming more and more fragmented. New media has changed the way clients and consumers look at ads. Clients are looking for different creative solutions; they want to be able to cherry pick who provides those solutions. More and more, project-based work is becoming the norm. Worldwide, deadlines are becoming increasingly tighter too. A smaller unit can work at speed and is more flexible (and perhaps more experimental) as there are fewer systems and processes to hamper or bog down the creative process.

Who will the staff of V+ be and what are their roles?

V+ will draw on the entire award winning expertise Velocity Films has to offer. The directors in the Velocity stable and affiliate directors will collaborate with V+ and visa versa. At V+ the idea sits at the center of everything we do and we immediately surround it with best of breed. Often, getting to the best idea involves diversity of disciplines and backgrounds, so that’s exactly what we’ll aim to do.

What are the main benefits of a company such as V+?

The cross pollination between production and creative will keep work fresh and constantly give new perspectives.  It will also allow for tighter script development.  Because we’re part of the creative process from the ideation stage right through to the production stage, we’ll be able to maintain a higher level of quality control. V+ also has the flexibility to plug into any existing structures, whether it be agency or client, and offer creative solutions.

What made you want to get involved with V+?

One of the main reasons we started V+ was to challenge the usual methods of communication. To do whatever it takes to create conversations around brands. Having spent a large part of my career heading up agencies and watching the needs of clients change, I thought it would be a good time to start an outfit like V+, an outfit that is media neutral and has the flexibility to produce work that competes against pop culture for attention, not just against other ads. Partnering with a world-class production outfit like Velocity Films will allow me to tap into the resources needed to do interesting things on screens.  

Do you think that the division between idea and production of idea is shrinking?

Yes, I think its is shrinking. Collaboration is becoming more and more important.  In today’s world, the bulk of what we create will be seen on a screen of some sort. So it makes sense that there is little separation between the people who write the ideas and the people who produce them.

Are you working on any V+ projects at the moment, and if so, who with and what are they?

Yes, we are working on two projects at the moment. We’re doing a pilot for a television show and some integrated work for big corporate brand. That said we haven’t actually opened our doors formally. So hopefully, there’s more to come.

To find out more about V+ click here