Humanity & Drive Sum Up 2015, Says Terry Rayment

How would you describe and reflect on 2015 for the industry, creatively speaking?

Creatively, I think 2015 was very solid. Some stylistic approaches that needed more development in the past few years seemed to have found their footing with some refinement. There is a really strong emergence of cinematic styles with a human heartbeat to them that will be around for a while. 2015 was a year when that sense of humanity became more widely accepted, even across conservative brands.

What about your company’s creative performance; how much do you think you’ve grown this year?

2015 has been an exponential growth year for us. We’ve added so much in terms of infrastructure, creative power, and sales. The addition of directors like art-house power duo Sämen and storytelling filmmaker Nicole Dorsey has really rounded out our roster, bringing us to a place we’ve been aiming for. Creatively, we’ve been able to take risks and partner with some really great people.

What has your own best personal achievement been in the past 12 months and why?

Directing a number of the shorts we’ve produced this year, most specifically Mindless Menace of Violence (below).

And looking ahead to 2016, what are you most excited about in terms of the industry and advertising?

More and more we’re involved in creating film content for digital campaigns with a growing set of moving pieces. We’ll create a promo, but then we’re constantly thinking of unique adaptations for social platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and also thinking ahead to new technologies in mobile and how visual storytelling is going to drive them. The roots are expanding deep below the tree.

Give us an example of a strategy/approach from a brand you’d like to see more of in 2016…

There are so many experimental technologies that have been in development way before VR, especially in the sound design and recording fields. I’d love to see more emphasis put on storytelling that pushes the boundaries of sound and sound design.

Which campaign, piece of work or moment will you remember this year for and why?

I’m a huge geek when it comes to researching and watching spots, it’s more of a hobby for me than anything. Juan Cabral’s Lurpak Freestyle spot (below) floored me. Another spot that had serious legs was the Honda Ignition spot by Aoife McArdle. I tend to gravitate towards imaginative camera work and that spot was just bursting with wonder.

How do you think the US has performed this year in comparison to other leading markets such as the UK?

The US market and overseas markets have had two unique visual styles for such a long time, with the Euro markets having a little more dark, cinematic, and sometimes obtuse visuals. Now that the TV commercial is not as dominant as it once was, we see a lot of risks being taken in creating web content, so that line between regional markets begins to blur a little.

The web is such a great proving ground for TV. Once you put content out online and get positive feedback, more and more advertisers are willing to adopt that successful web style for TV to reach a much wider audience. That said, I don’t think there is a first or second place market, rather the game as a whole is being elevated on both sides of the pond.

What’s your new year’s resolution, workwise or other?

Being from Detroit, I would love to do more storytelling work for American automakers.

What one piece of advice would you give to the industry to take with it into 2016?

Absolutely nothing beats drive. Get the people who are working on your project excited and that will always shine through. Another piece of advice would be to chase the creative not the budget. We've found that to be a foolproof way to stay happy and make good work. You have to go after that work yourself, it's not just going to fall in your lap.

What do you hope you’ve achieved by this time next year in terms of work?

I hope we’ve added a lasting, valuable element of something to our culture and not just added more noise. We've certainly elevated and matured our company style over the past year, with all directors working and continuing to mature in their own personal and narrative projects as well.