On My Radar: Natalie Johns

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

About a year ago, on Facebook, I stumbled upon a short film called Denali [below] made possible by Patagonia. It was the story of Ben Moon and his dog. To say it left me emotional was an understatement. I had lost my dog of 13 years about three months before and it moved me so deeply that I picked up the phone and called a shelter and had my new best friend back home with me by 4pm that afternoon.

Violet and I have been exploring the beaches and mountains together ever since. A campaign that speaks to our collective values, what’s in our hearts, whether it’s who we are or who we want to be is the kind of campaign I resonate with.

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

Amazon Prime. It’s become my one-stop-shop for new movies, TV on demand, multivitamins and all sorts of ridiculous things that I can’t seem to live without, but don’t have the time to drive all over LA looking for.

All fits within the schedule and leaves more room for this hungry director to hustle out there!

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought and why?

I bought a Spire mindfulness tracking device. Navigating my way through the everyday challenges of client expectations and creative work, I find that I can become lost in the moment.

The Spire is worn on the inside of one’s clothing and tracks your focus, calm, tension and activity by monitoring your breathing. Via Bluetooth it sends little reminders to take a breath or stretch your legs when you’ve been sedentary too long.

Getting lost in an edit or a heated conversation can leave you feeling depleted. I’m finding that the little reminders keep me mindful about how I’m reacting or not reacting and I’m enjoying tracking my progress daily.

Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?

Instagram for mindless visual trawling, Twitter for connecting with strangers and my community and Facebook for keeping abreast with family and distant friends.

What’s your favourite app on your phone and why?

Spotify. I have playlists for soundtrack ideas, playlists for the long road trips to New Mexico I take regularly and playlists of music recommends from my favourite record store in New York, Other Music, to make sure I stay abreast of what’s weird and wonderful out there.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

I was blown away by a TV series in the US called American Crime, not simply because of the compelling writing, acting and directing/editing, but also because creator, John Ridley, was able to tackle the complex issue of race in America in a confrontational and a deeply thoughtful way on primetime network television. And he did it all in a very non-traditional cinematic style.

He pushed the envelope further in season two by writing a completely new storyline, plot and role for each character, offering up yet another lens through which to explore race, gender and social equality in America.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

Michael Moore’s new documentary, Where to Invade Next.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

On Floria Sigmondi’s [below] set for her new Mac commercial campaign. I was reminded how much the world needs art and beauty. I also follow the work of Swoon and her Heliotrope foundation: Combining beauty and art with humanitarian work has got to be the dream gig.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

‘Independent’ is no longer a term that relates to a ‘low budget’ project. It now relates to stronger and more diverse communities of creators working together to support creative endeavours and one another.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

MORE DIVERSITY!

Every single storyteller brings a unique viewpoint and framework to their work based on their individual experience of life and the world around them. It is through experiencing these different viewpoints that we ourselves open up to a deeper understanding of the world, each other and maybe even begin to question our own perspectives.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

I collaborated with Annie Lennox [above] a little over a year ago on the release of her last record. We created the world in which this album existed together, both in the live space and in the videos and stories we told around the record. We imagined every detail together and why it would be just so.

When you are working with a musician, you are meeting a fellow creative head-to-head. It was validating to know that we both got so much joy out of creating the detail and exploring the nuance of an idea together. I received my first Emmy nomination as a result of our collaboration.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I learned to make sushi in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Chelsea, London before I got my first job in film. From Takisan, my chef and teacher, I learned the importance of presentation, eating with your eyes before you consumed a single thing.