On My Radar: Simona Cristea

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

I really like the new Vimto campaign, I See Vimto In You. It's a fun idea and very well executed.

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

Netflix for watching films.

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

I don't buy a lot of gadgets but I recently bought a Bose speaker because I love music. It was well worth it!

What’s your favoured social media platform?

Instagram. It's an easy way to connect with people from the industry and beyond without the annoying Facebook attention-seeking individuals. It's a great platform to find inspiration too.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

Mad Men, it's a great insight into the advertising world. Good to see how things changed throughout decades and it's fascinating to see how the strong female characters step out from the shadow of men.

What film do you think everyone should have seen and why?

Taxi Driver. I'm a big fan of psychological thrillers, and it's a masterpiece of this genre, from the beautifully crafted plot and amazing performances, to the beautiful cinematography and camera work. I always use the night scenes whenever I need some inspiration for grading my work.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

At work, grading.

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

The switch from film to digital and the transition from SD to HD, 4K etc. While film had a romantic richness on screen, digital capabilities have allowed what I do through grading to really shine and accentuate imagery.

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

I'd make the budgets bigger so we could focus more on creative.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

Throughout my career I've met so many interesting people that influenced my work. Grading for directors like Rankin, Warren and Nick and Vicky Lawton is always amazingly creative.

I've got my heroes in the grading world that I look up to, such as Tareq Kubaisi and Stephan Perry, to name a couple. I also love watching films, especially if they're shot on film; Roger Deakins' [pictured right, below] work is incredible, I religiously watch everything he shoots. I also love photography, art, and I'm fascinated by the colour of sunsets.