On My Radar: Ben Tricklebank

What’s the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

It’s been around a while, but I still think Megaforce’s Burberry Open Spaces film is one of my favourites in recent years. It must have been complex to shoot, but the end result feels so simple and effortless. You don’t watch it and think about the tricks; you just get swept up in it. It doesn’t need to tell you anything about the product - it’s about creating a feeling. That’s what sticks with you. I mean, who hasn’t dreamed of being able to fly?

What website(s) do you use most regularly?

Not the most exciting list… Google Docs, Dropbox, Shotdeck, and Flim.ai - all work-related. The Guardian and BBC News to keep up with all the crazy shit happening in the world. Homedepot.com; when I’m not working, I’m usually building or fixing something.

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

It’s not new, but I recently bought a blacklight torch/UV flashlight. I got one after a close encounter with a scorpion hiding under the couch. It’s mad how they glow under UV light. Anyway, turns out it’s also great for spotting dog piss, which is very useful when you have a young puppy.

What product could you not live without?

Right now, maybe the blacklight torch… seriously though, life relies on so many products. I can’t easily do my job without a phone or a computer. I can’t get anywhere without my car. I need AC to keep my house comfortable. I can’t keep my dog’s food chilled without a fridge. We’ve adapted to make all these things seem like a necessity that we can’t live without but, if it comes down to it and the shit hits the fan, water is the product I can’t live without. Weird when you think about how we take it for granted.    

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

Everything Everywhere All at Once is by far the most original, but The Whale is the one that really got me. I watched it not long after my dad had been discharged from the hospital to receive palliative care at home. There’s no direct correlation to Brendan Fraser’s character, but there are some similarities in their life stories. I guess I felt a little numb then, and this film changed that. 

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

I love how simple and annoyingly difficult questions like this are to answer… Children of Men is one of my favourite films. I love how gritty and close to present-day England it feels, while still being set in the future. It makes the story hit home so much harder because you can see it happening in a world that looks similar to ours. I rewatched it recently, and it still feels fresh, especially after seeing my home country go to shit post-Brexit and all the xenophobic bullshit that fuelled it. Should everyone watch it? If you hate dystopian sci-fi, you should maybe give it a miss, but beneath this seemingly bleak story, there is a definite glimmer of hope.

What’s your preferred social media platform?

Instagram’s the only one I really use, but I try (and mostly fail) to keep it to a minimum. I spend too much time staring at screens and don’t need more distractions. Why Instagram? Because it knew I needed a blacklight torch before I did… 

What’s your favourite TV show?

There’s been so much great TV recently but, if I have to name one, it would be The Last of Us. The creators breathed new life into the whole zombie apocalypse thing. They have such great characters, with so much depth and feeling, especially in episodes thee and five. A close second is Succession, and I’m just about to start the new season of Black Mirror, which is always high on the list.

What’s your favourite podcast?

Desert Oracle. It’s a weekly radio show/podcast by Ken Layne. It’s a weird and wonderful collection of stories from the deserts of the American southwest. It’s a lot more than UFO sightings and Yucca Man encounters. If the Mojave desert had a voice, it would sound like Ken Layne. It’s equal parts spooky, funny and entertaining. Best enjoyed while driving an empty desert road at night… 

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

I haven’t seen many shows recently, but The Bombay Beach Biennale is among the most memorable and inspiring. It’s amazing to see this post-apocalyptic setting, on the shores of the Salton Sea, inspire so much creativity and self-expression. Ironically, I shot there some years ago as the backdrop for a landscape scarred by nuclear war. At the time, the Salton Sea was largely forgotten, so it’s amazing to see it transformed through art and music by bringing attention to this ecological disaster. 

If you could only listen to one music artist from now on, who would it be?

Ha! My musical tastes are varied, so this one could be some weird form of psychological punishment. If I’m going to make the most of it, I’ll go with Thom Yorke, so I kind of get four for one if you include Radiohead, Atoms for Peace and The Smile with his solo work. I’ve been listening to his music for a long time; so many different emotions are wrapped up there. In my opinion, he’s also one of the most experimental and eclectic musicians.