Peer Review: Joe Mann

Which three contemporaries do you admire most for the way they play with their craft?

Becky Sloan’s visual aesthetic on Don't Hug Me I'm Scared continues to inspire puppet makers, filmmakers, and everyone in between. The characters and look of this show (as well as all the amazing writing and songs) has been something I’ve always loved. Becky’s approach to craft feels unparalleled to me in terms of inventiveness and humour.

Bringing a 7-foot animatronic to life in a way that feels this nuanced and alive is incredible.

The Daniels spring to mind. Their DIY approach to filmmaking made experimentation feel exciting, inspiring and accessible to so many directors. They then broke the internet humping things, before turning all that into an Oscar! Admiration is an under statement.

Dougal Wilson has made some of my favourite music videos and commercials of all time. The performances and storytelling in his work always leave a lasting impression long after you’ve finished watching it. I was reminded of this recently with his Channel 4 spot featuring a dinner lady solo. Beyond brilliant.

Can you share 3–4 pieces of work that feel especially playful or inventive in their directing?

Music video for Benjamin Earl Turner Headspace/Bent directed by Abteen Bagheri. Bringing a 7-foot animatronic to life in a way that feels this nuanced and alive is incredible. What makes it stand out is how grounded it all feels, the balance of performances and creature work means everything just feels so visceral and alive! It’s un-real how brilliant this video is.

Something like a hand forcing its way out of a phone case or two human bodies twisting together could only ever come alive through experimentation.

Short film Brian and Charles directed by Jim Archer still stands out to me. David Earl and Jim Archer are obviously both geniuses, but what amazed me most was that Charles has a washing machine for a body yet somehow he still made me cry. A lot. The feature film that came later is also incredible, but this I believe is one of the most inventive short films of all time. 

Music video for Bjork - Mutual Core Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang. This video blew my mind when I first saw it and it still does. Andrew’s blend of physical puppetry and CG both here and across all his work is so seamless and delicate. Mind-bendingly brilliant and a huge inspiration.

How has your career journey unfolded so far, and where has play or experimentation shaped your path or projects? 

I started out as a model maker, building teeny weeny miniatures and puppets in my bedroom and animating them myself. This sense of play and world building shaped my career. I guess it made my approach to filmmaking very hands-on, which is why I’m often drawn to projects that invite me to play. 

 The most playful part of what I do is bringing what are often quite mad ideas to life, both in testing ahead of a shoot and then on set

What part of your work feels most like play to you, and why is that important? 

For me, the most playful part of what I do is bringing what are often quite mad ideas to life, both in testing ahead of a shoot and then on set. Something like a hand forcing its way out of a phone case or two human bodies twisting together could only ever come alive through experimentation. This process is as important as an orchestra warming up, I keep playing around until those disparate elements click together as one. I play a lot in post production also, the playing never stops.

This process is as important as an orchestra warming up, I keep playing around until those disparate elements click together as one.

What is one thing every director needs to keep playfulness alive in their work? 

Remain curious at all times.

I think more restraints often push you to strip ideas back, which can elevate the work in unexpected ways. 

Did you have a mentor who encouraged you to experiment, or take risks?

An amazing lady called Maria Manton took me under her wing when I left art school. She guided me through everything, even got me my first gig as a director. She introduced me to crew in London that I still work with today! I’d say she shaped and influenced my entire career. Sadly she passed away during lock down. I miss her a lot. She was a remarkable and very kind lady.