The Short Films & Documentary Focus

shots looks at the synergies between condensed cinematic storytelling and advertising. We also delve into factual content and how brands – and charities – are increasingly leveraging the power of reality to connect with audiences.

Insight

Exploring authenticity: Zon & Bram on the rise of documentary-style advertising

With shorts being a starting point for many directors, Zon van Noordwijk and Bram Koopmans, Editors at Ambassadors look at the synergies between condensed cinematic storytelling and advertising. We also delve into factual content and how brands – and charities – are increasingly leveraging the power of reality to connect with audiences.

Talent

B. Monét's mandate to be seen

With a plethora of awards and industry experience under her belt, director B. Monét's work explores diverse themes, underpinned by a dedication to uplifting marginalised voices. She discusses her career journey and inspirations, from participating in Queen Latifah's Queen Collective program to creating authentic content for brands from Disney to Cadillac.

Inspiration

On My Radar: Savannah Setten

Iconoclast director Savannah Setten's recent short film, The Melodic Blue, featuring Baby Keem, streamed on Amazon and, here, she talks about some of the triumphs and tribulations of making short films, the work that has inspired her, and why pen and paper is an important tool.

Talent

The Way I See It: Henry-Alex Rubin

From early gonzo hits like Whopper Freakout to politically charged work for Sandy Hook Promise, SMUGGLER director Henry-Alex Rubin has parlayed his documentarian’s eye into authentic spots that don’t just win gongs (Emmys, Oscar nominations and more) but seek to bring about real change. He tells Selena Schleh about why he makes ads for people who hate ads.

Insight

Only connect: how content is becoming king again

The world of branded content encompasses everything from Love Island to TikTok influencers via Netflix docos, product demos and YouTube shorts. Tim Cumming talks to a range of industry creatives refreshing the concept of content.

Talent

Jamie Jones' road to reality

Odelay Films director Jamie Jones's varied career has taken in poetic shorts, ads and reality TV, along with BAFTA-winning long-form drama and documentaries. Here, he chats to Carol Cooper about finding lightness in dark tales of toxic masculinity, how sound can lead into the heart of character and his restless quest to portray the truth of the matter.

Craft

How to make a McMockumentary

In a flipping hilarious fake documentary brought to life by NORD DDB, two amateur sleuths investigate the origins of the suspiciously Big-Mac-shaped hamburger menu icon. shots caught up with the creatives responsible for cooking up this laughable fast-food feat.

Work

Will Webb's Personal Effects

Recently off its festival run, Will Webb's quietly emotive short is the story of a sister coming to terms with the death of her brother while searching for meaning in his last request. Inspired by the death of his own brother, Webb discusses the challenges he faced making the film, and the power of using - and not using - music.

Insight

Let's put storytelling at the heart of branded entertainment

If brands want to engage with a new generation of platform-native consumers then audiences need to be entertained and educated, says Natasha Wellesley, Head of Integrated Production at Ogilvy UK. Telling culturally relevant stories via short-form content might be a big shift for marketers, but it’s an exciting one.

Talent

shots Unsigned: Matthieu Livingston

For our next unsigned directing talent interview we speak with director Matthieu Livingston. Here we talk about his charming short documentary Wet Paint, getting annoyed with bystanders, and finding the film in the edit.

Insight

How to cast a documentary: setting the stage for real life to unfold

Casting can be challenging, finding the right people to tell a real life story even more so. Simon Frost and Ben Hanson, Co-Founders of recently launched production company Witness, which specialises in authentic storytelling, reveal why making it hard for yourself can sometimes pay dividends.

Talent

Irene Baqué: stories of sisterhood

After spending six years travelling the world as a video journalist for The Guardian, Darling Films director Irene Baqué moved into commercial filmmaking, where she has created socially-impactful, female-focussed films for brands from Pandora to Doc Martens. Weaving threads of womanhood, alchemy and community into a rich cinematic tapestry, her branded content and personal projects aim to unite women from all walks of life.

Insight

How to make the industry better; a shorts story

Short films are a labour of love, says Mindy Goldberg Founding Partner of Epoch Films. But they're not only a labour of love because, done for the right reasons - and with the right approach - they can push a director's career forward and be successful for productions companies, agencies and brands alike.

Insight

Five golden rules for sports documentaries

Sportspeople aren't meant to hit their marks or deliver scripted lines, says 77 Ventures' Creative Director Doug Hanshaw. So, instead of trying to make them, embrace the unpredictable, unscripted nature of shooting short branded documentaries to get your work onto the winners podium.

Work

Xbox employs The Everyday Tactitian

A new longform documentary campaign shows what happens when real and virtual worlds merge as the newest member of Bromley FC’s management team is recruited through the popular Football Manager game.

Insight

To build trust, brands need to get real

While audiences seem increasingly put-off by perfectly polished ads, authentic content is proving an effective way for brands to reconnect with consumers. Drawing from personal experience in documentary production, Eric Nichols, Executive Producer at Smartypants, emphasises the value of vulnerability, imperfection, and the untapped potential of documentary techniques.

Craft

How Broken Antenna filmed a tale of two towns

More than just a music video, the promo for Hak Baker and Joe Armon-Jones’ track Wrong Side of Town is also a revealing mini-documentary about the duality of an East London neighbourhood bifurcated by gentrification. Knucklehead directing duo Broken Antenna (aka. Gustav Newby and Myles McAuliffe) share how they created their fascinating, mixed-media, genre-splicing film.

Talent

Christina Xing: from Gen Z to GenXing

Much like the 16mm film she typically uses, Asian American director Christina Xing’s work is defined by whimsical, nostalgic visuals infused with her distinctive, contemporary edge, and at just 25, her unique ability to tell authentic, youth-centric stories has already caught the attention of brands including Disney, Vaseline, Snapchat and VANS.

Work

Romain's focussed nano-film

Psychomotor Agitation is the focus for this very short film that suggest there might be more to 'restless leg syndrome' than we first imagined.

Inspiration

On My Radar: Ola Adediji

Short film maker and Bold off-roster director Ola Adediji on revisiting the internet of the past, an Afro-futuristic masterpiece of a short film, and why an animated series about consciousness sparks conversations about the ethical implications of technological advancement.

Work

How short film Aborted was brought to life

Rebecca Knighton and Lee Bamsey's newly released short film, about a world in which pregnancy can be fatal, is a chilling tale which the pair hope will help greenlight the feature script from which it is adapted.

Insight

Thinking about shooting a short film? Try a long ad instead

Short films can be incredibly impressive and hugely artistic, but can they kick-start a career in advertising? Not according to The Moon Unit, who argue that if you're looking for a calling card, have a spec spot to hand.

Work

Comedic short asks a question you might not want to answer

A short film recently released after being on the festival circuit features a young couple and a seemingly innocuous question about pornography that opens a metaphorical can of worms.

Talent

Mickey Duzyj and his animated athletes

As part of our Short Film & Documentary Focus, we showcase the sports-obsessed filmmaker and animator Mickey Duzyj, whose work is a perfect marriage of style and substance, humour and heart, delivered through his eye-catching bold illustrations and info-graphics animations.

Work

A short film with a literal message

A funny new short film from directing duo LAMAR+NIK takes texting seriously.

Insight

In edit we trust: nailing the cut on sensitive projects

Encouraging disputes in the editing room might seem risky, but respectful creative debates play a crucial role in the filmmaking process. Drawing from his own experiences of cutting delicate topics, Absolute Editor Ollie Burn emphasises the transformative power of collaborative editorial decisions on short films, advocating for a clear purpose and commitment to storytelling integrity.

Work

All uphill from here

This short documentary for ski equipment brand Faction reveals the remarkable positivity and questing spirit of adaptive freeskier Vasu Sojitra, as he returns to his routes in India.

The Photography & Cinematography Focus

In a cacophonous digital culture that bombards us with a stream of personal image-sharing and branded visuals, it can be hard for photography to stand out. This month, shots pulls focus on the DPs and photographers whose work sets the optic nerves a-tingle and considers the input of non-human image generators.

The Inspiration Focus

What are the cultural artefacts, random objects, rituals and synaptic sparks that generate fresh ideas? We talk to some of ad land’s most innovative thinkers about creative inspiration. What it is, where they find it and do the AI bots have it too...

The YDA 2024 Focus

The rising stars who won Golds in this year’s Young Director Award share with shots the origins and ideas and behind their films, the production highs and lows and what they’re planning next.

The Music and Sound Focus

With sometimes just seconds to tell a story and set tone, the aurals – as well as the visuals – need to be spot on in ads. This month we sound out the musical maestros and foley funsters worth listening out for.

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