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the Talent

Agency

From Junior Creatives to ECDs, delve into career highlights (and lowlights) in our in-depth profiles.

Production

The people who make the spots you love, covering all aspects of production, post and sound.

30th Aug Production
YDA winner Vincent Rene-Lortie talks away the dark

YDA winner Vincent Rene-Lortie talks away the dark

Director Vincent Rene-Lortie picked up a Gold in the YDA Charity Commercial category with Talk Away The Dark. Here, he chats to Izzy Ashton about the difficult shoot, solving lighting issues, and international casting calls...

30th Aug Production
Mahboobeh Kalaee on alchemy and animation

Mahboobeh Kalaee on alchemy and animation

Repped by Jelly, Iranian animation director Mahboobeh Kalaee's intriguing, mixed-media animations combine live-action, 2D animation and stop-motion to create mesmerising films that blur the line between reality and the imaginary. Here, she compares films to potions, explains why water is an inspiring element, and offers up some advice for young creatives.

29th Aug Production
Naghmeh Pour's YDA-winning cry for freedom

Naghmeh Pour's YDA-winning cry for freedom

Copenhagen-based Iranian director Naghmeh Pour won a Gold Screen in Online Branded Film for Iran-e Man, a collaboration between new–land, the WomanLifeFreedom project and fashion brand Pairi Daeza. Here she discusses her journey as a director and the bravery and beauty in her poetic film’s expression of struggle.

29th Aug Production
Holzman: Comedy gold from the Land of Silver

Holzman: Comedy gold from the Land of Silver

Award-winner Martin Holzman may have started off his filmmaking career hiding from the Argentinian heat, but his smooth comedic style and ear for a gag display an inherent coolness. Here, the argentinacine director speaks to Jamie Madge about his influences, his ethos and how a sense of restlessness has built his creativity.

25th Aug Production
Faride Schroeder's female gaze

Faride Schroeder's female gaze

From being Mexico's ambassador for Free The Work, to co-founding female cooperative Dear Sisters, Mexican director and writer Faride Schroeder is a visionary creative who entwines her beautifully diverse filmmaking with advocacy and activism. Here, she talks about honing her gaze, filming home births, and how parallel careers in advertising and cinema can nourish each other.

25th Aug Production
Neil Ferron fishes on dark shores for his YDA win

Neil Ferron fishes on dark shores for his YDA win

After picking up a Gold Screen in the Film School (10 minutes and over) category for his comedy short film Fishmonger, director Neil Ferron tells Izzy Ashton the tale of the lonely and pathetic, Christie O’Mallaghan.

Creative Correspondence

Celebrating shots' 30th anniversary, industry luminaries pair up with up-and-comers in the field to talk shop and interview each other.

24th Aug Production
YDA winner Sinan Sevinç on weaving powerful parallel narratives

YDA winner Sinan Sevinç on weaving powerful parallel narratives

Sinan Sevinç's heart-rending short film Split Second scooped up a staggering five YDA wins this year, taking home the Special Jury Prize, three Gold and one Silver awards. He talks to Izzy Ashton about the technicalities of telling three stories in one film, and the attention to detail required on set to accurately represent historical events.

24th Aug Production
The Way I See It: Jonathan Kneebone

The Way I See It: Jonathan Kneebone

The Glue Society co-founder, who is repped by Biscuit and Revolver, shares with Tim Cumming his reflections on more than 25 years of cutting-edge creativity and communications. From the pioneering interactive campaigns of the 1990s – long before we ever thought of connecting the words ‘social’ and ‘media’ – through to the impact of experiential work; art installations; crazy ideas and the secret behind how to create a bona fide Fountain of Youth.

23rd Aug Production
Adjani Salmon's comedy of terrors

Adjani Salmon's comedy of terrors

From editing reality TV shows to making and starring in hit BBC sitcom, Dreaming Whilst Black, Adjani Salmon’s star is on the rise. As he plots his next move into commercials, he tells Selena Schleh how ‘telling jokes about terrible things’ is in his DNA – and why brands need to take risks on new voices.

23rd Aug Production
YDA winner Lucas Parra on match cuts and memorable moments

YDA winner Lucas Parra on match cuts and memorable moments

Bagging a gold in the Film School (up to 10 minutes) category, Lucas Parra’s spot for the Catalonian School of Cinema and Audio, This is ESCAC, was inspired by some of cinema’s most famous frames including falling men, knives and petals.

21st Aug Production
YDA winner Linda-Schiwa Klinkhammer on patriarchy and perspective

YDA winner Linda-Schiwa Klinkhammer on patriarchy and perspective

Director Linda-Schiwa Klinkhammer picked up a Gold in the YDA Dreampitch: Changing the World Frame by Frame category with her pitch for I Think I Hate My Father. Here, she chats to Izzy Ashton about creating multidimensional characters, exploring family dynamics, and examining cultural differences.

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18th Aug Production
Jing Ai Ng tells us how a passion for the Delta Chinese community led to a YDA

Jing Ai Ng tells us how a passion for the Delta Chinese community led to a YDA

Winning Gold in the Passion Project category, Jing Ai Ng's Asian American folk story Delta is rooted in observations around heritage. Here, she tells shots how instinct, influence and Instagram helped form the film.

17th Aug Production
Inspirations and post-Covid impact; the industry’s new voices speak out

Inspirations and post-Covid impact; the industry’s new voices speak out

Four bright young talents share their dreams, doubts and career pathways: Strike Anywhere's Erica Eng, a Chinese American director in LA; Toronto-based director and VFX wizard Lucas Hrubizna of Blink Productions; journalist-turned-director Brian Broeckelman of Dictionary Films in Chicago and Serena Rossi, recently promoted to editor at UK-based post production company Nomad.

17th Aug Production
Jan Vrhovnik on turning back the clock for a YDA win

Jan Vrhovnik on turning back the clock for a YDA win

With Edi, Jan Vrhovnik's glorious tribute to his childhood hero, the filmmaker drew upon his cinematography prowess to refine his directorial style. Here, he talks to shots about finding his own POV when telling stories.

16th Aug Production
​Florian Reittner​​'s helping hand

​Florian Reittner​​'s helping hand

Director Florian Reittner picked up a Gold Screen in the Super Short category at this year's Young Director Award. Here, he explains how the absurdity of life aligned with the sadness of a funeral inspired him, and why the subject of a film should not determine its mood.

15th Aug Production
Kaho Yoshida: a director in motion

Kaho Yoshida: a director in motion

Jelly animation director Kaho Yoshida's work combines stop-motion with 2D drawings to create light-hearted, yet thought-provoking animations that explore often untold stories. Here, she talks about her experience of entering the industry, representation of WOC directors, and her career journey so far.

15th Aug Production
Aziz Zoromba's instinctual storytelling

Aziz Zoromba's instinctual storytelling

After his short film, Simo, picked up Gold in the Short Film (10 minutes or above) category at this year's Young Director Award, director Aziz Zoromba reveals the inspiration behind it, and why the most important lesson he's learned is to trust his instinct.

14th Aug Production
Victoria Singh-Thompson on their Lolita inspired YDA winning short

Victoria Singh-Thompson on their Lolita inspired YDA winning short

Director Victoria Singh-Thompson chats to Izzy Ashton about their film 14 in February which scooped a YDA Gold in the Short Film (Up to 10 minutes) category.

11th Aug Production
Tara O'Callaghan gets sex-positive for the YDA

Tara O'Callaghan gets sex-positive for the YDA

Director Tara O'Callaghan speaks with Izzy Ashton about her impactful YDA Special Jury Prize-winning film Call Me Mommy, which deals with online sex work in a candid and intimate way.