the Talent
From Junior Creatives to ECDs, delve into career highlights (and lowlights) in our in-depth profiles.
Agency of the Year: Lucky Generals
Continuing our focus on the shots Awards Europe winners from 2019, we speak to [left to right] Joe Bagnall, Laurence Horner, Katie Lee and Kate Murphy - Head of Film, Strategy Director, CEO and CD respectively - at our Agency of the Year, Lucky Generals.
Rebel Without a Pause
In recent years McCann Worldgroup Europe has been smashing it; with a bounty of accolades including Cannes 2019 European Network of the Year. Could the secret of this success have something to do with the persistant audacity of newly promoted CCO Europe/Global ECD, Adrian Botan? He tells Carol Cooper about challenger spirits, dissing dictators and advertising as exorcism.
John Maeda: the Jack of all trades taking on big tech
Described as the “Warren Buffett of design”, "Da Vinci of the digital age" and named one of Esquire’s most important people of the 21st Century, Publicis Sapient’s new Chief Experience Officer John Maeda has had a career that’s been nothing short of prolific. Kate Hollowood speaks to the designer about coming from nothing, the new meaning of brand experience and helping businesses stand up to the tyranny of the tech giants.
The people who make the spots you love, covering all aspects of production, post and sound.
Promo king Vaughan Arnell on a life behind the lens
Last year Vaughan Arnell gave a talk at the Kinsale Sharks during which he shared his thoughts and experiences across three decades of making commercials and music videos. Here, we revisit some of Arnell's insights into working with some of music's most recognisable names.
Production Company of the Year: Pulse Films
James Sorton and Davud Karbaassioun, Managing Director and President respectively of Pulse Films, 2019's shots Awards Europe Production Company of the Year, look back over a year of achievements and what helps them stand out.
Dressing for success: Mr Gammon on the craft of costuming
With a career costuming movers and shakers in the music industry since the 90s, Mr Gammon knows what it takes to make a film truly eye-catching. As part of our Music Video Focus, we chat to him about some of his favorite shoots and the secrets of his styling.
Crown Jewell: How IPJ became commercial and music video king
After a staggering fourteen ad shoots in 2019, it's safe to say that Ian Pons Jewell has 'broken through'. David Knight talks to the director about how his music video roots, as well as the his ongoing flirtation with the form, has created such relentless creativity.
Editor of the Year: Joe Guest
With his company, Final Cut, picking up Editing House of the Year, it's no great surprise that the industry titan should also pick up an award. We chat to Guest about his impressive body of work and how the future looks to him.
Audio Company of the Year: Factory
Continuing our conversations with the winners of this year's shots Awards Europe, we speak to Anthony Moore, founding partner and creative director at Factory, about the audiotastic work they've produced in the past 12 months and what 2020 brings.
Editing House of the Year: Final Cut
We speak to David Webb, editor and managing director of shots Awards Europe-winner Final Cut London, about what led them to have such a cracking 2019 and what the future holds for post production.
The funny business of comedy directing
Station Films director Brendan Gibbons is one of the industry’s most renowned comedy directors. His ongoing work for Progressive Insurance has built a series of established characters and, here, he discusses the processes involved in creating the right environment for comedy gold.
Greg White: Post production is a dirty word
Natalie Mortimer talks to Envy Managing Director Greg White about his former career in fashion, the creative power of technology in advertising and the evolving role of the post production house.
We speak to the Gold winner.s of this year's Young Director Award.
Jola Bankowska on her YDA win, finding animation and how to tell a good Story
The director talks us through how discovering her talent for animation helped her experiment with narrative.
Nare Mokgotho on doing the double at the YDA
We continue our look at this year's gold-winners from the 2019 Young Director Award as we talk to a South African director who returned home with two well-deserved trophies.
YDA Gold-winner Paul Nevison on diving into Lake Volta
The Volta director talks to us about the logistical troubles of a Ghanese shoot, his ongoing imposter syndrome and what he's up to after his 'Changing the World Frame by Frame' YDA win.
Aaron Duffy: In tech we trust
As we continue our focus on tech, Tim Cumming talks to 1stAveMachine director and SpecialGuest founder Aaron Duffy about marrying creativity with tech innovation and why you need to mix things up to get people to take notice.
On the road to success with Kit Lynch-Robinson
From sending three second hand Jaguars 'skiing' down a mountain to helping to launch the new Bentley Continental, automotive director Kit Lynch-Robinson isn’t afraid of navigating the industry at breakneck speed. Natalie Mortimer speaks to him about his career, creativity and the future of car ads.
Alice Bottaro: Creative journeys and changing everything
One of the greatest heroes of the automotive industry was a women — a fact that few people outside of the historically male-dominated sector knew about until Mercedes-Benz launched its film about Bertha Benz this year. Through this campaign and more, Alice Bottaro, Creative Director at antoni, Berlin, is helping Mercedes-Benz connect with a female audience in a job that she considers to be the best in the world.
Changing the face of automotive advertising
Spindle's Aldona Kwiatkowski has fused automotive commercials with a fashionable flare, notably with her work for Mercedes. David Knight talks to the Polish-born director about her 'melancholic mindset' and the necessity of the female gaze.
Andre Moreira on steering Toyota's creative journey
To begin this month's automotive special Tim Cumming talks to Andre Moreira, European ECD of Toyota's in-house agency at The&Partnership, about tinkering with car brands and building an agency model for the future.
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Elena Petitti di Roreto: The hunger for story
Noted for her exquisite fashion films for such clients as Vogue Italia, Valentino and Hugo Boss, and with a flair for visual language, Italian director Elena Petitti di Roreto has amassed an impressive body of work in just three years as a director. She tells Carol Cooper about her quest for the possible and impossible in film.
Shimmy Ahmed: how an obsession with music led to a passion for fashion
From working on fashion titles like Elle and Twin Magazine to collaborating with Alexa Chung and FKA Twigs, director Shimmy Ahmed casts a liberal sprinkling of sass and swagger across everything she touches. For our Fashion Special, she tells Natalie Mortimer about her work, inspiration and how she intends to connect rural India and Brexit Britain through style and storytelling.
Promo king Vaughan Arnell on a life behind the lens
Ahead of his talk at the Kinsale Sharks, where he'll be sharing is thoughts and experiences from three decades of making commercials and music videos, Vaughan Arnell gives us an insight into working with some of music's most recognisable names.
Emmanuel Adjei on the Dark Ballet of music videos
Off the back off two showstopping promos for Madonna, David Knight speaks to the Amsterdam-based director about his ability to craft films with depth and imagery that burns in the memory.
Henry Scholfield on the moving world of music videos
From sundry synchronised Will Youngs to complex camera choreography for Wiley and Stormzy, Henry Scholfield has always found new and exciting ways to drag the viewer into his work. Tim Cumming speaks to the Caviar director about finding the emotional connection in his artist-driven promos.
YDA-winner Nina Holmgren wants us to panic
The filmmaker talks us through how talks by young climate activists Greta Thunberg and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez inspired her to create her visually dazzling, emotionally charged short.
On Reflection: Eric King on Guerrilla Tennis' rallying cry
The R/GA Creative Director looks back on the iconic 1995 W+K-led Nike spot that saw Spike Jonze pit Sampras vs Agassi on a busy street.
Emily Maye's sporting excellence
The You Are Here repped director Emily Maye has made sports commercials her specialism. She discusses her approach to shooting sporting heroes, why women shouldn't only be considered for female-related projects and why avoiding cliche is key.
