The 4As sent two young creatives from JWT to represent Singapore at the recent AdFest Young Lotus competition. From the word “go”, the pair had only 48-hours to execute a TVC to promote Pattaya. Armed with little resources and a video phone, they survived the bumpy tuk-tuks, mosquito gestation and scorching rays. Meet the pair who survived the grueling 48-hours, Clarence Chiew, Copywriter and Elisa Tan, Junior Art Director.
1. You were assigned a real brief: develop and execute a 60 second commercial within 48 hours. The message: “You can do good things in Pattaya.” Describe your experience.
Clarence: It was the most challenging 48 hours I've ever experienced. I think Elisa and I only got about 1 hour of sleep in between. The brief itself was quite challenging, how do you get people to appreciate and visit Pattaya for reasons other than its shady reputation? On top of that there was a reality show element in the competition, which meant that we had to deal with a 2-man camera crew shadowing our every move. Now I know how Amazing Race contestants feel!
Elisa: It's really tough because you have to crack the brief in 24 hours, and the harder bit is to convince yourself about the creative proposition!
2. What have you learnt from the Young Creative workshop?
Clarence: I've learnt never to trust your judgement if you haven't slept for 40 hours straight. When sleep deprived, your mind has a way of playing tricks on you!
Elisa: I have learnt not to compromise on the idea just because of the level of difficulty of the execution.
3. How would you describe your work produced for the Young Lotus competition?
Clarence: I think we did our best within the parameters. However, after seeing Japan's winning work, I was left floundering for excuses. Not only did they have a brilliant, simple idea, they executed it superbly.
Elisa: Hmmmm......
4. If you could relive those 48 hours, what would you change?
Clarence: I would definitely have paced ourselves better, and tried as much as possible to sleep more. Since the results also hinged on how good your final product looked, I would also probably have concentrated less on trying address Pattaya's ills, and focus on a more generic message.
Elisa: I would have been more relentless on the ideas and the crafting.
5. What advice would you give to future Young Lotus participants?
Clarence: Don't try to be too clever. Keep your idea simple. And if execution is involved, try to be as surprising as you can. Oh and remember to have fun!
Elisa: You have only one chance in your lifetime to be at the Young Lotus. Kill yourself over the idea.
Wish you were there? Catch a glimpse of AdFest 2007 at the 4As Photo Gallery and more from Andy Maluche.
Business Today
Interview with AdFest 2007 Chairpersons
Steve Dunn: My expectations for AdFest this year are very high
Steve Dunn is currently Head of Art and Design at JWT London. He is the Chairman of Judges of the Print Craft Lotus Awards, set up during AdFest 2006, as an independent awards category to honour and recognise the creative and practical efforts of photographers, illustrators, typographers and other print production specialists. Interviewed by Harin Fernando of Business Today, Sri Lanka.
Over the last decade, how has art-based direction evolved?
The advances in speed and control and we have technology to thank for, has revolutionised art direction in the same way they have revolutionised everyone's world in this last decade. We can see in minutes what used to take hours and sometimes even days and it has also given us the possibility, should we desire it, of controlling areas that were previously designated as ‘specialist' areas. We can be our own typographers, retouchers, artworkers, logo designers, photographers and film editors at the press of a keyboard button and squeeze of a mouse.
Given your background of conceptualising and traditional art direction with the advent of technology is it time for a resistance movement, reverting back to the ‘old school' style of doing things?
“Old school' anything always has a connotation of being backward looking. But speak to any film Director – even a legend like Martin Scorsese and they will reel off every actor, cameraman and plot, of almost any film under the sun. They'll know about film stock and lenses as well as their lighting cameraman. They edit as well as an editor. They can brief a score of music with incredible precision of notation and instrumentation. Most can even act. My belief is that absolute knowledge is the real objective not simply the re-enactment of past ways.
Given that this is your first time at AdFest, what is the standard of work you expect from the region?
I have never attended AdFest before and have little knowledge in truth, about the festival- other than I know it is regarded as the pre-eminent Asian awards festival. However, having recently experienced at first hand, the work in Singapore alone at a recent judging session I was introduced to some of the most creative and stimulating print work I've seen in years, work that far outstrips most of our best output here in the UK, so my expectations for AdFest this year are very high.
Being appointed Chairman of the Print Craft Lotus Awards is naturally an honour in a region where such a craft has always been highly regarded. The ‘art' of art direction has been bludgeoned to death in recent years by the dishearteningly formulaic Cannes ‘big visual small sans serif headline bottom right' layouts- despite the fact that the greatest ideas and best people in our profession have always been anti formulaic. The Cannes jelly-mould visual ad has, conversely, put great emphasis on other craft skills such as illustration, photography and image manipulation- and the plethora of talent in those fields is now nothing less than exceptional.
For me, the more complex skill of layout design where the art director is, personally and wholly responsible, is one I'm most keen to observe at AdFest. Also in today's world where graphic and fine art books abound on every subject under the sun, one has to appraise the role of today's art director to re-interpret such information and appropriate material and influences in an appropriate and ‘original' manner- rather than to simply steal ideas wholesale and subsequently take the credit for other people's ingenuity.
Do you see your visit to AdFest as a learning experience?
Absolutely. I'm obviously aware of the JWT's worldwide output and I am amazed by the consistency and quality of work from the Asia-Pacific Region. My recent experience in Singapore was a joy, The people were enlightened, committed, they lived and breathed advertising and the work was superb-so to become aware of an even greater body of such work will be a great pleasure.
What advice would you have for upcoming Asian Art Directors?
The same advice I'd offer any art director: Want to be the best. Put longer hours in than the guy next to you. Create better ideas than him. Make every ad count. Make it unique. Progressive. Outstanding.
No comments:
Post a Comment