The unfinished cut: Why music videos thrive on collaboration and play
JOJX director Anton Tammi discusses the importance of establishing trust and a deeper connection with music artists to create promos that feel alive, authentic and playful.
The highest level of creativity is play
With too many layers and too much conversation, the art of play with advertising has been lost. MakeMake Founder Angus Wall says the industry needs to relearn the ability to enjoy itself.
Gaming the system; Advertising's state of play
Advertising is famously a long-hours culture, where the work is king. But behind the work, the creativity, inspiration, innovation and improvisation necessary to achieve best-in-class results depends on the impish, unruly spirit of play.
Daniel Eatock: The generosity of creativity
Art Practice's Daniel Eatock is a director, artist, author and creator who says he's a "specialist generalist" who blends his work life with his home life. Izzy Ashton speaks to the man who delights in playful unpredictability.
Cut to the joke: André Rodrigues
From short films exploring 17th-century queer subculture to gothic beauty campaigns, OkayStudio editor André Rodrigues slices and dices his work with humour, rhythm and an innate sense of playfulness.
How LUMA’s sweet dreams were made from this
Jason Kreher, CCO of creative studio DE-YAN and Caroline Ingeborn, COO of Luma AI, discuss their collaboration on the Luma Dream Brief. This competition to create ads using Luma AI tools garnered entries from 400 creatives who were able to play around with the fanciful work they thought they’d never make.
Ben Gregor: Rooted in play
From cult comedy shorts to Cannes-winning commercials and now just down from climbing The Magic Faraway Tree, Ben Gregor has spent his career making the borderline absurd feel human. Here, the Knucklehead director talks to Jamie Madge about performance, play and why good chaos needs structure.
Peer Review: Joseph Mann
From mind-bendingly brilliant puppetry to enormous animatronics, BLINKINK director Joseph Mann shares the people and projects that inspire his sense of play.
Making it playful: Paloma Rincón
Multidisciplinary visual artist Paloma Rincón crafts bright, bold and deliciously playful photographic and moving image projects for global brands from Heineken to IKEA. She talks to Amy Hey at OFFF Festival Barcelona about experimentation, handmade craft and making people smile.
Why luxury is winning by leading with craft, escapism and play
Jelly's Hazel O'Brien fills us in on how luxury brands are using playful craft and whimsical animations to keep the space fun for creatives and audience alike.
From ollie to dolly: Why skateboarders flip to directing
There’s no single route into filmmaking, but since the late 90s one path has remained constant in the ad industry – creative talent trading skateboards for clapperboards. Jonathan Grant explores why so many concrete surfers go on to make their mark behind the camera.
Yannis Konstantinidis: Playing with fire
Best known for wrangling flames for the BBC and experimenting with ice, smoke and water for WWF, director and co-founder of Nomint, Yannis Konstantinidis, has mastered the art of elemental craft. Kicking off this month's Play Focus, he talks to Amy Hey about risk-taking, pyrotechnics and why difficult ideas deliver the greatest impact.