The Craft

Q&As and behind-the-scenes info on the latest and greatest
commercials, shorts and music videos.

How Ian Pons Jewell made Hornbach's timber limber
11th May

How Ian Pons Jewell made Hornbach's timber limber

A strip of wood might not make the most exciting subject for an ad, but in its latest campaign, Hornbach made it the star. Jamie Madge sat down with director Ian Pons Jewell and Thomas Houthave from audio company Klankwerk to find out the theme behind the beam.

From seed to screen: How Tesco grew its green(s) giant
8th May

From seed to screen: How Tesco grew its green(s) giant

BBH London ECD Felipe Guimaraes and MJZ director Nick Ball describe the meticulous processes involved in creating Tesco's new hero Plumbert, a character that’s basically a sack of fruit and veg minus the sack.

8th May
How Uncommon made sparks fly for Airwallex

How Uncommon made sparks fly for Airwallex

Entrusted with Airwallex's first global campaign, Uncommon London created a beautiful, black and white campaign that celebrates the inventive nature of the human spirit. Creative and director Sam Walker talks us through the process, from the spark of an idea, to the completed film.

7th May
How straight 8's challenge can unleash creativity

How straight 8's challenge can unleash creativity

With the deadline for Shootout 2026 looming, filmmakers from Drool, new-land, Mr+Positive, Snapper Films, and VCCP discuss the terror, joy and creative freedom that comes with creating films under uniquely unforgiving restrictions.

7th May
How 4Creative found inspiration in initials

How 4Creative found inspiration in initials

As Channel 4’s in-house agency unveils its new identity, Miketta Lane and David Wigglesworth chat to Jamie Madge about collaborative authorship, creative chaos, and resisting polished uniformity.

28th Apr
How radical tenderness became a dance of protest

How radical tenderness became a dance of protest

Arriving in Mexico for a commercial shoot, director Rachel McDonald was disturbed by events unfolding in the US and, finding her feelings aligned with the ad’s choreographer, embarked on an ambitious dance film.

14th Apr
How Anderson Wright beat the drum for ACLU

How Anderson Wright beat the drum for ACLU

Created as a rallying call, drawing attention to the Barbara v. Trump Supreme Court hearing, The Beat took an already iconic Bruce Springsteen song and added another layer of ideological messaging to it. shots caught up with Stink director Anderson Wright to find out how he found the political pulse.

How Ariel Fisher kept it moving for ON

How Ariel Fisher kept it moving for ON

As part of our Movement Focus we take a closer look at ON's latest spot Keep It Moving, where we get the lowdown from magna studios director Ariel Fisher, and composer and sound designer Joaquin Pastor.

Spotlight

Some recent interviews in our "How To" series.

20th Mar
How Partizan helped bring Iron Maiden and Eddie to life on stage

How Partizan helped bring Iron Maiden and Eddie to life on stage

When Iron Maiden decided to set off on a world tour, they also decided to ramp up the live experience and introduce a new way of watching the band. Enter Partizan, Red Knuckles and a team of people who brought the Iron Maiden, its mascot and its songs to life for a new generation of fans.

18th Mar
Bryan Buckley’s resistance in motion

Bryan Buckley’s resistance in motion

The Oscar-nominated director and the choreographer Matt Steffens share how their viral dance video ResistDance, produced by Hungry Man, found a new way to express the anguish of the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.

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12th Mar
How Isle of Any and Coinbase made NPCs the MVPs

How Isle of Any and Coinbase made NPCs the MVPs

Oscar Hudson's new film for the brand sees a video game character break free of his shackles and escape into the 'real' world. The twist – the lo-fi visuals and angular textures aren't CG; instead, the MJZ director used impeccable production design and canny lighting to trick us into mistaking physical for digital. Jamie Madge caught up with Hudson and Isle of Any founders Toby Treyer-Evans and Laurie Howell to download the details.

How Riff Raff and Black Kite put a spring in Telstra's step

How Riff Raff and Black Kite put a spring in Telstra's step

Kicking off March and April's Movement Focus, VFX Supervisor at Black Kite Studios, Dan Moore, and Riff Raff directors Smith & Foulkes walk us through the whimsical behind-the-scenes details of Telstra's Wherever We Go campaign.

10th Feb
How Waitrose took its love of food to the stars

How Waitrose took its love of food to the stars

In The Gastronaut, the supermarket brand showed just how crappy life can be without access to sufficient middle-class morsels. shots caught up with Wonderhood creatives Tad Buxton and India Penny, and SMUGGLER director Tom Speers, to find out how they gave a space station such a quirky atmosphere.

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