The increasing presence of animation in the annual Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase (see page one story) reflects the breakthrough work being done in the discipline. It also underscores Saatchi’s willingness to look beyond commercials into such creative areas as short films, spec demos, music videos and internal pieces of communication.
According to Richard Myers, the London-based worldwide executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi, the agency has made a conscious effort starting some six years ago to consider more than just spots when trying to uncover directorial talent that could make a positive impact on the advertising industry.
He related that part of the discovery process is to seek out filmmaking talent from anywhere and everywhere it is developed and nurtured. In that regard, this year’s Showcase includes several directors who have yet to helm a commercial.
Myers cited several examples, such as directors Darren Walsh of Aardman Animations, Bristol, U.K.; Johnny Hardstaff of RSA Films/Black Dog Films, London; the directing duo Yovann LeBlanc & Antoine Deschamps of Wanda Productions in Saint-Denis La Plaine Cedex, France; the team of Shynola from Studio aka, London; Tom Shankland of Tomboy Films, London; and Jack Wareham of South Brisbane, Australia-based Cutting Edge Post.
Walsh made the showcase on the strength of his Angry Kid x 3 shorts Bike-Bone, Vibrobrush and Exorcister, which have generated considerable Web viewership.
Hardstaff earned a Showcase slot with Playstation 2’s Future of Gaming, an internal communications piece for Sony.
LeBlanc & Deschamps scored with its short film entitled Star Sheep.
Shynola registered with a Radiohead music video—the lone music clip to make the 2001 Saatchi Showcase.
Shankland’s short film Outbreak garnered Showcase recognition. At press time, Shankland was in the midst of his spot directorial debut—an assignment for Saatchi & Saatchi, London.
And Wareham’s Beach is a demo piece for his Fotomation technique which, Myers explained, "uses a high-speed stills camera to create a beautiful effect visually….This seemingly would result in jerky movement, but it doesn’t. Instead, it’s very lyrical."
Shankland and Wareham are live action directors. Walsh, Hardstaff, LeBlanc & Deschamps, and Shynola are animation helmers.
While London is prevalent in this sampling of up-and-coming directors who, except for Shankland, have not yet broken into spots, Myers said that geographical boundaries have become incidental. "More than ever, talent is coming from everywhere," observed Myers. "That’s why it’s great for Saatchi to draw on the 150 offices we have in 92 countries around the world to see who’s new and fresh. It’s a great position to be in."
Myers has been heavily involved in the Saatchi Showcase for the past six years. Bob Isherwood, this year’s jury chair for the film and press & poster competitions in the Cannes International Advertising Festival, has been with the Showcase from its inception 11 years ago. The New York-based Isherwood is Saatchi’s worldwide creative director.
Isherwood has said in the past that part of the excitement of being involved in the Showcase is finding up-and-coming directing talent. And the Showcase can prove to be beneficial for those who are "discovered." Last year, Isherwood noted that the bottom line is that the Showcase can translate into opportunities for new directors. "After the Showcase, our fax machine is jammed with letters from production companies and directors who appear on the reel," he related. "Judging from their feedback, it can make a positive difference in those careers."
