The ‘R’ Word

Borderland’s Zeina Aref has been shortlisted for Shiny Awards tonight, along with 14 other bright and brilliant stars of the future I’m sure. 

Shiny offer new and minority talent a way to connect with the industry and gives a great platform. This should be applauded. 

Box fresh talent has always excited me. Might be my art school mentality, or the fact that back in the days of fax machines (I’m that old) when Grey was otherwise known as ‘by name and nature’, the talent there were infinitely better than the perceived reputation* 

When we received fax’s back to scripts send over to Budgen, Glazer, Gondry with a stab in the heart rubber stamped (genuinely) 'REJECTED', we knew we had to think outside the box. And so this is where creativity really came in to play… we searched for the new talent, we had a lead don’t follow mentality, we called in the U-Mats and settled down to watch the passionate and brilliant young directors find creative solutions. Would we risk working with the unknown Sam Brown, Seb Edwards, Si + Ad, Sara Dunlop, Adam Berg (you get the picture)?

Of course we would. 

These guys gave us everything they had, and then some. What they lacked on their reel, they made up for in sheer passion and talent. From the top down, we were all on the same page at Grey, we wouldn’t settle for mediocre, we wanted the best and if we couldn’t entice the GODS, as they once appeared, then we would have to go out and find our own. 

Ironically, years later I would find frustration when learning of certain teams who only wanted to work with Sam Brown and Adam Berg or Dougal Wilson because they didn’t want to risk working with a rising star. My frustration was nothing, I hasten to add, to do with the phenomenal talents mentioned. Just the ‘risk’ adverse natural of thinking from a creative industry. 

I didn’t ever meet the formidable Frances Royle, but I know she is credited by Sir John Hegarty as being an absolute powerhouse who embraced new talent and pushed producers, creatives and clients to never hide from the force of new talent. She was my idol ‘growing up’ in this industry and we only have to look at the legacy she and all at BBH left behind to know that championing new talent isn’t a risk, it’s an opportunity, an opportunity to trail blaze, to say you lead, don’t follow. What agency, what creative, what client wouldn’t want that? 

I’ve a lot more to say about this subject, but for now let’s embrace the new and brilliant talents that will be presented tonight and remind ourselves that the mighty Aoife McArdle and Kim Gehrig once needed a break.

I was fortunate enough to join Kim on one of her first foray’s as a director. Back then, her immense talent was equal to her absolute relentless energy - something I hear is still absolutely intrinsic to who she is today and why she is one of the most sought after director’s in our business.

To the established and the new, I salute you all. 

And to our brilliant and creative industry - just beware of quoting the 'R’ word, we’re better than that.

*The Grey Alumni (I’ll have forgotten more than I remember - don’t blame me, blame the hedonism that came with the time): Nicola Mendelsohn CBE, Chris Hirst, Tim Mellors, Nils Leonard, Vicki Maguire, Sam Hibbard, Adam Chiappe, Matt Saunby, Austin White, Ollie Calverley, James Guy, James Covill, Jacqueline Dobrin, Sara Stebbing, Louise Isaacs, Alex Webster, Sean Costelloe, Rebecca Pople, Mandy Saunders, Natasha Johnson, Steph Wellesley, Susie Innes, Stephanie Cleak, Nick Rowlands, Dave Alberts, Sarah Jenkins.