shots Iconic Covers: Andreas Nilsson

Swedish sensation Andreas Nilsson's most recent achievement in the world of creative advertising is being named shots' Director of the Year for work for brands such as Old Spice, GE, Rekorderlig, Southern Comfort and Xfinity in the past 12 months.

However, his body of amusing ad and music videos stretches far further back and in June 2014 the Biscuit Filmworks director featured in our 150th issue - the Cannes Special - making the cover of the magazine with an excellent creative portrait series.

In the run up to the Festival that year, Nilsson was hotly tipped to pick up the Film Grand Prix for his memorable Volvo Trucks Epic Split spot and deservedly won the accolaid (along with the Cyber Grand Prix), making the cover all the more relevant. 

Below, the Biscuit talent talks to shots about the shoot explaining how he rallied some of his industry pals to create a fun concept to accompany the profile feature and what the pictures mean to him today.

Tell us about the concept for your shoot for shots issue 150 and what’s happening in the photos?

It was shot on Magic Castle in LA, a club for magicians. I’ve always loved that place and it was the obvious choice for the picture. I had Blue Öyster Cults’ album cover for Agents of Fortune in mind when coming up with the concept as well.

I presented a very rudimentary idea and photographer Ryan Schude took it and developed it into something that was much better than I thought it would be. Thanks to this shoot I have a great portrait of my wife who is in the picture as well. No, she is not one of the kids. She is the red haired woman (pictured, below).

How long did it take to come up with idea and was the outfit from your own wardrobe?

It took 47 minutes to come up with the idea. And yes, the tuxedo is mine. I wear it every Sunday when I go to church.

Tell us more about the location…

Magic Castle. A place where magicians meet up to impress each other in the bar by showing card tricks. It also has a piano that can play “every song there is”. You simply talk to it and it plays the song. I asked it to play some music from my old band Älgarnas Trädgård. It just went silent. Gutted.

What about the day; did it take long and are there any interesting memories?

It was a nice day where I got to hang out with people that I work with a lot on commercials. Shirley Kurata who does wardrobe for my commercials did the wardrobe. Yuyi who does hair on my shoots did hair, etc.

Who drew the tattoo of your face and what do you think of it?

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember the artist’s name… But it was super well done. And the kid says it didn’t hurt at all. He is really happy with it and that it gives him street credit when flashing it in boarding school.

Where did you find the actors who feature in the series and did you art direct the shots?

The art direction is pretty much already there. And I got some help from Roy Ishikawa at Biscuit. He is Japanese and besides being creative director at Biscuit he is also a pinball wizard.

How well do you think the images fit with the feature and your career at the time?

Perhaps it made me look a bit more like a bully than I am in person.

How did you enjoy being on the other side of the lens for a change?

Awkward. I’m from Sweden.

And one of the shots made the cover of the Cannes issue; what was the reaction and feedback you received?

It was a huge honour, of course. But for me personally it was kind of weird to see the picture all over the place. It made me nervous and self aware. I would be a really lousy celebrity. But it was worth it, I’m really happy to have these pictures.

How did it feel to be awarded the Grand Prix in the South of France that year for Volvo Trucks?

I guess it’s the biggest award in advertising. So it felt pretty good.