On My Radar: Tom Dey

Tom Dey was signed to RSA for 18 years helming campaigns under the guidance of Tony and Ridley Scott for clients such as Exxon, MasterCard and Bank of America.

Joining Native from the company, his latest project sees him team up with actor Owen Wilson on The Conspicuous Awakening of Owen Wilson through BMF Sydney.

Below, the director tells shots what inspires him away from shooting film, including the websites and apps that feature in his daily life, the TV he was taught to love as a child and how he'd change the ad industry if he could.

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

I really like the S7 Airlines spot Imagine that came out earlier this year. It’s a simple idea, intimate and universal, beautifully realised.

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

Nothing too exotic. Netflix because I have two young kids and don’t get out much, NY Times to understand what’s going on in the world, Raz-Kids for reading with my daughter and NFL.com because I’m originally from New Hampshire and the Pats are going all the way again.

What’s the most recent piece of tech you’ve bought and why?

A Cressi Leonardo Dive Computer. Years ago I bought some jungle land in the Yucatan and recently took up cave diving to explore the underground rivers connecting its cenotes (sink holes).  You kind of feel like an astronaut, but you can have a margarita when you’re done.

Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?

Instagram - my fashion photographer wife convinced me to start posting last year, but my pics are rarely instant.

What’s your favourite app on your phone and why?

Find My iPhone - because my phone is really good at hiding. I’m still waiting for the app that saves your phone when your daughter pushes you into the pool with it. I’d call it “Ricebag".

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

MASH, because my family watched it religiously when I was a kid. I appreciate how it brought us together and exposed me to a potent mix of comedy and pathos. For current shows, I like what Aziz Ansari is doing with Master of None.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

The world would be a boring place if everyone liked what I like. But I’m happy to recommend the films of Spanish director Victor Erice, especially Spirit of the Beehive. And anything photographed by Gabriel Figueroa during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

Sitting in front of my laptop today, trying to rewrite a scene in one of my scripts for the hundredth time. Truthfully, I can’t remember ever being struck by inspiration. It seems to be more of a process where I fail continuously until I fail less badly.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

Like many directors, I’d have to say less time and longer content. It reminds me of what M.F.K. Fisher wrote during wartime about having to learn how to cook an omelette with two eggs instead of three, and then one egg instead of two. You just have to get really fast at making the omelette, and stretch the egg as far as it’ll go.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

A six-day work week, and all of them shoot days. I’d also like to see more cross-pollination of directors and creatives between genres because repetition is the nail in the tire of creativity.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

Tony and Ridley Scott. They hired me to join RSA when I was sleeping on a friend’s couch and couldn’t afford to update the tags on my car. I was late to my first interview because I had to find off-the-street parking.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

My name is pronounced “Dye”. I keep threatening to change the pronunciation to “Day” because it’s such a pain, but I’ve never had the courage to pull the trigger. I stopped correcting people years ago.