On My Radar: Tim Bierbaum

What’s the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

This ad from the city of Amsterdam for the incredibly mundane and unremarkable Lelylaan rail station. The energy is so hilariously mismatched with the product. It’s like Skrillex doing branded content for Westchester county. For me, the lesson here is, if the product is dull it doesn’t mean the advertising has to be. Being bold and unexpected is one of the most valuable qualities in a campaign. It’s ok to experiment with tone and irony- the audience is smart, they get it.

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What website(s) do you use most regularly?

My favourite way to procrastinate is to look at unusual cities on Google Maps and click into shops, restaurants, landmarks, museums, the street view of neighbourhoods… the amount of information on that app is absolutely bonkers and I think we take it for granted. Let’s all take a moment this holiday season to give thanks to Google Maps.

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

I just bought a Panasonic AG-500 TV from the 80s! I was on eBay looking for something I actually need, and got distracted by this cool looking TV I absolutely don’t need at all. I don’t have any VHS tapes and I’m not really interested in watching stuff in that format, so I don’t know, it’s just a cool looking object in my living room. Eventually, I’d like to connect it to a Mac Mini loaded with thousands of music videos that play on shuffle. 

What product could you not live without?

My favourite product at the moment is Nutella. After a recent checkup, my doctor told me I’m too healthy and prescribed one jar of Nutella per week. I’m doing my best to follow doctor's orders and put Nutella on basically everything I eat. It’s been a lot of work, but I find it very rewarding.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

I didn’t see Nickel Boys when it came out. Somehow, the marketing didn’t connect for me - I had no idea what kind of a film it is, the poster looks generic, the title didn’t grab me… I know it was nominated for Oscars, so I’ll admit this is on me. Anyway I finally watched it on one of the streaming sites. That movie is an absolute knockout. Expressionistic, inventive, confident, timely and relevant. One of those movies where you could pause it at any moment as it's a beautiful frame. It needs a Criterion release with some sweet packaging art.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

Since this question is phrased in the past tense, I’m going to say Labyrinth. Like all the best children’s movies, it sneaks in surprisingly complex ideas. If you didn’t watch Labyrinth as a kid, I feel bad for you. 

This movie will explode a child’s imagination and make them weird in the best way. Also, it’s some of Bowie’s best music. I’m sure it’s the first question many therapists ask their patients; “Do you think these issues are because you didn’t watch Labyrinth as a child?” Honestly, that’s tragic. But if you haven’t seen it, it’s never too late!

What’s your preferred social media platform?

The best social media platforms are the ones where you can’t really become an influencer. Like Reddit, Yelp, Are.na, the comment section on Stereogum. Places where there’s less incentive for algorithm bait. The one I like the most I guess is Letterboxd, which is a good place to find film recommendations and keep track of stuff you want to watch.  

What’s your favourite TV show?

I could rewatch Twin Peaks season three on loop, endlessly. Most filmmakers and musicians lose their juice at some point, and you start to feel grateful for new work even though there’s diminishing returns. It’s rare when a late-career artist not only reaches the greatness you know they’re capable of, but exceeds it. I think that season elevates his entire body of work and ties together the themes he explored previously.

What’s your favourite podcast?

The Relentless Picnic is unique. They don’t have guests or repeatable formats, nothing topical. No ads or sponsors. It’s just three really smart guys that have interesting conversations that are sometimes incredible and profound. Earlier episodes are on Soundcloud. I recommend starting with episode 33, Shallow Banquet, where they talk about apathy, advertising and bodily parasites. Then work backwards to earlier episodes. 

What have you been most inspired by recently?

Quentin Dupieux is someone I find really inspiring. He releases a film about once a year and they’re always totally different but reliably great. I love how his films casually embrace absurdity and subvert expectations, but also admire his hands-on approach. 

Not only does he write and direct his films, he is the cinematographer, editor and sometimes composer. That kind of versatility and ability to learn new skillsets is really inspiring to me. I shot my first film recently and took on a lot of the roles myself. The fact that he does it inspired me to believe I could do it.

If you could only listen to one music artist from now on, who would it be?

I’d go with Aphex Twin, whose catalogue covers a huge variety of styles and atmospheres, and is complex enough to reward infinite replays. I’ve gone through periods in my life where I basically only listen to this artist, so I feel confident in the commitment. Looking forward to laying in my deathbed beatboxing along with Vordhosbn

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

I wish it was more typical for a director to be responsible for the edit of their own work. I feel like it’s such an important part of the process that’s so closely integrated into the vision, and can make or break the final product. A lot of times the director isn’t directly involved. It’s just weird to me that someone is hired to stand on set deciding what is and isn’t needed for the edit, then isn’t obligated to put it all together!

Who or what has most influenced your career?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a comic book artist. I spent a lot of time making my own little comics and reading comic strips and comic books. Later on, when I got into making comedy sketches on my parents camcorder, I had a strong foundation for visual thinking, compositions and breaking stories down into individual moments. It’s also been a really valuable skill for storyboarding and communicating visual things to department heads. Even though AI can make our images for us, there’s still a reason to learn how to draw!