The Talent
From Junior Creatives to ECDs, delve into career highlights (and lowlights) in our in-depth profiles.
Phoebe Smith's rules of engagement
Phoebe Smith at Helo discusses the new art of experiential engagement, and talks to Tim Cumming about her trajectory from the music business to the business of making a lasting impact in the real world.
The art of unrest: John Phillips on the power of poster art
Paddington Printshop founder John Phillips, the creative force behind some of the most enduring poster designs that spoke truth to power, has co-founded The Museum of UnRest to tackle social and environmental issues. Lucy Aitken met him at the Museum's pop-up exhibition to find out more.
From Kanye to Beyoncé: Joe Perez’s visual alchemy
From designing albums and branding for clients from Beck to Kim Kardashian, Joe Perez is the creative mind behind some of contemporary culture’s most iconic visuals. He talks to Amy Hey at OFFF Festival about the intensity of his Kanye days, the myths and symbolism that have shaped his work, and the peace he’s learning to protect.
The people who make the spots you love, covering all aspects of production, post and sound.
Daniel Eatock: The generosity of creativity
Art Practice's Daniel Eatock is a director, artist, author and creator who says he's a "specialist generalist" who blends his work life with his home life. Izzy Ashton speaks to the man who delights in playful unpredictability.
Cut to the joke: André Rodrigues
From short films exploring 17th-century queer subculture to gothic beauty campaigns, Okay Studio editor André Rodrigues slices and dices his work with humour, rhythm and an innate sense of playfulness.
Rogers on a roll
Steve Rogers, Co-Founder of Revolver and winner of shots Awards APAC 2025 Director of the Year, claims he’s not a fan of commercials. Lucy Aitken met him to find out how, on his quest to make ads that aren’t ‘annoying’, he’s shot some of the most popular spots of recent times.
Ben Gregor: Rooted in play
From cult comedy shorts to Cannes-winning commercials and now just down from climbing The Magic Faraway Tree, Ben Gregor has spent his career making the borderline absurd feel human. Here, the Knucklehead director talks to Jamie Madge about performance, play and why good chaos needs structure.
Making it playful: Paloma Rincón
Multidisciplinary visual artist Paloma Rincón crafts bright, bold and deliciously playful photographic and moving image projects for global brands from Heineken to IKEA. She talks to Amy Hey at OFFF Festival Barcelona about experimentation, handmade craft and making people smile.
shots Unsigned: Seth Ickerman
In this months shots Unsigned interview, we speak with French directing duo Seth Ickerman about their body of work and recent film Speed or Perish. Here they go in depth about their remarkable creative process, their passion for animation and AI, and the trials and tribulations of working on VFX laden productions.
Yannis Konstantinidis: Playing with fire
Best known for wrangling flames for the BBC and experimenting with ice, smoke and water for WWF, director and co-founder of Nomint, Yannis Konstantinidis, has mastered the art of elemental craft. Kicking off this month's Play Focus, he talks to Amy Hey about risk-taking, pyrotechnics and why difficult ideas deliver the greatest impact.
The Way I See It: Ted Rogers
Currently associate artist at the Tracey Emin Foundation, Ted Rogers – choreographer/dancer/painter and all-round Renaissance polymath, who’s work includes promos and ads for brands such as Gucci, Very and Future Islands – is also a fine storyteller. Here they share with Carol Cooper their candid, moving tales of movement.
Made to move: Andrew Vucko
As founder of boutique motion agency Vucko, Andrew Vucko is a body language expert. But the bodies in question aren’t human – they’re global brands such as Google, Spotify and Intuit. He talks to shots about his ‘why’-driven approach and how brands are finally buying into the importance of motion identity.
What's your first memory? Who were your influences? Find out more about your favourite creatives in our in-depth series.
The Way I See It: MJ Delaney
Merman director MJ Delaney can count the Clintons, Spice Girls, Ted Lasso, and the new Christmas M&S ad among her oeuvre, but did you know she had slightly more canine ambitions as a child? Here, she talks to shots about the Welsh breakthroughs, words of wisdom, and perspective-altering baubles that have shaped her career.
The Way I See It: Ellen Kuras
The Corner Shop director and DP Ellen Kuras reflects on her career and creative philosophy, tracing her path from history student to pioneering filmmaker, spanning documentaries, commercials, TV and features. Discussing her feature directorial debut, Lee, she explains how cameras can be used to create meaning and challenge traditional narratives.
The Way I See It: Edgar Wright
Spaced, Shaun Of The Dead, Scott Pilgrim, Last Night In Soho; regardless of your Edgar Wright entry-point, the frenetic filmmaker’s wit and passion makes fans of all who view his work. With a recent eyebrow-raising McDonald’s spot (shot through Moxie Pictures) an indication of more commercial work on the horizon, we caught up with Wright to chat about working with legends at an early age, the creative testbed offered by music videos, and how making yourself your own ‘dream viewer’ is the way to please those crowds.
The Way I See It: Sharon White
Sharon White, current Chair of John Lewis Partnership, is the first ever female to hold this position. Previously she’s held such notable roles as Chief Executive of British media regulator Ofcom and was the first Black person – and the second woman – to hold the title of Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. In 2020 she received a Damehood in the New Year Honours List. She talked to shots about her pride in the John Lewis Partnership, car-crash weeks as a working mum and inspiration drawn from Michelle Obama.
The Way I See It: Luke Scott
From a boy on the set of his dad’s film, Alien, Luke Scott, award-winning director and the CEO of the Ridley Scott Creative Group, has gone on to gain his own valuable perspectives on filmmaking. His two-decade career has encompassed art directing, set building and directing TV (Raised By Wolves), features, ads and viral content for Prometheus and Blade Runner 2049. He shares his views on panopticons, prime ministers and the folly of space travel.
The Way I See It: Dede Laurentino
The multi-award-winning, Brazilian born Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy UK, André 'Dede' Laurentino, tells us about a difficult adolescence, life-changing trips to Europe, the feelings of inadequacy he has often struggled with, and why every creative person is punching back at the world.
The shots Podcast: Calling the shots with Johnny Kelly
The OSCAR-nominee, Cannes Lions Grand Prix hoarder and new Riff Raff signing talks to Jamie Madge about the shots taken, missed and swerved in his creative journey.
Pietro Biz Biasia: Shooting from scratch
Pietro Biz Biasia tells Amy Hey how his DIY ethos, which fuels his work with a gritty urban edge, earned him New Director of the Year at the shots Awards The Americas 2025 and paved the way for opening his own post production studio.
The Way I See It - Kai Hsiung
With ancestors including a turn-of-the-century cross-dressing ventriloquist, an education activist who protested with a severed finger and a film editor dad who literally set the BBC on fire, Kai Hsiung comes from a line of creative individualists. The retiring Global MD of RSA Films shared with Carol Cooper her candid reflections on workaholism, cancer and her 34 glorious years with the Scotts.
shots Unsigned: Breanna Lynn
For this months shots Unsigned interview, we speak with director and producer Breanna Lynn about her film Drive It Like You Stole It. Here she fills us in on making a car commercial with zero funding, juggling director/producer roles, and launching her own production company.
Making the cut with Carlos Font Clos
Whether he’s adding drama to DIY or rhythm to the Rolling Stones, Carlos Font Clos is a master at finding emotion in the edit. The shots Editor of the Year tells Selena Schleh about working in an invisible craft - and why cutting is all about the ‘click’
The next wave: Young agency producers on navigating a changing industry
On February 5th, Electric Theatre Collective and Biscuit Filmworks brought together a group of promising emerging talent for their annual Young Producers Dinner. shots joined them to catch up with a new generation on what inspires them, challenges them, and how they’re fairing in an ever-shifting industry.
The Integrity Pioneers
With wellness – of people and the planet – as a cornerstone, creative production studio Lowkey Films does things differently. Its founders Jamie Gamache and Connor O’Hara are proud to report it was the first UK feature film production company to achieve B Corp certification. Lucy Aitken heads to south London to find out more.
shots Unsigned: David Kobzantsev
In our latest shots Unsigned interview, we speak with the director David Kobzantsev about his short film Gold Hearts of Hot Rod County. Here he spills the beans on the making of the short, classic coming-of-age movies, and above all else keeping it magical.
The Way I See It: Tony Burke
Tony Burke is a filmmaker, author, advertising creative and recovering alcoholic. In this extended TWISI, he talks frankly about his descent into alcoholism and how family, friendship and an unusual brush with faith helped him get sober, write his debut novel, and write and direct the acclaimed 2025 feature film, PROTEIN.
Lope Serrano’s kind of magic
After winning multiple gongs at the shots awards, the CANADA co-founder and director talks to Tim Cumming about cinema, surrealism, poetry and metaphor – and the shared evolution of film and magical thinking.
Florence Poppy Deary enters orbit
Kicking off a series of interviews with recipients of 2025 shots EMEA awards, Sarah Smith chats to New Director of the Year winner, Florence Poppy Deary, who applies a spaceship metaphor to her decade-long overnight success story.
Telling tales with Ana Laura Solis
Ana Laura Solis may have got her start in the industry thanks to her director dad, but she’s no nepo baby. The multiple award-winning producer and founder of creative production company Story is writing her own narrative – and it’s a real page turner.
shots Unsigned: Jennie Butler
For our latest shots Unsigned interview, we speak with the talented director Jennie Butler about her ex-mobster documentary Georgie. We also cover her video journalism background, the importance of casting in a documentary, and the pros and cons of working with a small filmmaking team.