the Craft

Q&As and behind-the-scenes info on the latest and greatest
commercials, shorts and music videos.

19^th Dec CHRISTMAS 2024

HowMcDonald'slitupChristmas

This holiday season, the fast food chain illuminated our screens with its dazzling, decoration-clad Christmas ad, The Gift of McDonald's. We caught up with the creatives at Black Kite Studios to find out how they meticulously blended lived action and animation to bring the festive joyride to life.

19^th Dec

HowBenedictCumberbatchturnedtheheatuponpensioncompanies

Earlier this week saw the release of a new film for Make My Money Matter, with the campaign increasing the heat on an already hot topic. Here, Academy director Sophia Ray talks about working on the spot with award-winning actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

9^th Dec

How Ford and W+K led the charge in a global race

In order to showcase the capabilities of the electric Ford Explorer, Wieden+Kennedy eschewed traditional advertising and instead chose to create a three-part Prime Video series documenting the 30,000 kilometer journey of the aptly named Lexie Limitless and her EV of choice. shots' Jamie Madge sat down with director Chris Faith, creative directors Dave Colman and Curro de la Villa, and producer Jennifer Lawlor to find out what made them Charge Around The Globe.

5^th Dec

How Will Norman plays with grime

For his latest collaboration with grime artist Jme, filmmaker Will Norman swapped the ends for a den; putting his star in the middle of a model railway, housed in a shed in Essex.

22^nd Nov

How Will Wightman kept his buzz for Tommy Holohan

A man has a disturbing encounter with a fly in the BLINKINK director's insane new music video. shots sat down with him to find out how the invasive insect came to be.

21^st Nov

Reflections on the monster in the mirror

Exploring the complex, fast evolving and philosophically tricky interface between humans and technology these days, Chris Boyle reveals the process of developing Private Island's groundbreaking, mixed media and mixed reality film Meme, myself and AI.

18^th Nov

shots gets the filmic treatment

To celebrate and promote Treatments, the latest addition to the shots stable of products, we commissioned a special film which is launching today. Here, the team behind it discuss its concept, creation and the challenges they faced while making it.

14^th Nov

How Yannis Konstantinidis landed the WWF in hot water

Continuing his series of "how the f*ck did he do that?" animations for the World Wide Fund for Nature, NOMINT director/co-founder Yannis Konstantinidis's latest presents the urgent environmental message of marine heatwaves through stop-motion, thermal cameras, and a whole lotta patience...

Spotlight

Some recent interviews in our "How To" series.

30^th Jul SPORT FOCUS

HowHenryHobsoncraftedanOlympicdouble-decathlon

shots speaks to director Henry Hobson about how he managed to put the viewer into 20+ sports through dazzling first-person photography for Discovery+.

8^th Jul SPORT FOCUS

HowFactoryFifteenfilledTokyowitheastereggs

The Nexus collective, made up of Kibwe Tavares, Jonathan Gales and Paul Nichols, tell us how pre- and post-Covid planning, animation, VFX and shoots 1000 miles apart combined to create a disorientating journey through an Olympics-themed Tokyo.

14^th Jun

HowSwyftmadeasofaadthatisn'tasofaad

We hear from the makers of a new campaign for sofa brand Swyft that aims to defy the conventions of more traditional sofa commercials .

10^th Jun

HowCraigDavidmovedthedialforKuruptFM

Things aren't all they seem in this Ollie Wolf directed hybrid promo for Kurupt FM that mixes classic promo tropes with some behind the scenes tomfoolery.

25^th May

Howtocutamusicvideowithacrewof500

For VANS' branded promo of JPEGMAFIA's track Prone, Final Cut editor Ryan Beck had the daunting task of sculpting a 2-minute megamix from fan-shot footage.

13^th Nov

How Studio Birthplace took on corporate greed and human indifference

Shot entirely on location in Indonesia, co-directed by an Indigenous filmmaker, and starring members of the Iban community, Studio Birthplace directing duo, Jorik Dozy and Sil Van der Woerd, explain how their new project is at once a music promo, a labour of love and a crucial weapon in the fight against environmental destruction.

13^th Nov CHRISTMAS 2024

How Sainsbury's created the biggest, friendliest Christmas ad of the year

Roald Dahl's endearing BFG was brought wonderfully to life in Sainsbury's heartwarming festive spot. Here, shots talks to agency New Commercial Arts, production company Rogue, and post-house Electric Theatre Collective, about how they took on a literary giant.

12^th Nov CHRISTMAS 2024

How Starbucks created a moment of calm this Christmas

From crafting a nifty rotating set to hand-sewing the perfect Starbucks-green miniature jacket, TBWA creative director Lauren Coates and BLINKINK directors Andy & Adeena talk us through how they brought the coffee chain's utterly charming and comforting animated campaign to life.

7^th Nov CHRISTMAS 2024

How ASDA took gnome for an answer this Christmas

This Christmas, ASDA ventured into the ungnome with a campaign that put some pint-sized porcelain people at the centre of their festive spot. Here, Hungry Man director Bryan Buckley discusses the making of the film, why the theme from The A-Team was the right choice, and how gnome puns are the gift that keeps giving.

30^th Oct

How Rachel McDonald portrayed the human impact of U.S. immigration laws

With the American presidential election looming, director Rachel McDonald helms a moving short film offering a poignant perspective on families affected by immigration laws. Here, she discusses research techniques, story structure and navigating difficult themes with young actors.