As the first blooms of 2023 appear, we bring you DeTuco – our new & vibrant animation signing. This bunch, brimming with team spirit, specialises in bringing to life CGI characters and whole new worlds. They are eager to infuse the NERD Productions family with even more colour and craft. Prepare to be wowed as we ask them a few ‘need to know’ questions!
What are 2 things our readers should know about you?
We love projects that involve characters, as we are fascinated by designing and creating new worlds and telling their stories. In every project presented to us, we look for new challenges and we always try to modify the visual style of what we do, diversifying our creativity and pushing the limits. We are constantly on the move, we even develop our own tools to innovate and go off the traditional paths.
Since we like to work with talented artists and recognize their skills, a few years ago we organized an exhibition for fellow creators.
It was one of the best experiences we´ve had as a team since it was an event without any kind of economic profit, it was made for the pure love of art. Bringing together so much talent, and so much amazing work was unique and it filled us with joy. We always talk about doing it again and we believe it may be possible this year. We choose to be infinitely curious and give the best of ourselves at all times so we can leave our mark.
Tell us about your favourite project to date and why it has a sweet spot in your heart.
There are many projects that we love, but without a doubt the one that we remember the most is Monstruosos. It was 100% our own idea, which we were able to carry out thanks to the trusting client over at Cartoon Network. We talked a lot about the story itself and put it together little by little as a collaboration. The first script was made and a visual style was developed. CN believed in us from the start and gave us the space and resources to unleash our creativity. The months working on Monstruosos were of pure creativity. The whole team participated and contributed great ideas, it was very inspiring. Even our kids got in on the fun, joining us for lively lunches and playtime in the studio.
We are not talking about 2023 resolutions, but rather what we are looking forward to this year. What are you most looking forward to in 2023?
This year, like every new year, we want to continue challenging ourselves and developing films that allow us to enrich our techniques or tools and explore fresh styles. We’re looking to reach and exceed the standards of what the market demands, making the most of our talent and thus, offering our best quality in each project.
And to finish off, tell us a NERDY fact about yourself.
Something that has become a tradition in the studio is playing video games on breaks or in little moments of free time. We discovered that disconnecting for a moment when possible and playing with (or against) each other is something that creates great opportunities for fun, laughter and bonding.
As fans of animation in all its forms and techniques, and passionate about new technologies, we have created channels with the team members to exchange opinions, and discover artists and content. This has become an inspiring pastime for all!
We are passionate, curious, restless and love to be in constant search. We are friends, colleagues, and family – we are DeTuco.
Milana began her journey in the production industry at just 17 as a runner and worked her way up to Executive Creative Producer, proving that nothing is impossible when you set your mind to it. But she didn’t stop there. Milana went on to set up her very own production company, one that champions diverse and inclusive talent. Her success story serves as a testament to her unwavering work ethic and her ability to learn and grow from every experience.
And now, Milana is sharing her story and valuable lessons. She wants to inspire and motivate those who are just starting out in the field of production, and help them connect with fellow producers and mentors.
What advice would you give to aspiring producers or content creators hoping to jump into production?
That’s easy! There are two bits of advice that I always share and those are the two things that have never let me down, to this day. Always have a ‘can do’ attitude and do the best you can. Nothing you present or do should be less than your best effort! It is the only way you will truly reach your goals and have a sense of achievement and fulfillment which only comes from doing hard work.
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What skills or emerging areas would you advise aspiring producers to learn about and educate themselves about?
It really depends on what area of our industry you wish to focus on. Production Producers are very different from agencies’ side Producers, for example. There is quite often this misconception that a ‘Producer’ should be able to do it all which is not the case at all! It’s actually when things go wrong on production most frequently.
I would say choose a direction and really try to master that before you start another 4 or 5 others. I know it is trendy to try and be a Jack of all trades these days BUT it just means you will eventually be the master of none. Being able to be that person that is absolutely a must-have on a project for a specific quality or skill is invaluable to your hiring success rate.
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What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production – and why has that stayed with you?
I started my career at just 17 as a runner in Soho.. Literally making tea & coffee and dropping off parcels to post houses and agencies. We didn’t send anything on a link in those days… it was a DVD or printed out and you physically had to deliver everything. Seems like a strange concept now!
From there I crawled my way through the ranks and became an Office Manager and then a Producer, followed by Executive Producer. It all happened quite fast for me as I was relentless in how hard I worked and I worked hard. I feel it happened to me very young and even though I had the experience of doing the physical work and being in production I was not a seasoned individual. There came a certain point where I accepted the unfair treatment of crew, and staff, and just thought that was a way of life! I guess it was fear that my job would vanish that never allowed me to question that and put a stop to it until I found myself as a person through some amazing clients and friends.
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Don’t get me wrong, going against that grain made me an enemy but it is this that motivated me the most to start NERD and make it a production company like no other! Empowering, nurturing and making D&I our focus to be a better industry overall.
When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion what are your team doing to address this?
As a leading D&I-led production company we advocate diversity and inclusion by championing an innovative and forward-thinking company culture that focuses on constantly seeking, nurturing and empowering young talent, female talent and talent from under-represented backgrounds. We don’t have boxes to tick and quotas to meet. This is not how to achieve true diversity. It is simply by treating everyone as equal and giving them a chance at an equal playing field.
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And why is it an essential issue for the production community to address?
Our consumers are literally EVERY single person on this planet! So as an industry, we need to be talking to all those individuals in a relevant way and with an authentic approach. At NERD we are constantly inspired by the people around us that share the same passion for building an environment reflective of the people that we create the work for – the consumers.
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There are young people getting into production who maybe don’t see the line between professional production and the creator economy, and that may well also be the shape of things to come. What are your thoughts about that? Is there a tension between more formalised production and the ‘creator economy’ or do the two feed into each other?
As a company, we do actually see a mix of asks for both of those approaches! To us they do feed into each other and why not?! Again, as influencers and shapers of lifestyle trends, we do need to see emerging trends in culture as something to embrace and not fear. I know this is a concept that our industry doesn’t quite accept on so many levels but the sooner we do the sooner we will have less out-of-touch advertising!
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If you compare your role to the role of the heads of TV/heads of production/ Exec Producers when you first joined the industry, what do you think are the most striking or interesting changes (and what surprising things have stayed the same?)
When I first started, EPs were mostly at lunch or flying someplace exotic to shoot something super exciting! It was the dream role for many for this very reason. I kind of feel sorry for the EPs of today. They are often overwhelmed by responsibility, lack of support and this endless expectation that they can and should just do everything alone! Don’t get me wrong, we will still get that afternoon at Soho House but these guys do need a little support.
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When it comes to educating producers how does your agency like to approach this? (I know we’re always hearing about how much easier it is to educate or train oneself on tech etc, but what areas do you think producers can benefit from more directed or structured training?)
It is really difficult to supply structured training for Producers and we do prefer hands-on training. Working alongside our seasoned senior producers and directors is the best and most efficient way to absorb knowledge and gain hands-on skills. Seeing others at work and crafting together is also great for social skills development and gives a sense of team play you can never have in any other approach.
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On the other side of the equation, what’s the key to retaining expertise and helping people who have been working in production for decades to develop new skills?
I think this is covered in the question about EPs. Everyone has their value! Those that are very experienced and have the knowledge to share- we still need to help them keep up with the latest equipment, software etc We must all keep learning and helping each other by sharing that newly learned knowledge with our team. There is always something new to gain for all of us no matter the level of experience.
Clearly, there is so much change, but what personality traits and skills will always be in demand from producers?
Being nice! It is really not that hard! Those Producers who are very kind will always get more out of their team.
Keeping a cool head. As a Producer, you can not afford to be the one creating the drama on set. You need to be calm and zen, smoothing everything out and ensuring everyone else is not feeling the stress. You will have a very successful shoot if your whole crew is supported and able to do their part.
Being organized! Don’t think I need to go into that one hehe!
Hayley Morris walks us through the process of creating her newest personal short film ‘Marguerite’, and the many lessons, reflections and experiences it brought.
Why ‘Marguerite’?
I started working on “Marguerite” in 2017. Jamie Caliri reached out to see if I wanted to make a promo for a version of the new Dragonframe software based on a drawing I had done of a 1920’s style woman. As we started working on it, it evolved into a new piece, and we decided to ditch the idea of it being a promo and have it be a very short film instead. We worked on it, on and off for the past few years in between our projects and life events (pandemic, baby, new home and more).
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My inspiration for the film is an amalgamation of many things. My dad passed away in 2014. He was a musician and guitarist and we really bonded over music. I had been wanting to make a short film inspired by him that wasn’t directly a film about him. That same year, I went to Paris for a show I was in with other stop-motion artists. I fell in love with the feeling of the streets at night and hearing the city’s sounds. When brainstorming ideas, I was listening to a lot of Django Reinhardt and had been making drawings with references to 1920s Paris. In my research, I was drawn to the photographs of Brassai and his night scenes of solitary figures in shadow. I did a series of drawings inspired by the characters in these scenes. One of them was a large drawing of a woman that I turned into the main character of Marguerite.
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Stylistically, I wanted to explore how I could create a 3D stop-motion puppet that looked hand drawn. I created drawn textures for the face, hair and clothes that I then cut out and sculpted for dimension out of paper. I then crafted a story and scene around her inspired by Django-style music and references to my childhood.
Your description of this film gives us a feeling it was a self-exploratory journey for you as a director and storyteller too. What did you learn about yourself in the making of this short film?
Yes. I’ve mainly been focusing on commissioned work, so it was really refreshing to create something personal and experiment with concepts and techniques I had been wanting to explore. I think it’s important as an artist to always create something for yourself. In these projects that don’t have a deadline or expectations, you can take your time to flesh out the new ways of making. There are many things I learned: I loved crafting the puppet and exploring the style of the film. I love the mix of materials and the simplified shapes I used for the characters and props – these are gestures I would love to push more in a future project.
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I also loved the collaborative process and working with such incredible artists. I’m used to being kind of a lone wolf in my projects and tackling every aspect of a project on my own. It was a good learning experience for me to let go a bit and see how a collaborative process could work. So, I’d say my biggest lesson was learning to trust. After this project, I realised that doing everything on my own isn’t necessary and a project can take on unexpected vitality when other artists are supporting your vision.
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I’m on the East Coast and Jamie and Anthony are on the West Coast. It was fun to see how we could make it work long-distance. We managed to create the storyboards, references, puppet, guitar/guitarist and other props back home and shipped them over to California. Then Jamie and a small team created the sets and shot them in his studio. I went out to California for about 2 weeks, crafted some more buildings, and animated the guitarist playing the guitar.
Then, I did all the 2d animation including the smoke at home and Jamie composited and edited it together. I really enjoyed this way of working. I think since the pandemic, it has become the norm. You don’t necessarily have to be in the same place to work with other artists you admire. Now, I live in the woods in Vermont and do all my projects this way. It’s great!
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You mentioned Dragonframe software, was this particularly new to you or something you wanted to try for a long time?
Dragonframe is a stop motion animation software that has changed the stop motion art form. It came out when I started working professionally in 2008. Before there were other systems that were not as intuitive to use and as complex as Dragon. Now with a DSLR camera and Dragon, you can instantly capture and see the animation you are shooting, control all of the exposure settings in Dragon without ever having to touch your camera, connect motion control and DMX lighting systems, break down audio lip syncs etc. There are so many features and it’s the best program for working in stop motion. So, I was very familiar with working in it. I was really excited to collaborate with Jamie who is the co-creator of Dragon.
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Now that the whole world can enjoy ‘Marguerite’, what is next for Hayley?
Thanks! I’m dabbling with some new concepts. I have a 2-year-old daughter, so children’s programming is becoming an avenue I’d love to explore. I’d also love to create an opening or ending title sequence for a film or tv show.
Starting 2023 with a bang and introducing you to NERD’s newest signing – Bonnie MacRae. A young, talented and unbelievably passionate director makes a fresh new addition to NERD talent roster ready to inspire and mesmerise the world of creative this year!
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Who is Bonnie and what are 3 things our readers should know about you?
Hello! I’m Bonnie, I’m a writer and director hailing from Scotland. I absolutely love storytelling, in all forms, and am determined to create authentic, soulful films – specifically those that tackle typically taboo subject matter. I come from a working-class background, which definitely influences the style and tone of my work, and is really something I want to continue representing and platforming going forward.
A lot of my work surrounds topics and themes that are really close to my heart. I’m so incredibly honoured and excited to be repped by NERD and can’t wait to continue growing as a director – what a way to begin 2023! Three things to know about me…
I have no formal filmmaking training. I dropped out of university after a few years and have been crafting with all I have ever since. At the time it felt like maybe I’d made the wrong decision but switching pathways and believing that I could make it as a director was the best thing I ever did. Someone has to do it and why not me, right?
Travelling is one of my biggest inspirations! I used to live in New York for a little while and it was my time there that led me to pick up a camera in the first place. Since then, my travels around post-pandemic Europe have been super influential in the stories I am working on now.
I’m obsessed with food on screen – there’s something about the way you can shoot food that just excites me. I think ‘The Bear’ on Disney Plus does it so well, also there are a few great kitchen shots in Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling’. Up until now, I’ve only ever shot a birthday cake but have lots of ideas I want to try out across future projects! The Scottish remake of ‘The Bear’ is on the way – beautiful shots of cheesy chips and Tennent’s Lager to feature…
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Your portfolio is filled with deep and heartfelt stories. What inspires you to create such meaningful work?
I think drawing from personal experience and telling the stories I feel that I know well, is perhaps the easiest way for me to be as authentic as I can in my filmmaking. I also find it much easier to articulate and navigate more difficult topics and conversations via visual means. I’m definitely a very passionate person and when I come across something that I feel strongly about, I like to set my focus on shining the light, albeit a small one, onto these stories.
I’ve also made a couple of films about issues that have affected me personally, so maybe rather selfishly, I create work that I can relate to, in the hope that others can too. The films that stick with me are always the ones that manage to reflect a little bit of my own life, so that’s what I aspire to do in the stories I tell.
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Your short film ‘Mind Yersel’ covers a hugely important topic of men’s suicide and features the Dundee accent which is not often heard on screen. How important is it for you to strive for representation like this in your work?
I wrote Mind Yersel with the intention of platforming the voices of my hometown, the voices of friends that I had never really heard within media before. It was really overwhelming when Mind Yersel was shared so widely overnight, as it was never something I expected to happen but I’m so SO glad it was well received. The success of Mind Yersel really allowed me to see the power of honest storytelling, it’s a very raw film and it was my goal to try and represent those I had grown up around. You don’t really notice the nuances of your upbringing until you leave that environment and are placed in a setting so different to what you know.
For me, I didn’t really even realise I was working class until I left Dundee and that was very striking and initially quite eye-opening. It made me realise people like me, and my friends from home had never truly been appropriately represented on screen. From then on, I made a mental note to always ensure I prioritise fair representation in everything I create, be it in front of or behind the camera. I never ever thought that I could make an actual career out of something creative, let alone directing. I really want to take every chance I have in platforming the people, places and stories that represent where I come from. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to do so.
Why did you choose NERD for your home?
To be part of NERD is such a dream come true, Milana (NERD’s founder and EP) didn’t have to ask me twice! I am at the very beginning of my career and have a lot to learn, and I want to do it all. Mentorship and encouragement are two things I’m really looking for and NERD is there to support me with both. I was also really drawn to the way NERD platforms diversity. You don’t want to get the jobs because you check the woman or the working class box. You want to get the jobs because of your talent first, the ones that will acknowledge and value your background but not let you be defined by it.
For me, NERD values all of the aspects that make up the director I am today but fills me with the belief and community I need to grow into the director I really aspire to be. I have big, slightly crazy ambitions and I feel so lucky to have the NERD team there to help me reach them.New Nerdy Signing: Get To Know Bonnie Macrae 57 - Nerd Blog
We didn’t forget to ask about your new short film. When can we expect to see that?
Yes! I’m so excited – but also incredibly nervous. It’s called All Up There and it’s all about Endometriosis, and desperately trying to reach a diagnosis. It’s very personal, and actually quite exposing, but something that I’m very proud of. We worked with an entirely female crew which was really special, we didn’t have much money at all but I really hope it gives even the slightest representation of what it feels like to come of age with a chronic condition when it feels like nobody in the world is listening. The film should be available to view online by February/March this year – ahhh!
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I can’t start working on a concept, treatment, or day on-set without curating a Spotify playlist to go alongside. Sound design and musical scores are for me, one of the most crucial elements of film and I literally cannot come up with or develop any ideas if I haven’t spent hours making a playlist to soundtrack them first. Some might say creative, others, the perfect method of procrastination – I think a little bit of both. It’s one part of the process I will never skip!
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Billy Bogiatzoglou aka Billelis is a 3D Illustrator and Animation Director residing in the UK. Billelis is an artistic alias originating from his younger years of graffitiing and wall tagging as a teen.
He now spends countless hours experimenting, learning and expanding his artistic skillset to create a personal style that can be best described as a dark, yet elegant, and romantic fusion. He has a keen eye for intricate detail, as well as bold, contrasting colours and his work has often been described as hyperreal.
Equipped with an overactive imagination, his sketchbook and a perpetual artistic hunger, Billelis aims to be a distinct source of creativity. He enjoys collaborating with a wide range of clients and has worked with brands such as Nike, Xbox, Coca-Cola, Peugeot, Red Bull and several global music clients, to name but a few.
Billelis shares the work that made him and inspired him to be the artist he is today. An incredible journey of self-exploration and hard work with a showcase of everything and anything we need to see from Bill. The creations that made HIM – enjoy!
The music video from my childhood that stays with me is a very easy choice for me. Slipknot Duality is the absolute chaos of a music video. Metal mosh madness in America resulting in a house riot.
The game that made me want to get into the industry… I feel it was Mortal Kombat, the chaos, and fighting styles but most importantly the character creation, artwork and cult-like statues that grew in those early years of gaming were essential in my artistic development. A life goal come true for me – I ended up working with MK.
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The creative work that I keep revisiting… My artwork for John Wick 3 was essential in the development of my career. And to this day stands as one of my most fulfilling projects and artworks.
My first professional project…
I think it was my work for Formula 1 and team Redbull. It was so long ago now and a completely different style from what I have been creating for the past decade. The piece of work that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
I would like to keep client confidentiality on this and not share names but yes there are many… It is so hard to create sometimes when you are being used like a client’s pencil instead of given the freedom to do what you best…
The piece of work that still makes me jealous…
All the artwork Raf Grasseti creates. Such emotion, detail and skill are inspiring, to say the least. It is good to have heroes you look up to that keep pushing you higher.
The creative project that changed my career wasJohn Wick 3 without a doubt.
The work that I’m proudest of… My In Memoriamcollection. A lot of inner emotions and fears were infused into that collection. Becoming publicly vulnerable was a hard step to take but I am so proud of the entire collection. That and Transcendence, are probably my most detailed and crafted artwork to this day.
I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Having worked on music compilation albums for kids’ parties… Hey, we all start somewhere right?
The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most… The Digital Art project I created titled ‘The Graveyard’. A unique concept of life and death cycles in Digital Art, having to sacrifice existing art in exchange for something new.
Early bird gets the worm or in this case – how to get young people to vote? New captivating and immersive stop-motion animation from NERD’s Director Haylely Morris for MTV.
The campaign focused on translating important messages and highlighting some of the main issues US citizens are facing at the moment. We were mesmerised by Hayley’s imagination on how to carefully translate such important issues to young public through art. Our team grabbed Hayley to chat all things NERDy about this film.
We love the idea of such a short yet powerful message, how did you come to this?
MTV’s campaign mission was to get young people out and vote for the Midterm elections in the US on Vote Early Day. The midterms usually don’t have a large turnout like a general election, so we wanted to create something that told the message in a clear and memorable way. We brainstormed so many ideas, and in the end, we landed on the concept of “Early bird gets the worm”. There are so many issues facing the country, but we decided to focus on Reproductive Rights, Gun Violence, Inflation, Racial Justice and Mental Health Care. Voting early tends to be easier and since there was the worry of voter suppression on actual election day, the importance of translating this in a digestible message was high.
Birds often symbolise infinite possibilities, renewal, eternity, and the transition between life and death, what is the meaning of the lovely bird in this spot?
The bird was chosen mainly as a symbol for the early bird concept and how you can bring the issues you care about to the ballot box to make a difference with your vote. The bird itself is crafted out of an election ballot and it plucks the issues (worms) out of the ground to fly them to the ballot box.
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Being a stop-motion director you must be good at a few different handcrafts. Origami seems to have a particular place in this spot, is this something that you enjoyed long before starting your career or is it a skill you needed to acquire for the profession?
I love working with paper and have been manipulating paper through stop motion for a long time. In each project, I always try to do something new and see how I can push it in a different way. For this one, I really wanted to push the transformative quality of paper by having the election ballot fold up into the bird. I wanted the final bird to be very simple, but highlight the elements of the ballot that are important to read. The belly of the bird displays ‘ELECTION’ and the wings and tail says ‘For US Congress’ and ‘For Governor’ with the candidate’s checkboxes.
I usually like to create a lot of my work in camera, but here I wanted to explore compositing more. I shot all of the elements on a green screen and mocked up the final scene for the compositing. Seeing it all come together was a lot of fun.
Your work is always so colourful and brings joy to every topic you cover, is it something you aim for in every project?
Thank you! The paper itself is always so inspiring. I love going to the art store to look and feel all of the papers available for their colours and textures. I try to craft sustainably where ever possible so I also enjoy searching through my materials and seeing what I can re-purpose and give a new lease of life to!
For this one, MTV wanted the colours to be close to their end frames which had blue, yellow and pinkish orange. I tried to bring those colours into all of the backgrounds so that the transition from the paper scenes to the digital end cards wouldn’t be too jarring. It also helped make the white bird pop against the colourful backgrounds. It was so entertaining to explore what the underground scenes with the worms would look like, so I found some really beautiful Lokte paper in brown and maroon tones that were a nice contrast to the vibrant above-ground scenes.
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For fellow directors and animators, do you have any advice on how to make serious and important topics more fun through handcraft?
I would say it is a lot of brainstorming and just getting all of your ideas out. We probably went through 10 or so concepts before landing on this one. You have to dig deep into all of the ideas and then pluck out what the central themes you really want to focus on are. 20 seconds is not a long time to try and pack in big ideas, so you have to think of symbols and visuals for what you need to say in the most concise way. When it came down to sifting through our concepts, we wanted to stress how voting early is easier and focus on the issues at hand. The bird is a vehicle for change by taking the worms with the issues to the ballot box as the sun rises.
Many of our rights are on the line, like reproductive rights and the right to choose, and issues like gun violence just keep happening. There have been 604 mass shootings in the US in the year 2022. Inflation is making life unlivable and Mental Health Care is not affordable or accessible to a lot of people that need it. Racial Justice has so many layers but is tied to elections and voter suppression within communities of colour.
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Hand-made animation also brings a human touch into the visuals that help to support the human issues we’re trying to address. Even if the viewer doesn’t realize these images are actual paper, there is something playful and relatable to the election ballot folding up and turning into a bird. When you go to cast your vote you are filling out little circles on a physical piece of paper and actually putting that paper into a box/or mailing it in an envelope.
There is a visceral connection between the paper and the act of voting itself. So for me, making this whole spot out of paper felt very appropriate in supporting the overall idea and concept.
NERD Productions presents an empowering commercial film, Directed by Kyla Philander (them, they), for Facebook Lite exploring themes of motherhood, love and unbreakable bonds. The commercial showcases the Lite version of Facebook tailored for regions with low data usage and limited connectivity. The latest version of the social media platform enables family and friends to sow, nurture, and grow relationships no matter what!
Diversity & inclusion is at the heart of everything NERD does, so the film was shot across South Africa due to its offering of genuinely diverse communities. Kyla met with local people, filming their personal stories that reveal how Facebook Lite keeps them fully connected. This method was the only way to keep our film authentic. Kyla explains how themes of motherhood and love bring magic to the equation and how the strong human desire to be connected runs throughout the film.
Milana, the Executive Producer at NERD, elaborates: “This project touched a few people from the team personally. For me, it was important to find the right talent for our agency & brand, and I couldn’t imagine a better person for it, as Kyla wants to keep the story authentic and relatable.
During the early production stages, a province in South Africa was hit by intense flooding. Kyla explains: “It was something out of our control but also a reminder of how crucial communication platforms are for communities at all times.”
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Milana added: “You have to love what you’re doing to be able to communicate these stories and take every challenge as an advantage. The agency was one of the most collaborative clients, easygoing and trusting. Everything just came together perfectly.”
Rather than an off-the-shelf library track, Kyla felt that the music should be bespoke and carefully crafted in synergy with the film’s visuals. “Something curated and made specifically for the project always elevates it and brings a real feeling of humanity into the work.”
Kyla added: “NERD Productions follows the path of diversity and inclusion in valuing and representing a vast range of carefully selected directors, illustrators and photographers. Milana and the NERD team champion the D&I space needed in our time.
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It is so important and amazing at the same time when you can use your craft and talent to work on something like a story about under-represented communities. I am proud to say that Kyla was the person who directed this, someone who can dive deep into the brief and show real people as Kyla did.” added Milana
Amidst busy working days for Shona, we managed to grab her and tell us a little bit about one of her most recent creations – Rudy.
Rudy is an award-winning coming-of-age drama set in the heart of rural England. It follows the emotional journey of a teenage girl who finds herself being tested by her relationship with her father and responsibility for her younger siblings. She feels increasingly pushed out when her home gets opened up to a paying guest. Through a newfound friendship with a boy from Coventry, she discovers fun, freedom and autonomy.
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“Rudy” is a film that centres on love and loss, youth and innocence, holding on and moving on. What inspired you to create this film and pursue these themes?
The initial story was triggered by me losing my dad and also losing a friend who left a teenage daughter. The months after this I would drive past a house in the countryside every week, I started creating a story about a girl who lived in that house, dealing with her own loss and trying to find some kind of reconciliation with her own feelings, whilst also trying to get on with life.
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You collaborated with Akira Kosemura on the musical composition for the film. How did you two meet and what was it like working so closely with one another?
My son loved his music and suggested I ask Akira if he would give me permission to use one of his tracks or even possibly compose a track for the film. I got in touch with him and after seeing the film, he loved it so much that he offered to compose all of the original soundtracks. I was bowled over, his music is so wonderful and I loved working with him. Because of the time difference to Japan, he would compose in his day and send over the tracks and I would put them into the edit and feedback, and although we were a long way from each other we worked really well together.
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The visual style of “Rudy” looks beautifully natural and nostalgic, somewhat akin to Sean Baker’s aesthetic. What led you to choose this style?
Graeme was the cinematographer on Rudy and I was originally both a photographer and cinematographer before I started to direct. Both of us are drawn to visual storytelling. We didn’t have much in the way of budget or crew so we had to be inventive, improvise with camera moves and often embrace what light we were given. We chose particular times of the day to shoot, when the light was right, and so operated in a more organic way.
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Most of the production was done locally and with minimal crew, do you always approach your work this way?
Over the years I have had the good fortune to work on projects with decent budgets, which in turn has allowed me to have bigger crews. However, I often think it is because Graeme and I originally came from film school, that if there is no budget, we slip quite comfortably back into shooting in a simpler way. Rudy had a minimal crew because of the lack of financial resources. Some may see this as a limitation, however, in many ways it was very liberating because it allowed us to be very light on our feet and getting what we needed in simpler ways.
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What were some of the hurdles and challenges you faced while putting all the pieces in place for this production?
The main difficulty was the lack of money to throw at situations to help resolve them. We knew from the outset that this was going to be a labour of love film, and once we accepted that we did not have funding to make things go quickly, we embraced the fact that we had to make it at the pace we could afford. We managed to get over most hurdles, finding inventive ways of shooting and we were given a lot of generous support from lovely people along the way.
Exciting is an understatement! We are honoured to have Karni & Saul from Sulkybunny join our diverse roster! It is a pleasure getting to know them even better and treating you to a few bits on their style, most recent work and balancing their life as a working couple with kids.
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What have you been up to during summer with all the heat waves we’ve had this year?
We’ve been busy with our BFI mixed media short Wild Summon. Trying to keep our two kids happy and busy in a huge paddling pool, working on an eye mama photo book and project about the mother gaze. And of course, eating a ton of watermelon, while quietly panicking about the environment and global warming. A good summer overall!
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You describe your style as casual fantasy. What is the best example of this, and where do you find your inspiration?
We find it in everyday life. Casual fantasy is not typical, but it appears naturally in live action in the details where it is merged perfectly into life because life and fantasy are interconnected. Every day of our life can be fantastical, it’s down to your point of view and imagination. Sometimes, life can be stranger than fiction. In our shorts Turning and Flytopia, fantasy is a part of the narrative. Like a boy’s imagination or a man losing his mind, we love the play and the surrealness this brings. It is a visual medium after all, so it has to be visual pleasure and magic.
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You make quite a lot of music videos! Is the realm of music and entertainment a particular niche you feel passionate about?
Absolutely! Music, visuals and fantasy work so well together, like tea and biscuits. They improve and amplify each other when it works well, when we love a song and it resonates. We have images pop into our heads like magic.
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Working together as a married couple must have its perks. Do your kids play a role in your creations? If yes, who is the first one to give you feedback? They definitely inspire us by being playful and imaginative. Interacting with our kids can be magic, but also hard work. We make things we want them to see or be inspired by even if its in the future. Being a directing duo and couple with kids is our reality and we have never known any different. It comes with power and also compromise, and again, we wouldn’t have it any different.
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Over your whole career, what was the project you enjoyed the most? Not only by the outcome but everything starting from the client, brief and up to the final delivery.
One of our first ever commercials was for a project for BBC Digital Radio with Larry and Dave. We played a lot and had loads of fun experimenting with stop-frame animation, had a big laugh and were very creative. It set the standards high, our three short films for BBC, Film4 and BFI were a long and joyful ride. Super hard work but full of creative satisfaction and freedom.
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What motivated you to join the NERD Productions roster? Why are they a good fit for you?
We have known and liked Milana from NERD for a long time. We like female leads wherever we can and we like companies that support artists and creativity. It was a no-brainer.
From the makers of AirWick Day, AirWick Night comes to a screen (and a side table) near you! NERD Productions and Peter S. send a sense of ease and relaxation over the airwaves with this stunning TVC in partnership with Havas.
The new film immerses you in a world of fireflies and lavender, married with a perfect bed of relaxing sound design. So sit back, relax and check out the full spot here.
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