Motherland in Adland: Casey Bird

In this instalment of the ‘Motherland in Adland’ series, the creative director explains how discovering AI during maternity leave unlocked a new creative freedom – and why mothers must play an active role in shaping the future of work

Motherhood in advertising has long been an unspoken challenge – a career-defining crossroads where ambition is too often questioned, and support systems fall short. And while the industry has made progress in acknowledging the realities of working parents, tangible change is still slow, leaving many mothers to navigate the journey alone.

In this instalment of Motherland in Adland – the series founded by NERD’s Milana Karaica in partnership with LBB – we hear from Casey Bird, a creative director who most recently worked at Channel 4.

During her second maternity leave, Casey didn’t just return to work – she rewired how she thought about creativity, career progression, and possibility. AI became her tool for liberation, reinvention, and self-determined ambition. Now, as she launches her own creative studio, she’s calling on mothers across adland to experiment, challenge norms, and help shape the next era of work – because if they don’t, the future risks being built without them.

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The AI Revolution is Here. Mothers Can’t Be on the Sidelines.

I’m not a technologist. I’m not a coder. I’m a mother of two (Hi Ruby & Mason, mama’s in LBB!).

I’m an award-winning creative director in advertising and marketing by trade, and someone who spent most of my career working global brands or brand partnerships, most recently Channel 4. But, during my second maternity leave in 2024, something happened: I became obsessed with AI. I became obsessed with the possibilities, the opportunities, the limitless ideas and thoughts. My brain literally exploded.

Not in a “sci-fi robots” kind of way, but because I saw how powerful it could be when applied to real life. I devoured hours of podcasts or YouTube vids on the topic. I started using it to brainstorm business ideas, draft pitches, shape creative concepts, things I had always relied on late nights or over-caffeinated mornings to do. Suddenly, instead of squeezing myself into a workplace model that was never designed for me, I could start designing my own.

That shift was life-changing for me. In 2025 I created the first advert for a brand on behalf of Channel 4 using creative imagination, prompt engineering and a lot of human editing. I could do this, because I felt confident with the tools I had been practising behind the curtains, that when the opportunity arose, I was able to raise my hand and stand out. It was so much fun feeling limitless in the execution and not restricted by a shoot.

Now? I’m currently in the process of taking a pause whilst I launch my own creative studio, one that works around my time, my energy, and my commitment to my family. And AI is at the heart of it, obviously. My imposter syndrome sometimes can tell me this is a bit of a gimmick, but I truly believe it’s going to the scaffolding that allows me to build a business on my own terms as a mother.

Here’s the thing I’ve been pondering, AI is being called the biggest shift since the internet. But if mothers aren’t part of this revolution, then once again the future of work will be built without us in mind. And we can’t afford that. Women constitute only 20% of employees in technical roles in major machine learning companies, 12% of AI researchers, and 6% of professional software developers. (UNESCO)

Because let’s be honest, the traditional workplace is already failing mothers. And if you’re reading this and nodding along, you’re not alone. Too many of us are pushed out, sidelined, or quietly exit because the system doesn’t bend and work with us and our commitments. AI could change that. It could be the tool that helps us re-enter, reinvent, or completely bypass the structures that excluded us in the first place.
So imagine if mothers everywhere used AI not just to lighten the admin load or think up dinner ideas for the week, but instead:

Prototype businesses faster: turning that “what if” idea into a plan overnight. With no-code website builds you can take your idea to MVP in a day. No dev dude to patronise you.
Access opportunities that don’t depend on presenteeism: pitching, networking, or upskilling on your own schedule. Getting LLM’s to challenge you, set goals and learning schedules. Research indicates that women adopt generative AI tools at work 25% less than men, potentially widening the gender gap in career opportunities. (AllBright)
Rewrite the CV narrative: using AI to frame maternity leave not as a “gap,” but as proof of leadership, resilience, and creativity. The more we feed the LLM’s and tools these narrative, the less bias will present.
Create new economies of work: where flexibility isn’t a perk, it’s the foundation. The opportunity is enormous. But only if we claim it!

If AI is left to be defined by the Silicon Valley bros and tech dudes in your office, it will replicate the same systems that already shut us out. If mothers step in, experiment, and shape it, we can build something better. Not just for us, but for everyone.
Think of it as inventive, as being resourceful and creative with our thinking. And mothers have always been good at that, right?

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So here’s my call to action for mothers and others, reading this…

Mothers, play with AI. It’s not scary or uninviting. Break it, bend it, push it. Use it to sketch that side hustle, to pitch that business idea, to design work that actually fits your life!

Because if mothers don’t step in now, we risk being erased from the future of work before it’s even been written. Now is the time to really flex the skills, and pull up a seat at the table. In fact, forget the table, build your own AI table with cosy chairs and warm cups of tea and invite other women to sit at it with you.

October 16, 2025November 27, 2025

Bringing UK Drill to the Cinematic World of Dune

When you think of UK Drill you don’t often think of the sand dunes of Arrakis but with visionary director Lewis Andrews new music video for Baza he brought the cinematic scope of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation to the music genre.

What inspired you to make this project?

I was first inspired to create Baza when I saw this frame from the Dune 2 movie.

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I wanted to take the UK Drill scene, merge it with the Dune universe, and try to create something quite unexpected. I was kind of obsessed with the franchise for a while as it had such an impact on me in the theatre. BAZA was a way of soothing a creative itch.

One of the things that makes the Dune movies so special is Hans Zimmer’s music and sound composition. I was inspired by the delicate and haunting duduk sounds in Zimmer’s ‘Herald of The Change’. I produced a rough beat using some samples from the original score and it blended together really nicely with a basic drill beat that I arranged in a Final Cut Pro timeline. It was this demo that gave me enough belief that the project could be something really cool. I called my friend and music artist Richard Akam and put the wheels in motion for a Dune X Drill Scene video.

How did the music take shape?

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to create every element of the project from scratch. Inspired by Hans Zimmer’s ‘Herald of The Change’ duduk composition, I sampled the duduk section of the track and merged it with a rough UK-drill style beat. I asked Richard Akam to write some lyrics to the demo beat. He is extremely gifted, always able to write something very easily and nail the vibe each time. The demo beat wasn’t good enough, and was just a tool we could use to shoot the video and get the lip sync tied in. I knew I wanted to also produce the beat for this project.

After the shoot was done, I started to experiment with a duduk composer Armen Kostani. I sent him a chord pattern so he could freestyle something in the same tone as Zimmer’s track. I started off using longer sections of the sample and then ended up cherry picking the best stems that had the cultural tonality and flare the instrument is famous for. I wanted the beat to have an electro-bass feeling similar to Alt J’s Fitzpleasure. The beat started off with buzz kicks, but that was the wrong direction. After many months of playing around and fine tuning, I took the beat to be professionally mixed and mastered at West Point Studios by sound engineer and magician Shane Shanahan. The beat took many twists and turns, mainly due to my willingness to explore and experiment. Shane really helped bring my track to life and played a pivotal role in channelling my vision in the coolest, highest quality.

How did you capture the aesthetic of Arrakis for the shoot?

I knew I needed to find a desert. I already had some locations in mind such as the Agafay Desert in Morocco. We wanted to shoot in Morocco but had difficulty with permits so we used the trip as a scout. Eventually, when I was working on Blade Runner 2099 – a six month job for Amazon Studios primarily based in Prague, I decided to use a weekend to attack the BAZA shoot in one sweep. The Amazon production also shot in Barcelona, so I ended shooting in Bardenas Reales, the closest desert to Barcelona I could find. I hired a fantastic production company, Activa Experience. The production company organizes shoots and tourists’ experiences in Reales. I studied some of the scenes and imagery from the Dune movies and noticed that I could achieve almost the same aesthetic in a rocky desert. This is despite knowing the Dune movies are iconically known for being set in sandy dunes. This was the perfect setting for BAZA and building the Arrakis vibe.

The next thing to pin down was the costume. I searched online for Dune stillsuit outfits and found an incredible designer brand, Demobaza which nails this look. I organised a Demobaza long overcoat, boots and trousers for Richard Akam, and the look was complete. The outfit is so incredibly detailed and punched strongly enough to give Arrakis an impression with a nod to a modern, futuristic sci-fi look.

The final piece to complete was some decent cinema glass for my RED KOMODO-X. I chose an Atlas Orion Anamorphic Primes set of 40 mm, 65mm and 100mm. The combination of location, costume, and lenses completed the Arrakis look.

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Could you tell us more about how the project evolved in the post production stages?

The project then evolved heavily in production, both musically, VFX and the colour grading pipeline. When I saw the raw footage I realised there was lots of potential to expand the story and futuristic, space appeal to the video and make it something “off world”.

VFX work tends to capture an audience’s attention because it’s showing the audience something which generally cannot be achieved in camera. Even though I only shot a few things on location where I knew I wanted CG to go, it wasn’t something I vouched for with any real intent during the shoot. I shot a mix of wide and close coverage so I could manage VFX ‘from afar’ and not have to worry about perfecting realism with close-up CG. I shot some plates that would allow for the VFX to go in but without knowing the full extent of what I wanted to do. I wanted the focus to remain on the artist Richard Akam, and keep the CG to a minimum, almost like background details, as if the things happening in his world are not unusual to him in his world.

Some key visual effects I decided to focus on were, adding some planetary constellations (the impossible double eclipse), huge orange blooming moons and ‘The Black Dog’, which is the monolithic, triangular spaceship. I wanted the design of ‘The Black Dog’ to be simple, and have a hollowed-out core. Some subtle work helped to sell ‘off world’ in the video. For example, in the opening establisher that features the monolith style spaceship, simple paint outs of trees or earth-like features were replaced with CG asteroid craters.

A big part of this project was colour management within Da Vinci Resolve. Every 3D render was created in a linear colour space so that it could be transformed by CST’s in my node-based colour managed project. Once I had sorted out the correct colour space transform for the R3D footage (RED Wide Gamut, RGB, Log3G10) I found the mid grey point within the Da Vinci Wide Gamut colour space and nuanced a curve which served my clips on a macro level. I then used groups in Da Vinci to establish a look in a Group Post-Clip and then performed all of my clip level grades.

I wanted the VFX to be a big selling point of the final video. I knew that I wanted BAZA to have a heavily tinted aesthetic with deep reds, amber skies, and crushed highlights. This posed some challenges, maintaining a consistent look between the software I used to handle the post works: Cinema 4D, After Effects, Blender, Logic, and Da Vinci Resolve. 3D works were done in Cinema 4D and composed in After Effects, most of the EXR renders were conformed in Da Vinci so that I could do a full Rec. 709 round trip, and run the material through my pipeline built with node-based colour space transforms.

What is the biggest difference between directing a music video and a commercial?

A music video gives you a lot more expressive freedom, and feels closer to serving as a demonstration of an ‘artist’s work’. A commercial is usually driven in some way by a more rigid level of strategy, brand or message to sell a product directly on the back of watching it. A music video is selling a person, so they are kind of like personalised commercials for humans. They are similar in the sense that they build impressions of a product or an artist in the same way.

Do you have any dream artists you’d love to direct for?

Ye.

Lewis is currently running the BAZA Open Verse Challenge, with 4 international rappers from Nigeria, South Korea, USA, Germany, if you would like to find out more details about this click here.

To see more of Lewis’s work click here.

June 23, 2025June 23, 2025

Helen Ratner Brings her Quirky Playground of filmmaking To the NERD roster

More exciting news from NERD Productions as we add the talents of the imaginative director Helen Ratner. Her unique and quirky body of work weaves between animation, motion design and art direction, using techniques such as rotoscoping, cel animation and collage. She creates surreal imagery that provides plenty of tantalising humour and whimsical energy, working on incredible projects for the likes of Nike, Instagram and Google as well as working for artists such as FKA Twigs, Steven Aoki and El Afna. Her work comes with a stunning colour pallet that feels like spending time on a tropical beach blending vibrancy and style perfectly.

“Every now and then you meet an artist and you instantly want to collaborate with them, their work fills you with so much inspiration and you get a buzz from just listening to them talk. Helen was one of those artists, her filmography and vivid imagination felt like a perfect fit for NERD and we cannot wait to show you more in the near future”- Founder & Producer of NERD Productions.” – Founder/Executive Creative Producer at NERD Productions

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Helen on joining the NERD roster – “I’m so excited to be joining the team at NERD Productions Company! NERD has been on my radar for years and what initially drew me in was their clear passion for creativity with purpose. Their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and sustainability isn’t just talk, it feels deeply woven into everything they do. That kind of integrity really resonates with me and I’m thrilled to be part of a studio that champions talented artists, and cares about the impact their work makes.

What’s also exciting is the chance to collaborate with such a talented and diverse group of creatives. NERD’s energy feels fresh, open, and full of heart. I love how their approach to production feels like a shared journey instead of a solo mission. I’m looking forward to bringing my own experience into the mix, growing together, and creating work that’s not only visually exciting but also meaningful.”

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To see more of Helen’s work please visit here.

May 22, 2025May 22, 2025

Seeing Things In 2D with Alicja Jasina

Alicja Jasina’s 2D animation stands out from the crowd in a sea of 3D animation and bombastic VFX. The hand drawn aesthetic Alicja applies to her work feels profound and emotive, simplistic in its nature but layered in its storytelling capabilities.

Her works starts with a line and a line can take us on many journeys, showing us new worlds and introducing us to new characters and over the years Alicja’s body of work has taken us on one hell of a trip. Her distinctive way of thinking about storytelling, and viewing the line as a medium has captivated audiences from all around the globe, not to mention getting shortlisted for an Oscar (no biggie) for her short film “Once Upon a Line”.

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Once Upon a Line available here

Her unique voice as an artist translates into her commercial output, applying her wizardry to big name brands like Google, Disney and Airbnb. There’s a sense of a throughline throughout her filmography that most auteur directors would be envious of, no matter the brand or the brief her style shines brightly. Alicja doesn’t throw everything at you with overwhelming visuals instead applies a less is more attitude using space and colour to make her characters and worlds pop, often times using a white background to give a doodle-like quality to her images, that allows shapes to bop and move almost like musical notes coming to life.

Alicja’s style

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To see more of her work click here

Alicja’s style grew out of her personality as much as her practice. She prefers to say less, but says it precisely, gravitates toward empty space, whether in her apartment, her wardrobe, or her frames — space that allows her (and others) to focus, to breathe. She works quickly, almost impatiently, rarely lingering on a single drawing.

Alicja talks about her process – “Back in school, I realized that in animation this could be a strength: simple designs leave more room for expressive movement, especially when resources are limited. For me, the process matters just as much as the outcome, and there’s something deeply satisfying in letting the final piece retain the looseness of a sketch. Often drifting between realism and abstraction, I use minimalism to create a kind of visual pause.”.

In an overstimulated world, her line becomes a breather — a moment of stillness in motion. She explored this idea recently in Liminality, a group exhibition on saturation and sensory overload, on view in Warsaw until May 29th.

February 14, 2025March 6, 2025

FOR THE LOVE OF NERD & WORKING TOGETHER

We all know the stereotypes and cliches surrounding working within the creative industries, crazed directors, evil interfering producers and runners getting the electric chair for producing the wrong shade of coffee. But what if we told you that isn’t always the case and you can create something special in a warm and inclusive environment? If you didn’t already know Valentine’s Day is here and everyone at NERD wants to spread a different kind of love, a love of working together and reminding everyone why we work in the industry in the first place. A celebration of making the craft and sharing stories with the world that hopefully inspire and bring a little joy.

Getting involved in the action is the lovely and super talented, award winning director Shay Hamias who is a champion for supporting NERDs underrepresented and up and coming talent. He makes collaborating feel like a smooth summer breeze. Over the years Milana and Shay have worked together on endless projects, building up a level of trust and creative harmony that would make most married couples blush.

So get those valentines day chocolates out, stick on some smooth jazz and have a read of our latest get together.

Where did it all begin for you both as a creative collaboration?

Shay: I can’t actually remember, as it’s been so long ago but Milana was always my favorite producer to work with so we got paired up quite often while at the production company we both worked at, which is where we first met. We were both instantly in sync with each other, so it made collaborating a breeze.

What’s the most invaluable lesson you’ve learnt from working together?

Shay: A valuable lesson I have learnt from working with Milana is to be patient and her ability to manage client expectation while also providing me with enough creative freedom to do my job is borderline inspiring to witness.

Milana: To be yourself because by doing so you will be able to bring the most to a project and pave the way for others to do the same! When I first started I was heavenly and unfairly judged for being from South London, for not being of privileged background and for simply not being white enough. However, working with Shay and just being in his presence allowed me to be myself and shine with my skills, craft and worry less about my appearance, accent and background. Simply by spending less time focusing on how to present myself etc I could just concentrate more on how to do the best job in my role. It is so liberating! This has since led to much of how NERD treats all our collaborators and talent. Inclusive, nurturing and supportive work space is what we have formed, where people don’t feel judged but simply celebrated for their contribution and skills.

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Separate from working together, what are your main icks when it comes to collaborating with people?

Shay: Red flag for me is when boundaries are unclear creatively… in order to be creative,we need some parameters that allow creative problem solving, when some of these are unknown it can generate friction during the process.

Milana: A big ick for me is working with people who are only motivated by their own shellfish goals, cliche but nobody wants to work with someone who isn’t a teamplayer, we work in an industry that is built upon collaboration, from the boom operators to the focus pullers. Everybody plays a role in bringing something together and unfortunately some people who work in the industry often forget this very important element of filmmaking. Empowering and inspiring your crew is endlessly rewarding as they will do their best work!

Historically the relationship between producer & director can be one fraught with friction, how did both avoid those pitfalls?

Shay: We have full honesty and we both want to get the job done in the best possible way, always open dialogue. I know I can call Milana at any time or NERDs other fantastic creative producer Ira and they will support or help solve whatever is needed. They know they can ask me for anything as well as what the project may require and we will mutually try and make it work. We share the responsibility for the culture of the company, the success of the projects and we never fight each other. In fact we have developed a close personal friendships and support even goes beyond the professional bounds as we have full trust in each other.

Milana: Shay put it perfectly, having an open and honest dialogue with each other is key to avoiding frictions. Oftentimes the producer can be seen as the harbinger of bad news or someone who is only there to restrict them. However that simply is not the case, my role is to provide the creatives with support to make each project feel rewarding and comfortable. Naturally it helps that me and Shay have yet to have a bust up or even exchange some sarcastic back and forths.

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The creative industries can be known for being very unwelcoming especially for those who come from underrepresented backgrounds, could you tell us a bit more about your work with supporting young talent?

Shay: I like supporting young talent to help them navigate the brief, clients and even their relationship with the producer. Help them focus on the brief, it is a collaborative process and we are making it for a client’s needs. Even I need to ask Milana what she thinks about a brief, so we hone it down correctly. Sometimes when I was young I’d miss out certain details because it can be a lot to process while chatting with the agencies. The other thing is while on production, in the past I’ve helped the new director understand they have the power to negotiate time or support with the producer and not be afraid of the producer because they’re on their side. I also help directors understand and manage client expectations, to be honest with what can be achieved. I’ve learned from my own experiences of sleepless nights that clear communication is key for managing expectations.

What aspect of collaborating with others do you love the most?

Shay: What I love most is working with other people who are all talented in their own way. I know my limitations and strengths, and when working with others they bring in a different design or point of view making the project and experience richer. It can be at the producer level suggesting how to approach a project and the agency to the animator suggesting how the character should move. I see my role as a creative director is to help steer the ship, by facilitating other talents to make the work they enjoy most even better.

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How has your working relationship with Shay helped shape NERDs ethos?

Milana: Meeting Shay and the inception of NERD Productions started around the sametime so there’s no surprise my working relationship with him has had a huge influence on the ethos of the company. I wanted to create something that had a true sense of inclusion with a culture of championing voices from all backgrounds. I wanted the talent to feel welcomed and more than just a name on a roster, or someone to tick a box for an agency. Working with Shay was a great reference point for me when looking for new and exciting artists to work and collaborate with.

We all know how demanding the role of producer is, so how do you still find time to love the role?

Milana: I think with any role especially one you’ve done for so long can for some people become stale or repetitive but the joy of producing for me is getting to work with so many different people, be they clients or talent. The creative brief is never the same so the production path of bringing the project to life is always new and fun. Also, for me seeing who we can bring on board to elevate, what new methods or techniques and styles we can mix and play with.. Well possibilities are endless. For example, to know you can help a young director by pushing them and changing the course of their career journey is a privilege and something I want to be remembered for one day. Once again not to sound like a broken record, no two days are the same as a producer and you never know what the day will present to you and there’s a massive, exciting thrill to that. It is all a little bit addictive.

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How do you balance the emotional and professional aspects of working closely with people you care about?

Milana: I don’t! I believe in hard work in every relationship in life. Things we care about do require effort if we want to reap the benefits. It’s very simple. I do care about every single person I work with and want to do my best by them. They are in my life and we make wonders together so why not make the most of that situation and environment instead of seeing it as something that needs to be a separate set of relationships.

Of course, if you hate what you do and people you do it with, I can see how ‘balance’ may be much needed. Being able to reach a point in my career where I can choose the talent I work with and clients we craft for is like a slice of heaven and I am aware is a blessing but it is a well deserved one.

We would also like to take this time to share our love with the team and roster at NERD and all the fantastic clients we’ve worked with over the years who have made everything possible.

Our romantic optimism is infectious so do be careful! We look forward to forging more relationships in the future, just make sure to swipe right 😉

April 18, 2024August 19, 2024

Hayley Morris and her favourite animation project

Today, join us for a conversation with Hayley Morris, the director behind the captivating stop-motion animation for MTV’s “How to Triumph Like a Girl.” Hayley shares behind-the-scenes insights and gives a glimpse into her creative process. We delve into her experience of navigating her first project as a new mother, adding a deeply personal layer to her artistic journey. Finally, we explore what Hayley has been passionately pursuing since then.

What is your favourite animation project and why?

MTV – Women’s History Month “How to Triumph Like a Girl”

I was contacted by MTV to create a film for Women’s History Month through their “SEE ME, HEAR ME, KNOW ME” campaign. Their goal is to support underrepresented creatives by commissioning and paying for their creative concepts, providing funding for production, and by turning over their social and linear platforms to artists so the world can hear and see their unique voice and vision.

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It’s rare to create a project with such creative freedom and the support to make it happen. When brainstorming, I knew I wanted to create visuals for poetry. I researched many poets and writing and came across a poem titled “How to Triumph Like a Girl” by Ada Limón. I loved how it felt empowering and that’s the feeling I wanted to convey to the viewer. The MTV team contacted Ada and was able to license her poem for this piece. Once we had the go-ahead I knew I wanted to speak with other women and get their perspectives and interpretations of the poem along the way. During my storyboarding process, I spoke with colleagues, family and friends and wrote down many notes. Then I took their insights and my feelings and tried to translate them visually to Ada’s words. Working with the MTV team was so much fun. They were so kind, supportive and gave me really valuable feedback when I asked. This project won GOLD in the Fully Animated Piece category for the Telly Awards and was the 2023 Promax North America Awards Silver winner in Motion Graphics.

Do you remember any specific life or creative lesson/s from this project?

This was the first big project I did after having my daughter. It had a different weight to it, and I think I brought this new perspective to the animation. I also had to lean on my mother and mother-in-law to help with my daughter while I dedicated time to the whole production process. The whole film and the behind-the-scenes of how it was made were possible through the help of other women. I suppose this project opened my eyes to how my creative process has changed since becoming a mom.

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I can no longer stay up until 4 am animating. I had to create a different schedule and lean on a lot of women and my husband for help. I was always resisting asking for help in a stubborn lone wolf kind of way. Now, I know it’s essential to get things done and to create good work. I had a fellow teaching colleague create a 2d animated sequence for one section that I translated into paper and worked with a compositor to compile my elements together in the final scene. It opened my eyes to the possibility of future collaborations and how to pull in other people in many ways, whether it’s in small ways like the brainstorming process or full-on collaboration.

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How different was your style then compared to your style now?

I have been working on paper for a while. I love it as a medium for its endless possibilities as well as its constraints. For this project, I wanted to limit myself to watercolour paper and replacements. I discovered I loved the texture of the paper when it slightly wrinkled and went with that look throughout the piece.

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I feel like my style is always evolving and I’m always trying new things for every project… but I like to keep the same sensibilities when it comes to attention to detail, colour, symbolic representation, texture etc. Right now I’m venturing away from paper and exploring working with clay. I’m loving it! Right now, I’m creating a 1-minute animation that will be displayed on the Daniels & Fischer Tower in downtown Denver, Co. I’m excited to see my animation on this scale and how this can open my work to be shown in different contexts.

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See more from Hayley here.

April 9, 2024April 18, 2024

NERD welcomes Photographer Manos Chatzikonstantis: Q&A

We are absolutely delighted to introduce Manos to our continuously expanding talent roster. With his remarkable portfolio featuring delectable food photography, captivating portraits brimming with purpose, and the mesmerising landscapes of the Mediterranean, Manos brings a unique creative flair to our team. In an exclusive interview, we had the pleasure of discussing Manos’ portfolio, his award-winning image for the Portrait for Humanity, and the diverse array of influences that shape his distinctive style.

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Your portfolio reflects a deep appreciation for light, composition, and the intricacies of imagery. Could you share a moment that sparked your fascination with these elements and ultimately led you to pursue photography as a career?

Creative expression comes from diverse parenthood. So many things in one’s life, many of them unconscious, contribute to one’s style. I suppose growing up in Greece, being familiar with strong light and shadows plays a role. Warm sun, reflections, the softness of the evening. These kinds of things. Working with great people as an assistant is also quite formative. Observing art plays its role, I suppose, as does literature. One resonates subconsciously with certain elements, with certain techniques. I believe in observing the world closely and photography is pretty much the profession to follow if you are like that and a horrid draughtsman at the same time.

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ManosCh 340 - NERD Blog - NERD welcomes Photographer Manos Chatzikonstantis: Q&A — Honey

Your food photography is described as natural yet inviting, every shot we look at just gives us that ‘yum’ feeling. How do you approach each food shoot to ensure the dishes not only look appealing but also tell a compelling story?

What’s important is to understand the food itself and what the shot is for. It’s like a portrait really, where you have to connect with the person at some level and convey something. I need to know what the food is about, where it comes from, and what traditions it’s connected with.

Then comes the technical part. Chat with the team if this is part of a production. Which bits need to be highlighted, how this particular food reacts with light and colour? And in the end, one has to have a story going. Where are we, where is this dish supposed to be, whose place is this? Even if it’s just a white background where the food is placed, it should bear the soul of the people involved in preparing it.

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Your Mediterranean cultural roots shine through in the textures, shadows, and colours of your work. How do you incorporate your cultural influences into your photography, and how do you believe it sets your style apart in the industry?

I believe that one’s style has to be true to oneself to have some significance. I’m equally fascinated by the South as I am by the northern crisp sunlight or the shadows of an object lit through a window on a gloomy day. Maybe having lived in Germany and the UK, being originally from Greece. I somehow came to understand and appreciate the southern narrative elements better and learn how to combine them with the northern ones. That might be one thing. And the other might be that I don’t particularly care for stereotypes and try to avoid them. Removing elements usually works better than adding.

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Winning the Portrait of Humanity award and being shortlisted for prestigious awards like the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year demonstrate the recognition your work has received. Can you tell us a backstory of your Portrait of Humanity winning image?

Oh, I love this image. The great thing about living in London is that you rub shoulders with all those cultures, all those different people. The shot was made in Stamford Hill, where most of the Jewish Orthodox community lives. I was working on a book about Jewish kosher cuisine at the time and Purim was going on, a religious celebration similar to carnival. People get totally bonkers there during the festival. It’s a wonderful thing to observe and interestingly not many Londoners know about it. I was roaming the streets, camera in hand and these kids were just coming out of their place to join the festivities. I took a shot, then they noticed me and as they gave me a shy smile I managed another two shots. One of them made the Portrait of Humanity competition. A lovely moment.

Portrait of Humanity01 - NERD Blog - NERD welcomes Photographer Manos Chatzikonstantis: Q&A — Winner of Portrait of Humanity exhibition British Journal of Photography

Portrait of Humanity02 - NERD Blog - NERD welcomes Photographer Manos Chatzikonstantis: Q&A — Winner of Portrait of Humanity exhibition British Journal of Photography

And to finish off, tell us a NERDy fact about yourself 🙂

Here’s two:
I love Superbad.
When I edit photos I listen to weird, modular, glitch music. Or Frank Zappa’s mad guitar riffs.

See more from Manos here.

June 23, 2023February 9, 2024

LGBTQ+ and Safety in the Workplace: Ira Giorgetti

In honour of Pride Month, Ira Giorgetti, one of NERD’s passionate Creative Producers, discusses the key factors that make a workplace safe and inclusive for people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

We explore the significance of inclusive policies, diverse leadership, and an open and accepting culture in order to foster a sense of security, trust, and belonging for all.

As a queer person of colour, what makes a workplace feel safe or unsafe for you?

When it comes to feeling safe and supported in the workplace, there are a few key topline factors that play a significant role:

Inclusive Policies and Practices: A safe and inclusive workplace has well-defined policies that explicitly protect LGBTQIA+ individuals from discrimination and harassment. Leadership has to ensure that policies are communicated effectively and upheld consistently, creating a sense of security and trust among employees.
diverse and Representational Leadership: A workplace needs diverse leadership, including individuals from LGBTQIA+ and racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. Representation at the top sends a powerful message that everyone’s voices are valued, and it helps foster an environment where different perspectives are respected and celebrated. At NERD Productions, we are lucky to have an open-minded female founder from an ethnic-minority background, so we’re a head above the rest right from the starting line!
Open and Accepting Culture: A safe workplace is one where people can be open about their identities without fear of judgment or negative repercussions. Creating a culture of acceptance, where colleagues and superiors actively listen, learn, and support each other, is crucial. This includes embracing differences, challenging biases, and fostering a sense of belonging for all employees.

eDSC00446 - NERD Blog - LGBTQ+ and Safety in the Workplace: Ira Giorgetti — Pride Inside National Campaign DOOH (2020)

In contrast, an unsafe workplace for me would be one where discrimination, microaggressions, or biases go unaddressed, creating a hostile and unwelcoming environment. A lack of diversity in leadership positions and a culture that ignores or dismisses the unique experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals and people of colour can make it challenging to feel safe and thrive professionally.

At NERD Productions, our core values revolve around crafting excellent creative work and championing diversity and inclusion. We strive to create an environment where colleagues and partners feel safe, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. By fostering a culture of acceptance, celebrating differences, and providing a platform for diverse voices, we ensure that our workplace is a haven for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or ethnicity.

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Can you compare your experiences as a queer person who has worked and lived in two countries with differing views on rights and protections for the LGBTQIA+ community?

In the Philippines, where comprehensive anti-discrimination laws are lacking, marginalised groups, including the LGBTQIA+ community, often face underrepresentation and are susceptible to abuse. The absence of legal protections and societal acceptance creates an environment where expressing one’s authentic self can be challenging and sometimes risky.

On the other hand, moving to London in 2016 offered a transformative experience for me and my partner, with whom I’d been in a long-distance relationship for over five years. The city is known around the globe for its progressive stance on diversity and inclusion, which shows in its comprehensive legal protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Such laws provide a profound sense of safety and allow people to openly express their identities without fear of legal repercussions or social exclusion.

The contrast between these places highlights the significance of safe and inclusive workplaces. Working in a company like NERD, which prioritises diversity and inclusion, becomes particularly meaningful. Our team and culture provide a supportive environment where individuals from marginalised backgrounds, including myself, can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives to the creative process.

Having personally encountered the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in a country without robust legal protections, I am deeply aware of the urgency and importance of advocating for greater rights and equality. My experiences in the Philippines and London fuel my passion for promoting diversity, amplifying underrepresented voices, and working towards a more inclusive future for all.

eDSC00546 - NERD Blog - LGBTQ+ and Safety in the Workplace: Ira Giorgetti — Pride Inside National Campaign DOOH (2020)

How does feeling safe in your working environment impact your personal life?

Feeling safe at work as a queer photographer and producer positively impacts my personal life. It allows me to authentically capture the beauty of men’s fashion and the intricacies of the male form without holding back and fearing judgment from my professional peers. It allows me to create art that resonates with my identity, build meaningful relationships, and maintain a life with my loved ones by my side.

Whether I’m shooting in Soho, a vibrant queer hub in London, or working with friends from home who also identify as part of the community, a safe working environment strengthens connections. It allows us to embrace our identities fully.

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Working with clients and freelance talent in the LGBTQIA+ community is a joy. We share a common understanding and appreciation for each other’s journeys. Feeling safe at work fosters an atmosphere where everyone can bring their authentic selves to the table, resulting in collaborative projects celebrating diversity.

Feeling safe also spills into my personal life with my partner and our chihuahua, Momo. When a workplace is genuinely secure and inclusive, it allows one to strike a healthy work-life balance, allowing for the time and energy to nurture relationships and create a loving environment at home.

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May 17, 2023February 9, 2024

The Art of Production: Maria, Head of Business and Talent in Europe

Introducing Maria, our Head of Business and Talent (Europe), who offers a glimpse into her life in the production industry. From navigating the challenges of getting started to managing difficult relationships and being the calming force, Maria has seen it all. Having discovered her love for production in London 14 years ago, she never looked back and knew this was the path for her.

We recently caught up with Maria to gain valuable insights into relationship building in production. Her answers to some of the most pressing questions are sure to provide the invaluable knowledge & truths you’ve been seeking!

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How did you first get involved in the production and what appealed to you about it?

It first started 14 years ago, when I was an office manager in a post-production company while I lived in London. Later on, when I moved to Madrid it became very natural to start as a talent rep as I already knew the industry and its peculiar jargon.

What about your personality, skills and experience make this position such a great fit?

Besides the general knowledge that this industry needs, I believe it’s crucial to possess an empathetic personality to grasp the needs of clients/brands. Luckily, I naturally possess this trait 🙂

What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in production?

To avoid getting overly caught up in the tumultuous nature of this industry, I would recommend not spending all of your energy on it. Instead, prioritise engaging in enjoyable and creative endeavours while also selectively choosing meaningful projects to take part in, as they will help make your journey more manageable.

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Thinking back to some of the most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client?

Well, there’s been a few, the worst one involved a poor relationship between the agency and the client, making the entire process much more excruciating than it should have been. I think taking the time to get to know each other, and building trust and respect would help hugely!

And what are the keys to building a productive and good relationship?

Being sympathetic to other people’s situations. Never take things personally, when someone does something wrong, even if you feel it was directed at you, they usually have their own struggles.

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What’s your view on disagreement and emotion – is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why – and what does productive disagreement look like?

There’s always a place for disagreement, otherwise, there wouldn’t be a place for productive conversation. It is important to put everyone’s needs and limits on the table to have a better process and better end result.

These days, agencies and production companies do so much beyond traditional campaigns. As a producer or account manager/sales manager you do so much to put all the pieces together – and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too.
What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?

As an account/business development manager, the key is to truly listen to everyone’s needs. Paying attention to all creative and practical opinions will help find a balance within all of them and integrate them into a funnel to materialise the best out of it.

What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from a sales/production perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?

It was a huge campaign for Facebook and the production process was complex. The process was painful but in the end, the campaign was a huge success 😉 It was incredibly rewarding to see all of our efforts come to fruition and to know that we had played a significant role in achieving our client’s goals.

May 4, 2023February 9, 2024

NERD Productions: Promoting a Sustainable Future for Advertising

At NERD Productions, we firmly believe in the harmonious relationship between creativity and sustainability. We strive to minimise our environmental footprint and advocate for sustainable practices at every stage of the production process, ensuring a better and greener future.

Here are some of our top ideas on how the production industry can actively contribute to a more sustainable world:

1. As a production company, we often influence viewers’ lifestyle choices, so how can we encourage our global audiences to adopt more sustainable consumption habits?

Create content that showcases the importance and benefits of sustainable living. This content can inspire viewers to adopt similar practices in their daily lives.
Collaborate with sustainable brands and organizations to create content that promotes sustainable products and services. This can create a positive association with sustainability in the minds of your audience.
Lead by example and ensure that your own production processes are sustainable, minimising your impact on the environment.
Engage with your audience and encourage them to share their own sustainable practices and experiences. This can create a sense of community and inspire others to adopt similar practices.
Support sustainable initiatives by sponsoring events, donating funds, or volunteering your time. This can create a positive association with sustainability in the minds of your audience and encourage them to do the same.

By implementing these ideas, we can encourage sustainable consumption habits and make a positive impact on the environment.

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2. How can we best collaborate with communities and organisations in advertising to promote sustainable initiatives beyond internal production processes?

Offer resources: Provide resources and support to help the community/organisation implement sustainable practices.
Co-create campaigns: Collaborate with the community/organisation to co-create campaigns that promote sustainability. This ensures that the message resonates with the community and is more likely to be effective.
Look for sustainable opportunities: Look for parts of the story or processes that can be made more sustainable. Highlighting these aspects can inspire others to take action towards sustainability.

Screenshot 2023 05 03 at 10.21.32 - NERD Blog - NERD Productions: Promoting a Sustainable Future for Advertising — NERD Sustainability Advocate & Director Rachael-Olga Lloyd ‘Everything InBetween”

3. How can we entice clients and agencies to invest in making production more sustainable, as this usually comes at a higher cost?

Investing in sustainable production is not only essential for a better future, but it can also bring numerous benefits to clients and agencies. However, it’s crucial to entice them to make the initial investment. Here are some ways to make sustainability more engaging:

Firstly, highlight the long-term benefits of sustainable production. While it may require higher costs initially, sustainable practices can result in significant long-term cost savings. For instance, by reducing energy consumption, waste, and improving efficiency, businesses can ultimately increase profitability and create a positive brand image.

Secondly, showcase the business case for sustainability. Presenting research and case studies that demonstrate the financial benefits of sustainable production can help clients and agencies realise the value of such practices. This can include increased market share, customer loyalty, and an improved reputation.

Thirdly, offer incentives to encourage sustainable production. These can be in the form of reduced rates, additional services, or other perks. By offering tangible benefits, clients and agencies can be motivated to invest in sustainable production.

Lastly, encourage collaboration to identify areas where sustainable practices can be implemented without compromising production quality. Working collaboratively with clients and agencies can also help reduce costs and increase buy-in from stakeholders.

Screenshot 2023 05 03 at 10.22.49 - NERD Blog - NERD Productions: Promoting a Sustainable Future for Advertising — NERD Sustainability Advocate & Director: Brett De Vos ‘World Diabetes Day”

4. How to reduce digital pollution? Our starter’s top tips for everyone:

We believe in constantly reevaluating practices to ensure they are effective and sustainable. Simple solutions like eliminating email signature images and avoiding sending unnecessary emails can significantly reduce data usage and your carbon footprint.

Sustainable web design practices such as image optimisation and file compression can further reduce the energy required to load web pages. Using video conferencing and allowing for remote work can save time, money, and emissions from unnecessary travel.