Stories
Come backstage with us. Interviews, articles, case studies and thoughts from the most inspiring talents around the world.
Behind the craft
Meet the Maker: Savanah Leaf
Olivia Atkins sat down with director Savanah Leaf to talk about how working on Earth Mama, her debut feature, served as a cathartic and educational process for her career.
Behind the craft
News Flash: CICLOPE Asia wraps-up for 2023
CICLOPE Asia, the Festival and Awards celebrating the power of craft in the Asia-Pacific region, returned to Tokyo this September for its fifth edition.
Behind the craft
Behind the Idea: Bianca Poletti
We caught up with Bianca Poletti, Director of the brilliantly funny short film, ‘Radical Honesty’. Produced by Epoch Films and Disco Pants Inc., it won Gold at the CICLOPE awards.
Behind the craft
On Craft: Expert Perspective
We sat down with Jamie Madge, co-editor of shots, to talk about his top trends, predictions and views on craft for the year ahead, from how products have been integrated into some of the most entertaining ads of 2023 to the evolution of branded content (hello Barbie!) and AI.
Behind the craft
Craft in Culture: Why craft is embracing joy
Joy and laughter are making a comeback! Why? Because the world has woken up to the fact that people need it. Think of the storming success of the very tongue in cheek Barbie and the withering wit of Succession: both have hit the zeitgeist and each have a very different version of humour.
Behind the craft
Meet the Director: Mackenzie Sheppard
Mackenzie Sheppard is a Canadian film director, born in the UK and raised in Japan, that currently lives in Tokyo. His visual diversity and magical take on stories has received acclaim around the world.
Behind the craft
Meet the Director: Matilda Finn
An acclaimed filmmaker, photographer, and creative director, Matilda Finn (MJZ) has collaborated with artists such as The Weeknd, Jay Rock, Brodinski, and more. In this interview, she shares her thoughts on photography, inspiration and art in times of AI.
Behind the craft
Behind the lens: Autumn Durald Arkapaw
Tune in for an exclusive interview with acclaimed cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, where she reviews her creative process and goes though some of her favorite projects.
Behind the craft
Meet the Director: Show Yanagisawa
Check out this exclusive interview with Japan-based director Show Yanagisawa where he walks us through his early years and shares insights on the most iconic works of his career.
Behind the craft
Virtual production, is it all it's cracked up to be?
Virtual production is the new industry disrupter, changing pipelines and delivery times while promising to improve sustainability efforts and reduce costs. But creatively, does it stack up?
Behind the craft
The Spotlight: Felipe Silva on the power of the Black creativity
We sat down with Gana’s CEO, Felipe Silva, to discuss his motivations for the agency’s launch and how its celebration of the Black experience and identity is setting a new standard while acknowledging the reality of Brazil’s demographic.
Behind the craft
Case Study: Ladbrokes - "Rocky, We Play Together"
Ladbrokes’ “Rocky” commercial was described as “the most ambitious character replacement in Hollywood history”. Here, the team behind it reveal the secrets that reimagined one of the most memorable film scenes of all time.
Behind the craft
Behind the Craft: Yo Quiero Yo Puedo - “Soy Criminal”
Directors Yupi Segura and Nea Serrano (Best New Talent at CICLOPE 2022) go through the creative process behind their film Soy Criminal, and discuss the challenges of working as a duo.
Behind the craft
Production Company of the Year: SMUGGLER
Patrick Milling-Smith, Co-Founder and CEO of SMUGGLER, chatted with us about the birth and growth of the company and some of their most recent projects.
Behind the craft
Production Company of the Year: Iconoclast
We sat down with Executive Producers Alexis Delanoue, Tim Augustin and Nicolas Blankenhorn, from Iconoclast Germany, to learn how they got to where they are and hear more about their most awarded commercials this year: Penny – “The Wish” and WhatsApp – “One”.
Behind the craft
Behind the Music Video: Dom Dolla ft. Mansionair - “Strangers”
Watch director Emilie Badenhorst discuss the behind-the-scenes of the “Strangers” music video by Dom Dolla ft. Mansionair, winner of the Best Music Video award at CICLOPE Africa 2022.
Behind the craft
Behind the Grand Prix: Mami Wata - “Luck Is Alive”
Mami Wata’s “Luck Is Alive” won the Grand Prix at CICLOPE Africa and in this exclusive interview with director Paul Ward we get an insight into the surreal and breathtaking world he created for this project.