Breaking In

Matt Vescovo is a freelance art director and artist living in Los Angeles.

FedEx – “Alien”

Sauza

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Check out some great work from Ali Alvarez.

Interviewed at Fallon, London.

WS: What do you look for in a student book? And what impresses you?

AA: Originality of ideas and something that shows who they are as people. For some reason, students are all being given the same briefs and so you see the same kinds of products—and work—in their books. So I think they should try to find the products that just don’t feel “studenty,” something they’re interested in, and focus on great ideas, really. Although it’s nice to see things executed well, it comes down to ideas. Good Photoshop skills don’t count.

WS: And that was actually my next question. Do you think it’s important for things to be finished? And specifically for art directors?

AA: I guess for art directors, it’s more important. But I don’t know. I’m driven by ideas here. At Fallon it would definitely be more about the idea. And many places have got a really strong design department, so I definitely think I’d rather see strong thinking and help develop the execution.

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Ali Alvarez is Creative Director at The Brooklyn Brothers, London.

Range Rover – “Being Henry”

An interactive film where you make choices for Henry, the consequences of which configure your Evoque.

Go to the interactive film’s website.

Range Rover – “Pulse of the City”

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Check out some great work from Kara Goodrich.

WS: When you see a student book, what do you look for and what impresses you?

KG: Originality of ideas. Taking on some products or services that are a little deeper than the usual superficial stuff.  It’s also easier to do good work for something that has more substance or story to it. Also I look for range. If they’re a writer or art director, do they have a schtick or can they really find the right voice and the right look for a brand?

WS: What about things that aren’t ads? Do you think it’s important?

KG: I personally do not want to see fiction writing or screenplays or art—that doesn’t do anything for me. If it’s advertising-related work, like guerrilla, alternative-type things that ultimately have a marketing purpose, yeah, but as far as your hobby, writing, painting, or poetry, no.

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Kara Goodrich is Senior Creative Director at BBDO New York.

GE

Gillette

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Check out some great work from Monica Taylor.

[ … ]

WS: Do you think there are common mistakes or traps that a lot of students fall into when they’re putting their book together?

MT: It’s not about completely tailoring yourself to what you think a particular agency is looking for. It’s more like dating. Be yourself—in the form of your book—and find a place to work that appreciates what you have to offer and is attracted to your work. And vice-versa. I think creatives are pretty good at saying to themselves: “I like this agency, and I want to work there. And I think their work and mine are a really good fit.” Keep that in mind when you go to meet the person from that agency, rather than thinking, “What are they looking for? How can I twist myself to be that? How can I change?” Take their notes, sure. They know what they are looking for, and can help you. But don’t lose yourself. You’ll be happier in the long run.

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WS: What was it like when you were just starting out?

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Monica Taylor is a Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy Portland.

Nike – “Tag”

Nike – “Wild Horses”

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WS: What impresses you when you’re looking at a student book, and what do you think impresses creative directors?

GT: It will always be the concept and ideas that matter first and foremost. Expanding on that, I am now looking at books with campaigns that may originate from a digital or viral medium. Every portfolio should have campaigns that include digital work, and it’s a plus if the students have enough knowledge to build the site. All books now need to be viewable online and should be easy to navigate.

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WS: Any thoughts on résumés?

GT: Yes. Résumés are very important to me. It’s normally what I will look at first. It is inexcusable to have a typo, so students should triple-check it before sending it out. Also, your résumé should fit on one page and it should be very easy to digest the information. Student awards and internships are important to add. Also, make sure your site is designed so that if someone wants to download or print it, it is easy to do so.

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Check out some great work from Raj Kamble.

WS: And for writers, do you need to see copy? Do you want to see evidence that they can write?

RK: Yeah. I think people are writing less and less. And I think it’s sad because copy is important. But I don’t believe in long copy or short copy. I believe in the idea. If the idea requires writing short copy, write short copy. If the idea requires writing long copy, write long copy. So it depends on the idea. If a young guy comes and shows me he can write amazing copy and that product requires copy, I’d be really happy because that shows he can do an amazing job in the future. And, with a guy who can write long copy, there’s a very good chance that he can write short copy too. So if someone has a long-copy ad in his portfolio, I will read that copy to judge him. It is very tough to judge a writer based on one or two lines. So, if you’re a writer and you have long copy, I think it’s a great idea. But again, don’t write long copy for the sake of writing long copy. Write it if your idea requires long copy.

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WS: And do you have any other advice for someone just starting out in the industry?

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Raj Kamble is Chief Creative Officer & Managing Partner at BBH Mumbai.

Gillette: World’s Biggest Shave

No Spot festival: Animatic

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