ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

2 years, 1 month ago - Caroline Bottomley

Hi Tiana
Make it speculatively as no-one will commission you to make it, and you always need to be making work so you're getting better at your craft.
If it's a small brand, put it up and DM them on Instagram/ TikTok etc.
If it's a large brand there is just about no chance your work will be used in any way, but it is a good way to get attention. The people you need to connect with are producers. They will probably be hard to find - the brand may have an in-house agency, in which case they will have a head of production. The brand will work with an agency and you should connect with the agency producers. You should also be researching production companies who have made content for your brand before, and contact their rep.
You should also sign up for Shiny's newsletter - I work with Shiny, we help new & under-represented directors launch careers in commercial production. We run Awards throughout the year (which you can enter with anything under 5 mins, including spec ads), interspersed with panel talks - all of them are excellent networking opportunities to build your team and extend your producer contacts - https://www.shinyawards.com/newsletter

Good luck, Caroline

2 years, 1 month ago - James McCann

Hi Tiana,
What Caroline wrote.
Essentially, if you have no experience/back catalogue/body of work, you won't get commissioned unless it's by someone who knows you.
Make something on spec and then present it. If you can show what you're capable of on a low/no budget, it gives an idea of what you could do with some money behind you. It also shows that you're actually serious about the work, and not just looking for a quick payday.
James