Shiny List reviews #1
with... Caroline Bottomley, Founder of Shiny
Since launching Shiny in 2018, Caroline's reviewed thousands of submissions, championed hundreds of emerging directors, and helped create opportunities for filmmakers from backgrounds under-represented in the advertising industry. As Shiny expands internationally, we caught up with Caroline to talk about why she started Shiny, what she’s learned, and some of the films and directors that have stayed with her over the years.
TWO PICKS FROM THE SHINY LIST
"These are picks from the early days of Shiny, just a few of the many, many submissions I love...
Live Stream for Tariq Disu by Curtis Essel
"This is an early ‘made on a phone’ video - 8 years’ old now and it won the first Shiny Award. It has tons of charm and very strong world-building. It’s also really inventive for the time. Curtis' work has subsequently been selected as Vimeo Staff Choice of the Year and he's won many other garlands for his sensitive and insightful work."
Heat for Cineville by Thessa Meijer
"I immediately loved the colour palette. Then I loved the strange atmosphere. And then the end was just delicious, with a pop of extra deliciousness just after that. I think that special effect was quite new at the time and I hadn’t seen it used so well before. Clever, made with a discerning eye and a great feel for storytelling tone."
QUESTIONS
What made you start Shiny?
I’d just sold Radar Music Videos on a bit of a down. Radar was the first ‘director/ commissioner marketplace’ on the internet as far as I know and it became fantastic though it took a while to work out how to make run properly - it’s hard to build a new thing where there’s nothing to model from. I set it up in 2006, the year after YouTube launched. The ambition for Radar was that any talented director from Lagos to Southampton could get commissioned for a music video. At the time music video commissioning was such a closed shop, so it felt quite good to blow that out of the water. Radar was really successful until the launch of Instagram made large parts of Radar redundant, and the quality of work dropped (hence the down).
I wanted to set up something else that was about being the best, and that was the start of Shiny. I love curating other people's talent, and for whatever reason (being a Northerner) inequality gets my goat. Being cross combined with celebrating talent turns out to be a good recipe for me.
What have you learnt from watching thousands of submissions over the years, and what kind of work do you wish you saw more of
Succinct storytelling.
Since launching Shiny, how have you seen the conversation around diversity evolve? What responsibility do industry leaders have in creating opportunities for under-represented directors?
Many great initiatives, not enough. A growing understanding (for me included) of how hard it is to distribute self-belief and confidence more evenly, never mind improving access to networks and opportunities.
Industry leaders have to commit to clear goals, which means measurement & quotas. And leaders must be transparent and accountable.
On the cringe side of things, more people saying ‘diverse’ to imply a commitment to something, when actually they’re talking about food options at a conference.
Why is Shiny expanding internationally?
Because if we don’t do it, someone else will, and I want it to be us.
What’s the most suprising entry you’ve received
Personal phone footage of the director’s family fleeing from Ukraine.
What are the biggest barriers facing new directors today? What role should agencies and production companies play in helping remove them?
I think there’s a load of opportunity for new directors who are also entrepreneurial. I think it’s very hard for new directors who aren’t entrepreneurial, maybe they could team up with a producer who does have a nose for opportunities.
We're in an economic slump, production in the UK is having a hard time at most levels, not just at entry level. Saatchi are great role models - their New Creators Showcase gives actual support and work to new talent for 12 months. Amazing. And they pay attention to demographic inequalities.
Many production companies will do mentoring or shadowing - that kind of thing is really helpful for new talent and perhaps could be more extensive across the sector.
If you could give every Shiny entrant one piece of advice, what would it be?
I hear that having a community of filmmakers around you is a very good thing..."