Adam Goldstein

How did you get into directing? I was always interested in film and storytelling, sketch writing. It’s what drew me to advertising in the first place. Being a copywriter and creative director at places like Ammirati & Puris and BBDO gave me the chance to work with some truly great directors, and I just soaked up as much as I could until the only thing left was to go out and do it myself. After a year of shooting every chance I got, I had a reel of specs and pro bono spots that I showed around to a few production companies to get some feedback. Which was basically, “When can you start?”

Why do you want to direct commercials? I love commercials. It’s a medium I’ve been totally immersed in, but I get to see it from a fresh perspective now. So whereas as a writer I was always frustrated with the time constraints of commercials, as a director I find it lets you be incredibly improvisational and spontaneous. When you work in a limited time format, be it 30 second TV or two-minute Webisodes, every beat is magnified. Nuances that would disappear in something longer can become the funniest, most memorable moment of a spot. So there’s a great opportunity to play with the subtleties of performance, little gestures, non-verbal somethings. And when you get that right, when you’re in there, creating these moments that feel spontaneous and real and totally unexpected but utterly right, that’s an incredible creative rush.

What is your most recent spot project? I just finished a spot for a new sleep aid out of Cramer Krasselt in Chicago. It’s a great concept, very simple, in some ways not unlike a Saturday Night Live sketch. With the important difference that this is actually funny.

Do you have plans to work in other areas--e.g., shorts, films, features or TV? Have you ever done any of that in the past? I wouldn’t turn down the next Charlie Kaufman script if it fell from the sky, but I’m focused pretty firmly on commercials. I think commercials is the most exciting filmed medium right now, and it will only get more so. Because while the TV and movie businesses are exploring new distribution models, the advertising industry is experimenting with entirely new concepts. My sense is that in the immediate future there are going to be a lot more risks taken in commercials than there will be in features or TV, and the opportunities to do the funny, quirky, absurd ideas I’m attracted to will only increase as more and more clients invest in Web shorts, podcasts, mobile phone streams or what have you.

What do you think is the best part about being a director? The constant stimulation. Whether it’s looking at boards or talking over a shot with the DP, or the performance with an actor, there’s never a point when your synapses aren’t firing. As a director you’re surrounded by all these very different, and very talented people, and you’re feeding off their energy and skill. You’re constantly bombarded with ideas and questions. And the difference between bringing an idea to greatness and letting it fall flat can lie in how well you accept that input. You have to be open to everything and engaged with everyone. I thrive on that. But then, I drink a lot of Red Bull.

What's the worst part? Having to turn down work. I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve seen a lot of boards quickly, and I’ve been able to be very selective. But it’s always gratifying when people see something in my work that makes them want to talk to me about their ideas. I know what it takes to sell a spot, and how precious this thing can be, and I want to be respectful of that. So I find myself wanting to do every job. I always feel like I can make it better, that there’s something I can do with it. But sometimes, you just can’t. And it sucks, because any time someone says “We trust you, we believe in you, help us make this great,” you want to reciprocate.