1) What trends, developments or issues would you point to thus far in 2018 as being most significant, perhaps carrying implications for the rest of the year and beyond?

2) What work (advertising or entertainment)—your own or others—struck a responsive chord with you and/or was the most effective strategically and/or creatively? Does any work stand out to you in terms of meshing advertising and entertainment?

3) Though gazing into the crystal ball is a tricky proposition, we nonetheless ask you for any forecast you have relative to the creative and/or business climate for the second half of 2018 and beyond.

4) What do recent honors on the awards show circuit (Cannes Lions, AICP Show/Next Awards, AICE winners or Emmy nominations) tell us in terms of creative and/or strategic themes and trends in the industry at large?

5) What new technology, equipment or software will you be investing in later this year or next year for your company or yourself personally, and why? Or, tell us about what new technology investment you’ve made this year and why it was a good decision—or not?

6) What efforts are you making to increase diversity and inclusion in terms of women and ethnic minority filmmakers? How do you go about mentoring new talent?

Adam Reeves
Director of Innovation
Goodby Silverstein & Partners

1) The explosion of artificial intelligence, which is being applied everywhere from picture recognition to script creation, is astounding. It’s a fun playground for creatives—especially those who don’t fear robots. Also, stand-alone VR is hitting a critical mass. Some of the work being done in that space, such as Alien: Covenant in Utero from RSA and Fox Studios, is astounding.

2) The W+K work for Ok Cupid “DTF” stands out as brave, modern, simple, human, elegant and poignant—all adjectives I strive to achieve in my own work. I like how it turns the expectation of the modern dating app on its head. R/GA’s chatbot-turned-ex-Hollywood icon “Rose” is a good example of bringing narrative into new technology and advertising. And Goodby Silverstein & Partners’ rap battle on the Super Bowl stage was a high-wattage example of awesome casting and branded entertainment.

3) I expect an outpouring of creativity for the end of 2018 and 2019. The creative community is restless. There are new tools at our disposal, and it’s never been easier to connect with folks or move the world through a great idea. Expect lots of VOICE stunts and collaborations between people and programs!

4) I think we’re seeing a broadening of perspectives—stories being told in new ways, but more importantly, from new points of view. People seem to be working harder to find a truly compelling story to tell. From “Girls Skate India” for Vans to “Real Life,” starring Monica Lewinsky, to JFK’s “lost speech,” we’re seeing stories that weren’t being represented before.

5) New towers for all the VR and AI programs we're running!

An espresso machine to keep us moving.

6) We’re making lots of recruiting efforts to bring in people with all different perspectives and experiences. We treat casting as an opportunity to push diversity by representation and also as a way to make our stories unique, believable and relevant. We’re constantly on a search for new and diverse voices and talent, and we mentor our teams to make thoughtful, responsible choices.

MySHOOT Company Profiles