On My Radar: Laura Murphy

What’s the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

I thought Brian Cox Goes to College or Uber Eats was brilliant. Incredibly funny and engaging. Didn't shy away from the character people perceive Cox to be, even with the swearing, etc. The music choice was also great and really additive. And it also got all the info across. Loved it.

What website(s) do you use most regularly? 

Work-wise, I spend a lot of time on ShotDeck. Sometimes I am looking for specific images but sometimes I just like to browse based on certain criteria or colour looks, and then see if anything sparks any visual inspiration. Looking at my Google history, I also spend a lot of time on IMDbPro. I am such a massive consumer of movies and television, and I always want to know the people behind the work and, in some cases, what else I can see that they have done. Not just the cast, it is usually the DP, the director or writers, or even occasionally, the gaffer.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought? 

This isn’t tech in the sense you probably mean, but I recently tried a power washer and it was such an exhilarating and fulfilling experience that my husband bought me one for Christmas. Also, I am a sucker for a meditation app. I have about four on my phone and I use zero of them.

What product could you not live without?

Dry shampoo. I don’t know how any of us had bangs before it.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

I made a movie called F Marry Kill that came out this year. It was probably not the best film I’ve seen over the last year (I’m not that delusional), but it is in my top ten, and it is fun, and if I didn’t mention it, it would feel like I was cheating on it with another movie.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

Everybody probably says this, but The Godfather. There are movies that are great inspiration for camera, movies that have amazing lighting, movies that are fantastic examples of performance and story... but The Godfather is one of the only films I can think of that covers all of those.

What’s your preferred social media platform?

I am an Instagram-first person. I was an early adopter, so I guess I am just loyal to it. Also, it is good for shameless self-promotion. Although I will literally accept any request on LinkedIn. I do zero vetting there.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Patriot, on Amazon Prime. All seasons of it. Steve Conrad is a genius and it is the most beautiful, darkly hilarious, cool-as-shit-looking show that has ever existed. If you haven’t watched it yet, you should.

What’s your favourite podcast?

I have been on the WTF with Marc Maron train since the early days, so I always go back to that one. I also love SmartLess, obviously. Lately, I've been into the filmmaking podcast Just Shoot It, which I got to be a guest on recently, which was cool,  since I am a fan.

What have you been most inspired by recently?

I am perpetually inspired by patterns that we repeat, and how to break them... and the comedy in that process. I feel like that inspires every character and story that I write. Also, eavesdropping on other people's conversations in random places; I get endless inspiration there. The best one I ever heard was on New Year’s Eve. A guy said to his friend, “I think next year is going to be my year…(long pause). I really should NOT have gone on that cruise this year.” I could write a whole feature script inspired by that one sentence.

If you could only listen to one music artist from now on, who would it be?

I am in a very big Doechii phase right now. But if I had to pick just one artist for the rest of my life, I guess it needs to be someone with a massive catalogue. I think I am going to go with Elvis Costello. I am one of those weirdos that likes lyrics as much as the music, and he really has amazing lyrics and a huge range in styles of songs, so it will hopefully stay interesting for the next 50 years or however long I live. I mean, I hope it is at least 50 years.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

There are some occasions where the triple bidding process seems flawed. I know it gives more people a shot at a job, but when there is a clear incumbent director that has done several other campaigns and is the favourite, but the client insists on a triple bid anyway, it seems like extra and unnecessary work and time from all parties involved. I have been on both sides of that, and even when you are the returning director, it doesn’t feel great to know other people are needlessly spinning their wheels or getting their hopes up.