Legendary Director Frank Budgen Dies

There is very sad news to report today as legendary advertising director, Frank Budgen, has passed away at the age of 61.

Budgen had battled leukaemia in recent years but was thought to be free from the disease and in full remission when he died.

A director at and co-founder of production company Gorgeous, Budgen was known for outstanding, award-winning work such as Nike Tag [below], PlayStation Mountain and NSPCC Cartoon and was recognised as the industry's most awarded director, alongside Tony Kaye, at D&AD's 50th anniversary awards show in 2012.

Budgen was an agency copywriter, starting at BBDO London, before moving behind the camera full-time in 1991. As well as being a visionary director, he was also a talented photogrpaher, artist and some-time inventor.

Laura Hegarty, head of new business and sales for Gorgeous told shots.net ; “It’s a very sad day, for Gorgeous, for the industry as a whole and, of course, for his family. Frank was a great director and a great man and he will be sadly missed by everyone. From here, we want to focus on and remember the amazing work he did during his life.”

Budgen recently agreed to an interview with shots magazine in which he discussed his life, his work and why he was either "an inadvertent genius or a self-delusional idiot." We think it was doubtless the former.

A selection of some of Budgen's best work can be seen below: