The YDA 2019 Focus

We sat down with the Gold-winning directors from this year's competition to chat about their films, their industry journey and what picking up a YDA really means to them.

Talent

Thessa Meijer on picking up this year's YDA Special Jury Prize

The Walking Fish, a fantastical tale about a mutsugorou (or mudskipper) that evolves into a girl, wowed this year's YDA judges. Here, its director, Thessa Meijer, discusses the inspiration for her film and why working in a foreign language was brilliantly challenging.

Talent

Dani Pearce on her YDA-winning short and the 'wild process' of directing

Sydney-based director Dani Pearce likes to explore narrative in unconventional, original ways and her experimental short film Backpedal, based on a poem by Olivia Gatwood, is a case in point. She chats to shots about wolf pack research, pushing boundaries and why winning gold at this year's YDA was a career-defining moment.

Talent

YDA Gold-winner Paul Nevison on diving into Lake Volta

The Volta director talks to us about the logistical troubles of a Ghanese shoot, his ongoing imposter syndrome and what he's up to after his 'Changing the World Frame by Frame' YDA win.

Talent

Asher Jelinsky on their award-winning film & the portrayal of trans & nonbinary characters

Miller & Son, Asher Jelinsky's film about Ryan, a transgender mechanic, was a Gold winner at this year's YDA. Here, Jelinsky discusses the making of the film and their thoughts on the representation of transgender and nonbinary people on screen.

Talent

YDA Producer of the Year-winner on targeting new talent

After picking up the Producer of the Year award at this year's YDA, HALAL's Partner and EP, Gijs Determeijer, reveals how the company sources new talent, and why it's the most important - and exciting - part of the process.

Talent

David Gesslbauer on making cinematic vertical filmmaking in [UNUM]

The YDA Gold winner speaks about the challenges, and freedoms, inherent in shooting in an unusual aspect ratio, collaborating with co-director Michael Lange, and how no amount of planning can prepare you for filming with animals.

Talent

How horsing around with a blond god won Vedran Rupic a gold YDA

As a young lad, Vedran Rupic ran wild with a crowd of fellow immigrants. Now, he's progressed to pushing wild ideas. Having bagged gold in the Music Video category for Salvatore Ganacci’s Horse, the rising director tells shots about giant pointy shoes and Slavic storytelling.

Talent

Nare Mokgotho on doing the double at the YDA

We continue our look at this year's gold-winners from the 2019 Young Director Award as we talk to a South African director who returned home with two well-deserved trophies.

Talent

YDA-winner Nina Holmgren wants us to panic

The filmmaker talks us through how talks by young climate activists Greta Thunberg and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez inspired her to create her visually dazzling, emotionally charged short.

Talent

Eugen Merher on making a charity film with bite

The Dark Red director won gold at this year's YDA with a grisly yet unexpectedly tender take on blood donation. He tells shots how he and the team created their 'own kind of vampire film' and what's next on the slate.

Talent

How the dark web helped shed some light for this winning YDA film

After picking up a Gold Screen in the Charity category at this year's YDA, Martin Norgaard Furze and Mette Carla talk about the art of collaboration, the importance of research and the "gut-wrenching" things on the dark web.

Talent

Jola Bankowska on her YDA win, finding animation and how to tell a good Story

The director talks us through how discovering her talent for animation helped her experiment with narrative.

Talent

YDA gold winner Josh Hayward paints a Still/Life portrait of Yangon

The director spent weeks exploring the Burmese city, capturing its cultural renaissance through the eyes of a new generation of athletes, and the result is this award-winning short film.

Talent

YDA-winner Istvan Kovacs discusses his A Siege mentality

Good Kids director Istvan Kovacs picked up a Gold Screen for his short film, A Siege, at this year's YDA. Here, he discusses turning his back on law, the influence of the Balkan war and his desire to tell brand stories.

Talent

Pascal Schelbli on finding The Beauty in plastic pollution

Fresh from picking up a Gold in the Changing the World Frame by Frame category of this year's YDA, the director talks us through how he combined marine life with man-made waste.

The Sustainability Focus

It’s the burning question – with humanity facing an existential threat more potent than war, famine or disease, how can an industry full of world-class communicators talk about the climate crisis? shots discusses low-carbon film production, greenwashing and the paradox of consumerism vs planetary survival.

The Neurodiversity Focus

With growing awareness that an estimated 20 per cent of the global population is neurodiverse - the fact that advertising needs to get on top of the spectrums is a no-brainer. This month, shots speaks to experts, commentators and ADHD/ASD-powered adfolk about battling stigma, enhanced creativity and making more ND inclusive campaigns.

The Music Video Focus

Since the 90s, when their budgets ran to millions, the internet and tech advances have made music videos easier to view, cheaper to produce and, possibly, more disposable. But is the medium a dying art, or still the best way for a director to get noticed? shots probes the state of the promo nation.

The Photography & Cinematography Focus

In a cacophonous digital culture that bombards us with a stream of personal image-sharing and branded visuals, it can be hard for photography to stand out. This month, shots pulls focus on the DPs and photographers whose work sets the optic nerves a-tingle and considers the input of non-human image generators.