What Do I Do?
I've been getting that question a lot lately and was just trying to explain it to a close friend. What do you do for a living? Are you a creative, etc.? I actually work, part time these days thankfully, in advertising and I'm an art buyer and director of creative services. Which basically means, when an ad needs getting done, I work with art directors, copywriters and account folks to get the ad done. I source out the photographers, produce the shoots, and then manage the vendors to print beautiful printed pieces that make y'all wanna shop! The evil empire, to be sure. I have my love-hate relationship with it, that's sure too. I love that I can show up in cut-off's and flip flops (and used to be able to bring my dog every day) and come and go as I please. I love all that mad genius I work with and the creative life that surrounds and inspires me everyday.
I just wish, well maybe, we were making art, not ads. I think most of us feel that way, but we gotta pay the rent. Anyhow, I digress, here's a glimpse of some of the work I produced last year and am proud of. You'll recognize these as Condé Nast publications, like Domino, and Self, and Architectural Digest. I had a busy year and a half producing all these shoots, and I am proud of every single one. I love working for them, and our client has been a friend to me in good times and in bad. As gut wrenching as these shoots were for all of us, we made some pretty pictures. And I feel good about that. And, at the end of the day, that's what I do.
Architect Richard Meier for Architectural Digest.
Patrick Dempsey for Details.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Condé Nast Traveler.
32 comments:
hey, if only I could get better at thinking about ads as art, I might be better at marketing myself! That, for now is another part of my brain that is not as exercised. Your ads, fortunately, do look like art!
I think your ads are pretty darn amazing. I especially love the top three with all of the different levels of the shot, reminds me of a Hitchcock movie.
i love these ads. nice work. i wish i could do what you're doing :)
Oooh how cute does Patrick Dempsey look here?
Thank you for telling us about what you do, it's fascinating.
For those not in the ad world like me, what is involved in producing a shoot - is it more project management or do you style what we're looking at above and work with the celebs? Or all of the above?
I really like Sheryl Crow and seeing her on the photo made me feel very emotional. Ad? Didn't see an ad, I saw a person, a nice environment. Art is everywhere. Love this post. Thanks for sharing.
So I didn't read this post before I scanned through the images. As a confirmed magazine "addict" (I won't tell you what my friends call me.) I thought, "Now this is brilliant!" So that much better, Victoria, when I went back to find out you were the one who put them together! Gorgeous job!
And, might I also add, paring Stanley Tucci & Gourmet Magazine...uh hello, yummy ;)
those are absolutely fab ads..
they look more like magazine spreads; so lush. patrick dempsey does look cute, but that vintage car he's standing next to is fierce.
thanks you guys! see, i feel better about my job already!
holly - what i d is produce the shoots by working with photographers, stylists, wardrobe, hair & makeup - i gather these people as a team and we work together to complete the art director's vision. so i don't style, i hire the stylists and give them direction based on creative and client direction, if that makes any sense. i organize the talent and work with their agents to get them to the shot, get their preferences, etc.
patrick is fierce, and that is his car (he had just bought it) and it's front of a case study house in L.A.
sheryl crow was lovely and that is atop rockefeller plaza.
stanley was super cool and that is at blue stone hill farms in NY.
also, the baby crow on RFK's leg was one he found injured in his yard...he brought it to the shoot so he could feed it every few hours and so we put it in the shot!
every picture has a story... :)
Thanks for sharing, Victoria. These turned out really great. It's fun to see your work!!!
it sounds like what you do could really try your patience! a little bit politician mixed in with lots of coddling in order to get everyone to understand where the others are coming from. but, the end result is so fantastic it's all worth the effort. and, you have a tangible end result.
Oh how cool Victoria. If you ever do something with Christian Bale, David Boreanaz, Matt Damon, either of the Deschanel girls, Brad Pitt, or Justin Timberlake please let me know so I can be the water girl on the set or something, I can deliver hot hand towels even. :)
How funny, I do the same sort of work but for less glamorous stuff like motorcycles. It is very hard to describe what I do because it could be anything from casting, to producing to booking travel arrangements on a day to day basis.
Then of course there's the wardrobe and props which is a whole other beast.
Regardless, if it's an ad I still think of what I do as art. I know I'm just selling junk but I love my job. I've been doing it for 12 years now.
Well, I think what you do is fascinating. And lovely to look at,
please give yourself the credit due - ads are art! :)
don't mean to pry, but do you think you'll get a dog friend in the future? i saw you guys on small space big style a few weeks ago and you looked like such a good dog person =)
I went back to advertising just a couple of weeks ago after a short stint in marketing and i feel that for now with my experience this is the closest i can get to be in a creative environment, altough i am an account manager so just get to see the work at the end, i often thought to go into the production side, to at least sit beside the creatives ! I really like the easyness of the workplace though and since i started i ditched my dark suits and only wear jeans ! expept the days i am meeting our demanding clients !
These are super, super cool, Victoria!
Your job is super cool, especially the part where you meet all these talented people! Nice pictures!
I've been wondering what you do ~ you obviously have such a great eye for all things beautiful and creative ~ so cool and these shots are fantastic. I have a friend here in LA who produces shoots, mostly editorial for magazines and I've worked as the "water girl" ~ I mean assistant a couple of times to help her out. It's crazy hard work on some days!! but so fun to see the final product.
wow, those are amazing! great work! I'd like to also throw in my offer of assistant on a shoot if you are in need of a couple extra hands:)
Thanks for sharing with us what you do.
i love these! thanks for sharing. i find them creative and visual and inspiring -- and while they may not technically be art, they're wonderfully artistic.
Bravo Victoria! These are lovely pages. I could never in a million years pull them together. You ARE quite the artist!
you should be proud of what you do. i would love to work with you someday.
thanks you guys! you are so kind!
jamie, yes i think about getting a new dog all the time. but i am not quite over my beloved coop, so we'll see. he was a special boy...one day maybe. :)
Amazing work, Victoria! I love how these turned out. Thanks so much for giving us a picture into what you"do".
Yes, it's definitely love/hate relationship indeed. Couldn't agree more, Victoria.
-Bin, the copywriter-
Thanks for sharing that. Very interesting to get a peek into your work life. Great ads.
Lucky to be part of ad projects that actually are eye catching.
You must be quite the multi-tasker.
By the way great blog too. Now I see why you have the blogging talent.
Ooohhh, I have loved these ads! Great work!! I just started in advertising after years of marketing work. It's strange changing sides, and I have the same feeling about ads vs art, but I definitely feel I made a good choice and so far I find the industry to be a lot of fun!
i'm an art buyer too! people are always not really understanding what i do .. thanks for explaining!
The world of advertising can eat you up in 1 bite. I understand your love/hate relationship with it. That's why you need a dog to stand guard. I'm sorry you lost him. Perhaps time for another rescue? (Dogs rule.)
do you happen to need an assistant? :)
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