As a new writer many years back, I submitted work to a studio that was looking for "fresh new talent." I received strong interest from them about a certain piece, which sparked a back and forth that lasted over a period of weeks. Then just when it seemed we were reaching momentum, I received a call from the producer who said, "We love your work, but you need to build your resume - it's better for us to go with a tried and true."
Of course, I spent the next day sulking under a blanket with my favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor.
Breaking into the advertising industry is just about as hard as being a Hollywood actor: even if you are the best person for the job, your past credits and who you know generally has a lot to do with you actually booking it. As a new creative, you're constantly finding yourself at odds with that old chicken and the egg syndrome - how do you get to know the right people if you never get the chance to work with them...because they don't already know you?!
Luckily, social media, crowd-sourcing, and increased technology is leveling out the playing field a bit.
MOFILM is a successful marketing firm in the UK who works with major brands such as Coca Cola, Shell, AT&T, and American Express (to name a few) and crowd-sources new talent to accommodate their clients' needs. The company offers a no-cost production space for a network of filmmakers to collaborate, work on projects and build their reels. Then when their clients are looking to produce video and commercials - MOFILM calls upon its new talent to submit proposals.
The executives at the company have extensive advertising backgrounds and run the interface with the clients, while coaching the creatives on what to pitch. This gives the best new talent a strong chance for immediate success. In such a social media driven world, name brand clients have responded favorably to this approach because it lends to a higher level of authenticity.
Due to its success in London, MOFILM recently opened a studio in Los Angeles, California.
"MOFILM supports filmmakers by offering them opportunities to create great content and get recognized and rewarded for it," says Alex Arata, President of MOFILM North America. "The new studio is an extension of that, providing them with a professional space to help them make the best content they can, whether for a brand or their own personal projects."
The studio also helps to override the mistaken belief that crowd-sourced content can lack the professional polish of traditional agencies, allowing clients to benefit from the creativity that crowdsourcing has to offer but sidestep the potential negatives. Technology and progressive entrepreneurs like the folks at MOFILM are not only giving us the tools to tell better stories, but opportunities to reap the rewards. It's an exciting time to be a creative for sure.