On My Radar: Dionne Loftus

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

I love the fact that Gap recently re-made Jungle’s music video Back on 74, directed by the wonderful duo Charlie di Placido and @j.lloyd (not forgetting the talented DoP Natasha Duursma). It would be very handy if every music video you made not only resonated with audiences but also aligned seamlessly with a brand's vision. I feel it would be very smart for every brand to patronise bands and directors to make content for them.

What website(s) do you use most regularly?

Instagram is a joy (and sometimes such a bane), but it provides incredible inspiration. From accounts like @eyecannndy to getting a rare insight into other inspirational artists, musicians, and filmmakers lives. Most importantly, it's a valuable industry resource, with accounts like @shots_creative leading the way. 

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

I recently bought a Hasselblad 503CW, which is pretty much the same kind of camera that went to the moon with Neil Armstrong! Even though I don't shoot stills professionally, diving into this has really boosted my understanding of film. I absolutely love shooting 16mm for my projects, and there's so much crossover knowledge between stills photography and filmmaking. Plus, you just can't beat how gorgeous film looks — it's the real deal, no faking that kind of beauty.

What product could you not live without?

I am completely obsessed with Korean skincare right now, and it's an absolute lifesaver for those ridiculously early call times! Eborian’s CC cream is my current miracle worker—I love that I can just slap on one product and look like I've actually had some sleep!

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

I watched Love Lies Bleeding last week. What a belter! I love stories that surprise you and if it goes psychedelic, then even better. Charlotte Wells' debut film Aftersun was a story I hadn’t really seen told before. It follows a father-daughter holiday, where the daughter is clearly seeing her father as a human being for the first time. It was so thoughtfully directed, and made me cry.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

I’m such a fan of filmmakers who do their own, very special thing. I got to see the John Waters Pope of Trash Exhibition in LA (currently on at the Academy museum until August 4th) and I love how he gathered together his weirdest friends and made a world for themselves. Pink Flamingos is still the most ridiculous, funny and weird film I’ve ever seen to this day.

Representation is so important in the film industry. Seeing yourself in other directors makes you feel like what they’re doing is possible. Films such as Shane Meadows’ Dead Man’s Shoes or Daniel Wolfe’s Catch me Daddy (which were filmed in locations I grew up in) felt like filmmaking was achievable for someone like me! Also, finding female directors like Lynne Ramsay (The Gasman and Morvern Callar) and Clio Barnard (The Selfish Giant) all really spoke to me and felt incredibly relatable.

What’s your preferred social media platform?

My feelings about social media are quite mixed and I have a love-hate relationship with it. That's why I've held onto Instagram; it seems to be the least crazy one of them all. Saying that, I’ve had lovely experiences on there with people reaching out to me and viewing/commenting/sharing my work, people who wouldn’t maybe see it elsewhere. This has now become an important part of my work cycle . It’s also super-handy for keeping connections with my friends and colleagues in the US.

What’s your favourite TV show?

We had Sky for a year in 1998 (unlike Rishi Sunak!) but my parents got rid of it because they were sick of me and my siblings constantly watching Seinfeld. When I got to work as an assistant for Jerry Seinfeld in New York on his show The Marriage Ref it was truly surreal to see how much goes into making a TV show and what a precarious venture it was, as well as my pinching myself on a regular basis!

What’s your favourite podcast?

The Blindboy podcast is so amazing, it’s a total thing of it’s own. After getting my Irish passport recently, I’ve learnt so much about Irish history and mythology from it, but I mainly listen to it for the hilariously crazy stories, from an incredible storyteller.

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

Last year, at the Met Museum in New York, I was fortunate enough to see Cecily Brown's exhibition Death and the Maid. She is such an inspirational person who, for me, is making painting fantastically exciting, but also accessible. Her paintings are like glimpses into a feverish dream, each brushstroke seemingly random, yet collectively forming intricate narratives. 

Stepping back, you realise she has crafted a world where stories lurk within every canvas, encouraging viewers to uncover their own interpretations. I love that she’s putting paintings in public spaces like Somerset House in London, and a mural at a school in Buffalo. Everyone needs to see art and beauty, wherever you’re from. [Below, Cecily Brown’s The Nymphs Have Departed.]

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

It would be impossible for me to settle on just one artist. I'm always skipping songs, making me a terrible DJ! Music is so intrinsic to creating film. The best commercials and feature films are the ones with the catchiest soundtracks. My worry for the future is how bands now monetise their art, and it’s now more important than ever to support them by licensing original music for commercials (who isn’t sick to the back teeth of library music?).

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

It's incredibly unfair! I truly appreciate the efforts people are making to address this through numerous mentoring schemes and programmes, providing opportunities to those who might otherwise be excluded from the industry. If the government won't take action, then it's up to us to step forward and do something.