So You Want My Job? Black Kite's Adam Crocker on bringing movie magic to ad land

What did you want to be when you grew up? Does your job now resemble that in any way?

I was one of those annoying people that always knew what I wanted to do. I distinctly remember at the age of nine or 10 having my mind blown by the cutting-edge visual effects of Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park and knowing this was something I wanted to be a part of. Even now, those films still wow me, the effects (for the most part) hold up and the storytelling craft is incredible. I became really inspired and interested in how these things were being created and who was doing it - and then I found out I could get paid to do it. I loved the idea of being completely unseen whilst making these incredible things happen on screen.

Much later on I became increasingly interested in the incredible imagery being created in the music video and advertising worlds by emerging auteurs like Jonathan Glazer, Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham. I was determined to be a part of that world where this amazing work was being made, one way or another. And now I am.

How did you get your job?

I knew it might be hard to get my foot in the door of the industry so I was extremely persistent. I visited the different post-production houses to speak to people and hand in my CV. It was tough. I was really close to giving up and then a company called Clear took me on as a runner where I was essentially making teas and coffees - which, considering most of us in VFX are more often than not on the introverted side of things, was quite interesting.

I was suddenly getting a real glimpse into a world I’d dreamt about working in - I was seeing incredible music videos, advertising and films being created by really talented artists. I would work through the night training on the different technologies and software alongside the day job. Then at one point I think my passion was misinterpreted as confidence and I was suddenly thrust into a situation where someone had called in sick or something (I can't quite remember now) and a client needed an urgent job completed that day - I was presented to a suite of advertising people and had to sink or swim. Luckily I got through it and that was a turning point in my career for sure. I moved up from being a runner after only three months which is relatively short.

Ok, so what do you actually do? How would you explain your job to a taxi driver?

I tend to say ‘Have you seen Harry Potter? I basically do that in advertising mostly.’ That seems to satisfy a lot of people. But I also love that what I do is often unseen and not even considered post-production. That’s sometimes harder to explain though. We tend to use the term VFX in the industry but when speaking to people outside I may use the term special effects - it makes it easier to grasp quickly and it’s quite exciting to people. And of course, when they find out certain things aren’t real, like a flying car or a crowd scene, it can offer that ‘wow’ factor.

Do your parents understand what it is that you do?

They know I work hard. I like pointing at an ad for a brand like Heineken or Fifa and saying ‘hey I did that.’ They like stories like me turning up in New Zealand to shoot a big retailer’s Christmas advert in the snow with a top director and there not being any snow - so it was down to me to help solve that creative challenge. VFX is at its finest when you see the end result and no-one knows what you’ve done because they can’t tell what is real and what isn’t.

What do you love most about your job?

When clients put their trust in me to do the job and know I can bring their creative vision to life - that means much more to me than if people outside of the industry enjoy what they see on screen. When they think it isn’t possible and you can pull it off for them is the ultimate satisfaction. This year in particular, shooting the Fifa 21 campaign with the challenge of lockdown - offering solutions to clients that meant not only could the job be done but still be an amazing piece of work and to viewers look as though it’s been shot normally. I find that under pressure I usually come out with a creative idea that makes everyone happy and this year has pushed that to the ultimate limit - we’ve pulled some big rabbits out of the hat.

As head of VFX I also love both curating the VFX team and overseeing the creative output at Black Kite and I truly believe we are building the best and most creative VFX studio in the world - the talent we have really does blow my mind on a daily basis and I love knowing we are raising the bar across the industry.

How would someone entering the industry go about getting your job now? What would be their route?

I would say the process isn’t hugely different to my own - be persistent, keen, willing to accept rejection, prepared to work hard, put in the hours to train and go above and beyond. I think people may need to work harder now to cut through the noise - it’s a much tougher market as I’ve learnt from having to hire new people - it takes detective work to find out who truly has the natural ability and creative knowledge and eye.

What advice would you offer to others entering the advertising industry, especially at this weird time?

Use this time as a major opportunity. Don’t wait for this to be all over - it’s strange at the moment but there are stranger ways to get into the industry so don’t give up. Don’t even look at it as a challenge - see it as just a different approach. Having the time to focus on what you really want and what excites you, read, read and read some more - keep learning and studying the craft and it will put you in good stead when presenting yourself to prospective employers. No-one is looking for the finished package when you start in the industry but they are looking for someone who understands the work and methodology and has a keenness to learn more.

What would you say is the trait that best suits you for your role?

Crucially, I’d say the ability to stay calm under pressure. I think most people who have worked with me would agree I’ve certainly perfected the poker face. With the brands we work with and the number of agencies sometimes involved, it can be easy to become overwhelmed or feel panicked when something doesn’t go to plan or when something feels impossible to solve.

I absolutely love being the reassuring presence with a can-do attitude proving that everything is possible. I really enjoy that - no matter how small the task or seemingly non-high brow it might be, I'm always interested in finding ways to solve a creative challenge and I think that’s one of my strengths. However, the poker face can mean I sometimes don’t look excited enough when I should - I am, I promise.

How can readers learn more about the trade?

I'd say social media is a great way to get really close to the work and makes everything far more accessible. So follow all the directors, companies you admire and inspire you. Go onto Websites of VFX companies, not only do they have the credits of all the people that made the work, they often have making of’s and other interesting information on each project. Listen to podcasts, do technical tutorials and basically drink in as much information you can.

Last week, we heard from Scott Spirit, chief growth officer of S4 Capital Group.