Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Kelemen

Andy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

I got my start as a promotions editor, working in news and at our local PBS station. From there I went on to producing content for PBS, as well as editing political ads for many years. Editing eventually led to directing, and after going full-time freelance, I was officially a commercial director. For creative jobs, lots of times one thing simply leads to another, and great opportunities have seemingly fallen into my lap a few times in life.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

There were plenty of times where I’ve thought about heading into a different industry. When work is slow – things are very slow. When things are busy they tend to be extremely busy to the point that it’s all consuming. That’s just the nature of freelancing. With the freelance industry it’s sometimes hard explaining to family or friends how work can be inconsistent, but that’s just the nature of the business. So knowing how to navigate freelancer waters is something that comes with time and takes some heavy getting used to.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I’m known for being a comedy commercial director, with a focus on playful and absurd content. My day-to-day involves pitching on projects, and when I land a commercial job, logistically planning out the production, and often times wearing the director hat on set.

My sense of humor and collaborative nature sets me apart from others in my field. I’m a firm believer that commercial production is a team sport, and you have to be willing to work with others in this industry. Many directors treat the job as their sole vision, but I’ve never seen commercials as that. I’d much rather foster a collaborative nature within this field, and always remember that at the end of the day, we’re somewhat in the service industry – executing creative concepts in collaborating with clients and the agency.

I’m most proud of creative and different work that seemingly ‘clears’ all the creative and logistical hurdles. It’s hard to get comedy through these days due to, in my opinion, brands being a bit more scared than they used to be. So when I see great creative survive the pre-production, the approvals, the revisions, and then actually see it go out into the world, it’s an incredible feeling.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?

I think being a team player and just being a good human in general is pivotal to success. No one likes collaborating with jerks! Great manners, a positive attitude, and treating things in life as a team sport can get you far. I always find hiring people smarter than you is a piece of advice I live by in my professional field.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.andykelemen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andygetsweird
• Other: https://www.dessertbeforedinnercreative.com

Image Credits

Matthew Shuck