We recently connected with Christopher Sims and have shared our conversation below.

Christopher, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Working as an artist in advertising can be an extremely challenging experience. One of the biggest challenges that artists face in this field is the need to conform to the corporate baggage that comes with a profit-based industry. In advertising, the ultimate goal is to create visually appealing content that resonates with the target audience and generates revenue for the company. While this may seem like a straightforward objective, it can be difficult for artists to balance their creative vision with the needs of the business.

The struggle between art and commerce is an age-old dilemma that continues to plague the advertising industry even today. Finding the right balance between creative expression and commercial appeal can be a daunting task. Artists in this field often find themselves torn between their desire to create something unique and their need to produce content that meets the client’s expectations.

For artists who are used to a free-form sense of creativity, transitioning to an advertising-based form of visual messaging can be especially challenging. As someone who has worked in the music video industry, I can attest to this fact. When I made the transition to advertising, I had to learn a completely new set of skills and adapt to a different style of working. It took me several years and many jobs through various agencies to find my groove in advertising.

Despite the challenges, working in advertising has taught me a lot. I’ve learned to be more disciplined, organized, and efficient with my time. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented creative directors who have taught me a lot about the industry. However, even with all of the experience I’ve gained, I still feel like I have some work to do.

One of the challenges that I face is my tendency to fall in love with my work a little too much. As an artist, it can be difficult to let go of a project and move on to the next one. However, in advertising, time is always of the essence, and deadlines are often tight. Learning to let go of a project and move on to the next one is something that I’m still working on.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I came of age in the feverish OC/LA skateboard scene of the late ’90s. I discovered photography in high school, where I spent every available hour in the darkroom. I graduated college with a simple AA degree and wrote and directed a semi-autobiographical no-budget feature about suburban youth living in Southern California. I soon began touring with bands in the Southern California hardcore scene, shooting constantly, and fashioning music videos and documentaries out of the cascade of raw footage – an edge and energy I carried forward into my music video and commercial career.

To date, my music videos have garnered billions of views. I’ve created and directed dozens of short form and long-form projects for my clients from platinum selling artists like Usher, Ludacris, David Guetta , Avril Lavigne, Stone Temple Pilots, Keane, and Ne-Yo to emerging stars like A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera, Cassie and Noah Cyrus.

Shooting and directing alongside the celebrated fashion photographers, Mert & Marcus, has influenced my fashion sensibilities and allowed those certain tastes to encourage much of my fashion work at the outset of my artistic career as a whole.

Music and its inherent energy also drives much of my commercial and advertising work: Usher appears in my branded content for Pepsi to highlight the VMA awards; a Miller Brewing Company spot features a live concert version of Sebastian Ingrosso’s Reload; and Launch, part of my campaign for sports fitness company HyperIce unspools to the savage fury of the Misfits “Spinal Remains”. In my spot for Beats headphones, Destroy Bad Sound, Serena Williams incinerates the product’s inferior rivals with a flamethrower as we hear Robin Thicke’s single, “Give It 2 U” featuring Kendrick Lamar & 2 Chainz.

Most all of my past music video work was created through the legendary DNA production company which has now dissolved their EP’s into Hound Content and also over to Anonymous Content. A brief career stint at Ridley Scott’s Creative Group, formerly RSA Films, led me down the path of commercial ad work and new media content building for global brands. Currently as an Independent Commercial Director, I am leveraging my agency relationships with new opportunities in the ever-growing market of production companies and content builders.

Shifting my focus and sensibilities now as an American filmmaker and artist, I’ve now been working in TV, Film and new media. Spending much of my recent time as partner and Senior Director of Content for the ever-growing brand, HyperIce.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is the ability to move people emotionally. The ability to express myself creatively and then to have that then move someone and make them feel a certain way emotionally; is the pay-off.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Sustaining a career as a creative or artist is like magic and a blessing if you can find and keep work. This type of work is hard to understand for people not in this industry. It’s a lot of believing in your abilities … like jumping off a cliff without knowing the net will be there to save you. A risk not a lot of people may take but the rewards of being courages with your abilities as a person is a powerful thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simsdirector.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simsdirector/

Image Credits
Christopher Sims