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Meet The Otto Empire’s Rising Stars

11/12/2017
Production Company
South Melbourne, Australia
145
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LBB’s Liam Smith chats to up-and-coming directors Cassie de Colling and Prad Sen

Melbourne-based production company The Otto Empire has its fair share of talent rising up the ranks. Here, LBB’s Liam Smith catches up with two shining stars – Cassie de Colling and Prad Sen – to find out how they got into the crazy world of advertising and what keeps their creative juices flowing.




Cassie de Colling

Cassie is an award winning Australian director, filmmaker and content creator. She works around the world on projects spanning across documentary, advertising and VR.


LBB> How and when did you get into advertising?

Cassie de Colling> When I finished film school I started out working on wildlife documentaries, which would often block me out for months at a time over different seasons of the year. It was a bit disjointed but it sort of opened me up to do smaller projects in between. I had a knack for shooting and working in harsh conditions so I sort of pivoted into the adventure market. Which led me into making branded content for ski resorts and travel companies. I was travelling the world as an adventure filmmaker. 

Looking back this was all advertising in its own form but I guess I had a real taste of advertising in 2013 when I won my first advertising award for some work I did independently for a small ski resort. From there my network grew and I started picking up more and more creative projects. But, it wasn’t until this year that I really started to sink my teeth into being an advertising director. Through the Screen Australia Gender Matters incentive I was aligned with The OTTO Empire for mentorship, and at the end of that programme, OTTO’s EP Jo de Fina must have seen something in me, as she signed me for representation. I was also nominated for Best Commercial Director alongside some of the advertising legends at The Australian Directors Guild and I have just signed representation in the USA.

Now, I feel that I am here to stay.


LBB> What's a piece of work that you're most proud of?

Cassie de Colling> Foreign Correspondent for University of Melbourne. It was the work I was nominated for in this year’s ADG Awards for Best Commercial Director. It was also recognised at the Australian Cinematography Society Awards. The piece was shot in Afghanistan with a war journalist and we used additional footage from him from conflict zones in the final edit.

It was designed to encourage students to take up media studies at Melbourne University. I was given a lot of freedom with the brief and I feel this piece sums up the work I am good at and what I want to do more of. 

LBB> How do you keep your creative juices flowing?

Cassie de Colling> By making more work. When I can see I have some time coming up I like to either grab my camera or some friends and shoot some of the ideas in my head. I am turned on by figuring out techniques, creating new techniques and capturing things in different ways. I started experimenting in VR last year which opened up a whole new way of thinking about filmmaking. My VR project Uku360 ended up receiving funding and going to Sheffield Doc Fest in the UK, which was amazing. I think making more work keeps you inspired and therefore keeps the creativity flowing. 

LBB> What do you do outside of work to cool off? 

Cassie de Colling> I like to tune out in the ocean. Surfing has been a passion of mine for about five years. I drive down the coast with my longboard and a flask of tea and some hardboiled eggs. It’s a ritual I try and do every week.

I also love live music. I have a soft spot for Sunday nights listening to folk and blues in derelict pubs. That kind of melodic storytelling takes me away. 


Prad Sen


Prad Sen is a writer and director based in Australia. His explorations in film and storytelling have since gone on to be nominated for an ARIA Award (2015) Rolling Stone award (2012) and a Triple J award (2010) for best Australian Music Video, as well as screening in numerous film festivals worldwide.


LBB> How and when did you get into advertising?

Prad Sen> I've always loved short form storytelling. I started out in music videos and remember before that I used to be obsessed with music videos and cool commercials. I think when I saw music video directors I admired doing commercials, like Jonathan Glazer’s work for Guinness, I realised that the aesthetics could be cross pollinated and you could make some pretty cool stuff that not only helped sell a product but also resonated with people on a more personal and artistic level. After a few years of music video work, Jo de Fina at OTTO snatched me up and my career directing commercials kicked right off. 


LBB> What's a piece of work that you're most proud of?

Prad Sen> I have a few personal favourites. But I’d have to say the one that really ticks all the boxes is my spot for SKYN, ‘Feel Everything’. It's a condom commercial, it was shot in Budapest and the agency had a lot of trust in my personal style, so the overall collaboration and vision was on point. It was also the first sex scene I’d directed. Every job faces challenges to accurately translate what you see in your head onto screen but this one – from the lighting, acting, casting, cinematography etc. – was the closest I’ve ever come. 

LBB> How do you keep your creative juices flowing?

Prad Sen> I listen to a variety of music. My music video experience has instilled a weird sensation where I always get strong visual associations when I hear songs, so I like to exercise that by always playing different stuff in the background while I work to keep the brain ticking away with ideas. Maybe some late ‘70s So-Cal soft rock, maybe some underground Soundcloud rap, maybe some death metal. Lately I’ve been reading again a whole lot, actual physical books not internet articles or blogs. The more you read complete large works the better you can express your ideas through writing. I try not to watch too many films any more for inspiration, but instead focus on art and photography. That way films can still retain a sense of escapism and I’m not sitting there dissecting lighting choices or dialogue. 


LBB> What do you do outside of work to cool off? 

Prad Sen> A few big things outside work help me cool off. Lately I’ve been a little obsessed with boxing. I train everyday, analyse matches and hope to get in the ring for a fight maybe next year if my skills and fitness are up to par. It's completely meditative and intense in its focus, and for a naturally uncoordinated person like me, great for my spatial awareness! I think I probably annoy people with how much I bang on about boxing in social situations, but I’m really into it! I meditate every day, I should be doing it twice a day but time is hard to come by in what we do. And most people who have met me, even briefly, know that I absolutely am obsessed with food: whether it be eating it, cooking it or learning about a certain dish's history and origin. I'm never not snacking – how I’m going to reconcile this with fitness/boxing I have no idea.  

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