5 Minutes with... Tommy Shull
Tommy Shull founded New York-based creative studio STUCK IN MOTION in 2017, but he certainly hasn’t let his creative side take a back seat. Still passionate about rolling up his sleeves alongside his team, the ex-editor and line producer puts his experience from almost every aspect of the industry to use, all while leading the company’s production support for agencies and brands.
His deep understanding of the creative, production and post workflow comes from his time spent brand-side at LG, at edit houses, at agencies like McCann and dentsu, and from his years freelancing - helping produce and edit commercials and branded entertainment - not to mention his time working for Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood.
Speaking to LBB’s Ben Conway, he discusses the creative content that inspired him growing up, the “happenstance” and hard work that shaped his career journey, and how he balances leadership with frontline creativity today.
LBB> What creative content inspired or interested you most when you were growing up? Do any TV shows, films and ads stand out to you?
Tommy> I was a movie fanatic growing up and watched anything I could get my hands on. We had hundreds of films on VHS that my siblings and I would watch until the tapes nearly wore out. There was something about experiencing a really great story on the screen that just captivated me at a young age. Looking back now, I think I was mesmerised by how emotions could be amplified by great pacing and a beautiful score.
There are special films to me from all eras (I love spaghetti westerns) but, in my opinion, the '90s was the overall best period for cinema. From action to comedy, drama and rom-coms, there’s so much that still holds up.
In terms of ads, I like anything with a great story. The Apple ad ‘This Watch Tells Time’ is beautiful. It’s basically a film. The Uber Eats ad with Robert De Niro is great too. I enjoy ads with a smart hook that don’t overly try to sell you something.
LBB> You started out in editing - how did that come about?
Tommy> I definitely fell into it by happenstance. I changed schools when I was 12 years old, and while registering for new classes, I saw a ‘telecommunications’ class. I didn’t know what that was, but it sounded interesting, so I swapped it with another elective at the last minute. The class was basically running the morning announcements, which I ended up really enjoying. A couple of years later, they built a new school and added a pretty nice TV studio. I got hooked making pre-recorded pieces about the weather, art programs, interviews with teachers and students, and eventually made video yearbooks. I also made a really bad movie my senior year that will hopefully stay buried in history forever.
LBB> As a freelancer, how did you start working on projects for the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z?
Tommy> It was mostly being at the right place at the right time. I was only three years out of school when the company I was working for as an editor let everyone go. It was a shock but I was also excited about freelancing. I began meeting with every editor and producer that would give me their time and eventually, I met someone who introduced me to her agent. We hit it off, and shortly after, I landed a gig at Parkwood, Beyonce’s production company.
She was coming off the ‘Mrs. Carter World Tour’ at the time, and the team was cranking out a lot of social content for her YouTube channel. The editors were expected to mine through hundreds of hours of footage and develop cuts quickly. I found I had a knack for it which resulted in me getting more opportunities on bigger and longer projects. I grinded hard over the next year or so and was fortunate to work on the first visual album and then the ‘On The Run Tour’ with Jay’s team. Afterwards, I got to do a project with U2 which was super fun!
[Above: Burger King's 'Steve Aoki VMAs 2023' campaign - VFX/colour/edit by STUCK IN MOTION]
LBB> You then became a line producer across print, digital, experiential and more - how did your editing experience translate across? What were some of the projects and partnerships during this time that taught you the biggest lessons or changed your career?
Tommy> After Parkwood, I freelanced at various agencies, production companies and networks - seeing how different teams operate. I did that for several years until eventually, a producer I worked for landed an executive producer job at LG Electronics’ in-house agency. He didn’t have much of a team so I began helping him build out small productions. That eventually grew in scale, and I transitioned from editing to almost full-time line producing for LG campaigns.
Since the position was also in-house full time, I was often in meetings when projects were being formed. Once a project was officially awarded and rolled into production, I started by asking, 'What does post need?'. I could navigate the project to ensure we were always covered, which saved us on numerous occasions. That's why I like to be on production calls extremely early. The buck stops with post.
Some projects that taught me the biggest lessons were always the product launches. There are so many moving parts and things can change on a dime. You’re constantly manoeuvring and preparing for any scenario. I learned what good communication looks like and also what bad communication looks like. I learned what happens when you’re well-prepared and when you’re not. These repeated experiences taught me lessons that are essential to how I operate now.
LBB> What were the catalysts that made you start STUCK IN MOTION in 2017? What were some of your goals and motivations for the company?
Tommy> My contract at LG was ending, and I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of going back out into the freelance market again. I had worked at production companies and also hired and managed them as an agency producer. Since I knew both sides of the pendulum, I started to seriously consider opening my own shop. After a conversation with a mentor of mine turned into a gentle push, I got incorporated. About six months after officially opening, a former client and a good friend of mine was let go from her position at Viacom (now Paramount).
This is how Deborah [Gar Reichman] became executive creative director of STUCK IN MOTION. We share the same values for high standards and respect for the creative process.
My goals for STUCK IN MOTION have definitely evolved since the beginning but the mission is the same; we make going out of the house feel like staying in-house. It’s a no-B.S. attitude to building true partnerships with our clients that keep the conversations real and the work top-notch.
LBB> You lead, but are very much still a creative on the frontlines too - how do you balance the two? How would you describe your leadership approach?
Tommy> It’s a real challenge balancing both, but I have a great team around me that allows this to happen. It’s important to me as a creative person that I still find time to roll up my sleeves and get involved at the ground level every once in a while. I’ve had contractors tell me that they appreciate when I’m in the thick of it with them. I also really enjoy the work. The moment you nail an edit and the clients are loving it just brings me back to the early days and why I started doing this in the first place.
I also think clients can tell when you’re actually doing the work versus just passing things off to someone else. I can be honest and accurate on our calls with clients because as soon as we get off with them, I’m huddling with my own team, and we’re doing the work together.
LBB> Who or what in the industry inspires you right now?
Tommy> There are so many amazing people doing really talented things right now. I’m obsessed with Parliament's VFX work. Directors Ian Pons Jewell and Terry Hall are probably my two favourite commercial directors right now. There are also probably four or five top-notch editors that I follow who are each pushing the limits in super cool ways. Overall, I just love ‘fresh and smart’ but not overly chaotic. There’s a sweet spot that just feels right and you just know when it happens.
LBB> What are some recent projects that you’re particularly proud of?
Tommy> I’m always the most excited for the VMAs, which happens at the end of summer. We’ve been partnering with Paramount Brand Studio to deliver branded spots for the last five years, and each year, the creative is bigger, bolder and more exciting. We did beautiful spots for Toyota and Burger King this year which was a lot of fun. We also made a spot for Nintendo and the Kids’ Choice Awards earlier this year - that was a beast of a project but turned out really slick.
LBB> What is exciting you when it comes to new creative tech and innovation within the craft today? What does 2024 promise to bring?
Tommy> I’ve experienced many transformations since I first started, and tech has always been at the forefront of that. For example, if you wanted to start your own production company 20 years ago, there used to be so many gatekeepers. Every day there are better and more affordable production tools, plugins, pieces of software, etc. This is closing the gap on the big guys and allowing smaller-sized shops like ours to stay creatively competitive - even with smaller budgets.
LBB> Outside of work, what do you do to decompress or stay fresh? What do you think it is that drives and motivates you?
Tommy> I’m a borderline workaholic, so decompressing is hard for me, but I recognise it is important. I love to swim, listen to music, have campfires, cook… and exercise daily. Most importantly, I try to spend as much quality time with my friends and family as possible. That’s what rejuvenates me the most.
My main motivator is my own ambition. I feel lucky to have the best job in the world, and I want to keep working on interesting projects with great people.
