Shift Post and Hurry Sundown on the Dawn of a New Partnership

Above (left to right): Hurry Sundown founder, Sam Davey, and Shift Post founder, Saam Hodivala

Saam Hodivala and Sam Davey have been best friends since they were 17. You might think they’d have had enough of each other by now, but they’ve just committed to seeing even more of one another. They’ve turned their partnership professional.

Saam runs Shift Post, a London-based commercial and film edit company, while Sam – departing from his role as OB42’s head of music after 18 years – recently founded his own creative talent agency, Hurry Sundown. Together, it’s not just directors who get the benefit of a rep – editors do, too.

It’s a fast track to mutual growth: Hurry Sundown expands its pool, while Shift Post’s talent is promoted in front of the agency’s extensive network.

Today, Saam and Sam share how this new model came about, what it entails, and their mutual ambitions, in this interview with LBB’s Zara Naseer.

LBB> How did the two of you first get to know each other?

Saam> We first met back in sixth form college when we were 17 – feels like a lifetime ago now! We basically lived round each other's houses for the rest of our teens and then got a flat together when we moved to London. The absolute best times!

Sam> We lived on a diet of ‘90s DVDs and George Foreman grilled chicken, trying to figure out how we could make a success of our film studies degrees and form some kind of career out of it.

LBB> How did your collaborative relationship evolve from there? What’s your dynamic like?

Saam> Although we’ve both been in the same industry for the best part of two decades now, Sam went down the route of music videos while I was more in commercials, so although our paths would occasionally cross we haven’t really collaborated much over the years. It’s been a real treat to finally be working together and supporting each other’s progression.

Sam> I guess what was nice was we were both able to forge our own path, but there were always similar people and experiences we’d come into contact with in the industry, so were able to be a bit of a sounding board for each other, sharing all the good moments and the gripes along the way.

LBB> Sam, tell us a bit about what Hurry Sundown does – and where does the name come from?

Sam> Hurry Sundown is a creative talent management agency, representing directors and editors. We look after directors specifically for music videos, which has always been my speciality, having had the privilege to nurture the careers of so many incredible directors and production companies over the last 17 years through my last role as head of music video at OB.

So when it felt like the right moment to set up something new, I had a list of 20 names, 19 were awful and it just felt the most ‘me’. It’s a Little Richard tune that’s been on continuous rotation for me over the last few years. Worth a blast.

LBB> What does the partnership between Hurry Sundown and Shift Post entail?

Saam> Sam has a super power for connecting people, so having him as a conduit between production and edit is really incredible. As editors, we depend on our showreels to bring in work, but actually getting our reels in front of people is another matter. That’s where Sam comes in!

Sam> I’ve been so inspired by what Saam has created over the last two years, the identity of Shift’s brand. It’s a massive testament to him and the culture he’s created. It’s been a joy getting to know the whole Shift team and it really did give me the confidence to launch my own talent management agency.

LBB> Why was now the right time to join forces?

Sam> Connecting good people together to make inspiring work has always been one of the most fun and fulfilling parts of being an agent. I could see that Shift were at that perfect point in their development, where my experience, knowledge of the industry and established relationships could really help them grow further and that got us both really excited.

They make incredibly funny work which I love, but have developed into WAY more than that. With top tier editors like Paul O’Reilly joining the ranks, there’s so much depth to their output now, covering a variety of different styles and emotional storytelling.

Having been best friends with Saam, knowing his character through and through, I instinctively knew how our visions and approaches to business would complement each other.

LBB> Sam, what was the thinking behind representing both directors and editors? What does Hurry Sundown get out of the partnership?

Sam> Having built a career developing directors through music videos and then into commercials, the love for that has never gone away.

The core of the agency is still built on director representation for the awesome talent at Le Pac and Rogue Films, as well as a curated collection of independent directors. But I really wanted to expand that into a new area and work with other types of talent within the industry.

I know how integral it is for talent to feel like there’s someone listening, strategising with them to help progress their careers. I knew that would be just as important for an editor as a director, and on a personal level, it would create a new challenge for me as well.

LBB> And Saam, how does the partnership benefit Shift Post and its editors?

Saam> By and large, editors aren’t renowned for their networking prowess! So it’s fantastic to have Sam out there flying our flag for us and spreading the word about what we do. He’s so good at matching like minded talent. He’s also been finding up-and-coming directors for our assistants to work with, which is incredibly exciting. Building those relationships is just as important to me as looking after our established editors.

LBB> Finally, what’s the biggest lesson the two of you have learnt from one another?

Saam> That nurturing talent and seeing them achieve their potential is what it’s all about.
Sam> Being generous with your time, inspiring and bringing out the best in people around you. And enjoying it along the way!