Pro Hello: Dean Friske
Specialising in comedy and performance, Dean Friske a commercial filmmaker based in Sydney who helps brands grow through amusing, memorable films and commercials. With the experience to handle the entire process -- from writing and directing to editing and getting it on screens of all sizes -- he offers the certainty that your campaign will be done well and done right, from start to finish.
Dean grew up in Far North Queensland and in a past life swam for the state, even competing at the Olympic, Commonwealth and World Championship trials. Having toured solo through places like Morocco, Syria, India and Nepal, Dean loves getting off the beaten track, too. He believes that sense of discovery, of yourself and others, helps you appreciate people and all their quirks all the more.
Today, Dean tells us more about his journey so far.
LBB> What do you do, and where are you based?
Dean> Amongst other things (serial procrastinator, podcast junkie), I’m a comedy director out of Sydney, Australia.
LBB> What recent campaigns might we know you from, and what was your input on these campaigns?
Dean> Directing Vicks' 'Luge' was a fun one. It had everything I love -- brave clients, physical comedy, integrated visual effects -- and was a joy to work on. But then, I’m lucky enough to work with awesome people, so most things I work on are a joy.
LBB> How did you first get into the industry, and how did you realise what you wanted to do?
Dean> I started out in film as a loader / focus puller. With photography a firm friend, I figured I’d end up as a DP making movies. In one day, though, that all changed. Filling in for a sick focus puller, we were doing quite complex shots, shooting film, off a crane that would dive as we got closer to the talent, on zooms. I hadn’t done the original gear check, and the micro-force zoom control that the operator would usually use, wasn’t working. So, I had to do everything – focus and zoom - off the barrel, old school. The DP was stressed as, using every choice word you can think of to inform me that I was doing a crap job-- "soft focus", "poorly timed zooms", "crap frame", etc. Though dailies proved otherwise, with me actually bang on 85% of the time, I walked off set understanding why people smoke a packet a day. God, it was stressful. And that’s when I knew I wanted to be a commercials director, because no-one shouts at them and there’s definitely no stress, right?
Okay, it’s not the full story, but that experience informs how I approach each job -- with respect for all involved and a sense of joie de vivre, ‘cause life’s too short to be spending 12-hour days with fun-sponges.
LBB> Tell us about your journey so far.
Dean> Like most in our game, my journey’s been signposted by the people along the way who were crazy enough to take a chance on me, and those who continue to do so. Without them, I’d still be studying Medical Anthropology (yes, it’s an actual thing, and no, Dad, just because I studied it, it doesn’t mean I know what that rash is).
LBB> What projects / campaigns that you’ve been involved in have been the most personally satisfying to work on, and why?
Dean> Despite being a start up with no money at the time, working with SafetyCulture (originally iAuditor) was like having a triple shot of coffee and being given the keys to the donut bar. They understood the need to grab people’s attention, so no stone was left unturned to find that one stand-out idea. And as I was writing, directing and producing, with a strong line producer beneath me, I got to see the project all the way through from conception to delivery. What really made it special, though, was the level of trust in the process by all those involved.
Then there’s 'New Life', a campaign for Australian charity Jeans for Genes, which aimed to raise money for the Children’s Medical Research Institute. At the time, people had forgotten what Jeans for Genes stood for. This was to remind them what was really at stake. Be warned, it’s not a comedy. In fact, you’ll need a box of tissues, as the actors were just phenomenal. The best thing though, despite very limited resources, was that it was rewarded with over one million organic views in the first 72 hours. The Telegraph even called it “the film that broke the internet’s heart”.
LBB> What’s been your proudest achievement?
Dean> Stupidly free climbing a 90m cliff, getting stuck 40m up and still surviving? No. Crossing the line first in the 8.5km ocean swim from Magnetic Island to Townsville when I was only 14? Not even close. Being allowed to do what I love, learn loads every day and meet incredibly talented, clever and inspiring people along the way? Close second. Helping to raise two amazeballs boys with an extraordinary wife? Bingo!
LBB> What do people (clients, agencies etc) come to you for specifically?
Dean> While I do a mean foot massage and am generally a pretty good listener, people usually come to me for, a) cheese-free comedic performances, b) realistic, integrated VFX, c) chill sets, or d) all of the above.
LBB> What are your strongest opinions relating to your specific field?
Dean> Don’t get me started....
LBB> What sort of projects really get you excited at the moment?
Dean> Drunk one night, friends of mine were sure they had captured a mathematical equation that could accurately describe what makes something funny. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there. But if I was, I would’ve put my money on physical comedy. Think a more contemporary take on Buster Keaton. It’s the challenge of balancing clever, comedic storytelling through physicality and deadpan dialogue that tickles me pink. So, if you’re looking at a script with stunts for laughs, call me.
LBB> Who are your creative heroes, and why?
Dean> The Coen Brothers’ dry wit and dark humour. Monty Python’s sheer absurdity. Michelle Wolf’s irreverence. Greta Gerwig’s passion and intellect. Siegrfried Hansen’s precise whimsy. Joel Meyerowitz’s humanity and spontaneity. The internet.
LBB> Outside of the day job, what fuels your creativity?
Dean> Kids' birthday parties. You’re meeting parents, often for the first (and last) time, so the opportunity to flex that creative muscle and be whoever you want is incredibly hard to ignore.
Them: “Oh, and what do you do?”
Me: “I’m currently a research scientist at GSK working on a boutique range of chocolate laxatives. But getting specific flavours, like cherry or peppermint, to bind with the diphenylmethane of the bisacodyl, is a real pain in the ass."
Bizarrely, they never know if I’m joking...
