The Essential List: Chris Cottam
Chris Cottam is a director at Chief, a creative production company.
Chris is a comedy director who oozes style. His TV & Film work has seen him pick up a BAFTA alongside many awards for his commercial work. His cinematic eye, knack for getting great performances and razor-sharp wit certainly make him a man in demand.
He has directed commercials for some of the biggest brands in the world, shot music videos for some of the biggest artists in the world, and has wrapped up two movies in the last two years as well. His work can be seen on Netflix, HBO, BBC and Sky. He works extensively in the UK, Europe and the USA.
Lifestyle
o Place of birth: Germany. I’m not German.
o Hometown: Los Angeles
o Staycation: The Parker, Palm Springs
o Vacation: Generally not. I like avoiding airports.
o Pet: A fish called Diamond.
o Place of work: Wherever the script is set.
o Place of workout: I live by mountains and I like being lost in them, not dangerously, just emotionally. I also like taking photos trying to get the perfect view.
o Side project: Trying to teach my kids 4 year old Jude, and 6 year old Mia the mechanics of stupid jokes.
o Mode of transport: Motorbike. It’s called a Night Rod Special. It’s the only reason I bought it. It has the words Night. Rod. And Special in it.
o Bonus travel essential: multi USB with USB-C travel adapter plug. Yup, that boring but it’s a game changer, if you’re that boring.
Culture
o Artist: David Shrigley.
o Musician: Biff Rose, Poom, John Grant, NRBQ, Nada Surf, Dick Annegarn, Shooby Taylor. Have a listen.
o Commercials / music video director: Michel Gondry
o Film director: Michael Mann, Michael Haneke, Michael Winterbottom. Only just realised this. I’m serious. I despise Michael Winner for example, so there you go.
o Photographer: Slim Aarons & Diego Uchitel. I go through phases. I’ll always love Rankin though.
o Film: Dumb & Dumber for laughs, Come & See for the horrific depiction of war.
o Series: Eastbound & Down. Kenny Powers is one of the most entertaining anti-heroes of the last twenty years.
o Commercial: Adam’s Sausages (1995). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kPEqiG7bTc “You haven’t ‘ad a sausaaaaaage, until you’ve ‘ad an Adams.” Love that ad.
o Music video: Tilda Swinton in The Box by Orbital. Oldie but goodie o Video game: Nintendo Game & Watch Mickey Mouse Egg Tested o
o Board game: Operation. I’m triggered by that buzzer.
o Book: A Confederacy Of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.
o Graphic novel: I still read Oor Wullie. Not sure that counts.
o Podcast: Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell and Pod Save America for US politics. I’m a secret political junkie.
o Newspaper (off or online): The New York Times.
o Magazine: The Atlantic
o Bonus culture essential: When I go to a new city, I walk around it listening to the music that was made there on my amazing headphones (see below).
Food and Drink
o Breakfast: Nope. I’m one of those intermittent fasting bores.
o Restaurant: Crossroads in West Hollywood.
o Cheap bite: marmite on a baguette. Bit specialist.
o Working lunch: salad (yawn)
o Favourite dish: curry in any form (yum)
o Signature dish: Seared eggs on a gossamer sheet of marmite applied to toast blanche with a low perimeter wall of baked beans.
o Snack: crisps. All day. Every day.
o Guilty pleasure: almost anything by Haribo
o Bar: Any dive bar, anywhere in the world. The crappier the bar the better. One of my faves is Barney’s Beanery
o Booze: Expensive red wine. Expensive wine gives you less of a hangover I’ve discovered. It’s expensive though which is a drawback, and you can’t get it in dive bars.
o Not booze: Water
o Bonus food: Popcorn
o Bonus beverage: my wife’s Negronis.
Kit
o Phone: Samsung. Don’t want my entire life ruled by Apple, as much as I like them. World’s worst one man protest.
o Computer: Apple Macbook.
o TV: It’s big and with amazing resolution. No idea what it is without looking and I’m not sat next to it.
o Headphones: Sony WH & WF series. Yup, I called them a series. I always travel with them. The whole series.
o Camera: Leica D-Lux 7. Little point and shoot.
o Soundsystem: Bose & Sonos.
o Pen / pencil: Four-colour BIC on a piece of string so I don’t lose it on set.
o Where you document an idea: Evernote.
o Casual clothing: Like every other arsehole in advertising, film, TV. Literally nothing that makes me stand out in a crowd.
o Smart clothing: Big into Dries Van Noten.
o Footwear: Like a good boot. One for hiking, To Boot New York for being Mr Flashy Pants.
o Watch: The ‘kermit’ Rolex Submariner.
o Collection: Everything I ever owned burnt in a fire.
o App: Scriptation. Amazing. If you work in long form and you haven’t seen it, see it and buy it.
o Website: Shotdeck
o Favourite social media feed: Not a fan, I engage but not happy about it.
o Work program: Shot Designer. Once you get the hang of it.
o Digital work tool: Love an Apple pencil to mark up and use on Shot Designer.
o Analogue work tool: Always go back to my four-colour Bic
o Morning grooming / makeup essential: SPF on fizog and Brazilian Bum Bum cream on the arse and limbs.
o Bonus kit essential: Alex Gordon Director’s viewfinder. I wouldn’t call it essential nowadays, but it’s a beautiful addition to the ‘Director Starter Kit.’
