The Work That Made Me: Adam Gunser
Adam Gunser loves a good story. Even better if it’s funny. And takes place in outer-space. Just kidding. His skills lie at the intersection of narrative and comedy, and he brings cinematic stories to life with a playful wink while he’s at it. He has a knack for making high-concept stories feel grounded and human, bringing together blockbuster cinematography, artfully rendered effects, and relatable characters in one entertaining package.
LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
Adam> One of the many strange things about me is, I have absolutely no short term memory. I would struggle to tell you what I had for breakfast today. But my long term memory is really good. I’m constantly humming obscure jingles from the 90’s or quoting cartoons I watched as a 5 year old. When I’m driving, I never speed because the phrase “it was the same day David” echoes around my stupid head.
But the ad that I always think about (that isn’t a total downer) is the iconic Crunchie Bar ad. It blew my mind. The epic scale, earworm music, dubious continuity. It was perfect. But the reason it really sticks with me is that my mum told me she dated one of the guys on the stagecoach - which was the first time I realised that there was such a thing as actors and filmmakers. Before that, in my mind, everything was a documentary.
LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Adam> It was 2004 in the Otago Uni Central Library. I was avoiding studying for an Art History exam by watching films and stumbled across The Directors Label DVD’s. Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry. I had never seen anything like it. Until then I hadn’t experienced creativity in a way that resonated with me. I watched each DVD from start to finish over and over again until the library closed, then came back the next morning and did it again. I missed my art history exam. Those DVD’s ruined my life.
LBB> The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…
Adam> I don’t know exactly what it is about them, but for some reason I keep coming back to early Spielberg films. E.T., The Goonies, Indiana Jones. Much like a boomer, I too, yearn for simpler times.
LBB> My first professional project…
Adam> The first professional project I ever made was for Ford. It was right about the time that fake viral videos were just starting to pop up. JWT Auckland sent an idea to a director that I was writing treatments for and he threw it in the trash. Like a dumpster diver, I lept in and fished it out.
I can’t remember how exactly, but I convinced them to let me do it instead. I made it with my flatmates and a hired camcorder which in hindsight was crazy but it worked. Fast forward to Cannes wins, getting hounded by news stations and featured appearances on the Ellen show. It goes to show that one man's trash is another man's career defining moment.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Adam> Kendall Jenner handing out cans of Pepsi to cops is probably the obvious one for me. I wouldn’t say I was angry but I clearly saw that sometimes clients get so caught up in box ticking that they lose sight of how inauthentic and tone deaf that can become. Some of my favourite work has a strong social conscience but that never involves tokenism or exploitation of trauma to sell products.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…
Adam> I’m jealous of every piece of work that I don’t make. Especially ones from brave clients that push the boundaries. I’m lucky to be friends with some amazingly talented directors both inside Goodoil and out. I love seeing them make great work but every time I do I want to punch them in the face until they cry. I won’t name names in fear that it could lead to more exposure for them and therefore more work and more jealousy. It’s a self perpetuating cycle of self loathing.
LBB> The creative project that changed my career…
Adam> There have been a few to be honest, but one that stands out is the work I did for Bank Of Melbourne with Saatchi’s. I had never done any VFX heavy work before, and that gave me the opportunity to work with some great collaborators, like Alt VFX. It was one of those jobs where all of a sudden I was being considered for a whole new genre of commercial, and led to other opportunities that have meant a lot to my career.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…
Adam> It's hard to choose your favourite kid even though we all have one. Mine would be the Paralympics spot I did with Toyota. We had a client that genuinely wanted to improve the lives of disabled athletes and a creative team that were incredibly collaborative. The budget was tiny and the shoot was fraught with challenges, such as losing a location the day before shooting. But despite that, we got to make something cool with the Paralympic athletes and had a heap of fun doing it.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Adam> I played the role of the frog in ‘Froggie Went a Courting’ - a musical that toured Christchurch working mens clubs in the 90’s. There will be a home video somewhere that will surface when I want it to the least. When it does I will retire from the industry and live a desolate life as a lighthouse keeper.
LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Adam> I’ve recently started an art project where I dress up like a bear and visit Chinese zoos. It's going well.
