The Work That Made Me: Caroline Koning
Caroline brings a multitude of experiences from the world of fashion into the craft of directing. She is a self-taught writer and director with agency experience as a creative who has built a strong commercial portfolio, including high-profile jobs such as Nike, Loewe, i-D, Wrangler, and Roberto Cavalli. Her ability to transform scripts into her own unique style has earned her multiple awards, including a D&AD wood pencil, several ADCN Lamps, and a Clio and Webby, as well as Shots Director of the Year in 2021.
Caroline Koning is represented by Park Pictures in the US.
The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
Caroline> 'This Japanese Technics' commercial starring Jennifer Conelly is so simple, and I have no idea what’s happening, but I remember singing the lyrics as a kid. I must admit that to this day, I’ve never even looked up the meaning of the lyrics. I’ve always loved the randomness of it - especially the pears.
The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Caroline> I was 21 when 'Incendies' came out and in the third year of my fashion study. It made me realise: oh jeez, I want to switch studies and become a filmmaker. This cinematic masterpiece lives rent-free in my head - the drama, the slow build-up, the broken yet strong characters. Every time that moment comes, I still get goosebumps all over. In a completely different atmosphere and tone of voice, the music video that made me excited about music videos was Gwen Stefani’s 'Cool'. I still watch it to this day for great editing!
The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…
Caroline> While pitching or writing, I tend to write a lot. This habit makes me sometimes overcomplicate certain scripts or scenes in my head. I revisit simple yet strong visual concepts to show myself that less is more. Music videos like 'Black Man In A White' Honestly, I don’t think it has ever made me write any less. I’m on team more is more, but it makes you think of simple, striking, cinematic solutions when you have to pull yourself back.
My first professional project…
Caroline> I was directing a commercial for a brand from Amsterdam called Scotch & Soda. I had only done one school project, which went viral. After that, I received so many calls and had my first job shooting in Italy roughly two months later. I was completely out of my depth and filled with anxiety but buzzing with excitement. I went from shooting with four friends to being on set with 60 people. Many. Sleepless. Nights.
The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Caroline> Honestly, anything sexist or racist. I don’t want to throw this toxic stuff back out there by providing links!
The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…
Caroline> There are so many! I often see work pass by from my colleagues, whether friends or strangers, and I can just be proud and think: how did you do that? Or how did you get the client to fall in love with this idea? It’s things like 'Strangers,' which has an amazing concept, 'Seasonly,' which has great casting and a different take on ‘beauty,’ or Corteiz x Nike, which has me wondering how they got to an ad over 2:30mins! But I’m also impressed by cinematically stunning things such as this cinematic ad or this impactful environmental ad with a very strong concept.
The creative project that changed my career…
Caroline> I think it was the Nike 'New Girl' ad that I did with Nike Japan and W+K Tokyo. It made me so excited about telling a narrative with a heavy message in a light hearted way. I’ve never been more exhausted or happier after a shoot.
The work that I’m proudest of…
Caroline> ...is yet to come. I’m working on a feature script, and I’m not saying that this will one: be made or two: be the best thing ever. But the fact that I’m making myself write is something that I’m quite proud of. Even if it never gets made, training your writing muscle is very important.
I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Caroline> I did a few underwear ads when I was starting out. I never went to film school, so I learned my way through doing commercials. I never want to see the ads anymore because, in hindsight, I would have done almost everything differently, starting by not taking on these campaigns. I was such a newbie at the time, and I had to start somewhere.
The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Caroline> ...is something I’m making myself as a passion project. I don’t want to say too much about it, but it’s a stylised documentary portrait about a pioneering woman in the Middle-East. It (ideally) will break the stereotypical characterisation of women in countries we don’t see as ‘first world countries.’ I hope to launch it early next year as the project poses some challenges, but if we can make it happen, it will be really special.
