Uprising: Tim Groetzinger on Merging Advertising Mastery with Film
"From the moment I experienced film as a creative medium, I was immediately drawn to it,” says Tim Groetzinger, who’s just recently signed to Stink’s Rising roster. Previously an art director and head of art direction at antoni, he’s ready to channel his expertise into a fresh challenge: directing, to bring his creative vision to life with greater control. At antoni, Tim earned his creative reputation while working on the Mercedes-Benz account, redefining the brand’s aesthetic and transforming it into an icon of modern luxury. Now, as he steps into his new directorial era with Stink, he plans to bring that same meticulous approach, a sense of curiosity and a passion for creativity to film.
"The more control I have over different elements of the production process, the happier I feel,” he says. “I’m deeply interested in art direction and photography, but with film, there are so many aspects to consider and each department opens up a world of possibilities.”
Mercedes-Benz G-Class: The Amber Cube.
From Art Director to Director: A Fresh Take on Storytelling
Like many directors, Tim’s journey to directing wasn’t straightforward. Coming from a middle-class family in Stuttgart, Germany, he initially took a traditional route, working as an industrial clerk in a stainless steel wire company. But a spark ignited during an internship at a small graphic design design studio, Schwarz Gruppe Design.
He hadn’t realised that a creative career was a viable career option, coming from a non-creative family, but exploring graphic design provided him with the opportunity to gain the foundations for advertising. Not only did he unearth his passion for design, but his first projects – which involved working on brochures for Mercedes-Benz – caught the attention of antoni, the agency where he would spend the next seven years. The brochure had been featured in a local design awards, and the team hired him on the spot to shape Mercedes-Benz’s brand image. This position would ultimately take him to Berlin – a decision Tim calls “one of the best choices of my life.”
At antoni, he witnessed the immense scope of collaboration needed to bring campaigns to life and thrived in the brand’s high-stakes environment. "I moved to Berlin within two weeks of joining antoni, and that’s when it hit me that this was like the Champions League of advertising. I had only worked in a small graphic design studio before, but now I was part of a team handling big campaigns, collaborating with high-profile clients like Nicki Minaj, and creating massive projects like the [award-winning] G-Class 'Amber Cube' installation. It was a bit overwhelming, but I felt incredibly humbled to be part of such an impressive operation."
A test for the G-Class Amber Cube from 2017.
Building a Director’s Toolkit: Craftsmanship, Collaboration, and Vision
For Tim, his transition to directing wasn’t a sudden leap but rather a natural progression from his years of work for Mercedes. His journey reflects his hands-on and craft-first approach, also acknowledging the developed trust relationship between client and agency. “At antoni, we built a great connection with the client, which allowed us to explore incredible creative avenues that weren’t there before,” he says. “We created a fashion collection using waste materials from the Mercedes production line, sent the G-Wagon into space and even put vampires in G-Class models. Our ideas became so compelling that nobody could say no to them.”
Immortal Love x G-Class
Known for his focus on creating a shared vision among team members, Tim aims to build a collective language within his projects and across departments. He sees his newfound role as director as a duty to be fulfilled – "Fundamentally, it’s about leading people toward a shared vision,” he says. “In any field, you find directors – whether at a zoo, an orchestra, or in film – who create common ground for everyone involved.” He approaches each project with a sense of responsibility and strives to provide strong creative direction, so that each team can contribute to a cohesive, well-structured vision.
A spare wheel cover of the G-Class.
An Unconventional Approach to Inspiration and Archiving
Tim’s creative process is intensely personal and relies heavily on his meticulously-organised archive of references. He describes his approach as almost “manic,” where the act of simply looking at inspiration fuels his creativity. "For me, ‘finding inspiration’ isn’t an abstract term at all – it’s more straightforward. I sit down, pull out a book that catches my attention, open it, and follow wherever it leads. If nothing really grabs me, then I turn to digital streams or apps that feed me references." This dedication to cataloguing references has become a fundamental part of his work, offering him a ready bank of ideas to pull from.
He credits his repository of references – which he is constantly building – as a way of exploring various styles and concepts. Tim thinks of his process of archiving images as more of a hobby: “My archive provides a shortcut for any kind of work I approach, because I've invested, say, 2,000 hours or more in creating it. With everything stored there, I can quickly find inspiration – it's an amazing starting point. I find that the metaphor of an infinite field with holes to dig down is timeless and effective. But rather than have to start digging for each new project, I can just go down with a ladder; and it’s all already there. Then I can decide to dig even deeper.”
Each project for Tim begins with a blank page and a series of mind maps, so that related words can flow onto the paper. He circles references that connect to the project’s tone or specific scenes, then searches his archive using these keywords as a starting point. “This process helps me find potential angles and beautiful metaphors,” he explains. “I always circle the words that resonate, and from these, I draw out references that capture emotions and adjectives through visual cues.”
In today’s landscape, where technology like AI increasingly shapes creative processes, Tim sees both opportunity and risk. He acknowledges that while AI can accelerate workflows, there’s an essential craftsmanship to creating something enduring. “The problem with new tools is that the less craft goes into creating something, the fewer questions are asked during the process. Now, as technology becomes more accessible, there’s less thought going into each piece, which makes the content feel more superficial.” For Tim, prioritising a sense of self-expression and curiosity throughout the creative journey is essential.
Looking Forward: A Shift Toward Film and Self-Directed Projects
As he embarks on this new chapter with Stink, Tim is eager to take on both commercial and passion projects that reflect his artistic and design-driven sensibility.
Tim’s journey so far is marked by a deep respect for craft, collaboration, and a drive to push creative boundaries. It’s now taking shape in a new, more cinematic direction. “It doesn’t really matter what the outcome of directing is, as long as I’m active and engaged, everything will naturally lead me somewhere,” he says. Fusing advertising with artistic prowess, Tim is set to make his mark on the film industry, one project at a time.
Tim's Visual References:
- A Track: 'Symphony No. 3 - Movement 1. Lento - sostenuto tranquillo ma cantabile. Op. 36' by Henry Górecki
- A Subculture: Tafheet
- A Contemporary Art piece: 'Cremaster 3' by Matthew Barney
- A Painting: 'Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening' by Salvador Dali
- A Book: 'The Cremaster Cycle' by Matthew Barney
- An idea: 'The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind' from Sigmund Freud
- A Sculpture: 'Remussolini' by Stanislav SzukalskA opening scene: 'Belly' by Hype William
- A Photograph: 'The Dark Knight returns' by Sean Ellis for Alexander McQueen
