#2: Staying Relevant

Director, Bugsy Steel

In this conversation, we discuss the advantages of being an independent director, the importance of structure and the constant battle of staying relevant.

Bugsy Steel is a commercials director best known for his strong cinematic style and in camera visual effects. He has directed television commercials, editorials and branded content for some of the most respected advertising agencies and brands around the world, working with clients such as Range Rover, Macallan Whisky, Bentley, Porsche, Chanel, Lexus, and many more. Not only this, Bugsy also is co founder and creative director of TWICE, a brand studio company based in the UK.

Get your note pad and pen out for this one. Here’s some key sound bites from the chat.

“Being freelance in any creative industry…not having stability, you’ve got to put structure in your life…stuff that we weren’t taught, nobody teaches us. You’ve got to set that shit up, otherwise you’re just floating in a sea of nothing.”

“As we said about mental health of being a director, It’s not always about the cash, it’s about being wanted and having validation. If you have a load of money, but your days and your weeks have nothing to do, how long can you last like that? It can drive you mad. I want to direct until I die.”

“I’m not sure how old I was at the time but…I was about six grand in dept. I had a mortgage to pay. I’ve got two kids. I was miserable. I’d done twenty eight pitches last year, I won one pitch. I made about ten grand. I was just totally like…what the fuck”