This creative director/director still jumps on the Flame and also edits from time to time. “I love mixing it up and doing different things,” he says.
NAME: Morten Vinther
COMPANY: Moving Picture Company, Los Angeles
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY?
From original ideas all the way through to finished production, we are an eclectic mix of hard-working and passionate artists, technologists and creatives who push the boundaries of what’s possible for our clients. We aim to move the audience through our work.
WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE?
Creative Director and Director
WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?
I guide our clients through challenging shoots and post. I try to keep us honest in terms of making sure that our casting is right and the team is looked after and has the appropriate resources available for the tasks ahead, while ensuring that we go above and beyond on quality and experience. In addition to this, I direct projects, pitch on new business and develop methodology for visual effects.
American Horror Story
WHAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE THE MOST ABOUT WHAT FALLS UNDER THAT TITLE?
I still occasionally jump on Flame and comp a job — right now I’m editing a commercial. I love mixing it up and doing different things.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?
Writing treatments. The moments where everything is crystal clear in your head and great ideas and concepts are rushing onto paper like an unstoppable torrent.
WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
Writing treatments. Staring at a blank page, writing something and realizing how contrived it sounds before angrily deleting everything.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE TIME OF THE DAY?
Early mornings. A good night’s sleep and freshly ground coffee creates a fertile breeding ground for pure clarity, ideas and opportunities.
IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE THIS JOB, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD?
I would be carefully malting barley for my next small batch of artisan whisky somewhere on the Scottish west coast.
Adidas Creators
HOW EARLY ON DID YOU KNOW THIS WOULD BE YOUR PATH?
I remember making a spoof commercial at my school when I was about 13 years old. I became obsessed with operating cameras and editing, and I began to study filmmakers like Scorsese and Kubrick. After a failed career as a shopkeeper, a documentary production company in Copenhagen took mercy on me, and I started as an assistant editor.
CAN YOU NAME SOME RECENT PROJECTS YOU HAVE WORKED ON?
American Horror Story, Apple Unlock, directed by Dougal Wilson, and Adidas Creators, directed by Stacy Wall.
WHAT IS THE PROJECT THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?
If I had to single one out, it would probably be Apple’s Unlock commercial. The spot looks amazing, and the team was incredibly creative on this one. We enjoyed a great collaboration between several of our offices, and it was a lot of fun putting it together.
Apple’s Unlock
NAME THREE PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT.
My phone, laptop and PlayStation.
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS DO YOU FOLLOW?
Some say social media rots your brains. That’s probably why I’m an Instagram addict.
CARE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC TO WORK TO?
Odesza, SBTRKT, Little Dragon, Disclosure and classic reggae.
WHAT DO YOU DO TO DE-STRESS FROM IT ALL?
I recently bought a motorbike, and I spin around LA and Southern California most weekends. Concentrating on how to survive the next turn is a great way for me to clear the mind.
