"I couldn't even sleep and Breakfast": a story from Minsk about working with Apple

The heroine of our material Anastasia Mohan, a graduate of BSU was faced with the choice of profession in 2017. She has worked in creative agencies before she was invited in the advertising production. There, Anastasia learned about such areas as the Director's presentation, she's doing them for 2 years and told us how he came to this profession and the difficulties encountered.

Presentations I started by chance, saw that my colleague sometimes typesets the slides. I asked what she was doing and I thought it was interesting. Having your own style and taste, she nevertheless took me under his wing and taught the basics.

The Director's presentation is a document with which the Director is involved in the tender for the production of commercials. Each advertising production, participating in the tender for the survey, is obliged to offer a certain pool of Directors who, in their opinion, are perfect for the task. To select the most appropriate Director helps the Director's presentation. Directors rarely of their own doing presentations due to time constraints and the necessary skills. Especially for this there are people like me. Such projects are most often ready in 2-4 days depending on complexity. Sometimes they take longer than 5 days.

2 years of work I was able to work with such great pradakshinam as Spark + Riot, Art+Commerce and Anonymous Content and to participate in projects for Apple, Google, Samsung, Mercedes, and Cartier.

*presentation for Cartier

In an industry where 90% are men — a woman at first glance to be hard. I had such moments during training in the men's team, and I always felt the burden to prove that I am not worse and not more stupid than their male counterparts. Unfortunately, in some companies, depending on the age of this hierarchy between the sexes is found.

In the area of design presentations — I was pleasantly surprised that everything is equal — the Directors, designers, copywriters, producers. Everyone has one goal — to make a quality project and win the shooting video. I was able to work with young filmmakers and with "old guard" and they madly are pleasant, always willing to help and give. 99% of the filmmakers I work with are men. As the market my clients are diverse — Belarus, Russia, Stockholm, Berlin, London, new York- I wondered initially how I would react to those or other clients.

*presentation for Mercedes

However, early in my career I had a couple of moments that made me think about that, and if I made a mistake, having gone into the design of Director's presentations. Once there was a case when a Russian Director films don't like my work, he sent me the Emoji with the facepalm and said "if you don't know what I want, so what are you doing the design?", constantly snapped, couldn't explain that he didn't like to work, kept saying I can't do anything. That day he took the project simply because there was no other option, but I remember that day as I was up all night looking at the screen and thinking that I have absolutely no talent.

Due to the fact that the amount of good feedback will always override the number of bad — I don't focus on the negative. It had become few, and the last time he disappeared completely. I think because the sphere is expanding, orders becomes more and designers are not added in. Often there are projects that are impossible to find anyone, because everyone is busy for the week ahead. Think that's why Directors and production designers appreciate, it's all good to each other and in the end achieve a common goal without scandals and quarrels. If one party shows the other the desire to help and to make a presentation in perfect form, and the other side will inspire the best work.

After one and a half years I met a young American Director, we phoned, met and were confident that he understood the style of each other and work style. A few days later I received a request to Apple's project, of course I agreed and thus took on a huge responsibility, because it is Apple. I started work with the image search and animated images for presentations. This task took me two days, I almost did not get up from the table and went to bed, but the Director liked all the options and he praised the selection of visuals. Then came the time more difficult to mark up a presentation that sell Director client.

Initially, I thought I would create a project in 1 day, the Director approves, we will finish the job. It was not so simple — from the Director we've been connected for exactly 24 hours. When working on an animation project, they take much more time and effort. Early this morning I sat down for the program and worked on the presentation until the evening. In new York it was night and the Director was asleep. When the evening work was finished, I was hoping for a restful sleep, and direction of the presentation for the morning. In the end, I learned that the timing of delivery of the presentation moved and she had to go through five hours. In new York there was morning, the Director just woke up and I realized that I sleep in the next life.

These tasks are what makes me move forward and work 7 hours a week and every day. To have such projects in portfolio is a great honor for me. Industry commercials often there are no deadlines — all you need to do as soon as possible and efficiently. This has its pros — work with interesting projects, great clients and different companies in the world.

*presentation for Apple

Due to the lack of time for all the orders I got the idea to build a team that will execute the delegated tasks. now I have team of 5 people and only 1 of them man. Industry Director's presentation has no part in terms of age, sex, location and this is its charm. Among my colleagues there are girls and men, but still, I think the first is slightly smaller.

The field of advertising presentations is as much a developing field, like others, are mostly agencies presentations run by men, I'd like to be among them and to establish a company together with my team. To strive for the best and follow the example of my colleagues is what I always do. I thank this area for what she gave me not only a new perspective on the world of advertising and creativity, but that allowed me to be free and self-confident despite the fact that I'm a girl.