David Wilson

London-based director, David Wilson has created promos for the likes of Little Boots and We Have Band, and recently won Best New Director at the UK Music Video Awards. His recent work strives to achieve the impossible using clever in-camera tricks, from animating face paint live on people’s skin, to freezing water droplets in mid-motion.

What have you got planned this week?

I’ve got a whole list of tasks to get through in preparation for a music promo shoot on Wednesday. It’s a bit of a monster, and I’ve been picking at in on-and-off since January (which is unheard of in music promos – so I feel very fortunate to have had all this time). It’s my first with actors, so I’m very excited.

What do your parents think you do?

Despite having no connections with the industry I think they’ve managed to get quite a good grasp of what a director does. I took them on a shoot for a commercial I was directing the other week. It was a mammoth stop-frame shoot, so they got to see all our models and a big model city that we’d built. I think that put some kind of reality on my work life for them. I have a wonderful relationship with both of the them.

Who do you look like?

My Dad. I’m the spitting image. It has its plus and minus sides, but at least I have quite a good idea of what I’ll look like when I’m in my 50s.

What’s your favourite sense?

Hearing. I’d feel very isolated without the ability to communicate verbally or listen to music.

Tell us something people don’t know about you…

I’ve got Grade 6 Marimba

Did your education count?

Absolutely. I’m not sure if my grades really counted for anything, but the people, experiences and work ethic I gained over my college years have had a massive influence on me and my work.

What word can’t you spell?

Any word that I have to say out loud. I’m reasonably good at spelling but ask me to spell something verbally and I’m completely lost. My brain just isn’t wired that way.

Tell us a good fact

I’ve heard that a beaver’s tail tastes just like roast beef.

What’s Next?

Lots more music promos and personal artwork. I’ve been scripting in a very different way for the past few months, and I’m yet to cement this new side of my film work into a final piece, so I’m excited about that. I’m also keen to pursue my artwork, and am currently working on a series of animations that I’m planning to exhibit as wall projections later in the year.

What’s your ‘Plan B’?

Do you want fries with that?