Deadline approaching for the D&AD Next awards

Date
10 February 2016

The Next awards celebrate the best emerging talent from the fields of film direction and photography. The awards, organised by D&AD and supported by Getty Images, bridge the gap between the much-coveted professional awards and the New Blood programme, offering prizes that include mentoring, international exposure and a special D&AD Pencil. The deadline for entries is 17 February, so time is running out to submit work for the awards, now in its second year.

The next Director awards is open to aspiring directors of any age with less than two years of industry experience. Whether it’s short films, commercials, branded content or music videos, the judges, who this year include Kim Gehrig and Dougal Wilson, will be looking to identify the next generation of talented directors around the world. See the entry criteria here

In the Photographer category, entries are open to individuals who have had less than the majority (50%) of their income coming from their own photography in the last three years. The prizes include mentoring from high profile photographers, agents and art buyers, a $5,000 photography grant, a one week show in London, international exposure through D&AD and Getty Images’ print, online and social channels. Find out more about this award here.

Returning for the second year as foreman for the Photographer jury is London-based James Day. “It’s a very good opportunity to get your work in front of commissioners: the best art directors, ad agencies, art buyers and other influential people,” he says. “Also, it’s good to be judged against your peers. If you want to function in the commercial world it’s important to expose yourself like this – D&AD is the benchmark of creativity in this area and winning your first pencil is the best feeling.”

So, what is he looking for in a submission? “I just want to find something that excites me, something interesting that I haven’t seen before. Whether it’s technically or the thought processes behind it, I’m looking for forward-thinking work,” says James. ”I would put in work that you like yourself, rather than work that you think the judges will like. I think what I’m looking for is who you are as a photographer and what you do.”

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F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi: D&AD posters

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Owen Pritchard

Owen joined It’s Nice That as Editor in November of 2015 leading and overseeing all editorial content across online, print and the events programme, before leaving in early 2018.

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