Young Gun profiles takes a look at the young talent across the Australian advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector. Aiming to shed light on the varying roles, people and companies across the buzzing industry.
Josh Bendall, associate video producer at Yakkazoo
Time at the company:
18 months
How long have you been in the industry?
Since starting with Yakkazoo.
How did you get here? Was this always the plan?
I was undertaking a 12 week internship at the agency and managed to transition into a full-time position after three weeks, which I was fortunate to receive. This was always the plan as I completed my Bachelor of Media & Communications at Swinburne University in November 2022.
Who is your right-hand person/who guides you day to day?
Alex Lercher is my right-hand man; he works as a senior producer at Yakkazoo. We have collaboratively produced some great work for New Balance and Rust Oleum by leaning on his 8-9 years of experience in the industry. From the initial pre-production stages to the delivery of content, Alex is a great mentor and terrific inspiration the whole way through.
What’s the best thing about the industry you work in?
Meeting like-minded people, as well as creating engaging content that conveys a message and not just a product.
And the biggest challenge?
Finding clients that are willing to take a leap and try something new. It’s always nerve wracking for clients to put all their trust in a production that may or may not yield the results they are after, however we strive to always have our clients’ business objectives instilled in the content we create.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully working as a film producer for a big production house or alternatively working as an executive producer in an integrated advertising agency.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
I actually turn to current media trends. There is so much content out there these days and it’s great to see not only what other people are doing, but how to utilise similar techniques to create new and exciting work.
My favourite advert is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP0DaZBmwQI – Dos Equis commercial
It’s just such a creative way of using vice in a satire form whilst simultaneously creating a sense of heroism for the product and the people that drink it.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m probably more of an introvert than many people think. I really enjoy using the time to myself to get creative and think outside of the box, whether that’s going for a run or taking photos outside. I also still help out at a wine cellar on the weekends, which I guess is a little unusual considering I’m full-time during the week! However, I think if you have a passion for something and are happy, then you should be able to do it for as long as you like.
Whose job have you set your sights on in the future?
Tough question… I’d never want to replace anyone in the agency I currently work for. But if I was to have any job in future, I’d ultimately like to be the executive producer of some big Hollywood blockbuster (more of a dream… but definitely a goal!).
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