Papaya Young Directors is a unique competition and educational programme that finds the most talented creatives of the young generation and connects them with brands that want to do something fresh. Each year young creatives take briefs from some of the biggest global brands to bring their ideas to the screens, on their own terms.
Organised by Papaya Films, a production company based in Warsaw Poland, with offices in London, Lisbon and New York, Papaya Young Directors has been introducing talented directors to the industry for 7 years. Papaya says, “they receive a budget from us, contacts and professional assistance, as well as a promise that we will not lecture them on the "right way" to create.” Brands receive a film which is both authentic and unique, whilst the young directors “step boldly into a closed industry.”
The 7th edition just wrapped this September. Contestants submitted scripts for brands and music artists of their choice earlier this year, including: Decathlon, Durex, DPD and Facebook, who have been supporting this edition within three categories: Branded Stories (commercials up to 2 min), Music Stories (music videos) and Instagram Stories (vertical commercials and music videos). The most promising scripts have been chosen by the jury, including a group of filmmakers and creatives amongst others with directors Samuel Bennets and Nicolas Caicoya, creatives: Dave Mygind (Havas London), James Hobbs and Jeremy Little (McCann London).
Finalists were announced in March, just before the global lockdown. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, young filmmakers managed to shoot 22 commercials and music videos during 50 shooting days, in four countries: UK, Poland, Czech Republic and Ukraine. Young talents showcased their work during the finale which was created in a hybrid-formula of an actual event and an online show available for anyone, anywhere.
Papaya spoke to Diogo Abrantes, creative at Havas London and director of the PYD entry “Insurance Priorities” for PZU submitted under the Branded Stories category, “being an agency creative and a director on set are two completely different jobs”, he says. “In my opinion, the input from creatives on a film must be done on pre-production. Onset, our role changes slightly. We’re there to supervise and, of course, comment on what we see. But for me, the creative’s main job on set is to protect the director from external opinions. And these opinions can come from clients or other agency members. On this specific shoot, it was great not having external opinions affecting the rhythm of the shoot. It helped me to commit my role and vision.” read the full interview here.
You can view all submissions via Papaya Young Director’s Vimeo page, including the Final Gala, here.
Papaya Young Directors are now looking for their next round of sponsors for 2021.