Common People #0012

Glenn Kitson on creativity. Plus the usual recommendations, links and jobs.

Feb 23, 2024

Hi. How you doing? Welcome to our monthly round-up of Class, culture and creativity put together by the Common People community.

This month we’ve got a Q&A with the outrageously talented Bolton-born filmmaker Glenn Kitson, plus a load of recommendations and opportunities. Get the kettle on and grab a few biscuits.

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In the news

A report found that Britain’s top state schools are more ‘socially selective’ than grammar schools. But there’s a fightback on, and we’re proud to say that leading the charge is our friend and Common People member Curtis, who recently convinced Brighton Council to make a policy change which will see kids on free school meals get priority in admissions. Listen to his excellent Class Divide podcast to hear how and why he did it.

Channel 4 released their Mirror on the Industry report (hi Sam!) which takes a refreshingly progressive approach to Class in advertising. One of the things they discovered was that characters coded as a ‘lower social grade’ in ads were 50% more likely to be from an ethnic minority. Jeremy Clarkson called it “woke”, so they must be onto something.

ELLE spoke to a range of cultural voices, from Hattie Collins and Tori West, to outline the socio-economic barriers that exist in various creative sectors. Their stories will sound frustratingly familiar.

Hopefully this is a sign of ELLE making positive changes to their own workplace culture. Glassdoor reviews from interns between 2019 - 2023 include: “There seemed to be more unpaid interns than paid employees”, “kept there UNPAID until 10PM some nights” and “they assumed that because I’m a POC that I only got the internship through a diversity scheme”. Just a reminder that people do check this stuff :)

We’re celebrating

After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989 – 2024 launches in March. Work includes Rene Matic’s portrait of growing up mixed race in a white Working Class community in Peterborough, to Elaine Constaintine‘s documentation of the Northern Soul scene, and Kavi Pujara’s ode to Leicester’s Hindu community. It’s a touring exhibition that’ll land in Southend, Coventry and Nottingham this year.

Channel 4 comedy Big Boys, now on its second season, is getting plenty of love in our WhatsApp group. This from the writer Jack Rooke: “British Working Class older women are basically invisible, culturally, and even when they are represented they’re tired or covered in sweat because they’re always working. My mum is the biggest grafter I know and would come home stinking of bacon, but she’d never step out the house without looking the f***ing part! There’s an elegance to that”.

The second Modern Cockney Festival kicks off in March (big up Andy). The last one ended up on the front page of the Daily Star with the headline COCKNEY VICTIMS, so we’re looking forward to seeing how this one pans out. Do you have a favourite bit of Cockney rhyming slang? Or one you’ve made up? TELL US. Make us laugh.

‘You Sure?’ of the Month

Speaking of having a laugh, did you see those billboards from infamous “cereal disruptor” Surreal, humble bragging about the founder’s self-made success? Well you’ll never guess what - his dad’s an oil tycoon worth £40 million quid! That’ll get you a few Lucky Charms.

Classifieds

Queertawe, an event connecting the LGBTQI+ communities of Swansea, are looking to commission artists of any discipline (deadline 26th Feb).

Neverland are offering 6 week paid internships for underrepresented talent looking to get into advertising. No experience / further education needed. London-based.

It’s worth sharing this again ICYMI: 17 platforms to find a creative job outside London.
Pinterest are looking for a UK Brand Partnerships Lead.
Got an opportunity you want the community to know about? Send it over commonpeoplelikeus@gmail.com

Big Jacket Energy: Q&A with Glenn Kitson

Glenn Kitson is an outrageously talented director and all-round creative force who’s been behind some of our favourite work (and memes) in recent years. His latest project, for outdoor specialists Berghaus, is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from a fashion brand in a very, very good way.

Made to mark the return of the Mera Peak jacket, the film explores Berghaus’ cultural history in swells and echoes of Techno-psychedelia, standing leagues apart from the industry’s usual narrow range of Working Class narratives. North-West Acid Surrealism, if we had to give it a name, and here’s the man behind it:

Glenn, it’s great to be back in contact, how’s life?

Life is good, thanks mate. Actually, is it? I'm OK currently. I struggled over Christmas. I had a really good 2023 on paper. Signed to Iconoclast, did some really big jobs and The Rig Out ticked over with a few very fun jobs but Christmas and January hit and then I thought I'd never work again. I still need to learn to enjoy the time I have when nothing is going on. I spend most of my life in a state of anxiety and self doubt. But yeh, I've managed to pay the bills and feed my kids so things can't be that bad.

Could you explain how you came to work on the Berghaus project?

They got in touch directly. Asked if I wanted to make a documentary and if I would front it. I told them only if I could do what I wanted and they agreed.

Where did the creative inspiration for the film come from?

The two best bits of advice I've ever had were - make it about the art and not the money cos the money will come anyway. And - find out what you're into and keep making it and eventually people will come to you for that. Both great pieces of advice and also very fucking scary when you're first starting out. I've since fallen out with both advice givers. But that's what I always try to do, spend the budget on making stuff look as good as it can and also using the things that I am into to draw inspiration from, in this case - the north, big jackets, animation, culture and mushrooms.

Tell us a bit about your own journey in the creative industries. How did you get started, when was your first big break?

My first big break was starting a magazine with some friends, prior to that I sold vintage sportswear.

I didn't really know I could do the things I did until I saw other people doing it and thought 'I can do that' (I sound like Yosser Hughes). But during making the magazine I started to pick up styling work on adverts and music videos. So I started calling myself a stylist. Then I noticed I was doing a lot of creative work on some of the projects I was doing. So I started calling myself a creative. Then I got a job at RSA Films (Ridley Scott) in their advertising division. So I started calling myself a creative director cos it sounded better. Some of the other ad producers and ad directors at RSA said you shouldn't give all your ideas away, you should direct. So that's what I did. So I started calling myself a director.

There's a lot of really terrible early directing work of mine out there that I am ashamed of but I needed to do it to find my voice and develop a point of view.

I've recently started calling myself a film director. So watch this space.

What is it about your own background and life experience that informs your creative process?

I'm not sure if this is what Common People want to hear but I am a big believer in inauthenticity. I think being authentic is highly overrated. I love a good bobby bullshitter, they're far more entertaining than people who are constantly striving to be themselves. People like that seem a little try hard to me. When I was a kid I wanted to be anyone else but myself. I wanted to be my best mates cos they were cool.

I'm like a ransom letter made up of everyone and anyone cool or interesting I've ever met. Yeh I've had a mad life that I can draw on and I do but also, I'm a storyteller. So it's my job to make stuff up. What my background does give me is some perspective and empathy, I think. But I don't want to just do working class stories. However Flatcaps in Space is the name of my first feature.

Have you faced many challenges along the way, having a non-traditional background? If so, how did / do you overcome them?

I'm in a very privileged position now but it wasn't always the case, I came into this later than most and wanted a way into doing something creative but had no idea of how to do it. I found that by doing the magazine which was a self-initiated project with a few friends made for free, it gave me a voice and a platform to get noticed. The more work you do for yourself, the more you invest in yourself and your art, the opportunities will materialise. Of course, the work has to be good. Make it the best that you can and make sure people see it.

Is there anyone who's helped you along the way that you’d like to give thanks to but haven’t had the opportunity?

Loads of people helped me along the way. Steve Sanderson (Oi Polloi), Andy Bird (big ad man), Melody Sylvester, Dylan Williams, Daniel Wolfe, Sue Higgs, Gary Aspden. Find people who don't feel threatened and are willing to give advice freely and put up with your mither.

Which emerging brands or creatives are exciting you at the moment?

Tough question this. At the start of last year I made a wee list of creatives I would like to work with - Dave Wigglesworth was one and he got in touch in the summer and I ended up making an ad with him. I would love to work with Uncommon and also Mother are looking ace again.

There's a lot of DOPs and production people I want to work with too - Verity Lane, Harry Wheeler, Louis McCourt, Fouad Gaber. I could go on. I know I've forgotten a few that I'll remember once I read this back.

What one thing do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

Don't stay in your lane and also start a separate account to post memes.

Aaaaand finally, the Common People toolkit is packed full of resources, organisations, reports and useful creative tools. Use it, share it, and if you’ve got anything to add then drop us a message at commonpeoplelikeus@gmail.com.

In fact, you can always drop us a message about anything. Tell us where you found us, what you do, what you want to do. We’re friendly!

And as always, if you like what we’re about and want to spread the word, telling yer m8s is a great way to help grow the community.

Together we can make Common People more common in the creative industries.