The Famous Q&A with ~ Franki Goodwin

Franki Goodwin is an award-winning creative and filmmaker and Chief Creative Officer of Saatchi & Saatchi.

Her work has earned Cannes Lions, British Arrows, and D&AD awards. A champion of emerging talent, she curates Saatchi & Saatchi’s New Creators’ Showcase and regularly judges global awards.

Franki is also Executive Producer at Western Edge Pictures, the award-winning production company she co-founded in 2010.

What’s exciting you most in your work at the moment Franki?
We’re finishing up an epic campaign for The British Heart Foundation with multiple filmic and real world elements, featuring 65 survivors of heart disease. It’s been extremely emotional but the outcome is wonderful.

How do you see the future of the industry in the world of A.I?
Less time on moronic tasks, better use of our brains. I also think indie, hand-made things will make a very big comeback for a while at least. When everything looks like Marvel, give me Sean Baker.

The best bit of advice you were ever given
Can I do three?
Don’t work with poisonous people – Milton Glazer
The only things that hold you back are fear and laziness – Steve Rigley (My brilliant Glasgow School of Art tutor).
Rules Control the Fun. (Monica Gellar, Friends)

A brand you would love to add to your portfolio.
I’d really like a broadcaster or a SVOD platform. I’d love to sell movies and TV in a data driven era.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
After realising at 11, I was too old to be a gymnast. I was focused on something creative. I landed on Graphic designer when I was 15, having no clue what that was. Thankfully I was able to build a brilliant and multi-faceted career from that utterly ill informed decision.

When you hit a creative rut what do you do?
Go to bed or get on a mode of transport. I do a lot of good thinking when on tubes, trains and planes.

Share something surprising that people don’t know about you
I learned Greek for 5 years in my 20’s but now only remember it when I am drunk. Our brains are weird.

A favourite campaign, you didn’t work on?
There’s so many but from recent years I think ‘Play it Safe’ from The Sydney Opera House was so inspiring as a rallying cry for creative thinking. I also love the Telstra work from last year.

Your last supper. What’s on the menu?
Baked Oysters, Champagne. Gildas. Fillet Steak.

A favourite campaign you worked on and a bit about it
I love the job and you’re only as good as your last thing but there was a few years on DT where we hit a groove.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Baked Oysters, Champagne. Gildas. Fillet Steak and Strictly.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
Pitching. I love it but it’s so so fucked.

Your biggest fuck up?
Come back to me in 10 years and I’ll tell you everything.

Most challenging brief you ever worked on
John Lewis Christmas never gets any less scary.

Your go-to karaoke song?
9-5… but you’d literally have to have a gun to my head.

Share a horror story from a pitch.
A very famous F1 team boss walked into our meeting mid-flow from behind a door we didn’t even know was there and said “how long are you going to be?”.

Your favourite/most overused mantra, motto or saying?
It doesn’t matter how good the rehearsal is… the only thing people see is the show.

Share an item from your bucket list?
Going back to Japan

A person who inspires you is…
Tor Myhren. I was on his film jury in Cannes a couple of years ago and it was a masterclass in leadership.

One piece of advice for people considering a career in this industry
Find your people and build from there.

All-time favourite movie?
I’m doing three again… Jaws is a masterpiece, Fargo is almost perfect, Swingers is iconic.

What’s the weirdest brief you’ve ever been given?
Come up with a campaign for a mock, rock doc about conjoined twins.

What’s a habit you’re trying to break?
Buying Vogues on holiday.. and in Cannes.. and on business trips. Buying Vogues Goddamnit.

The best decision you ever made.
Moving to Paris and making my future husband come get me.

…and the worst
Not buying a flat in the 90s. I was 18 but still… I should have found a way.

What’s your creative spirit animal?
Not that fussed about animals, but I do like to admire a fine, strong horse from a distance.

Who was the biggest influence on your early career?
I recently met up with Abi Meats of Rude London who I worked with very briefly in the 2000’s. An illustrator, graphic designer, fashion designer, filmmaker, now educator and author and I realised how her fearless approach to tackling any media really influenced me at a very impressionable age and I’ve been fiercely media agnostic ever since. Maybe not the biggest, but it was a recent realisation of her influence. Oh and you should buy her book.. It’s ace.

One piece of industry jargon you’d happily banish?
Three again… Marketing ‘science’, Learnings and roundel

One brand/marketing book that everyone should read?
Alchemy by Rory Sutherland.

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing instead?
Making films with my husband.

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The Famous Q&A