MEET #2392 AMANDA CLELLAND
Art Director • New York City
WNW Member #2392 Amanda Clelland spent six years at Droga5 working as creative director for Puma and Coke Zero before going freelance. She was selected to Forbes Magazine's "30 Under 30" for media, and was named Campaign Magazine's team of the year with Tim Gordon. While traveling Down Under, Amanda shared with WNW what feeds her creativity, and how she likes to spend her free time doing things like, well, traveling.
1. How long have you been freelancing?
I’ve been freelance for about a year now.
2. Is there a time or place that you feel most creative/have the best ideas?
I usually get my best thinking done in my bed. When I’m in that state between awake and asleep. I think it’s because you’re conscious doesn’t get in the way too much, and what’s been on your mind finally has some clarity and time to breathe. I like letting myself sleep in, or giving myself a lot of time to wake up in the morning.
3. What's your ideal Working:Not Working ratio?
4 weeks on. 2 weeks off. I like my time off.
4. Do your parents understand what you do?
It’s taken a long time, but after six years at an agency I think my dad finally got it. But now that I’m freelance, I think I’ve totally thrown him again. He feels like I’m just treading water and constantly on the look for my next gig. It makes him uncomfortable. He sees my lifestyle as pretty chaotic. It’s cool though, he also trusts me and has a lot of confidence in me.
5. What scene from a movie makes you laugh just thinking about it?
“Ma the meatloaf…” (Wedding Crashers)
6. If you were stranded on a desert island, with your computer, what 3 websites would you take with you?
That desert island has internet? I guess so, well maybe this is a luxury desert island for one. Which sounds incredible. The Daily Beast, BuzzFeed, and Facebook.
7. What do you do when Not Working?
Life, yay hooray! I travel a lot. I have a project going on that doesn’t pay the bills, but it’s going to pay off in a lot of other ways when my team and I get it done, so I spend a lot of my “not working” time working on that. I also enjoy yoga and crochet when it’s time to chill out.
8. Do you have a hidden talent?
I just discovered I may be good voiceover talent. I kinda like this. I did my first VO job by accident last year for my own video, and it’s brought in a few other jobs. It’s pretty fun. I like the idea that people like listening to my voice. Funny. Money too.
9. Any tips or advice for fellow freelancers?
It’s important to find a good work/life balance. And everyone’s is going to be different for his or her own personal and financial needs. You have to find what’s best for you. Your fellow freelance friend might be great at booking jobs back-to-back and being organized. And that’s great for them. And you may be more of the free-spirit type and book as you go and take more holiday. It’s all about finding that balance, and it takes work to find what works best for you. But when you get into a nice rhythm that you feel comfortable with, freelancing is really really nice. I love it.
10. What's your favorite thing on the internet this week?
Jennifer Lopez’s new sexism-slapping video, “I Luh Ya Papi”. Freaking hilarious.
AMANDA'S WORK
Puma celebrates the 50th birthday of Diego Maradona, arguably the best football player of all time.
New Museum