Adfest 2018 has chosen both its grand jury president and its jury president for the Film Craft and New Director categories. Timo Mitsuaki Otsuki, executive producer at Cutters Studios in Tokyo is the chosen head judge.
Otsuki grew up between Germany and Japan it wasn’t until he was in his early twenties that he became totally lured by the unique culture of Japan and made Tokyo his home.
He cut his production teeth at Ame and Creative Hybrid before joining Japan’s largest production company, Tohokushinsha, as international producer and his fluency in three languages, Japanese, English and German, gave him an edge. He handled any project with an international overview.
“Timo’s global experience and his appreciation of different cultures make him the perfect person to lead our Film Craft and New Director jury. He has helped establish Cutters Studios as a top provider of post-production artistry in Japan, and his passion for filmmaking is infectious,” stated Jimmy Lam, president of Adfest.
Cutters Studios was established in 1980, and has grown into a collection of brands in five cities (Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo) that work together to provide production and post production services.
Otsuki joined Cutters Studios in 2012 and has helped grow the company’s influence across Japan’s creative landscape. He believes that no-nonsense, honest communication is key to effective commercial filmmaking, and sees problems as opportunities.
“I’m honoured that Adfest has invited me to be a jury president in 2018. It’s one of my favourite festivals when it comes to celebrating craftsmanship, and I’m looking forward to making sure the best filmmakers rise to the top. I’m also excited to judge the New Director Lotus category, which is a great place to discover up-and-coming talent,” Otsuki commented.
Joyce King Thomas, chairman and chief creative officer of McCann XBC in New York, has been selected as Grand Jury President. She will also be the jury president for the Branded Content Lotus and Integrated Lotus categories.
Thomas is the mastermind behind Mastercard’s infamous Priceless campaign, which has been spoofed by everyone from Ralph Nader to Bart Simpson and has launched in more than 100 markets around the world. She was also involved in the creation of Fearless Girl for State Street Global Advisors, which has been applauded by the industry throughout the world.
Thomas now leads XBC (ExtraBoldCondensed), a unit of McCann that leads all of MasterCard’s global marketing efforts, from advertising to digital and events.
“I’m excited to be joining Adfest as so much meaningful work is being done in Asia. Last year’s Lotus winners were truly inspiring so I am sure the standard of entries will be very high. I am also looking forward to spending time in Asia – always an enlightening experience,” Thomas stated.
Thomas first joined McCann Erickson New York in 1995. Under her leadership as chief creative officer, the agency has won more than a billion dollars in new business from brands like the U.S. Army, Verizon, Nikon and Weight Watchers. In 2010, she took a two-year hiatus to become a partner at Longreads and joined the board of the Nurse Family Partnership, a group that teaches parenting skills to young mothers living in poverty, returning to McCann in 2012.
Thomas has won numerous awards, judged countless award shows, and spoken at too many industry events to count. In 2012, Advertising Age named her one of the 100 most influential women in advertising.
Adfest 2018 runs from March 21 to 24 2018 at the PEACH Royal Cliff Resort, Pattaya, Thailand with the theme, Transform.
