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Ty JOHNSON
Assoc. Creative Director | R/GA
Ty is a New York based creative director, filmmaker & photographer. He is currently an Associate Creative Director at R/GA where he oversees digital campaigns for Nike, Samsung & Mercedes-Benz.
His first feature documentary Austin to Boston screened at BFI London Film Festival & IDFA in Amsterdam and is now showing on Netflix. He co-founded the live music video series Sideshow Alley and has photographed many well known musicians & music festivals.
Johnson’s career spans documentary, music videos, album artwork, digital advertising campaigns, interactive design, live promotion and photography, working for artists and brands including Mumford & Sons, Nike and Samsung.
influences
questionnaire
What was your very first job?
Sometime near the rumbles of the internet working as a designer/rookie for an internet provider in Western Australia.
Please describe, in your own words, what your job is and what work it entails.
Associate Creative Director at R/GA. I work across Nike, Samsung and Mercedes-Benz often overseeing projects with alternating hats in film production and visual design. Independently I run the film production collective Sideshow Alley and also often work as a photographer in the music space.
How did you discover that the creative world was right for you? Was there a time in your life that you credit to this discovery? What was there train of events that brought you to where you are today?
I was pretty lucky to learn the mechanics of the internet from some great people in the late 90’s in Western Australia. It was initially more of a tech role, but I soon realized my passion came from the design of experiences and not just the nuts and bots. I then lived in London for a few years where I got really into the music scene there. That aesthetic really influenced my own style and also introduced me to friends I’d later work more closely with. Then in Melbourne my experience in design began to collide with my passions in photography and film. Throughout this journey the driving force is often the collaborations with friends and people who inspire me.
In your constantly growing and expanding industry, how do you find inspiration to keep your work fresh, innovative and relevant?
Seeing what my friends are up to. The usual mix of music shows, festivals, galleries, documentaries. Moving countries also keeps it interesting. Where possible I try to care about the content I’m making, and not so much the role. Balancing different hats allows me to operate differently each time.
If you had to pick one piece of work or project that you are most proud of, more for the creative work and innovation it required, rather than its recognition or industry “success,” what would it be?
Austin to Boston. Life changing experience. It’s a project I poured all of myself into. That’s very rewarding when you love every minute you’re “working” on it.
