A healthy relationship

Luscious International director Richard Gibson and producer Andrew Morris:

How did you get into the production industry?

Andrew: During my final interview at a large agency production department, I was asked how I would go about finding a dog with a white spot over its eye for a television shoot that was urgently required, I answered: “I would get any old dog and paint it.” I got the job.

Richard: A company that wanted me to create children’s television employed me straight out of film school. The market changed so I ended up editing documentaries. I also edited a few commercials and things progressed from there. It certainly wasn’t intentional.

Was it difficult getting your first break?

Andrew: Not really, unchecked enthusiasm and a bit of luck, suddenly I had a career that even my parents didn’t understand.

Richard: No. I was going out with the agency producer and she was sick of me sponging off her. The commercial was for a radio station.

How did you start working together?

Andrew: I was working for a successful production company that had started to change its future plans, so it was time to leave. I was then introduced to Richard and the following week we set up on my kitchen table and Luscious was born.

Richard: I was about to leave the industry. I was in a big production company and felt extremely disillusioned by the experience. An editor asked why I didn’t start my own company and I replied that I couldn’t find the right business partner. He suggested Andrew, who I didn’t know.

Do you ever fight?

Andrew: I wouldn’t say fight, but we constantly take opposing sides even if we fundamentally agree with each other, it’s a way we can fully establish the right course of action.

Richard: Never. Except when Andrew disagrees with me. I actually hate arguing and Andrew is even more sensitive than I am. Consequently I try to control my outbursts as I can see how personally he takes them.

How do you approach the task of collaborating jointly?

Andrew: Richard is experienced enough to not be threatened by other people’s opinions, so he is easy to collaborate with. We are also trying to develop a more co-operative based approach to work through the company as a whole. Several of the directors can shoot, edit or design so with the current budget challenges, it seems a natural progression for us all to collaborate on projects to create more for less.

Richard: I can be my own worst enemy as I can over think things. I see things from a very logical perspective so I need someone to encourage me to let go and explore the more esoteric possibilities. Andrew is good at doing that.

What are your respective strengths/weaknesses?

Andrew: I constantly let Richard talk me into spending money on short films, video clips and scam ads. He preys on my weakness for making things that inspire me. He knows that I can’t say no to a good idea and hence we both have large mortgages and the kids have hand-me downs.

Richard: I have a strong defence when it comes to hiding my weaknesses.

What frustrates you about working in advertising?

Andrew: The current trend towards an “us and them” mentality between agencies and production companies. It is totally counter productive. Contrary to the view of some, basing a production company out of home and having no resources is not the way of the future. Contrary to popular belief, production companies are not gouging budgets.

Richard: For an industry that creates communication designed to cleverly manipulate, we often seem strangely unaware of how ridiculous self-adulation and mutual praise bullshit looks to those around us.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Richard: I always feel inspired. However, as an insurance policy, over the last year we have been developing an offshoot of Luscious, called Viscious. It’s designed to develop new directors and for people within the company to collaborate on progressive, financially challenged and self initiated projects. As a friend said to me recently: “You can’t pretend to be young, but hanging around younger people seems to help a bit.”

Andrew: The energy and enthusiasm around the office since we started developing a new wave of directors and Viscious is infectious.

How do you stay sane?

Andrew: I play Sunday Football (Richard insists on calling it soccer) and further to that I try not to spend too much time listening to one of Richard’s raves about whatever it is that he is currently obsessed with.

Richard: I fantasize about running up and down my street wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh screaming “Bismillah, Allah Akbar!” loudly, just to see what happens. I also visit a man in a clinic adjacent to The Prince Of Wales hospital. I also forget about competing with anyone other than myself.