BIO
BIOGRAPHY
London based director / filmmaker Johnny Hardstaff tells original stories for fashion labels, brands, recording artists and film and game studios. Hardstaff’s graphic influence has been prevalent in over two decades of mass-media work (20th Century Fox, BBC, MTV, EMI, XBOX etc), winning Golds at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The British Arrows and many others and screened and exhibited around the world, from television to Tate Modern, MOMA, MOCA, ICA, the Barbican, V&A and other significant cultural centres.
A Saint Martins School of Art graduate, Johnny worked briefly in fashion print before starting to animate 8 years of his sketchbooks (deemed to be ‘of little commercial value’) and his mid-90’s Letraset illustrations into what eventually became 'History of Gaming' for Sony PlayStation. A year later Hardstaff made it onto the Cannes New Director Showcase with the corporate provocation 'Future of Gaming' loosely based on an incident within PlayStation’s internal culture at that time, the mixed-media film widely feted by The Face, Creative Review magazine and many others. The two track special promo commission 'Pulk Pull Revolving Doors / Like Spinning Plates' for Radiohead’s ‘Amnesiac’ album followed and creative opportunities flourished as Johnny shifted fully into live-action storytelling, signing to production company Ridley Scott Associates:
“My brother and I weren’t allowed to watch commercial television when we were small children so sneaking late night glimpses of all those amazing early 80’s luxury ads seared that visual language into my mind - Chanel ‘Share the Fantasy’ - Grace Jones for Citroen - L’Egoiste! Such class! The TV was where you got your art then and at their best these sublime daydreams were absolutely verging on it - but with an agenda I was very much aware of and oddly excited by. Add to the mix Sparks, Bowie, early Roxy Music - Pop Art’s commerce culture, Guy Bourdin, Jean-Paul Goude… these were the influences I was exposed to and fell in love with. Later on I thought I’d begun directing by accident. It’d never been an ambition I was aware of. It was only when I found myself at RSA I realised Ridley was the source of all those exquisite Chanel spots and so much more that had blown me away as a child. A journey into filmmaking and advertising started to make more sense to me. It felt like an inevitability.”
Johnny has likened his commercial filmmaking approach then to “swimming against the tide, uphill”. Many ambitious attempts to create new directions and dimensions in brand and music advertising followed, often unsuccessful until Hardstaff wrote and directed 'DarkRoom', a ‘Blade Runner’ referencing part of the unique Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Direction winning Philips 'Parallel Lines’ project. The highest possible accolade in advertising had been won by an experimental and highly unusual project. For Johnny at least, the landscape was starting to change. When Ridley proposed an ad for his new movie’s male lead Johnny wrote and directed 'DAVID' starring Michael Fassbender and two other strands of the hugely successful integrated campaign promoting Ridley Scott's ‘Alien’ franchise feature film ‘Prometheus’ (‘Quiet Eye’ and the long-format alien life searching 'Transmission' featuring Idris Elba). The seemingly pivotal campaign again won big claiming Cannes Lion Gold for Branded Content & Entertainment, a Bronze Cyber Lion and golds at D&AD and the British Arrows. Johnny followed this up conceiving (Cormac McCarthy rewriting) and directing ‘The Counselor’ ‘WTF’ teaser 'Hand' for Ridley, again featuring Michael Fassbender with Natalie Dormer, arguably a more oblique attempt to expand the feature films universe and push film promotion further:
“Things seemed to be changing fast and for the better. New formats and film narratives and corporate messaging were colliding. We were all wonderfully out of our depth and making it up as we went. It felt like ‘what the fuck?’ was fast becoming a genre. I’d find myself in weird meetings with major brand representatives suddenly having to debate their stance on sado-masochism or establishing corporately acceptable ways for characters to be murdered (Philips)! I’d manage to shoehorn the Devil (Smirnoff) into mainstream ad scripts. Cars crashing. People wrestling in the streets (Seawolf). Kidnappings. Assassinations. Guns (Philips). And by taking an uncompromising stand on quality and difference I’d attract advertising’s better scripted ideas: drug traffickers and ‘monsters’ on Diego Garcia (Royal Marines) - gangs and gunshots in Central America for household instant coffee companies (Kenco) bizarrely - and improve them.”
“And as much as they’d drag their feet at times the client was always the beneficiary of us going right out on a limb and point blank refusing to make it bad or worse still, boring! Audiences loved the films we made. Commercially they were hugely successful precisely because they were original and brave. For good or bad, for one brief delicious moment as advertising’s TV monopoly on our attention slipped away it almost looked like capitalism was going to be shrewd enough to bargain with people for that attention by giving them something truly original they might want to watch. We were respecting audience’s intelligence and finally it felt like the mainstreams door was about to open to a whole new playroom of fascinating toys - sex - darkness - evil - danger - depth - death… our own mortality - all the fun stuff advertising had deemed too toxic and complex and, mischievously maybe but I really wanted to see what would happen when it did.”
Over the following decade Hardstaff shot projects back-to-back generating a substantial body of acclaimed commissioned work (Smirnoff, Ferrari, Audi, Honda, Sony, Baileys to name just a few), shot branded entertainment (see Seawolf and his Gucci film featuring dancer Michael Clark in Tokyo), delivered multi-film documentary advertising (Toyota 'Drop by Drop'), created unusual brand film experiments (B&B Italia) and more long format music video (see his 3 track Jimmy Whoo promo 'Motel Music Part.II' starring Theo Cholbi), constantly hopping genres in an attempt to find new challenges and confound expectations:
“Maybe I was looking to rewire a system in some small way, or at least help make it more interesting and I think I’ve come close to doing so at times but I guess I underestimated just how vast and conservative and above all else how seductive the business of seduction really is. I was fascinated by industry’s dresscode and I’d wanted to see inside its clubhouse but I hadn’t planned on becoming a member. I was complicit and conflicted. It was love/hate. Unashamedly love because I do love what I imagine commissioned work could be - some kind of incredible entertainment arts vista with financial muscle, a rapid incubator for totally unique visions, new formats and stand-out short stories that values itself by its originality - not by its uniformity. It’s the mediocrity I dislike.”
“It’s a pretty taboo thing to say these days but I arrived at an uneasy peace with capitalism when the obvious finally struck me: It (capitalism) is the system most representative of human nature. Making the orthodox unorthodox excites me. Making the ephemeral valuable. I like the perversity of that. Sure, maybe all the time I spent trying to find opportunities to make industry be brave and innovate I’d been looking for something that didn’t exist, but maybe that’s what it’s all about - the challenge of trying to make it exist? Making new. Asserting your individuality and freedom by exercising your right to be contrary through your craft and challenging something way bigger than yourself to take chances, to be brave and spectacular. I feel like the struggle is the point. For me at least there has to be something to kick against and reinvent. Because if it were easy, why would you do it?”
At present Johnny is busy working on new short-format film projects. When he’s not he’s mostly shooting CATALOG DREAMS (themed photo-essay specials celebrating the imagination - see EVIL / SLEEP / FANTASY & HOME) or else he’s back drawing (a keen draughtsman, Johnny still likes to carefully design the worlds that he imagines and directs, his detailed sketchbooks featuring in various monographs on the subject). Continuing to tread the line between art and commerce and as fascinated by that uneasy interaction as ever, more and more Johnny finds himself right back where he started, in love with pencils and cameras, telling stories and wherever possible “making little classics - making things that don’t get made.” - WM 2024
Johnny works freelance in all territories (except Germany) via his agents / management >
Commissions Paris - Contact Erinn Lotthé Guillon at Positive.
Commissions London - Contact Fi Gillam at ENID.
Commissions Berlin - Contact Michael Duttenhöfer at TPF.
Postscript: “I’d like to acknowledge and thank the countless friends, mentors and collaborators I’ve worked with over the last 25 years, too many to mention (you know who you are) but in particular the diverse talents that are: Ridley Scott / Andrew Whittle / AL Marden / Adam Crocker / Kai Hsiung / Verity Hawkes / Paul Cooper / Deannie O’Neil / Damon Lindelof / Michael Ellenberg / Cezary Zacharewicz / Steve Cadore / Holly Ross / John Payne / Debbie Garvey / S.J. Wilde / Carl Christopher-Ansari & Guy Pearce / Dilly Gent / Dave Morrison / Colin Smith & Simon Elms / Verity White / Joe Guest / J.D. Smyth / Graham Bird / Martin Ruhe / Chiemi Isozaki / Ella Elliott / Dionne Archibald / Chellie Carroll / Patch Rowland / Kana Yamamoto / Paul McGeoch / Mary Calderwood / Claire Rea / Paolo Giardi / Michael Duttenhöfer / Yu Kuang Chou /Jeremy Caine & Joanna Izowska / Dave Morgan / Matthew Goddard / Paula Carson / Ben Gill / Sam Powell / Manon De Buck / Sandrine Schumacher / Fi Gillam / Erinn Lotthé Guillon / Sam Perry / Phil Cahill / Nigel Townsend / Jonathan Wells / Shane Walter / Matt Cantor & Aston Harvey / David Sundance Thomas for the hardware / Terry the Egg Man for the nudge / Mark Ray - sitting in with you in 88 making new beat and acid house videos at St. George’s Avenue was more influential than I realised, and last but in every sense most of all - Wai-Ling. A belated but massive thank you.” - JH
AWARDS
2020 - STOPS PARTICIPATING IN AWARDS SHOWS
2020 - Bronze - Audi ’Synchronised Swim’ - Best VFX - Creative Circle
2019 - Silver - Audi ’Synchronised Swim’ - Television Commercial of the Year - Shots Awards
2017 - Selected - Campaign A List
2017 - Finalist - Jimmy Whoo 'Motel Music Part. II' - Music Video Best Direction - Ciclope Festival
2017 - Nominated - Jimmy Whoo 'Motel Music Part. II' - Best Cinematography - UKMVA’s
2017 - Winner - Jimmy Whoo 'Motel Music Part. II' - Video of the Day - VOTD.tv
2016 - Bronze - Honda 'Feeling' - Best Original Composition - Clio Awards
2016 - Gold - Honda 'Feeling' - Film Craft - Best Sound Design - Creative Circle
2016 - Gold - Honda 'Feeling' - Film Craft - Best Colourist - Creative Circle
2016 - Gold - Honda 'Feeling' - Best Original Composition - MASA
2015 - Silver - Kenco 'Coffee vs Gangs' - Brand Revitailisation - Euro Effies
2015 - Shortlisted - Honda 'Feeling' - Sound Design - British Arrows Craft Awards
2015 - Silver - Film Technique - Honda 'Feeling' - Clio Awards
2015 - Finalist - APA 50
2015 - Selected - Campaign A List
2015 - Judge - Shots Awards
2015 - D&AD Judge - Next Director Award
2015 - Finalist - Best 30 - 60 Second Commercial - Kenco - British Arrows
2015 - Finalist - Best Food Commercial - Kenco - British Arrows
2014 - Selected - Campaign Annual - Top 10 Directors
2014 - Selected - Campaign A List
2014 - Finalist - Cinematography - Kenco - Ciclope Fesitval
2014 - Finalist - VIsual Effects - Kenco - Ciclope Festival
2014 - Finalist - Visual Effects - Honda - Ciclope Festival
2014 - Shortlist - Best Animation - Shots Awards
2014 - Shortlist - Best Original Music - Kenco - British Arrows Craft Awards
2014 - Nominated - Animated Commercial Award (Baileys) - Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film
2014 - Shortlisted - Production Design (Smirnoff) - Creative Circle
2014 - AOI Judge for Advertising Category
2013 - Gold Lion (Prometheus Integrated Campaign) - Branded Content & Entertainment Lions - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2013 - Bronze Cyber Lion (Prometheus Marketing Campaign) - Cyber Lions - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2013 - Finalist (Smirnoff 'Apple Bite') - Direction - Ciclope International Festival of Craft
2013 - Bronze (Smirnoff 'Apple Bite') - Production Design - Ciclope International Festival of Craft
2013 - Finalist (Smirnoff 'Apple Bite') - Original Music - Ciclope International Festival of Craft
2013 - Nominated (Smirnoff 'Apple Bite') - Best Production Design - British Arrows Craft Award
2013 - Nominated (Smirnoff 'Apple Bite') - Best Original Music - British Arrows Craft Award
2013 - Yellow Pencil ('DAVID') - Direction - Film Craft - D&AD
2013 - Yellow Pencil ('DAVID') - Production Design - Film Craft - D&AD
2013 - Shortlisted (Coca Cola 'Ekocycle') - Animation - Film Craft Lions - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2013 - In Book ('DAVID') - Sound Design - Film Craft - D&AD
2013 - In Book ('Transmission') - Sound Design - Film Craft - D&AD
2013 - Shortlisted ('DAVID') - Best Original Music - AICP
2013 - Gold - Best Web Film - ('DAVID') - British Arrows
2013 - 'Best Actor in a Viral Marketing Wheeze' - ('DAVID') - Alternative Oscars - Sunday Times
2012 - Campaign of the Year - (Prometheus Viral Advertising Campaign) - Screen International Awards
2012 - Gold Pencil - (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Events & Installations - One Show
2012 - Bronze Pencil - (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Outdoor - One Show
2012 - Merit - (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Online Films - One Show
2012 - Merit - (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Experiential Advertising - One Show
2012 - In Book (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Art Direction - D&AD
2012 - Best Original Composition (DarkRoom) - MAS Awards
2012 - In Book (Tropicana / Energie Naturelle) - Creative Review Annual
2011 - Prix - (Energie Naturelle / Tropicana) - Grand Prix de la Communication Exterieure (ex Grand Prix de l'Affichage)
2011 - Bronze Lion - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Direct Lions - Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
2011 - Grand Cristal - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Outdoor - Cristal Festival
2011 - Cristal - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Ambient - Cristal Festival
2011 - Special Mention - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Viral Film - Cristal Festival
2011 - Gold - (Energie Naturelle / Tropicana) - Outdoor - Eurobest
2011 - Silver - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - FMCG - Eurobest
2011 - Bronze - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - POS - Epica
2011 - Bronze - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Online Films - Epica
2011 - Silver - (Energie Nautrelle / Tropicana) - Media Innovation (Traditional Media) - Epica
2011 - Gold (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) - British Arrows / BTAA
2011 - In Book (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) - Production Design - D&AD
2011 - Silver - (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) Best Viral Video - Creative Circle
2011 - Silver - (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) Best Online Advertising - Creative Circle
2010 - Grand Prix - (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) Direction - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2010 - APA Collection (DarkRoom) - APA Awards
2010 - Gold Medal (DarkRoom) - Art Direction - Argentine Ciclope Advertising Craft Festival
2010 - Gold (DarkRoom / Parallel Lines) - Individual Digital - Campaign BIG Awards
2010 - Shortlisted - Best Internet Film - Film Lions - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2010 - Shortlisted - Best Art Direction - Film Craft Lions - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2009 - Merit Award (Asics Tokyo Marathon Theatre) - Times Asia-Pacific Advertising Awards
2008 - Gold Medal (Asics Tokyo Marathon Theatre) - AD Stars - Busan International Advertising Festival
2006 - XHIBIT - Judge - University of the Arts - London
2006 - Nominated - Arena Awards
2004 - Retrospective: Zero One Design Center, Seoul, Korea
2003 - Finalist in the Soho Rushes Film Festival for Music Video
2003 - D&AD Judge for Music Video
2003 - Finalist in the Soho Shorts Film Festival for Music Video
2002 - Nominated Best Art Director at the CAD's awards
2002 - Nominated Best New Director at the CAD's awards
2002 - D&AD Silver Nomination for Music Video (Radiohead)
2002 - D&AD Nomination for Ambient Media (Playstation)
2001 - Finalist (X2) in the Soho Shorts Film Festival for Music Video
2001 - New Directors Showcase - Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival
2001 - Awarded 'Creative Review's' 'Creative Future' for Moving Image
2001 - WAM!NET Animation Award Nominee
2001 - Shortlisted - Boards Awards - NYC
EXHIBITION
2020 - ‘The Performers’ - Michael Clark - The Barbican Art Gallery - London
2019 - 'The Performers' - Gucci Museum ('Gucci Garden') - Florence
2019 - 'The Performers' - Gucci Wooster Cinema Space - New York
2017 - 'Panic Room - PostPanic / Savage Edition' - Prague
2014 - 'Panic Room - Le Book Edition' - PostPanic - Amsterdam
2014 - 'Directors Lounge' - BBDO - Dusseldorf
2014 - 'Internationales Trickfilm Festival / Festival of Animated Film' - Stuttgart
2014 - 'CSM Debate' - Central Saint Martins - London
2014 - SXSW Film Festival - Austin
2013 - '4th International Illustration Symposium' - Oxford University Museum of Natural History - Oxford
2013 - 'Playgrounds Digital Arts Festival' - Eindhoven
2013 - 'Spectacle: The Music Video' - Museum of the Moving Image - New York
2012 - 'Spectacle: The Music Video' - Contemporary Arts Center - Cincinnati
2012 - 'Furore' - Markenfilm - Hamburg
2012 - 'FLIP' - Lighthouse Media Centre - Wolverhampton
2011 - 'Soho Shorts' - The Hospital - London
2010 - 'Space Bends' - London Design Festival - B&B Italia - London
2010 - 'onedotzero' - BFI Southbank (London) - Yota Space Festival (St. Petersburg)
2010 - 'LA Shorts Fest' - Laemmle Sunset 5 Hollywood - Los Angeles
2010 - 'BAF2010' - National Media Museum - Bradford
2010 - 'onedotzero' - EMPAC (New York State) - Pictoplasma (Berlin)
2010 - 'Parallel Lines' Screening - BAFTA (London)
2010 - 'Decode Symposium' - V&A Museum (London)
2009 - 'onedotzero' - BFI Southbank (London) - i-design 09 / University of Westminster (London) - Zurich Film Festival (Zurich) - Playgrounds Festival (Tilburg) - Queens Film Theatre (Belfast)
2007 - 'Pervasive Animation Across Disciplines' - Tate Modern - London
2007 - 'Spectrum' - onedotzero - V&A Museum (London) - Agura (Sapporo)
2006 - 'A New Renaissance' - Tate Modern - London
2006 - 'Public Service Electronic Music Festival' - Copenhagen
2006 - 'Radiohead Program' - Resfest - NFT - London
2006 - 'FDMX' - Norwich International Animation Festival - Playhouse - Norwich
2006 - 'Combine' - C/o Pop Festival - RheinTriadem - Cologne
2006 - Flip Animation Festival - Wolverhampton
2006 - 'Spectrum' - onedotzero - ICA (London) - Cork Film Festival (Cork) - Red Dot Design Museum (Singapore) - Villa Villa (Buenos Aires) - Lovebytes (Sheffield) - Centre for Contemporary Art (Warsaw) - Water Pieces 06 (Riga)
2006 - MuHKA Filmmuseum - Antwerp
2006 - de Singel - Antwerp
2006 - 'Don't Panic' - Aram Gallery - London
2006 - 'STRP' - Strijp-s - Eindhoven
2005 - 'Creativity Now' - Laforet Museum - Tokyo
2005 - 'Adventures in Moving Image' - Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival - Taipei
2005 - 'Jonkoping Film Festival' - Jonkoping
2004 - 'resfest' - NFT - London
2004 - 'onedotzero' (Shanghai) - Today Gallery (Beijing)
2004 - 'Interact1' - 'New Directions in Graphic Design' - LCC - London
2004 - 'Design in Motion' - Hardstaff Retrospective - zero one design center - Seoul
2004 - 'Animadrid' - Madrid
2004 - 'Being in Motion' - 291 Gallery - London
2004 - 'Visuelt' - Vika Kino - Oslo
2004 - New Media Centre - ICA - London
2004 - 'Mirrorball / McClaren' International Edinburgh Film Festival - Edinburgh / Berlin / Basel / Leipzig / London
2004 - 'Bradford Film Festival / Mirrorball' - Bradford
2003 - Warp Films at 'Synaesthesia' - Hoxton Hall - London
2003 - 'Animated UK' - Bergen Internasjonale Film Festival - Bergen
2003 - 'Split Film Festival' - Split
2003 - 'Sound Republic' - Tokyo
2003 - 'onedotzero' - Nemo Festival (Paris) - IF Film Festival (Istanbul) - Watershed (Bristol) - Keeble / Oxford University (Oxford)
2003 - 'Portobello Film Festival' - London
2003 - 'Soho Shorts' - London
2003 - 'CQ Exhibition' - Ex'ream - Harajuku - Tokyo
2003 - 'resfest' - Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) - Egyptian Theatre (Los Angeles) - Grosvenor Auditorium (Washington D.C.) - Tribeca Center (New York City) - CCCB / Art Futura (Barcelona) - Watershed Cinema (Bristol) - Royal Cinema (Toronto) - Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago) - Mega / Cinemark (Rio de Janeiro) - Sesc Villa Mariana (Sao Paulo) - Artscape (Cape Town) - National Film Theatre (London) - Laforet Museum (Tokyo) - IMS Hall (Hakata) - ACMI (Melbourne) - Namba Hatch (Osaka) - Centennial Hall / Yonsei University (Seoul) - Cinema Nouveau (Johannesburg) - Cinema Nouveau (Durban) - IMS Hall (Fukoaka)
2003 - 'Mirrorball' - Edinburgh / London / Adelaide
2002 - 'Soho Shorts' - London
2002 - 'onedotzero' - NTP (Newcastle) - Kraak3 (Hasselt) - CCCB (Barcelona) - International Festival of Architecture & Video (Florence) - ICA (London) - MFF (Hong Kong) - onedotzero (Tokyo) - onedotzero (Sapporo) - onedotzero (Taipei) - design blok (Prague) - MOMA (San Francisco) - Popcorn (Stockholm) - Muffathalle (Munich) - MBD (Cardiff) - NOW (Nottingham) - Tyneside Centre (Newcastle) - onedotzero (Berlin) - onedotzero (Sheffield) - Kaohsiung Film Festival (Taiwan) - onedotzero (Hong Kong) - Nemo Festival (Paris) - IF Film Festival (Istanbul) - Watershed (Bristol)
2002 - 'Mirrorball' - Edinburgh / London
2002 - 'resfest' - Cinerama (Seattle) - Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) - Tishman Auditorium at the New School (New York) - Watershed Media Centre (Bristol) - Egyptian Theater (Los Angeles) - Artspace (Cape Town) - Electric Cinema (London) - Laforet Museum (Tokyo) - Namba Hatch (Osaka) - Centennial Hall / Yonsei University (Seoul)
2001 - 'Datatransfer' - International Festival of Cyberculture - Praha
2001 - 'onedotzero' - ICA - London
2001 - 'resfest' - Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) - Biograph (Chicago) - The Ritzy / The Gate (London) - Tishman Auditorium at the New School (New York) - Egyptian Theater (Los Angeles) - Watershed Media Centre (Bristol) - IMAX (Cape Town) - Centennial Hall / Yonsei University (Seoul) - Laforet Museum (Tokyo) - On Air Osaka / Paradise Cinema (Osaka) - Mega / Cinemark (Rio de Janeiro) - Sesc Villa Mariana (Sao Paulo)
2001 - Giant LCD display - Leicester Square - London
2001 - 'Creative Futures' - Roundhouse - London
2001 - 'Birmingham Film Festival' - Birmingham
2001 - 'Raindance' - Metro Cinema - London
2001 - 'International Film Festival Rotterdam' - Rotterdam
2001 - 'Projector' - Centre for Contemporary Art - Glasgow
2000 - 'Evolution' - Shots - London
1999 - 'Infrared' - Solo print exhibition - Kingly Street - London
PRINT ARTICLES
2019 - Lurzer's Archive - Issue 3
2019 - Lurzer's Archive - Issue 2
2016 - Shots Magazine - Issue 162 - March - Pages 14-15
2015 - Campaign A-List - 4th Dec - Page 93
2015 - Lurzer's Archive - Issue 6
2014 - Campaign - 'The Annual' - 12th Dec - Page 53
2014 - Campaign - 'A List' - 5th Dec - Pages 5 / 73
2014 - Campaign - 14th Nov - Pages 28-29
2014 - Campaign - 5th Sept - Pages 34-35
2014 - Campaign - 22nd Aug - Page 36
2014 - Campaign - 14th Aug - Page 2
2014 - Etapes - March / April - Pages 142-153
2013 - Campaign - 25th Oct - Pages 24-25
2013 - Campaign - 11th Oct - Page 6
2013 - Campaign - 27th Sept - Pages 28-29
2013 - Campaign - 13th Sept - Page 2
2013 - Creative Review - Creative Review D&AD Special - July - Page 29
2013 - Campaign - 25th Jan - Pages 26-27
2013 - Sunday Times - Culture Magazine - Jan 20th - Pages 12-13
2012 - Sunday Times - Arts & Books - Dec 30th - Page 7
2012 - Shots - July - Page 16
2012 - Creative Review - June - Pages 31-32
2012 - OWT - No 13 - Page 78
2012 - Sunday Times - Culture Magazine - May 6th - Page 7
2012 - Creative Review - The Annual - May - Pages 45 / 112
2011 - Eye - No.80 - Vol.20 - Summer - Page 69
2011 - Creative Review - The Annual - May - Page 48
2011 - Creative Review - Feb - Pages 38-39
2010 - Observer Magazine - 12th September - Page 40
2010 - Shots - July - Pages 20-22
2010 - Creative Review - May - Pages 24-26
2010 - Boards - May - Pages 16-18
2010 - Campaign - 30th April - Page 31
2010 - Campaign - 16th April - Page 6
2010 - Creative Review - March - Page 39
2009 - Eye - Summer - Page 59
2009 - Varoom - Summer - Pages 7 / 20-21 / 57 / 64
2009 - Milk - Vol.1 - Autumn / Winter - Section 1.9
2009 - Marketing Week - 24 Sept - Cover & Pages 16-20
2008 - Creative Review - July - Page 29
2008 - Creative Review - April - Page 32
2008 - Creative Review - March - Page 63
2008 - Campaign - 25 Jan - Page 22
2007 - Graphic 10 - Jan - Vol.10 - Pages 96 - 103
2006 - Wonderland - Issue 6 - Nov / Dec - Pages 94 - 99
2006 - Feed - Issue 1 - Pages 28 - 31
2006 - Digit - Sept - Page 7
2006 - Graphic 09 - August - Vol.9 - Pages 5 / 24 - 35
2006 - Arena - April - Pages 214-215
2006 - Creative Review - Feb - Pages 80-81
2006 - Tokion (Japan) - Jan / Feb - No.51 - Pages 25 / 29 / 56-61
2006 - CGWorld (Japan) - Jan - Vol.89 - Cover
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Dec - Vol.88 - Cover
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Nov - Vol.87 - Cover
2005 - Creative Review - Sept - (Letters page) - Page 8
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Oct - Vol.86 - Cover
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Sept - Vol.85 - Pages 30-32 & Cover
2005 - Creative Review - Aug - Page 10
2005 - Creative Review - July - Page 63
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Aug - Vol.84 - Pages 22-23 & Cover
2005 - CGWorld (Japan) - Feb - Vol.78 - Pages 48-49
2004 - Res - December - Vol.7 No.6 - Page
2004 - 'Film2.0' (Korea) - Dec - Issue.199 - Page 61
2004 - DesignNet (Korea) - Oct - Vol.85 - Pages 56-63 & Cover
2004 - +81 (Japan) - Spring - Vol.23 Page 134
2004 - Time Out (London) - Feb 4-11
2004 - Visuelt (Norway) - Jan - Pages 24-25
2004 - Vreng Adbusters (Norway) - Issue 0104 - Pages 52-55
2004 - Visuelt (Norway) - Issue:04b - Pages 6-12
2004 - CGWorld (Japan) - Vol.66
2003 - Sal Magazine (Japan) - Winter - Vol.10 - Pages 28-31
2003 - Trace - Nov / Dec - Vol.46 - Pages 22-23
2003 - DesignNet (Korea) - Nov - Vol.74 - Page 25 / 118-119
2003 - Dazed and Confused - Sep - Vol.2 Issue.5 - Page 209
2003 - Res Vol.6 - No.5 - Pages 38 & 40 & back cover
2003 - Res Vol.6 - No.4 - Pages 2-4
2003 - Kokokuhihyo (Japan) - No.267 - Pages 124-126
2003 - Res - May - Vol.6 - No.3 - Pages 50-53
2003 - Digit - Feb - Pages 70-71
2003 - Eye - Spring - Vol.12 - Pages 4-5
2003 - CGWorld (Japan) - Feb - Pages 28-29
2003 - Blok (Czech Republic) - Issue.8 - Pages 34-39
2002 - Dazed & Confused - Nov - Issue.95 - Page 222
2002 - 3/4 Revue (Czech Republic) - Issue.14 - Pages 18-21
2002 - CM (Japan) - Pages 3-4
2002 - Blok (Czech Republic) - 01/02 - Pages 18-19
2002 - Creative Review - Nov - Page 18
2002 - Res - Vol.4 - No.2 - Page 33
2002 - Creative Review - July - Page 52
2002 - Dazed and Confused - June - Issue.90 - Page 150
2002 - CGWorld (Japan) - June - Vol.46 - Page 70
2002 - Q Magazine - Mar - Page 27
2002 - Creation - Feb - Page 11
2002 - Creative Review - Jan - Page 19
2002 - Promo - Jan
2001 - Fused - Issue.005
2001 - Glasgow Herald
2001 - Res - Sep / Oct - Vol.4 - Page 24
2001 - Creative Review - Aug - Page 49
2001 - Creative Review - July - Page 5
2001 - Campaign - 22 Jul - Page 28
2001 - Creative Base - 24 May - Issue.07 - Page 14
2001 - Creation - May - Page 30
2001 - Creative Base 12 April - Issue.04 Page 12
2001 - Promo - April
2001 - Shots - January - Issue.62 - Pages 80-81
2001 - Creative Review - Jan - Page 14
2000 - Creative Review - (Creative Futures) - Dec - Page 54
2000 - Creative Review - Dec - Page 54
2000 - The Face - Oct - Pages 36-37
2000 - Adrenalin - Spring - Page 147
1999 - Guardian - 'Space' - Mar 12 - Page 3
1997 - More - Issue.234 - 12-25 March - Page 80
BOOKS / CATALOGUES
2015 - FORTHCOMING - 'Motion Graphics' - Peter Beare & Ian Crook - Bloomsbury Academic
2015 - FORTHCOMING - 'Branding' - Catharine Slade Brooking - Laurence King
2013 - D&AD Annual - Pages 529 / 553
2013 - 'Animation' - Andrew Selby - Laurence King Publishing - Pages 58-59
2012 - 'How 30 Great Ads Were Made: From Idea to Campaign' - Eliza Williams - Laurence King Publishing - Pages 186-193
2011 - D&AD Annual - Pages 102 / 479
2011 - YCN Annual 2010/11 - Page 9
2010 - 'Entertainment for Education: Digital Techniques and Systems' - Xiaopeng Zhang - Springer - Page 563
2009 - 'Limited Language: Rewriting Design: Responding to a Feedback Culture' - Monika Parrinder & Colin Davies - Birkhauser - Pages 41-48
2009 - 'Animation in Process' - Andrew Selby - Laurence King - Pages 150-151
2009 - 'Sketchbook: Conceptual Drawings from the World's Most Influential Designers' - Timothy O'Donnell - Rockport - Pages 138-143
2009 - 'Sketchbooks: The Hidden Art of Designers, Illustrators and Creatives' - Richard Brereton - Laurence King - Pages 136-141
2009 - DVD - Radiohead - 'Amnesiac - Collectors Edition' - 'Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors' & 'Like Spinning Plates' - (Origin: UK)
2008 - DVD - Radiohead - 'Best of Radiohead' - 'Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors' & 'Like Spinning Plates' (Origin: UK)
2008 - 'Re-Imagining Animation: Contemporary Moving Image Cultures' - Paul Wells & Johnny Hardstaff - AVA Publishing
2008 - 'Digital Animation' - Andrew Chong - AVA Publishing - Pages 112-113
2007 - 'Introduction to Film Studies' - Jill Nelmes - Routledge - Page 216
2007 - 'The Cinema Book' - Pam Cook - BFI - Page 89
2007 - 'Stop Motion: Passion, Process and Performance' - Barry Purves - Focal Press - Page 74
2007 - 'Fundamentals of Animation' - Paul Wells - AVA Publishing
2007 - 'Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal: The Impossibly Real: Green Belting the Imaginary' - Vol.2 / No.2 - SAGE Publications - Pages 187-202
2007 - 'Two Faced: The Changing Face of Portraiture' - Darren Firth - IdNPRO - Pages 96-97
2007 - 'Graphic 10' - Marc Valli & Richard Brereton - Bis - Pages 96 - 103
2007 - 'Basics Animation: Sequential Images' - Mark Wigan - AVA Publishing - Page 117
2007 - 'Basics Animation: Scriptwriting' - Paul Wells - AVA Publishing - Pages 63 / 132 - 133 / 135 / 137
2006 - 'Issues in Curating Contemporary Art and Performance' - Judith Rugg & Michele Sedgwick - Chicago University Press - Page 136
2006 - 'Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film' - Barry Keith Grant - Schirmer Reference - Page 93
2006 - 'Graphic 09' - Marc Valli & Richard Brereton - Bis - Pages 5 / 24 - 35
2006 - DVD - C/o Pop Festival - Exhibition DVD Catalogue - 'Future of Gaming' - (Origin: Germany)
2006 - DVD - CGWorld - 'Resfest Titles' - (Origin: Japan)
2005 - 'New Digital Cinema: Reinventing the Moving Image' - Holly Willis - Wallflower Press - Page 60
2005 - DVD - CGWorld - 'Resfest Titles' - (Origin: Japan)
2004 - DVD - D&AD Showreel 2004 - BBC3 Station Launch Film (Origin: UK)
2004 - DVD - Radiohead - 'The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time' - 'Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors' and 'Like Spinning Plates' (Origin: UK)
2004 - 'Motion Blur: onedotzero - Graphic Moving Imagemakers' & DVD - Shane Walter & Matt Hanson - Laurence King - Pages 78-87 / 224 / 232
2004 - 'Gum2' - Pages 26-27
2004 - 'The End of Celluloid: Film Futures in the Digital Age' - Matt Hanson - RotoVision - Page 149
2004 - 'Developing Short Films: Voices That Matter' - Sherri Sheridan - New Riders - Page 331
2003 - 'Future Cinema: The Cinematic Imaginary After Film' - Jeffrey Shaw & Peter Weibel - MIT Press
2003 - 'Animation Unlimited - Innovative Short Films Since 1940' & DVD - Liz Faber & Helen Walters - Laurence King - Pages 148-149
2003 - 'The Book' - D&AD Annual 2003
2003 - DVD - onedotzero_select dvd2 - 'Future of gaming' (Origin: UK)
2003 - DVD - onedotzero_select dvd1 - 'Future of Gaming' (Origin: UK)
2003 - DVD - Gas DVD3 - 'Future of Gaming' (Origin: Japan)
2002 - 'Zoo 12' & DVD - 'Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors' and 'Like Spinning Plates' (Origin: UK) - Page 180
2002 - DVD - Creative Review - DVD004 'The Body' - 'Pulk-Pull Revolving Doors' and 'Like Spinning Plates' (Origin: UK)
2002 - DVD - Super Furry Animals - 'Rings Around the World' - 'Tradewinds' (Origin: UK)
2002 - 'Graphic Britain' - Patrick Burgoyne - Laurence King - Pages 94-97 / 199
2002 - 'The Book' - D&AD Annual 2002 - Pages 84 / 314
2001 - 'Zoo 08' & DVD - Pages 48-69
2001 - DVD - Creative Review - DVD02 'Colour' - 'Future of Gaming' (origin: UK)
2000 - 'Zoo 07' & DVD - Pages 358-359
PUBLIC LECTURES
2014 - Film4 'Innovation Forum' - London
2014 - 'Panic Room - Le Book Edition' - PostPanic - Amsterdam
2014 - 'Directors Lounge' - BBDO - Dusseldorf
2014 - CSM Debate - Central Saint Martins - London
2013 - 4th International Illustration Symposium - Oxford University Museum of Natural History - Oxford
2013 - Playgrounds Digital Arts Festival - Eindhoven
2012 - 'Crash Tests: Art and commerce in modern storytelling' - FLIP - Lighthouse Media Centre - Wolverhampton
2012 - 'Viral Film' - Furore 2 - Hamburg
2012 - 'Prometheus Q&A' - The Reel - London
2012 - 'Process' - Camberwell College of Arts
2011 - 'The Work of Johnny Hardstaff' - MBC - Birmingham
2011 - 'The Work of Johnny Hardstaff' - NUCA - Norwich
2010 - 'Crash Tests: Art and Commerce in New Design' - St. Martins School of Art - London
2010 - 'Brands on Film' - LBi / Truman Brewery - London
2010 - 'The Work of Johnny Hardstaff' - Cope Auditorium - LUSAD
2010 - 'Parallel Lines Q&A' - BAFTA - London
2010 - V&A Museum - Decode Symposium - ('Decoding the Digital - Crash Tests: Art and Commerce in New Design')
2010 - Camberwell College of Arts - Key Ideas Symposium - ('Image')
2010 - LUSAD - ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2009 - London College of Communication - ('Sketchbook Processes')
2009 - London College of Communication - ('From Art to Ad � The moral, legal and aesthetic consequences of a current trend')
2009 - Camberwell College of Arts - ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2009 - LSBU - ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2009 - Manchester School of Art - ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2009 - St. Martins School of Art - London - ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2007 - 'Pervasive Animation Across Disciplines - Space / Narrative / Form' - Tate Modern
2006 - 'A New Renaissance' - Tate Modern - London ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2006 - 'Alumni Talk Series' - St. Martins School of Art - London ('The Work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2006 - FDMX Seminar 2 - Norwich International Animation Festival - Playhouse - Norwich ('Will I Dream?')
2006 - FDMX Seminar 1 - Norwich International Animation Festival - Playhouse - Norwich ('A 3D Scanner Darkly')
2006 - MBC - Birmingham - ('Sketchbook processes')
2005 - London College of Communication - London ('Sketchbook processes')
2005 - Creativity Now - (at Laforet Museum) - Tokyo - Japan ('No life, no art')
2005 - Arts Institute Bournemouth - (Keynote Speech)
2005 - onedotzero - (at ICA) - London - 'Object React' (V&A Project)
2005 - Creative Futures - (at Gustave Tuck) - UCL - London
2005 - Camberwell College of the Arts - London - ('The work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2004 - Visuelt (at Vika Kino - Oslo Kinematografer) - Oslo - Norway - Grafill (Norwegian Organisation for Visual Communication) - ('The work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2004 - resfest - (at designone center) - Seoul - Korea - (As part of the Johnny Hardstaff retrospective)
2004 - London International Film Festival (at NFT) - London - 'The Exploded Film Maker'
2004 - V&A / onedotzero symposium- (at V&A) - London - 'The Sound of Print'
2004 - Chelsea School of Art & Design - London - ('The work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2004 - ICA New Media Centre - (at ICA) - London - 'Inspirations'
2004 - Royal College of Art - London - 'The work of Johnny Hardstaff'
2004 - Trent University - Nottingham - 'The work of Johnny Hardstaff'
2003 - resfest - (at Laforet Museum) - Tokyo - Japan
2002 - 'Graphic Britain' - (at Design Museum) - London
2002 - onedotzero - (at Arts Cinema) - Prague - ('The work of Johnny Hardstaff')
2002 - resfest - (at Laforet Museum) - Tokyo - Japan
2002 - onedotzero - (Moderna Gallerjia) - Llubjlana - Slovenia
2001 - onedotzero - (at ICA) - London
PRESS QUOTES
Hexagone - Sept 2017
'With a four speed on the floor, she'll be waiting at the door. You know that ain't no shit, we'll be getting loads of tit. In Greased Lightnin'." So sang Danny Zuko in 1978's 'Grease'. Forty years later the automobile still holds a highly masculine place in popular culture, to this day men commonly believing their 'sweet rides' to be 'chick magnets' or 'pussy wagons'.
The unapologetically feminist short revenge film 'Motel Music Part. II' looks to debunk the myth that a car can get a man laid, taking aim squarely at the macho contemporary cinema of Winding Refn's 'Drive' amongst countless others, and in so doing offering a refreshing recalibration of the stereotypically masculine relationship between cars, violence and sexual conquest.
Far from feeling like the end of something, in exploring gender politics, in examining the social trauma of almost a century of commercial advertising (something this film's director and its producers know more than a thing or two about) and in seeking to exhume the emotional truth from industrial output, 'Motel Music Part. II' is a beginning, a first step into the misogyny of cinematic glamour.
Put most simply, 'Motel Music Part. II' is a contemporary fable of human agenda and industrial product, a tale of predators and prey.'
Quad - Oct 2013
'Three films, two completely different worlds, one aesthetic canon. Johnny Hardstaff's campaigns for Baileys Chocolat Luxe and Smirnoff Apple Bite both have the sublime images that play with movement. One may use the fluid bending of textures and effects, with stealth changes in rhythm and editing in the other, but there is always the same meticulous attention to detail given to image and art direction.
All three films perfectly illustrate the work of Johnny Hardstaff, who is a director at the intersection of design and modern art and is renowned for his innovative approach, in advertising or film.'
Etapes - May 2012
'The graphic sensibilities of the Prometheus marketing teasers directed by Johnny Hardstaff are as compelling as the upcoming film's storyline. In this new spot, Quiet Eye, Hardstaff effectively uses his trademark mixture of clean motion graphics and live action footage to present a frighteningly accurate biometric scanning system. As scary as this potential future is, we are looking forward to more.'
Cinema Blend - June 2012
'A lot of the trailers and TV spots for Prometheus have been rightfully criticised for spoiling too much about the movie, but the viral marketing has been completely perfect, and none better than the "Happy Birthday, David" video that emerged online a few months ago. Introducing us to Michael Fassbender's android character David, the video had gorgeous production values and enough sci-fi wonder to make the entire movie look fascinating.'
Sunday Times - Jan 2013
'The man who should have won an Oscar for his heartbreakingly empty sex addict in Shame (Momentum Pictures) also did great work in 2012, not on a big screen, but on the smaller one on your desk. In the "marketing videos" for the DAVID 8 android - teasers for Ridley Scott's Prometheus - he reaches genius level, poignantly playing a machine-man who has modelled himself on Peter O'Toole's Lawrence of Arabia. DAVID 8 comes with a full range of emotions, as per the manufacturers brochure, but not a whiff of irony. Peerless.'
Varoom - Summer 2009
'It is always hard to cite influences especially on a whole creative field, but by way of association, filtering, connections, inspirations, word-of-mouth, Hardstaff's work has shown that you can be highly visual and tell stories, be non-linear and deliver powerful narratives, be commercial and staunchly personal, be political and polemical, but also delight, surprise and move audiences all at the same time. He has shown it is possible to make memorable work that has substance, meaning and intelligent playfulness.'
It's Nice That - April 2012
'I thought the term 'gripping' was only used by badger-like film critics born in the 1950s. I was wrong, just you try blinking while you watch this viral, directed by Johnny Hardstaff, for Ridley Scott's much, much, much anticipated new film Prometheus. It's a fine and brilliantly gauged two and a half minutes, shot in an aesthetic from an undefined era of science fiction, with a simple script delivered with total emotive brevity by an android called David (Michael 'Should've won an Oscar for Shame' Fassbender). If this is the effect of a single viral (i.e. unutterably sinister - "I can carry out directives that my human counterparts might find distressing or unethical" shudder, shudder) then the full feature is likely to blind us all. Can't wait!'
Little Black Book - April 2012
'Johnny Hardstaff - Prometheus Viral 'David' - This is the second Prometheus viral; creating further intrigue and excitement in the build-up to Prometheus' imminent June release. The viral is directed by Johnny Hardstaff and stars Michael Fassbender as the Weyland Industries android David, as he explains, in deadpan fashion, his "emotions" and capabilities as an android. Michael Fassbender's performance is unnervingly convincing and through Johnny's brilliant futuristic vision and art direction, once again we find ourselves tangibly closer to the Prometheus world and what the future may hold - both positive and negative.'
Wonderland - Dec 2006
'Hardstaff is on a mission. He wants to subvert the mainstream media through his intricate animation. He wants to turn the corporate world on itself with his design projects. Will he succeed? Or will he just get bored and do something else?'
Creative Review - September 2005 (r.e 6MM Hate Head)
'Johnny Hardstaff is an innovator. He is pushing graphic design into areas it had not previously occupied, and in so doing makes a more exciting and diverse landscape for the rest of us to work in. But for the ingenuity of people like Hardstaff, graphic designers would not be working in animation and video.'
Varoom - Summer 2009
'A superb draftsman, Hardstaff works meticulously in developing models and plans with finely detailed and intricate drawings in his notebooks. Almost like an alchemist it is here his ideas are generated and worked through before storyboarding and shooting even begin to unfold his imaginative and fantastic visions.'
Creative Review - August 2005
'This work is just a shallow example of purely offensive bile.'
Creative Review - July 2005 (r.e 6MM Hate Head)
'Nightmarishly beautiful.'
Creative Review - March 2008
'There's something rather wonderfully old fashioned about Johnny Hardstaff's new Toshiba brand commercial for Grey. The visual style recalls the research lab - think Tomorrow's World or an Open University show, but a million times more beautiful.'
Arena - April 2006 (r.e 6MM Hate Head)
'His work imagines a nightmarish future where technology threatens as well as serves, such as his Hate Head project where the image of the Queens head used on coinage is transformed into an Orwellian tool of mass surveillance.'
Onedotzero6 festival preview - Intro
'Hardstaff, a hit at last years festival returns in triumph this year with a work of precision genius, a compelling, epic film for Radiohead.'
Animation Unlimited - Liz Faber and Helen Walters - Laurence King 2004
'Hardstaff remains an anarchic, unpredictable and uncompromising figure on the edge of the commercial creative industry.'
The Face - October 2000 (Double page spread)
'Seen Sony's animated short for Playstation 2 yet? Don't worry, you will.'
Eye Magazine - Rick Poynor (www.eyemagazine.com)
'The images coalesce in a ripple of movement intensified by occasional cuts and it takes several viewings even to notice some of the smaller details artfully secreted within this intricate tableau...This 60-second spot, directed for the Fallon agency by Johnny Hardstaff, whose previous credits include Radiohead and PlayStation, shows postmodern illustration in full bloom.'
www.pluginz.com
'Award-winning director Johnny Hardstaff is creating the graphic identity and festival trailer for RESFEST 2003. He is internationally acclaimed for his short film and video work for the BBC, FC Kahuna, Radiohead, Super Furry Animals and Sony.'
Creative Review - January 2002 (r.e Radiohead video)
'It's controversial stuff, but it's beautifully handled by Hardstaff'.
www.kultureflash.net - July 2003
'Johnny Harstaff's films have been exhibited extensively internationally and won many awards -- including Creative Review's "Creative Future" 2001, a D&AD silver nomination and a place in the New Director's Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival. These led him to Black Dog and Ridley Scott Associates, and he has since worked with: the BBC, FC Kahuna, Radiohead, and Super Furry Animals, and Sony. He is now signed to Little Minx in the US and is busy establishing his own creative units both in Europe and Japan. It's no surprise then that the animation-literate Japanese are such huge fans of his.'
Res Magazine - September / October 2001
'Graphic artist extraordinaire.'
www.amazon.com (r.e Radiohead video Push Pulk/Spinning Plates)
'The crowning achievement, however, has got to be Johnny Hardstaff's Push Pulk / Spinning Plates video [Ep. 3]. In my opinion, it captures the essence of these songs - and it has to be the most disturbing thing you'll see in quite a while.'
Q Magazine - March 2002
'Radiohead Video Spectacular!'
www.kultureflash.net - July 2003 - Amanda Boyle
'Hardstaff's drawings made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. His films took these subjects and pushed them further. The level of draftmanship was extraordinary and their cool beauty pivoted on both an affection and disdain for the world.'
Dazed & Confused - June 2002
'Film and art have a tricky relationship. Most artists - with some very notable exceptions - fail to use film to the full. Johnny Hardstaff is an exception.'
www.ideasfactory.com - 2004 - Liz Brown
'The maverick: It's difficult to know how to describe Johnny Hardstaff, but image-maker extraordinaire is as good a description as any.'
Creation - May 2001
'With enthusiasm that comes from seeing the value in his own work, Hardstaff's animations are simply beautiful.'
www.proteinos.com
'Johnny Hardstaff: Super talented film/promo/animation director.'
www.kultureflash.net - July 2003 - Paula Carson
'I first met him when his work featured in Creative Futures; an event organised by Creative Review. Creative Futures is all about showcasing spiralling young talents in communication arts. In Hardstaff's case the selection couldn't have been more spot on. The decision to include his work in the exhibition was based solely on his brilliant short film The History of Gaming, a self-initiated project which was eventually appropriated by Sony PlayStation.'
Dazed & Confused - November 2002 - Video of the Month: FC Kahuna 'Hayling'
'One of the most visually arresting videos A&E has seen in a long time.'
Creative Review - January 2001
'PS2 taken to a darker arena.'
www.climbingupthewalls.com - Interview with Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead - 2004
'Another video I love is "Like Spinning Plates" directed by Johnny Hardstaff; it's the best thing we've done, or better said, the best thing the director did for our music, that and "Pyramid Song" are actually brilliant.'
onedotzero Motion Blur - 2004 - Laurence King
'Whether working for Playstation, Radiohead or FC Kahuna, Hardstaff still manages to produce material that feels very personal, delivering graphically filmed opuses delicately poised between heralding technology as saviour and alarming danger.'
www.kamera.co.uk (r.e resfest review)
'That said, the effortless superiority of Johnny Hardstaff's platform-based The History of Gaming and The Future of Gaming received rapt attention.'
Creative Review - December 2000 - Dilly Gent
'I find his work very fresh and engaging. You see so many crap showreels and I put his on and it just seemed very exciting. I think he's great.'
www.kultureflash.net - July 2003 - Amanda Boyle
'Johnny Hardstaff is in every sense of the word, a maverick...'...Vintage Hardstaff... a man who will not play the game... or if he does, he'll certainly keep you on your toes. Although often very beautiful there is frequently a feeling in his work that something is festering under the veneer. It shocks and amazes. Constantly in awe of his eye for aesthetics and his ear for a good soundtrack, I also guiltily revel in his naughty sense of humour.'
Promo Magazine - April 2001
'Hardstaff unleashes Playstation epic.'
www.the-mill.com (r.e Radiohead video)
'Directed by Johnny Hardstaff at Black Dog Film, the promo...can perhaps be viewed as a beautiful piece of video art rather than the usual narrative experience of a conventional pop video.'
www.eternalgaze.net (r.e Radiohead video DVD 'The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time')
'Expect to see exceptional visuals by Johnny Hardstaff (Push Pulk/Spinning Plates).'
www.onedotzero.com
Johnny Hardstaff's piece for Radiohead is set to become a modern classic, redefining how we imagine the future even as it warns of it's inherent technological dangers.
