Toronto writer/director Matt Hawkins took home a Gold at the New York Festivals for his efforts on some recent ytv station ids. Hawkins, who leads the creative for on-air promotions at ytv, is repped for commercial work by Toronto’s LTB Productions. He received Gold in the television network id campaign category for ‘Licorice Scarf/Empty Mayo Jar/Slipper 2000.’ He wrote and directed the ids, which are admittedly bizarre in keeping with the new ytv look and motto.

‘We revamped [the ytv] image about two years ago and got out of doing the kind of hip, cool, grunge style,’ says Hawkins. ‘We’d been doing that for a couple of years and ytv wanted to reinvent itself for a new tag line which is ‘Keep It Weird.’ We do weird, imaginative stuff here now as far as the on-air promotions.’

Hawkins won a Houston Telefest Merit Award for the same three spots in 1999, and says ytv is submitting his new set of ids to Promax bda, June 14-17 in New Orleans.

Hawkins says as a young director his job at ytv is an enjoyable necessity to get him to the next level of his career.

‘When you are just starting out and there is not enough work, you definitely need a five-days-a week, nine-to-five, or as-much-as-you-can kind of gig within the industry and direct on the side when projects come in,’ he says.

One of the projects he discusses is an ongoing campaign he is heading up with Spy Films director Wade Sherman for MuchMusic. Hawkins freelanced for Citytv before landing his ytv job, and is currently seen on the music network as his alter ego Shmenge, the quintessential music video director. Sherman directs, while Hawkins writes the spots and performs the role of Shmenge, spoofing the image of video makers. Hawkins reports the campaign has received positive feedback and team Hawkins/Sherman are in talks with Much to do another set of Shmenge spots.