Wayne Craig started his career as a late-night dj spinning country tunes and delivering the marine report. Drawing on his childhood love for tv, he moved into the world of commercials as a production manager for Imported Artists, where his name is now on the roster as a full-time director.

What has been the high point of your directorial career so far?

Definitely winning a Bronze Lion at Cannes with a little, low-budget spot for Nettlemax.

What has been the low point?

Getting the news the night before a big shoot that our script didn’t get network approval. We spent the next four hours over stale sushi rewriting and coming up with a script we could actually shoot. It turned out to be a really cool spot, so now in hindsight I can say it was more a thrilling edge-of-my-seat adventure than a low point.

What is your favorite TV commercial of all time (not your own)?

There was this great Japanese soap spot out a few years ago with a group of kids in this giant tub really playing up the cute thing. Suddenly, as they are looking at the lens, from the foreground side of the tub bubbles appear from behind one of the kids. In the next shot the gassy kid is all by himself on one side of the tub and the other kids are on the other side.

Favorite TV jingle?

When I was a kid I loved the Big Fig Newton commercial jingle. Even though I wandered around humming it, I hated Big Fig Newtons.

What advice would you give new directors?

Directing can be a war of attrition. Not only do you have to do consistently great, fresh work, but you have to hang in there for a long time until things really get going in terms of board flow.

If you had a theme song what would it be?

You Can’t Always Get What You Want (not necessarily a comment on shot lists).

What made you want to be a director?

I watched way, way too much tv as a kid and wanted a shot at corrupting young minds as well.

What’s next?

I’m really looking forward to even more commercials and of course, like all directors, I’m working on a feature script (just to be part of the ‘in’ crowd).