YG15 Showcase: Daniel Soares

Shining the spotlight on this year's Young Guns winners

Young Guns 15, arguably the most prestigious portfolio-based competition for creatives under 30, is going out with a bang! This year's winners were unveiled earlier this month, and it's safe to say that this is one of the most eclectically talented classes in Young Guns history. 

This Thursday is the traditional Young Guns ceremony and party, (you've scored your tickets, right?) and nearly all of this year's winners will be travelling from across the globe, across the country, or across the Williamsburg Bridge to attend. Ahead of the festivities, the One Club for Creativity is highlighting many of the winners you'll be able to meet.

DANIEL SOARES
Filmmaker + Creative Director
Based In: Brooklyn, NY
Originally from: Hamburg, Germany
danielsoares.me

SEE DANIEL'S YG15 PROFILE + WORK

What does winning this award mean to you?

I'm super honored, because I'm a big fan of a lot of the past winners. Being able to join these people is bananas. I mean, look at the work of everybody, it's simply insane!

I had entered once before, three years ago, with a bunch of advertising work. It wasn't bad work, but it definitely didn't have a clear voice. This year I just entered work that really was meaningful to me. I've also been transitioning from the agency side to filmmaking, so this time I entered mainly work I did as a director.

What sorts of challenges have you encountered to get where you are today?

As a creative you encounter challenges all the time. A lot of times you think you're not good enough, but that will make you work harder and make you stronger. It is important to stop looking too much at what other people are doing and to stop comparing yourself. You should ask, what can I do that nobody else can? What are the movies, pictures, stories that only I can tell? It has to be the type of work that, if you didn’t exist, the world would never see.

Can you name any past Young Guns winners who you look up to?

Alex Trochut (YG6)  is one of the lovely people I share my studio with in the Pencil Factory in Greenpoint. I always loved his work. Then there are other people that come to mind. Sagmeister (YG1), The Daniels (YG14), Ivan Cash (YG10) and others.

What keeps you going, creatively speaking? What drives you and your work?

I love to connect through the work with an audience and make them feel something. To add some sort of value to their lives. That experience gets quite addicting.

Other than that I really try to give myself idle time where I just wander off exploring new things, traveling, experimenting with different techniques; where I try to shut off from all the stress of the day-to-day.

Those are the moments when interesting stuff happens from a creative point of view: when you let go.

Now that you’re a Young Guns winner, what’s next?

I'm just going to try to keep developing my creative voice and to cherish the process, with all its ups and downs.

Daniel and his fellow winners will be honored at the Young Guns 15 Ceremony + Party, taking place on Thursday, November 16 at Highline Stages in Manhattan's Meatpacking District. 

Young Guns 15 is presented in proud partnership with Shutterstock, Levene/Leavitt and MTV.

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