Noel Clarke is one of the most exciting actors and filmmakers working in the UK at the moment, and his talent was recognised last year when he picked up the Orange Rising Star Bafta Award.
He is teaming up with Doritos to encourage people to get out their video cameras and made their own advert.
I caught up with Noel to discuss the King of Ads campaign, his Bafta success and what lies ahead for him in 2010.
- You are working alongside Doritos and their King of Ads campaign so can you tell me a bit about it?
Yeah, it's a competition that invites anyone over the age of 18 with a camera or an idea to create the next Doritos ad. The prize is pretty hefty, with the winner standing to win up to £200,000 and have their ad aired on national TV throughout the world cup.
- How and why did you get involved?
I've always been advocate of getting new people into the industry and a competition like this is great for people who can't get into the industry. You can't always get into the industry in the traditional manner and something like this could give someone a boost.
But I like seeing someone's passion this could just be a hobby for someone and it's great to just see them get a little bit of recognition.
- You are on the judging panel for the campaign so what will you be looking for?
Originality because it's not always about the amount of technology that you have behind your advert it's about being memorable, that is what makes an advert successful. There was a beer advert a few years ago with the frogs and Wassup! it stuck with you and that is what made it a hit.
- For those who want to get involved in the competition how do they do so?
If they go to www.doritos.co.uk and all the details are there. I'm really looking forward to looking at what is going to be produced.
- We spoke a year ago just before the Baftas and since then you went on to win the Orange Rising Star award so how was that?
It was amazing I just couldn't believe it. When I saw how may people were on the list to be potentially nominated I just wondered how I made it to the final shortlist. But it was a great night.
- And what was it like to know that it was voted for by the public?
Well that was a double whammy really. Many people say that it just turns into a popularity contest but I disagree because the public are the people that go and watch your movies and their vote is their way of saying 'we want to see more of him'.
- What do you think of the line-up this year Jesse Eisenberg, Nicholas Hoult, Carey Mulligan, Tahar Rahim and Kristen Stewart?
Well I was on the jury and I support all of the nominees I think that there is some great talent amongst them, however I was backing a couple.
- And it's good to see Hoult and Mulligan in there for the UK. So who do you think is going to win?
It's always great to see some British talent in there and these two really deserve it. Carey Mulligan has always been a great actress, she was in Doctor Who a couple of years ago and she was great back then.
And I have worked with Nicholas Hoult, he was in Kidulthood which he did before he went into Skins so it's great watching him develop.
- You are back on the big screen later this year with Centurion so can you tell me a little bit about that?
Centurion is a historical drama that follows the Ninth legion that disappeared when they marched north to wipe out the Pics.
It stars Michael Fassbender, Dominic West Olga Kurylenko, David Morrissey and myself.
The movie is filmmaker Neil Marshall's take on what he thinks happens.
- Neil Marshall has brought us some great British movies such as Dog soldiers and The Descent so how was it working with him?
It was great to work with him and learn from him really just watch the way that he did things and the decisions that he made.
I mean I would never go 'oh Neil I think that you should do this shot this way' but it's interesting to think how would I do that? Or would I do it this way? Why wouldn't I do it this way? So it was a great chance to learn.
- 4 3 2 1 is also in the pipeline for you this year, which sees you return to the director's chair it's been a while since we have seen you direct...
Well I like to take a couple of years between projects so I can get a little bit of acting in. But it's good to be back in the chair and I was looking forward to working on it when it came around, I penned the script as well.
- Well that leads me to my next question really you've penned the script, directing and starring in the film that's a lot of work as well as a lot of pressure?
Yeah I suppose that it is but it's a way that I'm used to working. But my friend Mark Davis has directed the movie with me which sort of halved the pressure so it wasn't that bad.
- Emma Roberts is in the film that's a great piece of casting...
Yeah she is a lovely girl and a great actress. Everyone knows her because of her lineage, her aunt and her father, but she is a really good talent.
Who would have though Emma Roberts would have been in a Noel Clarke Adulthood type movie.
- After the success of Adulthood do you feel like people are watching waiting to see what you do next?
Oh for sure people are just waiting for the flop, and you are bound to have one at some point.
- We have just kicked off a new year so what is it going to hold for you?
I have no idea as long as I'm healthy and my family are happy that's all that matters.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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