Tools of the Trade: Graham Nhlamba of Thinkingbox

Tools of the Trade is a feature to help highlight the many tools that help make advertising and marketing folks successful. The tools can be anything that helps people perform at their top form, from a favorite drafting table to the best software program to a lucky pen, a vintage typewriter or a pair of headphones.

Next up is Graham Nhlamba, senior designer/art director at Thinkingbox in Toronto.

What is one tool you use all the time at work, and how does it inspire your work?

There is one web tool that I can’t seem to get enough of these days – the EyeCandy motion library—a visual technique library for visual technique lovers. It’s incredible. I get lost in it and discover so many new ways to tell stories, evoke emotion, and build intrigue—all through a six-second looping Gif with no audio.

Why is it your favorite?

A lot of what I do as a designer and art director is consume media to keep me inspired and in-the-know when it comes to visual trends. EyeCandy makes that media bite-size.

I find myself looking at a six-second clip of an A$AP Rocky music video over and over again wondering: How did they get the camera to move that way? Can I get the typography in my work to emulate that motion? If this were static, how would I get that feeling to come across?

I do this daily, focusing on a different technique each time, just to understand how it works.

The reason I like this tool so much is because cinematography and video editing techniques are outside the realm of what I do on a day-to-day basis. I admire how innovative film professionals get with the use of their tools and I sometimes envy the practical aspects of what working with a camera and a dolly can do. When I get a chance to recreate any of the techniques I see in the library in my own way, it makes my day.

The great thing about this being a web tool is I can use it anywhere (as long as I have a device and a stable internet connection).

How did you acquire your tool or hear about it for the first time?

I heard about this library from a film-obsessed colleague who thought I’d have fun with it.

How does it help you be successful?

The most helpful aspect of using this tool has been building up my technique vocabulary. Knowing certain terminology when speaking on your vision (especially when art directing) makes collaborating with other creatives a lot easier. In my early days in the creative industry, I used to speak in sound effects and hand gestures (whoosh! zoom! skreee!). Safe to say I feel a lot more “professional” in meetings now—although the sound effects do make a guest appearance on occasion.

Does it have sentimental value?

Not yet. I think that will depend on who I share it with in the future—and whether it’ll change their life in some way. That hasn’t happened yet, so I’m not as precious about it.

Do you think your tool could go TikTok viral? Why or why not?

I think it definitely could. It could make a strong addition to the curriculum for TikTok University, a free, certified course from the platform that teaches aspiring creators how to improve their skills. Plus, even creators talking about it could help drum up some visibility; a lot of folks go on TikTok to learn how to do things, so I think EyeCandy would fit right in. Perhaps they could collaborate with some of the cinematographers and editors who use these techniques.

We want to know what tools you use to make you successful. If you’d like to contribute or know someone who would want to be featured in Tools of the Trade, contact kyle.obrien@adweek.com and fill out our survey.