Adam France

 

OK so every month via her 'NKOTB' column, Lisa introduces us to another overachieving young Australian creative. Today's candidate is EXTRA awesome.  Young Sydney based designer / art director / creative handyman Adam France is such a freakishly versatile creative, he almost has too many skills to list...!  We especially love his mini-films for CASTLE, and the amazing animated gifs for his Crafting For a Cause project!  So. Much. Talent. So. Much. Energy!!!! - Lucy

Studio details from the workspace of Sydney designer / art director / creative handyman Adam France, including some of Adam's Crafting for a Cause projects and passport pictures of his Greek grandparents! Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Adam working on a collage project in his Sydney workspace. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

'D is for Dance' animated project as part of Adam's blog Crafting for a Cause.

The Tutti Frutti Dance video Adam made for CASTLE.

Designer / art director and general creative handyman, Adam France working from bed in his Sydney home. 'I spend the first hour or so in bed, wrapped under Rachel Castle bedding as I map out my day,' he says. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Last year, Sydney artist / designer and all-round TDF bestie Rachel Castle paired me up with today’s NKOTB candidate via email. Rachel was all ‘You and Francepants NEED to be friends, you are both good breeds of Gen Y!’. I was intrigued. Who was this illusive 'Francepants'?! Did he wear pants of red, white and blue?! Of course, like any good Gen Y-er, I googled him immediately, and quickly discovered his insanely impressive breadth of work. Eventually, we met each other at TDF Open House in Sydney last year, and the rest is history. A successful match by our very own 'friendship cupid', Rachel Castle. (Thanks Rachel!) Besides his catchy pseudonym, Francepants also goes by his real name of Adam France. Based in Sydney, he is a 26-year-old self confessed ‘creative handyman’, skilled in a variety of creative pursuits, ranging from graphic design, filmmaking, art directing, directing, illustration and animation. There is one short word to describe him, and it is – AMAZING! Originally studying at Sydney College of the Arts, before later moving on to Visual Communications at UTS, Adam’s design work is distinctive, fun, intelligent and always hilarious. Since completing his studies Adam has maintained a steady stream of freelance work – some of his clients include Rachel Castle (for who he works weekly), Megan Morton and Romance Was Born. ‘I am happy to be crafting my own career that is a match to my personality and happiness. I feel lucky and kind of selfish to be able to do so,’ he says. It is a real mystery to me how someone can have as much energy as Adam without an IV drip of Red Bull plugged into them 24/7, but I think the simple secret is that he loves what he does! ‘I spend the first hour or so in bed, wrapped in Rachel Castle bedding as I map out my day and anxiously check my inbox,’ he explains (a scene that was too good not to recreate for this shoot). ‘The rest of the day is anyone’s guess! My days are typically untypical and this keeps me on my toes – just how I like it. I could be directing a video, working on upcoming Castle products or working on an upcoming art show.’ Some of Adam’s best creative output is documented through his video and animation work. It is actually impossible not to watch and re-watch his videos on an endless loop, for instance The Tutti Frutti Dance video he made for Castle. But I must say I was MOST blown away by his blog Crafting For a Cause. This project stemmed from his honours work, where Adam connected each letter of the English alphabet with 26 craft projects, developed in response to social and environmental issues. ‘The 26 crafts are my way of raising awareness, inciting play, dabbling in discussion and lopping a few toes off my carbon footprint' Adam explains. 'The project took me three lifetimes to make, I gave it my everything, including my sanity!’

'T is for Tribal' animated project as part of Adam's blog Crafting for a Cause.

Adam lists his dream projects as one day working alongside Amy Sedaris to produce one of her comedy craft books, or directing a movie where people have ‘visually stunning superpowers’. Right now though, he is looking forward to a solo exhibition he has opening in September at M2 Gallery in Sydney, and seeing his face on the internet today! He would like to say one thing: ‘Hi Mum, it’s me!’

Two-outfit changes, one TDF post, Adam France is amazing! Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Adam working on one of his film projects. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

'T is for Tribal' project as part of Adam's craft blog Crafting for a Cause. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Studio details. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Studio details. Photo - Rachel Kara for The Design Files.