Caroline "Kit" Pilosof is a well known Canadian/British creative director and digital content creator. who over the course of her career so far has become a leading figure in the influencer and brand world, working with a range of clients including model, Charlotte D'Alessio, singer Arlo Parks, and brands like Apple, Tommy Hilfiger and Walmart.

We caught up with Pilosof to find out how the pandemic has changed things in the online digital content creation world, her favorite equipment to use while out on a job, and just why your online presence matters now more than ever before!

What are the differences you see between being a creative director and digital content creator in Britain, Canada and now in the United States? 

The main difference is the culture. And that encompasses everything from the way people act on set to what appeals to the target audience to the inspiration we reference during research. It’s funny, because you could have the exact same problem on set in all of these countries and the teams will handle it completely differently. In the US, it varies from state to state, but the New York culture is as you would think – chaotic and sometimes cut throat – which I’ve learned the most from. I quite like working with the Brits because it’s slower paced, and people are always keen to have a laugh – they don’t take themselves too seriously. I like to encourage humor on set as much as possible. We’re not doing brain surgery – it should be fun!

What trends in your industry have you seen happen during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The shift to digital was already happening pre-Covid, but the pandemic accelerated it immensely. Covid forced the industry to experiment with virtual campaigns and online fashion shows, to collaborate with tech companies and gamers to produce fashion games, crews got smaller, brands slowed down and started thinking more about their environmental impact, magazine editors flocked to production companies and tech start-ups. There’s more of a need now than ever for digital content and there’s no strict formula anymore – it’s exciting.

How was your experiences working with top people like model Charlotte D'Alessio, singer Arlo Parks and brands like Apple, Tommy Hilfiger and Walmart?

 I’m so grateful for all these experiences, but I always prefer to work with people as opposed to big brands. There’s more room for creativity, play and conversation and to show someone’s authentic quirks and charm.

What are the key factors people need to keep in mind when coming up with content to post on their social media?

We’ve all been hassled with “be careful what you post online,” and most likely rolled our eyes, but this gets more relevant every year. Your online presence is a lot of the time someone’s first impression of you, and unfortunately things that you posted years ago can come back to bite you. I’m not a fan of cancel culture, but you really have to make sure your content is an accurate representation of you and your values. The other factor to keep in mind as a brand is consistent posting – you have to cement yourself in viewers minds frequently to be remembered amongst all the feed posts.

 

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How important overall is social media in today's society?

It depends – I really think you can make it as important as you want. If you’re a brand, you have to be acting like a Gucci and putting out content regularly. But in terms of ‘society,’ there is no replacement to an in-person connection. I am optimistic that the connectivity aspect of social media will come back in a big way – there’s so many awesome things about it when you don’t get lost in its curation – it can be a platform to share your voice and start movements, to get inspired, to do research.

What types of campaigns are you working on currently?

My focus has been on working with brands who are putting their efforts towards sustainable practices – I’m mostly doing fashion and music work as this is the space I thrive in. I’ve also been working on an exciting project with a collaborator of mine who started a company. It’s essentially a collaborative community for people in the arts to connect and create content wherever they are in the world. Our goal is to put out as much content as possible in the next year.

What is your ultimate goal?

I’d like to find a way to condense the campaign experience – and the pandemic showed this was possible. Crews and budgets don’t need to be so big – I’d like to find the sweet spot of creating quality content in high quantity as it allows for more collaboration and for more brands to get their work out there. It’s also far more sustainable.

What are 3 things you never leave home without when heading to do a campaign shoot? What are your favorite pieces of equipment?

It really depends on the project and aesthetic. Usually I bring a wide-angle lens and a 55mm lens to get cinematic close ups. If it’s digital – my favorite camera is the Canon 6D. I always prefer to shoot on film because you have to really think about each shot – 16mm for video work is always fun.