At age 46, Miles Goodall, father of four, is being eyed as fresh blood on the US agency circuit. Newly signed by @radical.media for worldwide representation, the Johannesburg native has been directing commercials in South Africa, Europe and Asia for the past 12 years. His "Fork" spot by Citigate Albert Frank, London, for Investec won two awards at the 2004 New York Festival and a Bronze Clio in May. His producers at Suburban Films, Johannesburg, describe his style as a fusion of classical and surreal, in-camera illusions, and "poetic harmony with nature and people". Below, Goodall charts his journey and admits to some missteps along the path to international recognition.

When I left school they said I didn't have a creative bone in my body. I got into directing purely by accident. In 1982 I'd just come out of the army and I visited my brother Jeremy (now a commercials director at Velocity), who was working as a loader on a set. I thought, "This is really interesting," so I went along the next day and started washing cars and making tea, and basically got interested in the camera department. I worked my way up to DP.

I started directing in 1992 and it was a natural progression - I liked being able to have enough control so that I could choose the location and the time we'd be there, and make it all flow smoother. I also shot stills and always went to rushes so I fell in love with directing, purely out of love for the craft.

Most challenging project yet? The recent BMW 6 series "On Your Mind" through TBWA Hunt Lascaris. We had to transform a macro world into a driving experience. The technical challenge is huge with macro photography: you have so many limitations and depths of field and nothing else is in focus. Being close enough to feel detail on it and just moving the camera over a watch strap or along a row of pearls and getting that feeling of being in a car or that thing being a road - that was very challenging. It took a lot of concentration, delicate moves and thought, and clever rigs.

John Hunt [of TBWA] said I have soul? I'd guess depth is what he means. Maybe I put my soul in - I like to make ads that people enjoy watching. You're not bullshitting them as much as surprising them, entertaining, intriguing them. I don't pretend to be anything that I'm not. I don't really need to prove much. People often say, "Oh, are you the director?" because I'm quite low-key. I don't act the director. There's no reason to shout, scream, lose your temper and abuse people just to get somewhere. Positive energy is more productive.

I did go through a stage of being impossible to work with. That was around 1995, when I'd won all the prizes in South Africa, which led to a lot of work in Europe. I was away from home a hell of a lot. My [first] wife and I drifted apart and that was the end of that marriage. It was very painful; I had to take two years off to recover and get back on my feet. I'm not going to fall into that same trap again. I need to work out a balance and be continued on page 18>

continued from page 16> able to say no and manage my life in a way that I can deal with and makes sense. Maybe I've got a second chance.

I'm doing a project now in Moscow for some Russians from Kazakhstan, for South African Breweries (through HerdBuoys McCann). It draws on ancient African tales with a first-world execution. There's quite a bit of post to give it this fable, mystical world and dialogue in Zulu with English subtitles. In a way it's a bit like the Fork job [for Investec], but in an African way.

I was surprised by "Fork". It's not the sort of thing one does every day. In hindsight you look at it and say, "Geez, did I do that and how did I do it?" I really liked the story. I introduced the journey, the characters of the druid, the Chinaman, the wise man, those kinds of things. I also brought in some of the effects like the shadow, the lizard climbing on her back. We shot in Prague [where] we found those two twin girls. I must say I'm blessed in many ways. I've been so fortunate - with weather, with timing. It comes from not fighting the elements.

I've had a few near-disasters on location - car accidents, plane crash, but I've survived them all. The Landrover crash was on a UK job in Myoma; it rolled eight times and they found us 18 hours later. We managed to get out of the vehicle but it was such a remote place; it happened at sunset; we spent the entire night until midday the next day before another car came along. There's no wood to make a fire. The car was on its roof in a ravine, with petrol and brake fluid dripping out all over the place.

The plane crash? We were on a recce and it ran out of fuel and we had to crash land. I remember the engine cutting out and bumping over the field and the plane tipping over on its nose and the propeller going into to the sand/grass. It was bit scary - people get wiped out all the time. But everyone survived. No one's ever died or been badly hurt or maimed on any of my shoots. I'm very blessed. We do dangerous things with lots of stunts.

I find it really interesting to be wrong. If it's a good agency, we'll conflict over the director's cut, but often I end up realizing that their version is better. I like working with a team; I value the relationships I build with crew members and agencies on repeat business, the editor (Isa Jacobson, Flying Films), colorist, online and post people. But it really starts with Linda [my wife and producer]. She inspires me with references, wardrobe. Then she gets involved in the creative side.

I got a bronze Lion for Audi but I found Cannes quite claustrophobic, to be honest.

I wasn't very sociable or eloquent. But I guess I'll handle it better this time. I'm not wealthy enough to splash out and have a yacht and buy drinks for everyone. I don't drink. I don't stand on a table and say "Look at Me!" and "Listen to me!" I'd rather listen than speak.

@radical media> www.radicalmedia.com

Suburban Films> www.suburbanfilms.co.za