Creative Minds: Dami Sidharta has his mom to thank

Name: Dami Sidharta

Origin: Bogor, Indonesia

Places lived/worked: Bogor, Bandung, Jakarta, Sydney

Pronouns: He/him

CV:

• Chief creative officer, M&C Saatchi Indonesia, Jakarta (2018-present)
• Creative director, Dentsu Indonesia, Jakarta (2017)
• Art director, BWM Dentsu, Sydney (2016)
• Associate creative director, Dentsu Indonesia, Jakarta (2014-2016)
• Creative group head, Leo Burnett, Jakarta (2009-2014)
• Art director, Octocomm Asia, Jakarta (2006-2009)

1. How did you end up being a creative?

When I was very little, my grandfather ran his forestry consultancy business from home. He had five or six employees and they stocked up tons of office supplies. They had all kinds of paper, markers, huge sets of Rotring pens, paints and brushes, scissors, tapes, glues, cutting table, binding machine, everything. My favourites were the big tracing table they used to trace maps on, and the photocopy machine. As a third grader, I would spend every day in that office making something. I drew comic books, I made robot costumes out of paper, I made arcade machines from paperclips and cartons, I even sold my artworks at school.

At that time, they never really taught art or creativity in public school, so kids had to do that at home. I guess I was very lucky I could still discover and develop that interest in a family where nobody draws.

When I graduated from high school, time was different. The office was no more, my father just passed a year before and money was tight. When I told my mom that I want to go to art school, she just took whatever money she could get and sent me to the best art school in the country. No questions asked.

So, how did I end up being a creative? It was the tracing table:)

2. What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?

I love some of the films I did very early in my career. Those are the films that my parents and grandparents would recognise on TV and would proudly tell everyone that their little boy made them.

It’s always special when your family can spot your work on TV. When they call you at work just to say “did you make that one I just saw?”. Especially if those people are the ones who put you in your path. A path they know nothing about. Now that most of them are gone, these pieces of work remind me of them and those moments.

3. What's your favourite piece of work created by someone else?

Never have that feeling towards any ad but, good Lord, I wish I did one of those AAA video games. I’ve always loved storytelling of any form, from books to bar talks, but video game’s got to be my favourite. It combines art, writing, design, directing, storytelling, and if I can join Guerrilla or Naughty Dog on their next project I would quit my job today. And I love my job. That’s how much I wish I did that.

4. What kind of student were you?

I’m that kid who sat in the back, never studied. I skipped classes to go play pool with friends. During exams, my smart friends would show me their answers, so my grades were never bad.

During my university time, things worsened. I was busy doing stupid (and ridiculously fun) things with my friends, I didn’t submit my assignments and I failed classes. That all changed after I came back from interning in a local ad agency. During that internship, I discovered what I wanted to do and since then I read everything I can find about advertising and get in talks with some of the great ad people through emails.

5. What career did you think you'd have when you were a kid?

When I was really small, I thought I wanted to be a martabak seller. Something in the way they spin and flip the dough around that amazed me. I used to practice with wet towels. A little bit older, and I wanted to be a video-game designer.

(Shutterstock)

6. Tell us about the worst job you ever had.

When I was in college, I once took a job as a sandwich man, for a cough syrup brand that was just launched. I wore bright red and yellow shirt and hat, two badly designed billboards on my front and back, and I stood at the traffic light, smiling and waving and pointing to the billboards. And the people who drove by would open their windows and gave me a thumbs up with a big smile. I quit the very day I started.

7. What advice would you give to 10-year-old you if you could?

Get someone to teach you about money. Take that piano lesson your grandma offered. Put on moisturisers—your future wife will never stop talking about this.

8. What's your favourite music, film, TV show, book or other of the past year and why?

It’s got to be The Last Of Us Part 2, a 2020 game by Naughty Dog. Probably the most controversial and divisive video-game ever. It tells a great story about people in a world that’s destroyed by a sort of zombie apocalypse. A very devastating and heart-breaking storytelling that explores hate in every one of us. And it tells it with great writing, great performance from the actors, great plot twists, and ultimately it will leave you with big emotion long after you finished the game. A must play. If you’ve never played video games before, just sit next to someone playing it and enjoy the story.

The Last of Us Part 2

9. What would you do on your perfect day?

This past year, I just want to be outside and play with my son, Atlas. Maybe on a beach or in the snow. Or wherever Godzilla lives.

10. What's your guilty pleasure?

Disaster movies. Watching all kinds of ways the world could end in beautiful CG is somehow relaxing to me.

11. How would your co-workers describe you?

They would say I’m humble. They know the drill.