my creative life

Photo archives, paintings and Nora Ephron: Saatchis' Franki Goodwin shares her creative loves

The Saatchi & Saatchi chief creative officer reveals the references that keep her inspired

By Franki Goodwin

29 September 2022

Website: film-grab.com

This incredible, ever-growing archive of film stills is one of my favourite places to spend time online. I even have a film on there (Prevenge, which we made on a shoestring in 2016). I love it because it throws back to the heyday of simple blogs where single ideas lived in uncomplicated ways waiting for us to pop in without stealing our data or tying to be our mate.

Painting: Christina’s World, Andrew Wyeth, 1948

I wanted to put a painting in here because I’m a bit of a traditionalist at heart. There’s something about this Andrew Wyeth piece that feels like when you’re out in the wilderness looking for an idea and it’s just a bit out of reach. The general consensus is that the painting is intended as a portrayal of a state of mind rather than a place and I like it when art does what it sets out to do, it becomes more like design then.

Film: Julie and Julia (Dir. Nora Ephron, 2009)

An unfashionable film of two halves that reminds me both how rich and satisfying film can be when it’s good (the Meryl bits) and how indulgent and unsympathetic it can be when it’s bad (the Amy bits). Nora Ephron remains a hero of mine and her writing about food is as enriching as eating itself so this film encompasses some harsh creative reminders about success and failure, food, France and Nora. All of which are important to me.