From The Kennedys to you: Top 5 pieces of advice
![From The Kennedys to you: Top 5 pieces of advice](https://wkams.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/journal-banner-kennedys-2640x1124.jpg)
If you’re thinking of applying for The Kennedys season 8, then this one’s for you…We’ve gathered the top five pieces of advice from the 2017 Kennedys crew to get you armed & ready for your application and potential experience as a Kennedy. If you’ve read this far and still have no idea ‘what the K’ the Kennedys is, check this out first. But if you think you’re already K-nowledgeable enough, simply read on. You’re welcome (from our past Kennedys* to you, hopefully future ones).
1. Your top piece of advice to make it into the Kennedys:
CAITLIN: Show the real you.
SPENCER: Make work that’s ‘fucking’ something. Whether it’s fucking funny, fucking sad, fucking cool, or just fucking weird.
ANNA: Be your best, craziest, sexiest self and show it. If you think “man I can’t do this, that’s too much.” Then you’re probably on the right path.
BRENDAN: Scare them ?
COCO: Make something that you love. Don’t worry what anyone else will think. Do it for you.
GRETA: If you really want to be here – you will, just keep applying.
AIDA: Work hard, download illegal software, and do a rain dance to every full moon.
2. Your best tip for the perfect team-working experience:
ANNA: Be nice to people. Be nice to people. Be nice to people…aaah fuck this….
BRENDAN: We’re not here to carry, or be carried.
CAITLIN: Leave the egos behind. Put your teammates before you and support them whenever you can- you’ll learn something about yourself in the process. 7 minds are better than 1
COCO: Be open to arguments. Then go and have a beer together.
AIDA: Acknowledge everyone’s opinions and then ignore them. Also, always keep booze and snacks within arm’s reach
GRETA: Everyone has something wonderful to offer. Find that. Help them be that more.
SPENCER: Let people do what they’re there to do, and you do the same. If you’re an editor, edit, a director, direct; a writer, write (and avoid all backseat designing). Also trust the others to do their job – everyone got picked for a reason.
3. One thing you wish you had created but didn’t have the chance to:
AIDA: A 3D printed lamp modelled after the inside of my uterus.
SPENCER: A giant eight-foot statue made from wire in the shape of a pigeon. Then you fill the wire-frame with bird food, so when the pigeons fly in to eat, they fill up the statue. Now you’ve created an eight-foot pigeon made from a hundred normal-sized ones.
BRENDAN: B.R.E.N.D.S, the movie.
CAITLIN: I wanted to curate a 35mm photography series and put on an exhibition as a lot of us have been producing a body of work while we’ve been here.
ANNA: “I survived the Kennedys” T shirts and other merchandise.
COCO: A commercial celebrating black hair.
GRETA: A music video & a golden window display.
4. One main lesson you’ll take with you after The Kennedys is over:
SPENCER: Never stop playing. Ever.
ANNA: Give less of a fuck of what other people think you can or you can’t do. Just do it and prove them wrong. Lesson learned: YOU CAN DO IT.
CAITLIN: Slow and steady always wins the race.
BRENDAN: Don’t be embarrassed about embarrassing yourself.
COCO: Say what you think (most of the time).
AIDA: Everyone’s full of crap.
GRETA: Trust your own creative instinct.
5. What you wish you had known when you first started this program:
GRETA: The weather will get better . . . eventually.
ANNA: Bring noise cancelling headphones.
COCO: Enjoy every moment. Even the awkward ones.
BRENDAN: You can’t retake your PR photo.
CAITLIN: That I was going to jump into the canal. At winter.
AIDA: Everyone’s full of crap.
SPENCER: Noise-cancelling headphones are a must.
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*From our ’17 Kennedys class which wrapped in April 2018, four have officially now joined the W+K Amsterdam team (Anna & Brendan are our new Art Directors, Spencer is a Copywriter and Caitlin a Content Producer). Greta, Aida and Coco have all pursued independent career journeys and are obviously killing it.