TAMÁS KISS
Tamás was born as a Hungarian minority in former Yugoslavia. In 1991, he fled the war with his family and, after a six-month stopover with a host family in Hungary, eventually settled in Vienna. His interest in film, and ultimately in directing, began with his early desire to one day produce animated films. However, while studying at the Graphische Bundes-Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt in Vienna, he discovered photography and, soon after, filmmaking. At 17, he produced his first short film as a school project, followed by six more short films over the next few years.
At 21, he went freelance, working as a versatile filmmaker—directing, filming, and editing—on projects for television (ORF, Servus TV, and ATV) as well as commercials. His early work as a director allowed him to travel the world with Red Bull, producing documentary formats. Over time, he became more interested in blending his own unique style into the advertising world, leading to both national and international projects. Tamás often not only directs but also writes the concepts and scripts for many of his projects.
His productions grew larger and began to develop a distinct signature. Tamás's work is diverse, human, quirky, and dynamic. He likes to stay close to his subjects, playing with fluid movement and embracing ambivalence.
COMMERCIAL
PROJECTS
Advertising has accompanied me on my career path from day one. Before I started working independently as a director in 2012, I began as an intern at the Vienna-based advertising agency DMB. That’s also how I got my first job after the internship: producing a corporate film for BIPA (Austria’s largest drugstore chain). This paved the way for my entry into the commercial film industry. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with countless clients and agencies.
Advertising has been the constant that has always accompanied me between my ventures into narrative filmmaking, documentaries, and music videos. It's where my experiences and stylistic development from other areas have come together and solidified. This is where my visual language and my way of storytelling converge as the central hub of my creative work.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to realize projects for clients with budgets of up to €250,000 and crews of up to 70 people. I’ve shot long-term projects that spanned over 9 months and included 20 shooting days. My work has received nominations and awards such as the Cannes Dolphin and the Prix Victoria.
Stories, people, dialogue, and the big screen have always had a magical pull on me. I began writing my first screenplays back in 2010 and brought them to life as film projects. Over the years, I directed seven short films and, in 2018, wrote a screenplay on commission for a feature film production by the company SAMSARA. As a director, I also had the opportunity to bring the pilot for that screenplay to life.
AWARD WINNING NARRATIVE DIRECTOR
(NORTH CAROLINA FILM AWARD)
NARRATIVE
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The world of feature films will always accompany me and serves as the foundation of my cinematic work with people and their stories. As a passionate writer, I also enjoy working on concepts and script details in other media formats, aiming to support clients and agencies not just in execution, but also in terms of content.
FUNDED SCREENWRITER
7x SHORTFILMS
DOCUMENTARY
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I also had the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of real-life stories for several years. I was fortunate to create both documentaries and high-quality reportages for international productions such as RedBull LA, as well as for well-known broadcasters like ServusTV, ORF, and private television. I was responsible for all areas—from research and script development to directing. During this time, I learned how to find cinematic and aesthetic storytelling approaches, even in often uncontrolled environments. This experience has significantly shaped my style and is reflected in both my fictional work and my advertising projects.
Music videos have been a part of my journey since the beginning of my career. I always see them as a creative balance to my other projects. This is where I experiment, take risks, and find ways to get the most out of a small budget. It’s also where I took my first steps working with AI-integrated elements. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to produce music videos for independent artists, major labels like Warner Music, and even branded content for big brands like Samsung.
MUSIC VIDEOS
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