Ever since Ben Ditto and Lynsey Atkin set up Ditto in early 2009, they have published some of the industry’s most exciting publications. From Stuart Griffiths’ Pigs’ Disco (about a group of Belfast soldiers who were involved in the 90s rave scene) to Toby Mott’s Skinheads: An Archive (a collection of skinhead fanzines and posters), Ditto’s publications make you stop, look, and think. Over the years, Ditto has worked with everyone from Nike to the V&A; last year, the publishing house embarked on its first venture into the literary world, publishing Duncan Fallowell’s novel How to Disappear. Whilst working on cutting edge designer Dilara Findikoglu’s next presentation and lookbook, a shoot and film for Gut Magazine with Saskia Dixie, issue nine of Mushpit, and a book with Vinca Petersen, Ben invites us into his world to shed light on what the world of publishing is all about.
What I do and why I do it:
I’m a publisher and an art director/creative director. I do it because those were the things that made me happiest when I was younger: weird magazines and subcultures. I started making zines in 1989 when I was 12. I was obsessed with making films too, and dressing up in weird clothes. I had no idea what an art director was back then though, so that scratches a lot of creative itches. I was inspired by 80s trash horror films, DIY culture, Answer Me! Magazine, Feral House, and industrial subculture. I guess the point when I stopped wondering what to do with my life [was when] I started being basically content with what I do. I’m really not very conflicted about my work or what to do with my life any more.
A day in my life:
My life seems to consist of endless meetings and conversations, and answering emails in between. I like working in teams and collaborating. Even though I’m maybe not the world’s biggest people person, I don’t like working alone. Predictably, I’m not a massive fan of boring responsibility, like book keeping or accountancy. But I just had to get used to it. I really love just going in to Ditto, and getting on with stuff in relative peace and quiet with the people I love working with.
The absolute best feeling for me is when someone writes to us from some town I’ve never been to and says they found a copy of a book or magazine and they loved it, because I know how much that meant to me when I was younger. The events we host at Ditto are really important to me as they make publishing tangible; we meet the people who are buying our products, and we always get the best crowds. I’m not sure anyone knows or cares much what a publisher does, so I doubt there are many misconceptions. I guess the main one is the difference between publishing and printing. Printing is putting ink on paper. Publishing is putting work out into the world.
The moment that made me:
I have had far too many bits of help to single one out. The most useful thing has been being receptive to the help that people offer, or that situations can teach you. Maybe the most useful things have been when I didn’t get what I wanted, and it made me up my game. Again, no one thing, but FUN Magazine that I made with Deano from Real Gold, Skinhead: An Archive, and all the fun I have had on photoshoots and journalism projects, breaking into places, setting fire to stuff, meeting weirdos, and having a laugh with colleagues.
To degree or not to degree, that is the question:
I left school when I was 16 and went back when I was 25. I don’t have A levels or anything like that, but I went on to do a degree in Graphics at Camberwell and then Communication Design at the Royal College. It definitely helped; I spent six years grafting and probably worked extra hard because I had that experience of being in the workplace — working in kitchens and on building sites. College was great for me, but I don’t get the point in going if you don’t work hard. I learned as much from work experience as I did from college; I think it’s very useful.
What I wish I knew then that I know now:
You’re much better than you think you are. There is no substitute for curiosity about the world around you, building relationships, hard work, and originality. I wish there was some other magical secret I could share, but that’s pretty much it. In terms of publishing itself, I think a real awareness of the exciting landscape we operate in these days is crucial; I have never been a print fetishist and I am just as excited by tech as I am about books, hence my other company, Future Artefacts, which I run with Deano Jo from Real Gold.
I’m excited by tomorrow because:
At the moment I am excited about making more film, and shooting more myself. Longer term, I am just excited by the possibilities that have opened up through the last eight years of work. I’m basically a neophiliac so I’m always on the lookout for anything jarring and original. London is really blessed with talent at the moment, particularly in terms of young fashion designers, and I feel very lucky to get to work with them. I think Ditto will carry on as a concept; where and how is totally open. Ditto has become the embodiment of my tastes and aesthetic, but it’s flexible enough that I can easily change up where we are based or what we produce. I know I will be working with people who inspire me and releasing products I’m proud of.
Credits
Text Ben Ditto