#WFH Diaries: Sebastien Partika of Buzzman

As confinement continues in most parts of the world, we’re checking in with creative people to see how they’re faring. Here’s an update from Sebastien Partika, a creative director at Buzzman.

Give us a one-sentence bio of yourself.

Trying to make ads I’d want to watch, for the last 15 years.

Where are you living right now, and who’s with you?

Right now I’m stuck in my Paris apartment with my lemon tree.

What’s your work situation like at the moment?

Actually, workwise it’s pretty busy. I’m in virtual meetings most of my day, sometimes eight hours back-to-back. But I always make sure to take a shower before noon.

Describe your socializing strategy.

I have absolutely no strategy. Like I said, I spend hours behind a screen, so the first thing I want to do after my workday is unplug: No Houseparty, or any other virtual hangouts, for me. I don’t think I’m missing anything, though. I don’t care about banana bread recipes. ☺

How are you dealing with childcare, if applicable?

I have joint custody, and the truth is, when I’m with my 6-year-old daughter, it’s almost impossible to work. My girl is really concerned about the situation. She feels like she’ll never go back to school and will eventually lose her friends. I get the feeling kids deserve more attention than ever, because they need to be reassured. It’s hard to deal with this and keep pace with the workload at the same time.

What are you reading?

Weirdly, this quarantine doesn’t leave me much time to read. I actually read less than usual, but managed to dig some of my fave comics and books up from the shelves. My latest read is a French sci-fi book titled Les Furtifs. I bought it just before the bookshops closed down.

What are you watching?

I’m watching documentaries about almost everything. The random topics I pick surprise me sometimes, haha! And there’s a few TV series. I warmly recommend Unorthodox and Watchmen!

What are you listening to?

I listen to music all day long. I choose the first track when I wake up. It could be a classic hip-hop song, an upcoming rap artist, old-school electro music or a French singer. It sets the tone. Then I let Spotify decide what’s coming next.

How are you staying fit?

Good red wine is key.

Any tips for getting necessities?

I encourage people to opt for local grocery shops. It’s a way to support your local economy and, without a doubt, access better-quality food. And if you can afford it, go fancy sometimes! Champagne can be a good pairing with pasta.

An awkward moment since all this started.

Everything seems normal in awkward times!

Best work email you got since all this started.

It’s still confidential, but I got a client email 10 days ago, giving us the green light for a meaningful execution that could have a positive impact during the current situation. Stay tuned.

An aha! moment since all this started.

Sadly, during quarantine every speech from our government was an aha! moment…

What’s your theory on how this is going to play out?

French writer Michel Houellebecq wrote a short letter about his pessimistic vision of how things will be after. He talked about the obsolescence of human interactions, as this period revealed how willing people are to cope with remote work and less contact. I have to say this guy has always been a visionary, but I hope this time he’s wrong. I miss real-life encounters a lot.

See the full #WFH Diaries series here.