Ever since Ben Freeman 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 Skinhead: An Archive, a collection of skinhead fanzines and posters, Ditto's publications make you stop, look and think. Over the years they've worked with everyone from Nike to the V&A, and five years ago they embarked on their 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 9 of Mushpit, of which he is Art Director, 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, so that role scratches a lot of creative itches. I was always inspired by 80s trash horror films, DIY culture, Answer Me! Magazine, Feral House, industrial subculture and basically anything good that people just got on with without waiting for someone to come along and subsidise. I guess I knew I was following the right path at the point when I stopped wondering what to do with my life and 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."
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 want, and it made me up my game. I've had so many career highlights that it's hard to pick one, but FUNMagazine that I made with Deano from Real Gold, Skinhead: An Archive, and all the fun I have had on photo shoots and journalism projects, breaking into places, setting fire to stuff, meeting weirdos and having a laugh with colleagues."
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.
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