We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniel Reid a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Daniel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I began at a very young age, around 4. I was always drawing and painting. What I did learn through those years is learning what you love. If you love it, you’ll be a sponge. if you hate it you’ll be a rock.

The most essential skills i drawn from those experiences was my visual library and ability to have a clear vision. I believe that’s the key to a great piece of art being film, drawing, painting, and music.

The obstacles that stand in the way are always constant, they’re usually questions, questions about what and why am I making something. Realizing there are no answers but only paths to take has been extremely helpful in the process.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into the industry as a concept artist at 19. I made artwork and design work for video game and film companies. I’ve always painted and drawn and naturally pursued it as my career, it’s all I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I eventually grew into a senior concept artist where I became one of the top prospects in my industry.

The problems I had to resolve was communication. Throughout my years, connecting and understanding the client was key as well as making a project interesting to work on was all about spinning it into a way that I can incorporate my style and my ideas whilst maintaining the highest respect of the clients vision.

Being in film now, once I got a taste of the process and expression I realized that every frame is a painting, it’s a drawing, it’s a gesture and an expression. I’m proud to have made that leap. In my painting career i would say being able to be respected and recognized amongst the top of my favourite artists has been one of the greatest blessings I could ever ask for. I want them to know that i’m out to make the best work that I can to entertain the audience, creating the most interesting forms of expression using the language of cinema, feeding the audience a meal that makes them feel so full when they leave the theatre. That feeling you have when you watched the matrix for the first time, the first time you saw a movie that really spoke to you or really opened up a chain of thoughts that haven’t been explored before.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my audience by striving to make the most authentic work that I can, it’s driven by intuition as well as historical and fundamental knowledge of classical art. I believe history is an explanation of our present, that knowledge will help you build the platform you want at the highest level.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Create a full length feature film that brings back the standard we use to have. Making a film so great that it leaves audiences feeling full.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.danielreidart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/papa.png/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-reid-9318b2111/

Image Credits

Stills are from my film Ricochet, DOP John Cumberland. BTS image from Dalia Alloca. Paintings are by me.