We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeremi Durand a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jeremi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I navigated my way to film directing (and photography) through design and music; I’ve studied product design in the 1st place, which is one of the hardest forms of creation as there are so many constraints. I then specialized in Design Fiction and began scripting product design solutions with the future in mind.
Parallel to that, I had a band like most of us creatives did, and produced a total of 3 albums. Music is a deep part of me and what drives me mainly in my day to day creativity.
After I finished my masters I began acting professionally, making a living out of it for about two years in London, which I’m pretty proud of, as you can imagine how hard this can be.
I think it’s very important to understand the situation you’re putting actors in. So now as a director, it is a tremendous help to have been through it myself.
As I kept on developing personal side projects meanwhile, creative agencies started to notice my profile and I ended up working as an art director on various global campaigns.
All these experiences put together have pushed me to be gathering a wide range of creative skills that funnel into what I think is the ultimate form of creation: telling a story through image making, be it still or motion.
As a film director (and equally as a photographer), I believe that there is no “right” school or right path to gather the knowledge and skills necessary to work in this field.
It is very much a sort of brain mash-up, standing at the crossroad of personal life experience, empathy for other humans and a creative process to be applied on top of this mess. You cannot learn this. Hopefully talent then comes in to play a final part.
So I’d say there’s nothing to speed up the process really.
Some very famous artists have started their creative careers in their 60s and there is no shame in that. I actually find it highly inspiring. This ability to shift and adapt to your new self at this age is truly remarkable, and it all comes down to the experience gathered other the course of one life, that is suddenly translated into a certain creative language.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’d say I’m a multidisciplinary artist who has decided to focus on the hardest craft there is: filmmaking. All the knowledge and skills I’ve learnt have almost pushed me into doing what I do today: telling stories through image making (be it motion of stills).
I am based in between London and France, splitting my time between the two.
I work with various productions and team, alongside many incredible individuals who help me shape my future creative self.
My creative process?
Generally when I read a brief or am crafting my own creative ventures, I focus 1st on what I want to say, try to sum it up in one sentence. Then once I decide the central approach is strong enough, I start to do some thinking on the execution, that’s mostly when my design background come into play.
I always try to find the language of the people I work with (be it commercials or music videos), that I then translate through my creative voice. It seems logical and bare, but keeping your true voice is the hardest thing.
Then there is the freedom of letting things happen: this 1st means to try to get the best out of the people I work with, and give them the freedom to bring better ideas on the table, the freedom to surprise me. My job as a director is to know when an idea, a new element or even an unforeseen event makes the project better or not. For that process to happen, you need freedom in your mind.
Eventually I think passion is a crucial part of the process because it is contagious, and that’s how your team ends up following you.
I’d say my style sits on a thin line between narrative and conceptual visuals.
The themes of my work often touch on what could be described as social surrealism, which consists of creating and envisioning metaphorical visuals that have a social reach of some sort. I try to never create without meaning, and when creating, I always make sure that I can invite my audience to question the visual.
I think it’s very important that Art, in general, keeps on opening doors and invites us to question our ever-changing society, while leaving some parts unanswered for imagination’s sake.
What I want to do is make you work too.
My inspiration?
People I closely follow the work of, and it can be pretty eclectic: Matilda Finn, Gaspar Noe, Paul Thomas Anderson, Tom Yorke, Robert Del Naja, Richard Russell from XL Recordings, Darren Aronofsky, Hiro Murai, Melina Matsoukas.
My secret to remain creative and inspired?
To never be satisfied with anything when it comes to work, arts or creative thinking. I think that complacency is dangerous when you’re a creative on a path to anywhere that’s not where you already are.
The work I’m the most proud of?
Recently, to be featured on the front page of Fubiz.net for more than a week for my latest photography project ‘Kings’.
My music videos for MUSE, Kaycyy & Gesaffelstein, as well as my latest trilogy of films for French artist Yodelice.
Cold facts/bio:
I am an award winning film director & photographer. Former designer specializing in design fiction; image culture, narratives and conceptual thinking are at the core of my skills. Currently developing films – both short and feature – as well as photography work, I am a multidisciplinary visual artist with a unique stand point.
I have worked with high-profile talent such as: Roger Federer, MUSE, Placebo, Röyksopp, Gesaffelstein, Digitalism, Yodelice, Zimmer, Kaycyy, Jon Bellion & Illenium, Yodelice. I have also collaborated with global clients such as: Capitol Records, Warner Music, Columbia Records, Because Music, Nike, On Running, Lacoste, Levi’s, Hugo Boss, Asus, Land Rover & Amnesty International.
Nominations & Awards include:
UKMVAs (Best Rock UK), 1.4 (Flying High), Berlin MVAs x5 (including Best Director), Berlin Commercial x4 (including Best Director & Best Music Video), Webby Awards (Best Music Video), V.O.T.D Winner x3, BAMV Fest, Austin MVAs, Vimeo Staff Pick, Creativepool features x9, Multiple NOWNESS Picks & Premieres, GENERO TV Finalist, Official Selection at the London Fashion Week Festival, 6 months exhibition at Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Winner of The Creativepool Bronze Award (photo work).
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
Well, that’s a tough one because there is quite a lot to be done.
To begin with, I think society drives a great deal of our perception on ART in general, and not always in the best direction. And that’s despite the fact that, almost unconsciously, this very same society thrives on ART by over consuming it on a daily basis. It’s a pretty complex paradox.
Art is coming from the soul. It often requires years and years of efforts and a lot of courage to come out as a professional artist. So I would say that helping everyone understand that ART is sacred in a way, especially when it is made by artists who work respectfully of their environment (people and spaces). In other words, we should educate to respect ART and its makers more. That could be a good start.
Moreover, governments around the world tend to easily forget that they should cherish and protect their artists much more and much better.
First of all because they account for billions in financial growth, and quite simply because without them, there is no radio, no music, no concert, no TV, no cinema, no video, no theatre, no dance, no painting, no novel, no sculpture, no design and so on.
It feels funny & easy to say, but if you think about it for a minute, how much did you already consume today (unconsciously)? Or simply put it like this: would tourists still be attracted to a particular city like New York for example if there was no gig, no cinema, no Broadway, no Art gallery, no show anymore? And wouldn’t life (as a New Yorker) itself be a hell of a lot more boring?
Not to mention; what would you do with your phone all day long then?!
As a society, we take a lot of things for granted, Art included, and this is wrong.
So I think that all in all, a little more consideration with a lot more protection from governments towards professional artists would be a great step forward.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Leaving a trace behind is what drives me, and the only thing that has always driven me into doing what I do today. And I can guarantee you that I am VERY resilient providing where I come from (which I’ll always remember of course) and where I’m at today. I want to leave something positive and as substantial as possible to my close ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeremidurand.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jeremidurand/