Interview with Jack Edmonds
We had a chat with newly-signed Movidiam Talent director and DOP Jack Edmonds, to discuss his art (in all its forms) and the creative threads that run through everything he does.
Can you tell us about your route into the industry?
I come from a family of Artists and so I started off by going down the Fine Art route at school and college. I remember messing around with an old video camera and realising that there was a huge new potential with video as a medium to experiment with. So I approached film making as a painter, trying to make abstract and expressive images — with the benefit of having sound and movement. This sparked my interest in film and as such I decided to study Moving Image at University where I carried on the experimentation with analogue film. It was a very self driven course and it forced me to be very independent and approach work conceptually. At this time everything I shot was hand processed, black and white 16mm film which gave me a great experience developing my technical knowledge as well as discipline as a camera person.
After graduating I had realised that these skills could be applied towards becoming a cinematographer. I decided to work my way up from ground zero as I realised quickly that I knew nothing about being on set. So I started running, then quickly started camera assisting and it wasn’t long before I was camera operating. After working on lots of short films and a couple of low budget feature films I decided I’d like to move into more commercial work. An opportunity came up at BAUER Media which gave me the ability to work on countless shoots for commercial brands. It was a great place to hone my craft. I learned a lot about making work for social and online platforms, I learned that if I had to I could shoot, edit and deliver work to crazy deadlines and generally push myself to keep up with the non-stop world of advertising. I developed my craft and started being credited as a DOP after proving myself and eventually opened up to the prospect of directing (I realised after having been on so many shoots I had actually picked up a lot of experience in this area too).
After BAUER I continued to work in branded content at Unilad and subsequently Ladbible as their in house DOP. It wasn’t long before I was also being requested by in-house teams to direct their shoots too. I would also exec many different edits as this was by now a strength for me.
I decided to go freelance half a year ago to focus on working with new clients and opportunities.
You’re also an artist (Jack’s first solo show ‘The Alchemist Series’ can be found here) and a musician, as well as a filmmaker. How do these three aspects of your work, in paint, in music, and in film, influence each other (if at all)?
I’ve always been a painter — since my parents paint and sell pictures for a living it’s just something I’ve always had close to me. Over the years I’ve had many exhibitions and chances to sell my work and I think it’s important to keep the passion going. Having another medium to work in and turn to gives me a balanced creative outlook. I see my music, art and film projects as three parts of the same thing — just different media that I use to communicate my thoughts. They all have their different advantages.
I taught myself piano when I was about 17 after inheriting a beautiful old upright from a family member. It opened up my senses in the same way as the first time using a film camera. After a while I started to take it quite seriously and began playing improvised piano sessions in venues. I found composing came quite naturally (I hated reciting and reading music!). So I began applying it to film by composing for short / feature films.
I recently composed music for a ballet which was an incredible experience, and a creative journey I wouldn’t have been able to carry out in another medium.
Having experience in these three different media gives me the ability to have several outlooks on a creative project. Obviously the rules of cinematography come straight from the traditions of painting so there’s a lot I apply from this. But also music extends very easily to editing, not just in choosing and composing music but the rhythm of a project, the drama.
You’re credited as being director or DOP in a variety of projects, and occasionally as both — how does being in both of those roles (especially at the same time) inform your creative process?
Just like when I’m painting or sitting down at the piano I put a slightly different hat on and engage with what’s in front of me, it’s the same for my role on set. When I’m the DP on a project I’m doing extensive research for everything that could visually bring a story to life, then orchestrating the camera and lighting team to carry it out, problem solving as we go. If I’m directing, I’m still doing a bit of that but focusing much more on the story itself — so there is a natural overlap there. If I’m doing both it’s usually because it’s on a documentary or shoot that requires a flexible approach, it may be a sensitive subject where you don’t want a massive crew or it could be in a region where not many people can access. It’s useful to be able to do both, it just takes more prep!
Who/what is your biggest creative inspiration?
I’m constantly looking for new inspiration. It could come from absolutely anywhere. Could be a painting, a piece of music you hear in a film or someone you know. I’m someone that has to be inspired to work, I think it’s not good enough to just go through the motions, otherwise you end up making something average. Putting all those little pieces together is what gives a rich experience when approaching a project.
Having said that when I’m DP’ing I would always think ‘what would Rodger Deakins do?..’
What do you feel is the biggest challenge of working in this industry?
Being at the right place at the right time with the right people.
Where do you see yourself / your work in a year’s time?
I’m hoping to have a few more ambitious projects that really test me. I love a challenge and I love hitting milestones. I’m also planning a new series of paintings right now and I’d love to incorporate film and music into it somehow.
What about 5?
Now that would be telling…
