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How did you discover your interest in advertising and film?<\/strong>\u00a0I grew up in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with minimal access to television. From what little I watched, I felt an immediate attraction to advertising, connecting with the idea of fast-paced storytelling with purpose. Commercials were fascinating: the structure, catchy jingles and tone\u2014that a commercial\u00a0could have a sense of humor or feature surreal fantasies like in perfume ads.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When I was nine years old, my father brought home a camcorder, and the first things I made were deodorant commercials and horror films. I recruited my sisters and friends as actors and was my own producer, stylist and cinematographer\u2014of course!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What inspired you to start creating and directing branded video content?\u00a0<\/strong>Before branded content was officially \u201ca thing\u201d\u2014way before social media\u2014there seemed to be an opportunity for it with the rise in viewership of lifestyle blogs and the huge followings that bloggers had in the digital space. I had an instinct that brands would want to explore putting their advertising online in longer formats\u2014not as TV spots but more lifestyle-based content, featuring trusted \u201cexperts\u201d (like bloggers) as spokespeople. I took a chance and wrote spec scripts for Nike and Best Buy, exploring what a show for each brand could look like.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It turns out that I wasn\u2019t the only person thinking this way; I quickly connected with development executive Kim Howitt, the folks at Smuggler Productions and ad agency Droga5 to explore these ideas further. Brands had, in fact, been reaching out to find new ways to advertise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I honed my skills as a writer and director, creating the early versions of branded content for brands like adidas, Levi Strauss & Co., P&G and Sephora, among others. It was an exciting time navigating new waters and creating a visual and structural vocabulary that permeates culture to this day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tell us about your work on Walmart\u2019s \u201cBlack & Unlimited.\u201d\u00a0What was your inspiration for the campaign, and what was the creation process like?<\/strong>\u00a0Ad agency BBH NY came to me with the idea to create a joyful campaign that captured the intersectionality and vastness of Black identities. I loved their idea of capturing the multifaceted passions, interests and careers of Black people, celebrating them while documenting them as a matter of fact. The campaign was a great collaboration with the creatives involved.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Right out the gate, my goal was to hit the right tone, one that would honor the uniqueness of each person featured. Equally important was to develop a visual style and editorial structure that we could lean on to bring cohesion across the campaign. We decided on using a Walmart-yellow flat wall as a backdrop for each person as they introduced themselves, set against the texture of their respective worlds. If we went from a badass skateboarder in the city in one spot to the super textured ranch of the Compton Cowboys in another, viewers would know within the first three seconds that they were watching a spot from Walmart\u2019s Black & Unlimited campaign.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I love working with actors, but I thrive when working with real people. I got to know every person we featured and found inspiration in their voices, stories and worlds. It was important to honor them while pushing things stylistically for the Walmart brand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Besides working on ad campaigns, you\u2019ve also directed music videos. How does your creative process change for these projects?<\/strong>\u00a0My process for music videos is quite fluid. I listen to the music\u2014often on an infinite repeat\u2014until images materialize and story structures or scene ideas spark. Sometimes a look and feel presents itself before anything else does. Where my process may differ is that musicality, rhythm and the idea of moving through space are at the top of my creative process; I used to dance professionally, and it\u2019s reflected in my choices and is a practical part of my workflow. I dance before sitting down to write a treatment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For singer-songwriter Andy Grammer\u2019s \u201cDamn It Feels Good To Be Me,\u201d the lyrics inspired a question in my mind: \u201cWhat would it look like if a bunch of people, completely comfortable in their skin, got together to party?\u201d Immediately, I could see the cast and the look and feel of the world: maximalist styling, print on print, animals, go-karts, speakers everywhere\u2014everything over the top. Then, a simple story developed inside that world: \u201cWhat if a super shy person walked into this safe space?\u201d That\u2018s when the ghost character presented itself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The video became a celebration of individuality, and the ghost character represented someone feeling like an outsider but eventually becoming an insider. I\u2019m starting to see a theme across my work: the joyful celebration of individuality!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For Run The Jewels\u2019s \u201cOoh LA LA,\u201d\u00a0there was a lot of conversation with El-P and Killer Mike about the tone for the video. They\u2019re amazing collaborators!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How have your early life in Haiti and Haitian culture informed your aesthetic?<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019m not sure my early life in Haiti has affected my aesthetic, but it certainly informs my worldview and instincts. Like any culture rooted in African culture, Haitians are natural storytellers. It\u2019s in our blood. Folklore is part of our daily lives, not just through words but through song and movement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A few specifics: Haitians are proud and triumphant people. As a filmmaker, I\u2019m attracted to stories of protagonists who persevere with their courage, grit, stamina and power.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Haitian culture has a clear voice and identity. For me, that translates to comfort in my decision-making skills, knowing when to push and when to maintain some mystery and elegance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I also work with a sense of play and exuberance that I relate back to the way Haitians generally live their lives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n