Peer Review: KÂCIKÊ

Who are three contemporaries that you admire?

Valentin Petit - We lost him last year, but his work lives on. He had a knack for crafting striking visuals with dynamic camera movements and seamless transitions. His videos struck a perfect balance between lifestyle flair and performance energy.

BRTHR - They're at the top of their game with those quick, energetic cuts. We love how they blend different media, mixing cinematic shots with handmade animations and 3D elements.

Immersing ourselves in an idea and bringing that world to life for each film is something we deeply cherish. 

Nadia Lee Cohen - Her style is a throwback to the American vibes of the '70s and '80s, using a vivid colour palette. She explores themes of identity, femininity, and the quirks of modern life with a blend of humour and the grotesque, engaging and sometimes challenging her audience.

Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great direction.

Burberry - The Open Spaces and Night Creatures commercials by Megaforce are awesome examples of great direction. Open Spaces features some mind-blowing choreography that seems to defy gravity and capture the themes of freedom and exploration. Meanwhile, Night Creatures takes us on a surreal journey through the city, mixing sci-fi and fantasy elements. Both ads showcase innovative visual storytelling, great cinematography, and VFX that seamlessly blend the real world with the fantastical. 

The opportunity to travel around the world has been equally fantastic. We've been incredibly fortunate in this regard, getting to see so many countries.

Michel Gondry's music videos - It's tough to choose just one because his direction is always on another level. The blend of surreal aesthetics, dynamic camera movements, and innovative editing techniques creates fluid transitions between scenes. Enhanced by incredible art direction and perfectly timed prop movements that match the music's beat, his videos consistently set the bar high. Some standout examples include Around the World by Daft Punk, Bachelorette by Björk, and Let Forever Be by The Chemical Brothers.

Poor Things - Among recent films, this one really showcases Yorgos Lanthimos's distinctive directing style. Emma Stone's character development, coupled with the surreal environment Lanthimos crafts, is brilliant. The careful choice of lenses and camera techniques truly elevates this film, making it an exceptional piece of work.

What do you like most about the work that you do?

Immersing ourselves in an idea and bringing that world to life for each film is something we deeply cherish. But the opportunity to travel around the world has been equally fantastic. We've been incredibly fortunate in this regard, getting to see so many countries. Early in our career, our projects took us mostly through Europe and Asia. More recently, we've had the chance to work on some wonderful projects in the Middle East, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and UAE. Each location has been an incredible experience.

Collaboration might not traditionally be seen as a skill, but it's definitely been the cornerstone of our career.

What was your journey to becoming a director duo?

We began our journey as videographers 15 years ago, pioneering content creation for trendsetting platforms like Hypebeast and Highsnobiety. This exposure helped us gain recognition, and gradually, we built our reputation. Over time, we evolved beyond videography and chose to collaborate and co-direct. Since 2014, nearly all our projects have been directed together, marking a significant evolution in our careers.

What is the most valuable skill you’ve learned in your career?

Collaboration might not traditionally be seen as a skill, but it's definitely been the cornerstone of our career. We began by partnering up as a director duo, and as our projects grew in scale, we started working with more prominent names, artists, art directors, stylists and directors of photography, among others. This collaboration has consistently enhanced the quality of our work. Being open to other people's ideas and inputs, and not being rigid about our own visions, has been instrumental in continually improving our projects.

We were constantly online, diving into filmmakers' communities, learning how to edit, how to grade, and figuring out the best lenses for DSLR cameras or how to add plugins, etc... 

Who was the greatest director of all time? 

It's tough to choose just one. For music videos, Michel Gondry clearly stands out for us, but there are many others we admire. Looking at the classics, we have great appreciation for filmmakers like Jim Jarmusch, Wim Wenders, and Jean-Luc Godard. Among the more contemporary directors, Yorgos Lanthimos and the Safdie brothers are definitely making impressive marks in the industry.