Adidem Asterisks, There’s So Much More To See

While many creatives attribute their inspiration to bustling cultural centres of big-city life, you grew up in Ajax, a small town outside of Toronto. Do you think the small-town mentality has influenced your creative outlook? In what way?

Absolutely. I think being far removed from the city bustle allowed me to hear my inner voice much clearer; a voice which wasn’t clouded by noise or the attempt to fit in. It gave me a safe space to create on my own, experiment, and figure out what I liked and what I didn’t. This process was a crucial step in creating my own identity and gave me the ability to trust my own taste. I think the slower-paced suburban life also allowed me to see beauty in the ordinary, and that stillness is something I think you can find in my work.

With Chinese and Jamaican heritage and growing up in Canada, I can imagine you could have felt overwhelmed by contrasting cultural influences as you were discovering your creative voice. How do you think those three cultural backgrounds have manifested in your work as a director today?

I think being a part of those three cultures really gave me a unique perspective and ability to see things from all sides. From the food, friends, and family I was surrounded with, there was never a lack of diversity and culture. Being exposed to that from a young age really expanded my palate and gave me a strong sense of self, while being able to connect with a wide range of stories and characters.

Adidem Asterisks, There’s So Much More To See

Watching your films feels like a masterclass in beautiful camerawork. From shooting on film, to the perfect mise-en-scène, to what extent does your background in photography inform your approach to cinematography?

I think more than anything, what photography taught me was improvisation and patience. Sometimes you might arrive at a location and it doesn’t look how it did online, or when you get there it starts to rain — but regardless of exterior conditions I would always try to shift my focus to what I could control: composition. Finding that perfect frame is such a powerful and gratifying feeling and with my cinematography I try to approach each shot as if it were a still photo. Are the overall themes displayed in this frame? Is it strong enough? I try to make sure each individual frame is rooted in the essence of the film but still has the ability to live on its own.

There is a stillness to your work that comes from your ability to linger on single camera angle, which makes each and every shot feel truly intentional. To what extent do you have a precise plan before going into shooting a project? How much of your work would you say is born in the edit?

I shot-list very thoroughly before any shoot however when I arrive on set I rarely refer to it. Because I’ve almost crafted the story in my mind, I know what the key shots are and the rest I like to leave up to intuition and experimentation. A shot-list is good to have as a blueprint, but I think the ability to create on the fly and trust your instincts is important. It depends on the project, but I find my commercial work to be methodical and music videos more experimental in the cutting process. With music videos I’m often accommodating for shots that weren’t planned, which to be honest, are usually my favourite frames.

Adidem Asterisks, There’s So Much More To See

Levitation and rainfall aren’t the easiest elements to shoot. What challenges did you encounter while in production for ‘Gravity’?

There were a lot of moving pieces with Gravity that took extensive planning and coordination. In order to achieve that shot we had to get permission to close down the street which in-itself was a long process. Once we had access to it, it was about co-ordinating the levitation, rain, wardrobe, extras, and camera movement. This was my first time incorporating levitation or rain in my work, but being in the hands of our stunt co-ordinators and special effects team really gave me reassurance. The biggest issue was really making sure our film camera didn’t get soaked.

You’ve collaborated with musician and fellow Ajacian GOVI on multiple occasions. How did this partnership begin?

GOVI and I grew up playing soccer together and he’s been one of my closest friends ever since. Shortly after high-school we both stumbled upon the arts and he took an interest in music and me with film. We decided to start a YouTube channel focusing on travel vlogs which gave us both an outlet early on to express ourselves.

GOVI, Euphoria

How has the collaboration evolved across your projects together?

I think as we’ve grown, found our own voices, and individually went down the rabbit hole of our own mediums… there’s a certain level of unspoken trust. Our roles are defined and we both know what we bring to the table, but in the brainstorm phase we share the same hat. A lot of our ideas come from simply talking about life, what we’ve been through, and finding tasteful ways to express that. 

It’s a collaboration that goes beyond creation and I think that’s what makes it unique. We grew up together, have similar family dynamics, and are very like-minded. When it comes to creating it’s open and collaborative, but we also make sure to give each other space. I think that level of trust within the experimentation is what makes it such a strong dynamic.

Jorden Lee

What are you working on next? Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Right now I’m winding down for the holidays, taking a breather and focusing on what I want to achieve in the future. I got a little taste of it this year, but I’d love to venture more in the commercial and narrative fashion space, as I think my style really fits the genre. However I think for me, as long as I’m creating and working on projects that I can enjoy, connect to, and find meaning in, I can’t really ask for anything else.

Interview by Becca Nichols

INFO:

Jorden Lee website

Director – @byjorden

Prod Company – @pique