The Filipino-Belgian audiovisual director takes his creativity to the global scene
Over the weekend, French music artist FKJ took everyone to the tropics with the release of his latest music video for the track dubbed “Greener.” The video, which also showcased the master guitar strumming of Carlos Santana, is a soulful music experience matched with a lush flora backdrop. Playing from different parts of the world, FKJ shot his scenes here in the Philippines while Santana was in an idyllic location in Hawaii. Helping them bring it together is Filipino-Belgian audiovisual director Dominic Bekaert with his team at ZooPraxi Studio.
Prior to collaborating with the international music artist, Dominic is known for leading the National Film Archives of The Philippines in 2016, restoring Filipino classics like “Maynila,” “Insiang,” “Batang West Side,” “Gengis Khan,” among others. In 2019, he co-founded Zoopraxi Studio, an AV production company where he worked with local artists in creating visuals for their music. Among those that graced his lenses are singers KZ Tandingan, Iñigo Pascual, and Nadine Lustre for her “Wildest Dream” album.
For his latest work, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle chats with Dominic as he shares the story of how his collaboration with FKJ started, the concept behind “Greener” music video, and how it’s ultimately brought to life.
How did your collaboration with FKJ start? Did he mention why he wanted to shoot here in the Philippines?
He reached out to us via Instagram for a collaboration on the music video. He wanted us to work together as co-directors and co-editors. This became our most collaborative project to date. He stayed in the Philippines and the local landscapes inspired some of the moods we find on the album.
What went into your head upon hearing the song ‘Greener’? Can you tell us something about the concept of the music video?
When we first heard the track we thought about the choices we make and how sometimes our other choice could’ve brought us more. So we wanted to play with the idea of a double. We discussed this with FKJ who built the concept around it. He wanted us to play with simple cinematic imagery. He had a clear vision of what he wanted it to look like so our job was to bring it to life and try to expand on his vision.
How was it like working with FKJ?
He is an amazing source of creativity and is very precise with what he wants. Throughout the process, we would discuss every little detail. It was a privilege to get an insight into his creative process and we learned a lot through this collaboration.
How is this music video different from your past works?
As a production company, we are moving away from highly cut and effects-heavy videos toward a more purified version where the images stand on their own to tell a story and not just affect you. As previously mentioned, this was our most collaborative project to date and we were really happy to be looking for the same kind of vibe for the video.
Watch “Greener” music video here:
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