Gregg Jaden
Gregg Jaden is an adventure travel photographer, filmmaker, storyteller, and explorer. Gregg's ability to capitalize on unforeseen opportunities has helped him work with some of the most prestigious Fortune 500 brands. Through social media channels, his team has been able to share with millions of people to demonstrate unique perspectives of timeless visuals for clients.
Jaden has a strong passion for storytelling, directing, and cinematography. After persevering with 2 NDEs (near-death experiences) in 2009 and again in 2015, he continues to test the boundaries of his creative process by incorporating deeper meaning and spiritual elements into his work. He works closely with organizations to protect wildlife, conserve our oceans, and coach people in spiritual transformation. A combination of outdoor adventure, travel, and people, Jaden is known for world travel storytelling, motivational talks, and epic landscapes. He invests his time in personal projects, collaborations with other photographers, and exploratory ways to utilize visual elements to help our planet. His work has been featured in various magazines and online publications. He is always up for a travel adventure and usually explores some of the most exciting places to create timeless visuals. Jaden has been involved in numerous charities, such as @LonelyWhale Tony Robbins Foundation, and volunteer clean-up crews after natural disasters.
Jaden is an official Sony Alpha, Sandisk Professional, HOYA, and Lowepro Ambassador.
Learn more: https://www.greggjaden.com/
Your project takes a part in our festival. What is your project about?
It is a journey througth the Borneo Jungle uncovering the mysteries surrounding voodoo curses and how Indonesian tribes and cultures use these to solve conflicts.
Jaden has a strong passion for storytelling, directing, and cinematography. After persevering with 2 NDEs (near-death experiences) in 2009 and again in 2015, he continues to test the boundaries of his creative process by incorporating deeper meaning and spiritual elements into his work. He works closely with organizations to protect wildlife, conserve our oceans, and coach people in spiritual transformation. A combination of outdoor adventure, travel, and people, Jaden is known for world travel storytelling, motivational talks, and epic landscapes. He invests his time in personal projects, collaborations with other photographers, and exploratory ways to utilize visual elements to help our planet. His work has been featured in various magazines and online publications. He is always up for a travel adventure and usually explores some of the most exciting places to create timeless visuals. Jaden has been involved in numerous charities, such as @LonelyWhale Tony Robbins Foundation, and volunteer clean-up crews after natural disasters.
Jaden is an official Sony Alpha, Sandisk Professional, HOYA, and Lowepro Ambassador.
Learn more: https://www.greggjaden.com/
Your project takes a part in our festival. What is your project about?
It is a journey througth the Borneo Jungle uncovering the mysteries surrounding voodoo curses and how Indonesian tribes and cultures use these to solve conflicts.
What were your requirements for actors to take a part of your film?
The biggest requirement was for everyone to make it feel as real as possible. To get to the raw truth of the matter, and display it on the screen for the audience to witness and experience.
How did you communicate with the cameraman?
Hey, that's a tractor I would frame every shot and block the scenes for each location. I handled the camera for a lot of the filming. I had a second cameramen, which spoke Bahasa (Indonesian dialect) add English, so it was pretty easy to communicate.
What locations did you choose for your project? And why?
All I saw before filming at the tribes land was one photo of forest and some grass. Luckily, I could draw from my experience as a landscape photographer able to arrive at a location, gauge the lighting, and what's available to me, I try to make the most cinematic scenes I possibly could in the shortest amount of time.
Why should distributors buy your film?
For its unique topic matter. There are not a lot of films like this. Miraculously gained access to film the tribe at the tribes, land and film rituals that were sacred to the tribe, such as voodoo magic and ancestor rituals but not a lot of other filmmakers are able to film. Also, it's made for western audiences.
To experience and be taken through their way of life, ancestor rituals, and Voodoo rituals, a true story about a man's fight for his life from a voodoo curse, which is very easy for Western audiences to follow along, regardless if they are familiar with the topic or not. We will leave them thinking after seeing this film.
What expression elements did you use in your project? How would you characterize your work? Are used to have the elements of camera angles to get up close and personal, sound hear what it was like, low light situation, drone techniques, so audience could get a feel for the land, with a combination of wide-angle's mid shots and close-ups to feel the emotion. My style is cinematic storytelling, but I keep things as real as possible. I wanted to get to the raw truth of each scene, especially in a documentary. I like action and visuals over excessive conversations. I like to tell the story using these visuals to summarize character, emotion, pain, suffering, relationships, resolution, and character arc. I like using mystery and tension whenever possible. I try to find as many twists and turns as possible, and I love catching my audience off guard. I never want my work to be predictable.
At what festivals have you had success? Has the film already premiered? If so, where?
We didn't technically have a large Premiere. We weren't sure what the audiences would think of this film, so we just started submitting it to festivals, and we had some success in LA in New York international film, festivals, documentaries without Borders, and then it grew from there.
What motivated you to become a filmmaker?
I've always loved cinema to live for this long. Telling stories with a visual medium is so powerful. My general love for cinematic scenes, storytelling, sound is my main motivation.
Which movies are your favorites? And why?
I have a lot of favorites so many to list. Shawshank Redemption and incredible character arc, relationship, and revenge, along with justice, all mixed together. Goodfellas to fill the glamour of being a gangster right up until the climax where the dismantling and discombobulation happen to bring us back down to reality.
Braveheart, the uncompromising hero, is always entertaining to watch. Rain Man is a story of a relationship without action, explosions, stunts, etc., just the raw, impossible relationship. Catch me if you can. It is an incredible story from start to finish the way it covers the timeline creates suspense while cheering for the film's criminal. Reservoir Dogs in Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Bastards for the incredible storylines with mind-blowing twists and turns. Tarantino's ability to create suspense through conversations well, still keeps you wondering what's gonna happen there's nothing predictable about his films that makes them legendary.
What topics do you like to deal with in your work?
I really like mystery, supernatural and adventure. These have the ability to take us away from regular life, and Eliza submerse ourselves in a world that's not quite like our normal daily living.
What genre do you like to shoot and why?
Action, adventure, thriller, horror and comedy. These genres have such a strong ability to film situations that are not every day activities. They can really take us away on a journey.
What project would you like to shoot one day, what would it be about?
I have a diary of real life supernatural occurrences that I have either witnessed order. Been a part of that I think are pretty unique, and I would like to put them on the big screen.
How has COVID affected your film life?
Actually, this film, The Curse Effect was filmed kind of through the whole Covid difficulties. I think the biggest affected things was how difficult it was to travel and get things done with all the things that are happening around that time period.
What do you do if you're not thinking about a movie? What are your hobbies?
The great thing about my job is, it really is my hobby. Some of my other hobbies include working out, expeditions, travel, photography, and client projects. I'm always thinking about a movie I have ongoing notes for different kinds of films, or scenes, or topics or interesting ways to film something or shocking audience, catch audiences, offguard, or topics that I think are worthwhile to bring to the big screen.
What projects do you plan to shoot in the future?
I really want to start on some of my supernatural topics. I have a lot of experience with this realm, and I've seen a ton of evidence and real stories that I could put up on the big screen.