Reece Daniels

Unaffiliated

What was your first professionally directed work and when was it?
My first professionally directed work was my music video for Jordan Webb’s “Pass Go,” which I shot in April 2024.

Up until then, I was a film student at NYU, directing self-funded short films and student music videos. While our productions and crews were growing, there was the safety net of being a film student, I had the freedom of making mistakes and chalking it up as a simple learning experience.

Working with Jordan taught me the value of the client, both their investment and their understanding. It was a very collaborative experience, anchored by my preparedness, which included a storyboard with every shot, a comprehensive shot list and schedule, and a clear communication to Jordan as to what this was going to look like and the purpose of each shot. Shooting a video as conceptually convoluted as this, it required coherent direction and a clear vision for the final product.

How did you get into directing?
I became a director when I was 7 years old because my Dad gave me a camcorder and I began making YouTube videos, telling my neighbors and friends what to do and say in front of the lens. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was directing.

Since then, I had always been motivated by learning, experimenting with claymation and animation, making homemade music videos, and even working as a background actor on professional television sets.

What is your most recent project?
Recently I’ve been directing more music videos, as I’ve found it to be the medium where my passion currently lies.

In June, I directed a music video for artist and actress Condola Rashad, following a Goddess observing the Earth from afar and getting involved in a way that has dire consequences. Even with a tight budget (like most projects I’ve done), we experimented with miniatures, CGI, and dance, all elements that were new and exciting to me.

In October, I directed another video for Jordan Webb, depicting the reality of a struggling artist, working full-time towards something that doesn’t pay until it takes off and yearning to reach the end goal now.

In between these projects, I’ve been producing short films and executive producing projects under my self-started production company, Kairon Pictures.

What is the best part of being a director?
The best part of being a director is seeing the final cut. I’ve never watched a rough cut without getting nauseous, and I’ve never watched a final cut without getting giddy and excited. Seeing the result of your treatment, storyboard, shot list — your team’s labor and yours — is endlessly visceral and rewarding.

What is the worst part of being a director?
The most challenging parts of being a director at my level are dealing with tight budgets and schedules. I constantly strive for my work to reach the quality of my influences, yet the projects I aspire to create often benefit from larger resources. I make it a priority to work within my means and adapt where necessary to protect the overall vision — though sometimes, I have to set aside ideas and visuals I love, waiting for a better opportunity to bring them to life.

What is your current career focus: commercials and branded content, television, movies? Do you plan to specialize in a particular genre–comedy, drama, visual effects, etc.?
My current career focuses are music videos and commercials, with feature filmmaking as the goal and a genre-focus on thrillers and high-octane, intense stories.

I approach music videos like I would a narrative project — regardless if I have a storyline, I don’t shoot coverage of the artist performing in a few locations and call it a day, each shot and sequence is designed specifically for that portion of the track. I want my videos to be deeply connected to the song’s themes and production — if you removed the artist or changed the song, the video wouldn’t work the same way. That’s how it should be, in my view; the music video is the song’s visual companion.

I’m eager to break into directing commercials, as the fast-paced format and generally higher budgets compared to music videos are appealing, making it an ideal medium for sharpening my storytelling and communication skills.

Have you a mentor and if so, who is that person (or persons) and what has been the lesson learned from that mentoring which resonates with you?
I do not have a mentor, though I’ve learned from many different valuable professors, teachers, and industry professionals throughout my career and education.

Who is your favorite director and why?
Across movies, commercials, music videos, and fashion, Jonathan Glazer is a director I admire for his undying effort to create something truly unique and fresh. His concepts and their execution are endlessly inventive — watching his body of work, you can see how big of an imprint he’s had on the current landscape of filmmaking. At the end of my career, all I’d want is for someone to say the same about my body of work.

What is your favorite movie? Your favorite television/online program? Your favorite commercial or branded content?
My favorite movies are Uncut Gems (2019), After Hours (1985), Election (1999), Smithereens (1982), and my guilty pleasure favorite is A Night at the Roxbury (1998). I love these films for their storylines — each film (except Roxbury…) relentlessly pushes its characters and takes the story further and deeper, each truly finding the truth of their stories, themes, and characters. For a similar reason, my favorite television shows are Succession, The Larry Sanders Show, and BoJack Horseman. I enjoy stories about fractured people, I think their attempts at redemption are more rewarding to follow.

My favorite commercial is Jonathan Glazer’s “Dreamer” ad for Guinness. It’s so bold and confident in its absurdity, it has so much life and personality to it, anchored by an intriguing protagonist.

My favorite music videos are “Around the World” by Daft Punk, “Buzzkill“ by Brockhampton, “Come Into My World“ by Kylie Minogue, “Electric Feel “by MGMT, and “Papaoutai“ by Stromae.

Tell us about your background (i.e., where did you grow up? Past jobs?)
I grew up on Long Island, New York. My Mom was a physician’s assistant, while my Dad was a CPA and a colonel in the military, serving in Iraq when I was a kid. Growing up as a teen, I found myself very introverted and anxious, relying on film and music videos for comfort. I’ve always loved the feeling of being transported through characters, embodying their experiences and leaving the theater feeling like I’ve returned to my own skin.

As a junior I enrolled at the Long Island High School for the Arts, where I’d spend half of my days learning about film production and screenwriting. I then furthered my film education at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, receiving my BFA in Film & Television Production.

Outside of filmmaking, I’ve worked as a pizza delivery man, cutlery salesman, printer operator, chocolatier, content creator, and my current day job is as a creative project administrator for a homewares company. So I have a very eclectic resume.

Have you had occasion to bring your storytelling/directorial talent to bear in the Metaverse, tapping into the potential of AR, VR, AI, NFTs and/or experiential fare? If so, tell us about that work and what lessons you have taken away from the experience?
I have no experience in that field but I’m open to explore!

Contact

While I’m currently building my own production company, KAIRON PICTURES, my current goal is to attain professional representation, strengthening my craft while learning more about the commercial production landscape. Contact Reece via email here.