Inside the Creative Mind of Jeremi Durand

At the crossroads of evocative imagery and human storytelling, this visionary’s profound works inspire a journey of reflection and emotion in his audience. 

“I like to present the audience with a bold image that takes them on a journey in their own minds. It triggers something. I don’t necessarily like to answer the questions that arise. It’s much more interesting when you trust the audience to do that job. The audience will get the message. “ 

To Jeremi Durand, every project is an opportunity to transcend expectations and create a film unlike any before. 

Jeremi explains, “First I ask myself how I can make this project unlike any other. From there, my thought process divides into two roads that must align or collide at some point. One road is the human or social context. The other road is what I call bold images–the kind of evocative image that stays in your mind long after watching the film. And so my process is a meeting of those two lines of thought. I ping pong between those roads until they converge. The imagery and its human context must trigger a question or emotion.” 

A visual poet able to innovate even within constraint, Jeremi Durand’s imaginative, artistic approach to film is honed by his design background and award-winning gift for photography. 

“I studied design knowing I wouldn’t be a designer,” explains Jeremi. In the beginning of his journey, unsure of what his future held, but determined to embark on an artistic career, Jeremi became a designer, specializing in design fiction, image culture, narratives and conceptual thinking. 

For Jeremi, a frame is an invitation for innovation. In design, there were constraints of technical material he had to work within. As a director, that restriction comes from excelling within time or budgetary constraints. 

Bored by visuals that are on the nose, it is his nature to push creativity to its limit, challenging audiences with his compelling artistry. “It’s not about selling chocolate," explains Jeremi. "We don’t want to just see chocolate. We want to see what eating chocolate feels like”.

A former professional actor and musician, Jeremi is able to elicit compelling, subtle performances in his commercials and music videos. 

“It best to play and push the emotion as far as it can go. And then take it back. That way you don’t have any regrets,” says Jeremi. 

The emotion held within a single glance in stunning works like his “Parking Lot” music video for Mustard featuring Travis Scott show the powerful result of his distinct directorial approach. 

Jeremi’s groundbreaking portfolio has been recognized by a litany of esteemed accolades including Golds for Best Direction and Cinematography at the LIA Awards, wins and nominations at UKMVAs, Berlin Commercial Awards, and Webby Awards, and recognition from Cannes Lions. With features in Shots, Promonews, NOWNESS, and The Creativepool, his films have become benchmarks of artistic innovation and emotional depth. 

Jeremi credits three films as the major stepping stones of his directorial journey. 

In his music video for Zimmer’s "Lost Your Mind," Jeremi's experience was defined by the creative synergy he found with the client and the imaginative sparks that flew from the moment he heard the track. 

Jeremi credits his music video for Kaycyy X Gesaffelstein's OKAY! & The Sun as the landmark of the next stage in his career. 

“It had a crazy turnaround. I received the track on a Thursday night and was starting on Monday. We shot two music videos in one day, with ten animals on set. It was a lot of pressure, but I felt like I proved myself.” 

Facing extreme weather conditions as he crafted a surrealist masterpiece for the world-famous band Muse, Jeremi sees “Compliance” as a the marker of a third level up in his directorial career. 

Jeremi’s ambitions for the next step in his journey align with why he’s thrilled to have joined Eleanor. 

“Eleanor is a company of tastemakers working with craft,” says Jeremi. “It was clear talking with Sophie that knows her directors well and she knows how to be a voice for them. Bigger music videos, big-name commercials, a feature film, I have great ambitions for the next step. I want to push boundaries, and I want to work with a

talented team that is ready to push boundaries. Eleanor feels like a place where I can do that.” 

Eleanor president Sophie Gold celebrates Jeremi’s unique visionary, “Hearing him talk about his distinct approach to craft was music to my ears. That kind of visionary is rare, and it enchants everything he does. I cannot wait to see what he creates next.”