Style Guide: The Cinematic, Human Storytelling of Dave East

David J East is a partner and creative director at Imagine This. His filmmaking journey is a collection of unique perspectives and heartfelt narratives, sparked by his early days on tour with world-famous bands. David’s lens captures more than moments; it seizes emotions, stories, and the raw pulse of life itself.

Snagging an NME award for his mesmerising music video for the Foals, David’s artistic voyage has seen him collaborating with icons from Cristiano Ronaldo to Melanie C, crafting visuals across the realms of cars, sports, and fashion.

Diving into the depths of narrative filmmaking, David has spun his tales into short films for Kodak and explored the uncharted territories of his imagination through original scripts. His latest venture, a mockumentary pilot, showcases his evolving narrative prowess and his passion for storytelling.

Behind the camera, David’s artistry shines on in his paintings. A painter, photographer, and director, David looks to tell stories and emote feelings in everything he does.

LBB> How would you describe the work that you do?

Dave> I am a director, photographer and creative director. My work varies from music videos to short films to TV commercials. I would say my work is a mix of cinematic emotional storytelling with a touch of everyday human life.

LBB> And do you have a particular style (or styles) that you like to work in? If so, how would you describe that? 

Dave> I am really loving this narrative storytelling style I am working in at the moment. Also as a creative director for Imagine This, I am enjoying creating an overarching aesthetic with the other partners to create a look and a style for the whole company.

LBB> How did you gravitate towards the particular medium you work in?

Dave> I fell in love with film from taking skate videos as a kid. Started to love to edit and create videos of my friends skating and the passion really grew from there.

LBB> And when you started developing your creative skills and styles, what were you inspirations and influences?

Dave> I had a few family friends that were filmmakers that inspired me when I first started but it was mostly gluing myself to Vimeo and seeing some amazing creators around the world creating such unique films which really pushed me into doing this for myself.

LBB> How has your style evolved over time - and can you talk to us about some of the stylistic experiments or avenues you’ve explored over the years? 

Dave> Oh it's definitely changed a whole lot. I first made films that made no sense and just looked pretty, then I got much more into storytelling and focusing on that rather than just shooting pretty visuals. I remember I made a music video years ago which was just a guy walking around Cape Town. It didn’t make any sense, whatsoever, I just thought it looked cool. Nowadays I try to create things that have a bit more meaning to them. Or at least feeling.

LBB> And was there any one particular moment or project that really crystallised your understanding of what your style is or should be? If so, can you tell us about it?

Dave> I made a film a while ago for Mercedes. About a girl and her family on a road trip and how the car is always with you. I think for me this was one of the first films I did where I started to love the emotional storytelling, rather than just lots of pretty pictures. It was a dream job.

LBB> What sort of ideas shape your style today?

Dave> I think a mix of watching inspiring films and TV shows. I am heavily influenced by comedy shows and the freedom that that gives you. 

LBB> From NFTs to the metaverse, there are more spaces for your work to show up - what are your thoughts on the impact, challenges and opportunities brought up by these new spaces? And do they influence how you think about your style?

Dave> To be honest I think it is all exciting. I did release some NFTs a couple of years ago actually and really enjoyed that space. I think it's given a lot of artists a new home and created a huge community which has been really great to see. Also I think with the introduction of AI, that too is an interesting space. I think we need to adapt massively to it but not give all ourselves over to it. There is such importance of human artistic creation. 

LBB> Working in the commercial sphere, is it more important for an artist to have a distinct brand or style? 

Dave> For sure. I think it is really important to have your own voice and style. I think they are both important, I would say you need one for the other. You want to have your own brand and be known to do a certain style. So I think they come hand in hand. It’s massively important to have your own voice. 

LBB> What’s the balance having a distinctive voice and being able to accommodate the visual language of the brand/campaign?

Dave> I think it’s all about understanding what they want out of the brand/campaign and then how you can bring your own voice to it. Sometimes clients will want you to go all out and make it fully in your style, but a lot of time you have to fit within the brand's own style. So you have to be clever about how you marry your style with theirs.

LBB> Typically, on a commercial project, how do you like to tackle a brief?

Dave> It all depends, but normally I like to come at it from my own angle. Figuring out what exactly the client wants and what you can do to create a film/project that sits exactly within those parameters but still having your flair to it. It’s important to always have your voice in there otherwise they wouldn't be coming to you. So realising their wants and needs and showcasing that in your own unique way.

LBB> What projects have you worked on recently that you feel were a really satisfying marriage between a brand and your own style? What was it about these projects that made them really interesting to work on?

Dave> This for me was a film I made last year for a Scottish Whiskey brand, Glenglassaugh. They really let me lead with the creative and it was such a joy to work on. They let us get quite abstract with some of the shots which showcased the senses and the elements that the whiskey was made with. It was great to work with a client with that much trust.