Director's Works
Juno & Sensei Tom Gera
Tom Gera, an Amsterdam-based film director and digital artist, blends live action with cutting-edge animation to craft seamless visual journeys that connect the cerebral to the visceral. His innovative style has led to creating monumental visuals for Beyoncé's stadium Renaissance world tour, producing live visuals for AiiiR and Lost Frequencies, and collaborations with brands like Booking.com and T-Mobile. From short films and music videos to commercials, Tom's narrative-driven approach transforms abstract feelings and pressing themes of our era into extraordinary realms that aim to resonate with viewers on a deeply personal level.
At its core, this project explores a theme that has long fascinated me: the delicate balance in mentorship. A true mentor, I believe, must nurture talent without controlling it, allowing it to grow and potentially surpass their own. This idea became the heartbeat of our film, inspired by my own encounters with both genuine and 'false' mentors in the creative industry. In crafting "Juno & Sensei", I chose to tell the story from the mentor's perspective, aiming to shed light on the internal struggles and growth that come with this role. Dance became our primary language, allowing us to express the nuances of this relationship in a visceral, immediate way. The process was deeply collaborative. Working with talented dancers from The Movers Amsterdam, we spent a crucial day translating our script and themes into movement. It was during this phase that our characters truly came to life, their struggles and triumphs embodied in each gesture and step. As we delved deeper into the project, we found ourselves experimenting with various visual techniques. We explored 3D-scanning, AI-assisted image manipulation, and Unreal Engine integration, not for their novelty, but as tools to better express the emotional landscape of our characters. These methods allowed us to create visual metaphors that reflected the contrast between established traditions and emerging, fluid creativity. This project has been a significant step in my own artistic journey, pushing me to explore more personal, challenging themes in my work. While the process was not without its challenges, particularly in the intensive post-production phase, each obstacle has been a valuable lesson in creativity, collaboration, and the craft of filmmaking. Thank you for watching!