The Directors: JAMM Duo

JAMM is Jenna Maslovska and Artur Makinian teaming up to bring their talents to the table. For almost a decade, they’ve been crafting stunning visuals, specialising in food and product commercials. Their secret sauce? The fusion of Artur’s dynamic shooting style and Jenna’s passion for showcasing food and people from diverse perspectives. Setting their projects in vividly designed worlds, their intentional use of motivated movement takes viewers on a journey, creating a distinctive visual and emotional experience. Believing that amazing-looking food and products can make the world a better place, JAMM aspires to create eye-catching films that encourage respect for ingredients, materials, and the environment.

Name: JAMM Duo

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Repped by: BOLDLY - Canada

LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

JAMM> We're primarily focused on scripts that allow us to craft a visually compelling narrative with distinctive images and dynamic pacing. We appreciate having a clear message to convey, yet we also enjoy having some flexibility to choose the means to deliver it. The ideal situation is when a creative idea demands an out-of-the-ordinary production approach and includes a nice twist in the end. All of this is aimed at making the viewer’s journey truly worthwhile!

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

JAMM> Fortunately, there are two of us, so our initial step always involves lively discussions to figure out the best approach for conveying the message. Next, we meticulously break down the story, extracting key elements and delving into the emotional tone of each scene. Our aim is to visually elevate the narrative, ensuring everyone remains engaged until the final frame. Once we've crystallised our vision, we embark on a quest for references to share our ideas with the rest of the team. We strive to find references that capture the essence rather than providing a step-by-step guide. Typically, it's a compilation of visuals, enhanced by the addition of gifs - because who doesn't love a good gif? ;)

Occasionally, we take a different route, starting with a technical pre-vis that we shoot ourselves, which later transforms into a visual guide for the whole team. 

LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?

JAMM> Understanding the audience and nailing the context is absolutely crucial for us. Whether we're familiar with the brand or encountering it for the first time, we kick off with intentional research. Our goal is to make sure our visual language aligns with the brand's identity and the values of its customers. It's like the secret sauce that makes the ad resonate with the right people. We start by getting the lowdown from the agency about the specifics, and then we dive into our own research. Everything from exploring their website and social media to checking out their previous campaigns. We believe that curiosity is what defines a good director. That's why engaging in this type of research is an excellent way for us to broaden our horizons, stay connected and updated, and develop our curiosity muscle.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?

JAMM> We might want to bend the rules a bit on this question and highlight our key four:

First up is the Creative team, because that's where it all begins. We team up to bring their ideas to life. We're confident that they understand the client's needs and desires like no one else. Next is the DP, as there's no show without them. Fortunately, we've been lucky throughout our journey to collaborate with cinematographers who've helped elevate our ideas and enhance the team effort. Then comes the production designer, since we heavily rely on the specific look of our sets. It's crucial to have a dedicated PD who shares the same visual language. Last but not least is the Talent, as we always strive to create a solid connection with the person on the other side of the lens. They are the ones that viewers will associate themselves with, and we want this process to be natural and seamless.

LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

JAMM> We’d probably point out two types:

Narratives that centre around art and production design, culminating in a surprising reveal. Allowing us to wield a diverse range of visual tools and adding a creative twist at the end.

Spots connected to food or inspired by it, where we can unleash two of our beloved strengths: visually appealing food paired with dynamic camerawork.

LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

JAMM> Ever found yourself filming in a remote city without studios and industry connections? We transformed a former factory space into a vibrant, colour-blocked set with the assistance of local carpenters, lending an extra hand while supervising the process. There's so much fun you can have when you let your imagination run wild. We conquered 'the local Home Depot,' acquiring all those weird-looking items no one ever buys, painted them, and strategically placed them around the space to make it shine!

Or, what if there's no budget for a robot arm on a tabletop shoot? We tinkered with the available grip gear, crafting a custom rig to achieve the best camera movement. We had a very specific end shot in mind: showcasing all the products from above to display the variety of colours and textures. Then, we wanted to descend to a 0-degree angle to create the feeling of landing on the chair, ready to enjoy that fancy meal. After some exploration and tests, we figured out the best way to do that was by using stands and a lightweight camera. 

And perhaps the cherry on top was filming a spot where jumping out of a plane with a parachute was the story's keystone. Nothing excites us more than diving into crazy action sequences, especially when the job justifies it. After considering all options, we ended up shooting it practically. We filmed all the acting parts in a real plane, then had our stunt double paired with a skydiver operator actually jump off the plane twice to capture the shots we needed!

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

JAMM> We believe that achieving the best result is ultimately what all parties desire. Therefore, our main focus is on clearly conveying ideas and explaining our approach in the treatment and pre-production stages. This ensures that everyone is aligned and on the same page, so on the day of the shoot, we're all rowing in the same direction. 

We're always open to feedback from the agency and the client, and at the same time, we feel fortunate to work with clients who trust us with their projects and appreciate our skillset and vision!

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?

JAMM> We believe that the best way to keep up with new technology is to develop a proactive approach and be open to using it to enhance creativity or give life to our ideas. When translating concepts into visuals, we enjoy using Midjourney to create images that describe specific feelings, details, or matching elements of a set. This helps in conveying ideas effectively to the team.

LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best – and why?

JAMM> Wilmax - Color Boom

With this project, we were given carte blanche to craft a visual campaign for the client. We created a video spot and a series of four editorial stills to promote a specific tableware line.

For this spot, we decided to fully embrace the concept of colours by shooting everything in a minimalistic style, emphasising the product's patterns through food, camera work, and more. The tableware featured several key patterns: Splash, Scratch, and Spiral – and that's precisely what we highlighted in those shots! In the end, we produced a compelling showcase of our work, which was highly appreciated by both the client and the community, earning us the monthly Tabletop Directory award.