Wikid Media collects on paid dues
Jamaican music is known for a particular aesthetic when it comes to music videos, one that has seldom seen change since inception. But there exists a core group of filmmakers/ directors locally who are redefining what our culture looks like through music videos. Among this core group of innovators, is Wikid Media.
Jamaican music is known for a particular aesthetic when it comes to music videos, one that has seldom seen change since inception. But there exists a core group of filmmakers/ directors locally who are redefining what our culture looks like through music videos. Among this core group of innovators, is Wikid Media. Whether through sophisticated displays of opulence in videos like Jafrass’ Crime Lord, iconic visual narratives like Vybz Kartel’s World Government, or the treatment for Squash’s monster hit Trending, this collective has displayed range, finesse and technical prowess.
With Shane Creative at the helm, this collective maintains a steady momentum, working safely, even through the covid-19 pandemic. The story of Wikid Media’s beginnings, is one of perseverance, drive and an incredible journey redefining the look and feel of Jamaican music videos. But where best to hear such a story but from the horse’s mouth, Shane Creative.
What films would you say triggered your love for cinematography?
Matrix- I would have to think about it because there’s so many movies bro. I watch a lot of movies.
What inspired you to make you feel like you can do this?
Really and truly it was a camera. So there was a music studio in my house, when I lived in Grant’s Pen. The artist had left a camera there because something was wrong with it, so I was always playing around with it. One day mi thief out it and bring it go school. Mi start bring it go school and a video things with it, mi bredrin dem a say “yo that cool”. Mi just fall in love with the camera. It’s actually a recorder, you know the old recording cameras, camcorder. So mi start play around with that and it end up that the camera got worse and it just stopped working completely. I didn’t know that I would take up back a camera after that. I was just playing around with it, I fell in love with it, but I just didn’t get anymore opportunities to use any. I ended up going to Jamaica college and I met my bredrin David and we started to do some all inclusive events, on weekends. I saw some youths in a group wearing these shirts and one of them had a camera and I said to my bredrin that look cool. Anyway, I went back to school the following day I said to him bro you know say I want start something like that, like the group I saw last night. My bredrin say yea man let’s do it.
So we create a name, and mi nuh good with names still but I just said party godz and thats what we called it. One of my friends in class brought the camera to school one day, and I asked him to bring it again just so we could see it. He brought it again and we took some pictures and ting. From that mi just start borrow the camera enuh.I started to do events with it, but it wasn’t mine. I ended selling my phone and my bredrin sold his gold ring, that’s how we bought our first camera. So I would say it wasn’t even the movies that inspired me to want to do this. It was more so just picking up the camera. I’m self taught so I watched a lot of music videos. But when I started I wasn’t watching Jamaican music videos, I always had my eye on the international scene. Even now. I still look at what’s being done in Jamaica, but I get most of most of my inspiration from international music videos, other films and documentaries. It’s not just videos either, sometimes I see a photo or a piece of art and it inspire me or trigger something.
I think you were telling the story in the Observer of how you got your first camera and then something happened to it and you fell off?
When we just go the new camera, the Canon T rebel 1, I wasn’t really getting much money to shoot. So when the camera screen broke, we didn’t have funds to fix back the camera. But basically I was on my own and it was the camera that was helping me. I ended up getting a job at MegaMart, then moved from MegaMart to student loan, but I ended up getting a new camera and then started doing some things with Popcaan.
What was it that kept your interest, after buying your first camera and then losing it?
I always knew I was destined for some greatness from a young age. There’s a lot of things I used to try like track and field. But everything that I tried I never gave up easy. I was always pushing through. I always feel like it’s ok to try again. So is just determination still enuh bro.
When you got the second camera did you have to put yourself back into that creative state of mind or were you already there mentally?
No man, the camera came back at the right time, that’s why I was ready to quit my job. It mek mi coulda go on the road with Ching and Poppy. Chi Ching Ching introduced me to Popcaan. That’s when I started to travel with Popcaan. The amount of work mi put een with Popcaan and Chi Ching Ching, the blessings weh mi a get now- mi used to take mi last and reach and dem foot. I have footage of them doing almost everything.
You add something unique to the visual space right now. As you said you use what’s available and make the best that you can from it. Which is a needed skill in a space like Jamaica where it’s very difficult to coordinate with artists. At what point did that realization hit you that you had less to work with in terms of structure, and resources?
I can’t really say there was a point but, when I look around and see that bam, this is what we have and everybody shooting it like this. If I move these two palm trees, put them right there, and put the artist here, within a nice frame, it’s good. So mi realize say that’s how I have to shoot. Mi try shoot Jamaica with a different eye. You realize the Daddy1 video, Custom, everybody drives past that plaza daily. But I saw it differently, because more time me get up 3 o clock inna di morning, just drive out on the road a look for location. Then you’ll see some places that look really busy during the daytime, you won’t see it that way early in the morning and that’s where you get something unique. So it’s just all about, what you put into the frame.
There definitely needs to be that balance of understanding that the craft is as good as what you put in. People that get comfortable with what they’ve done will have to face that challenge.
Bro, I don’t even like my work, and that’s why I am always working. Always trying to do more and do better. That’s why I don’t get comfortable with a number 1 trending video. Right now I have two videos trending and I’m still grateful but, the goal is always to take it further.
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