Born and bred in North London, I was raised by hard-working brown folks who would have probably preferred Dr. instead of DJ prefixed to my name. However any possibilities of being disowned by mom were eliminated after snagging not one degree, but two BA’s - Architecture, followed by Graphic Design -  social mobility tick box checked! 

I’d slung my dad’s battered Nikon-FM camera over my shoulder ever since he first let me hold it and grown up unknowingly deconstructing the films I loved, rewatching right until the Blockbusters due date… However it was only when I stumbled across Sergei Eisenstein and Soviet montage cinema that I truly discovered the enormous influence of cinema on our world-view… compelling me to shoot more than stills and tell my own stories… Uh oh! 

A series of weird, experimental yet prize-winning shorts (Smalls, Tank Magazine later), I  balanced a nocturnal DJ lifestyle touring the European festival circuit with a freelancing in TV / Ad’ land including shooting a BBC documentary in Ethiopia - ‘25 years after live aid’.  Having shot a few fashion films for them I was approached by a client -  JN GROUP an international production agency to set up its content arm, bridging the gap between fashion, film and digital - creative directing and directing digital campaigns alongside stills. 

My first director spot, for Vertu, received a YDA nomination at Cannes Lions and Best Sound Design at MASA. Since then, I’ve been commissioned by brands like Nike, Google, Samsung, NFL, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Burberry etc - whilst my petrolhead obsession (restoring classic cars) naturally led to directing highly visual spots for BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Lexus etc… + picking up a few more awards along the way including: 2x Cannes Lions, 2 x Kinsale Sharks, 2 xCreative Circle Award etc.  Whoop Whoop - #eskettit! Having earned my visual stripes in fashion and cars, it was only a matter to time till I wanted to focus my lens on subjects and stories ‘closer to home’… 

NOW

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To share a few thoughts.. for me film, advertising, music videos or even a radio mix are far-reaching platforms  for shedding light on the faceless and the voiceless; for untold tales to be shared, opportunities to open doors whilst opening minds. If I have any agenda, it’s to create culture that could benefit the world - weird n’ wonderfully inclusive, progressive and subversive yet authentic. Whether that raises questions on a societal scale, or simply induces a single humility filled smile… 😀 

I’m honoured that my point of view is part of the bigger narrative of our times - EB x