'Don't stress yourself too much over work that will maybe pay your bills but does not feed your soul. And if it does neither, don't do it.'
Meet Felix Aaron, a multifaceted director and photographer whose artistic journey has been shaped by a lifelong connection to film, initially through graffiti and skateboarding. In this exclusive interview, Felix shares his experiences, insights, and the delicate balance between art and commerce.
"My name is Felix Aaron, I’m a director and photographer.
I can't really name a starting point, as film was a medium that accompanied me from a very young age through graffiti or skateboarding. Yet a more precise starting point was my studies in art and media at the University of the Arts Berlin in the class of Thomas Arslan, where I explored the storytelling component through moving imagery on a deeper level. Eventually, I shot my first short film, Dobermann, in my last year of studies, setting the tone for everything to come in my career."
"To me, the best part of directing or photographing is the ability to tell stories subtly through emotions that can best be triggered by moving or still images, picking up on a feeling often eminent for a universal audience."
"I can't really answer that in a precise manner, yet I'd say almost everything I see, hear, read, or feel influences and inspires me, and through that, I guess that digestion of those things through dialogues with friends is the best way to explain my process of being influenced and inspired."
"This varies from project to project, but whenever it is possible, I aim to have the right amount of time upfront to think and write. The base of all my projects is a written stream of thoughts, becoming a concept that I then fill with visual and, if needed, audio references to give my team a better understanding of my vision."
"I can't name just one; I like different projects for different reasons. This year, though, my possibly favorite overarching project was one of the smallest. I created the visual identity for the young German artist Berq through film and photography. As there were no visuals yet, we could really talk about him and his story, reflecting this in the imagery, and I am really happy with all of the outcomes, which is, to be honest, quite rare."
"I can't remember any; I think my head shuts them out once they are wrapped. My funniest mistake was probably riding a quad as an extra for a music video I did way back, getting busted by the police because I was illegally driving on an apparently protected lawn."
"Well, whenever the project allows it, and it fits the concept, I prefer film, first and foremost, because it affects how I, and I'd say the whole team, works; it's more focused on the set, which shows in the final output. However, they're jobs that require a digital approach, and I embrace that."
"Well, that's a tricky question because commerce feeds art, yet it consumes it as well, as it usually drains not only your time but also your energy. I think I still have to find the right way for me to do this."
"For now, my closest goal is to find the time to finish my following narrative film script and shoot it within the next year."
"Don't stress yourself too much over work that will maybe pay your bills but does not feed your soul. And if it does neither, don't do it."
"I often hear this question and still can't wrap my head around a precise list."
We extend our thanks to Felix for sharing his journey and perspectives in the world of filmmaking and photography.
*Cover Photo: Daniel Vaysberg*
