Exclusive First Time Interview – J.T Ibanez – Videographer Of The Rock Stars
J.T. Ibanez is a name synonymous with captivating visuals and cinematic storytelling. As a seasoned videographer, he has honed his craft, weaving narratives that transport audiences to new dimensions, and working with and filming rock stars such as, Sevendust, Atreyu, and Smile Empty Soul. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for innovation, Ibanez has established himself as a trailblazer in the world of videography.
From high-octane action sequences to intimate, emotional portraits, Ibanez’s diverse portfolio showcases his remarkable versatility and dedication to his art form. With a career spanning numerous projects and collaborations, he continues to push boundaries and inspire fellow creatives. We’ll take moment with the man himself, J.T. Ibanez, exploring his creative process, notable works, and the impact he’s made on the videography landscape.
Here what he had to tell us:
(Toney Emmons/New Transcendence): What inspired you to become a Cinematographer and Editor?
(J.T. Ibanez): I’m an Iraq War Veteran and after many years of struggling with PTSD and going through different treatments, I just couldn’t find anything that was helpful for me personally. I have always been creative and wanted to do something with film or photography. One day I decided that I would dive into that world in hopes that it would help me get to a better place with my PTSD. Without a doubt, taking that step changed my life in many ways and eventually progressed to where I am now, but the intention was never to do things on a professional level, that just kind of happened.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): Your work often explores themes of identity and culture. Can you elaborate on that?
(J.T.): I’m not sure I ever set out to hit on any kind of theme. I just let the song speak for itself and I try to add some kind of visual vibe to complement it. Sometimes it’s subdued and sometimes more obvious depending on the content of the song.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): How does your personal experience inform your storytelling?
(J.T.): I think my personal experience plays a role in the subconscious of how I film and see things. I tend to lean into the dark, the shadows, and contrast. I do this without really thinking about it. On the storytelling side of things my personal experiences do come up from time to time and reflect in my work, but not too often. I try to let the music drive where I go with things.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): What’s your approach to developing characters and dialogue?
(J.T.): I really don’t think I have enough experience within this aspect to talk much about it, but my approach is to just let the words and people come to life as I type. The characters reveal themselves as the story progresses when I’m writing. I never know what is next until it happens. In the end, I’ve been very fortunate to work with some amazing actors who could bring my words to life and that is the key. Without a great delivery of the words, what is written doesn’t matter.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): our work often blends filming genres. How do you balance different styles and tones?
(J.T.): I just go with what I feel at the moment. I don’t really go for anything specific when I’m creating unless it’s specified by the artist.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): What draws you to specific projects or ideas?
(J.T.): It just depends. For projects that I’m not actively hired for, something has to really connect with me or spark something in my head that is something I haven’t done or makes me feel creative. That can be about anything. Sometimes I watch a show and have an idea and sometimes I find an artist and their song inspires something that I want to do visually.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): Can you walk us through your creative process? Do you have any rituals or habits?
(J.T.): My creative process is a bit of chaos. I do not like to plan, I do not like to think about what I’m filming beyond the surface of what it’s supposed to be in broad strokes. I try to save all creative energy for the day of filming and then let it fly. It’s not unheard of for bands to fly to me from all over the U.S. and they have no idea what we will be filming until they step foot in my studio. In most cases I don’t know either. That’s just my process and it has worked for hundreds of videos.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): How do you collaborate with other creatives, like other directors or editors?
(J.T.): I typically do everything myself from start to finish. In most cases I do the lighting, the set design, the filming, the editing and the concept in most cases is what I come up with during filming. Sometimes I hire a person or two to help. Lately Ive been testing out some people, but love doing things myself when possible. I’m always open to collaboration, but I love how fortunate I’ve been that I typically have almost full creative control on my projects. Artists trust me and I’m always beyond grateful for that.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): What’s the most challenging part of bringing a story to life?
(J.T.): I enjoy the whole process, there’s really nothing that stands out to me that is challenging other than the first moment of getting a song and just hoping I connect with it in some way.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): How do you hope audiences respond to your work?
(J.T.): I just want people to enjoy what they’re watching and at the end just feel satisfied in some way and I want them to feel like they want more.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): Are there any specific themes or topics you’re eager to explore in future projects?
(J.T.): Nothing at the moment.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): How has your work evolved over time, and what have you learned along the way?
(J.T.): My work has become very streamlined and hyper efficient. One music video used to take me over 100 hours to edit when I started, now it’s just a matter of hours. Now that I’ve filmed hundreds and hundreds of videos, I’m able to see problems and solutions very fast and move accordingly.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): Can you share any memorable moments or experiences from set with the many bands you’ve worked with?
(J.T.): I’ve worked with some legendary musicians and actors. This isn’t about an artist or actor that I filmed, but a story I like that is somewhat fitting … Long before I was doing film, I was a security guard at a famous bar in Hollywood. One night, Velvet Revolver was there and I was Slash’s personal bodyguard for the night. I don’t ever get star struck, ever, but at that moment I thought it was the coolest thing. I mean, it’s Slash, come on … I had my arm around him all night, surrounded by tons of people and flashes were going off like crazy, so bright. I remember yelling into his ear in the chaos, “My eyes man, IDK how you deal with this” … he looked over at me in the most smooth way and tilted his sunglasses down and said, “why do you think I wear these all the time” then put them back up and went back to smiling for the cameras … for whatever reason I just thought that was the coolest moment.
Toney Emmons (New Transcendence): What advice would you give to emerging Editors and Cinematographers?
(J.T.): My advice to anyone is to just start doing and not worrying about what you’re supposed to do or how others do it. Do, do, do and do more. Use what others do as a guide, but create your own path that works for you. The key is to put yourself out there and just create. You won’t understand fully what you’re doing at first and that is ok, but with every hit of the record button or ever cut in the editing timeline you will get better and see more clearly.
Don’t be afraid to work for cheap or free. That’s your time to make mistakes and learn. That’s also how you build your portfolio when you’re getting started.
Lastly, invest in yourself. Do not be afraid to spend money on things to get you into a better position, help you be more efficient, or maybe just help with creativity. Don’t be afraid to invest your time on things or with people to help you learn how to get where you want to be. Don’t expect anyone to invest in you if you’re not putting in the work to invest in yourself and your craft.
Get over to J.T’s website: https://www.jtibanezfilms.com/
Or
Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/jt_ibanez/
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