Effects and technical wizard Julien Carot has started making wonderful films of his own. We catch up with the Parisian director about his work.

Could you give us a potted history of what led you to directing please?

Actually I wonder why it took me so long to end up directing. I was passionate about photography and contemporary art. I groped around a lot of jobs that are linked to creation. Then I did 3D films in animation and video. Afterwards I wanted to continue telling stories without thinking of the tool. That’s what led me to film.

Effects play a big part in your work. What comes first – do you have an idea for an effect and build a story around it or do you write the narratives first? I’m thinking of your wonderful Rone Let’s Go video and Principles of Geometry in particular.

I knew how to make effects before making films. I think that when I started directing it was reassuring to stick to what I knew best. Of course it was a bad reflex. To day I try not to think about effects. My next films will give more space to narration.

The film Rone is the first film that counts for me. I think I’ve found something that I really wish to develop. I used to make things a bit too contemplative and based on picture. Now I want to bring back more direct emotions like humor for example in Rone.

Ok, please tell us…. how the hell did you create Let’s Go?

Everything was shot in a real house, with objects stuck to the ceiling by threads. The actor was also hung by a rope, carried by men in black or laid on rolling cubes.

I want to create the next part of Principles of Geometry, the initial work is about “forging ahead”. I wondered where all these people were going when leaving the earth. And concerning the style and ideas I was advised by my girlfriend the AD of our label and my DoP. But after all the music video Rone doesn’t give an answer. I really hope to do a third part showing a vision of Eldorado or paradise. But for now I can’t really imagine what it would look like. It’s a really difficult exercise but a funny one. I invite everyone to think of it.  

Your commercials work seems to focus a lot around beauty – and is very different from your music video work. How do your creative processes differ between the genres?


For ads if I’m not in direct contact with the client I usually answer a demand where the concept and the art direction has already been defined. I’m rarely associated to the creative process, they come to me when everything is written. It’s a comfort that can be a bit frustrating,  you just need to do beautiful and modern sticking to the brand codes. The client is often there during the shoot to control what is going on. So I’m the interface between them and the teams. With a good producer and a good technical team they could nearly do without me.

For music videos it’s radically different. I think the project and I carry it to the end. I don’t make money so in compensation I want to be able to do whatever I want as long as I respect the artist world. This is the part of my job that I prefer where I can really express myself with few confines. But I can not only do that…