Since 2022, the Palette Group has been moving at the speed of the craft, partnering with creatives who are their whole selves in pre-pro, principal, and post. Creatives from all around the globe touched the many projects we had the privilege to work on over the past few years. We're all tired of Rick Rubin's quotes, but they're too good...
"Art is choosing to do something skillfully, caring about the details, bringing all of yourself to make the finest work you can. It is beyond ego, vanity, self-glorification, and need of approval." - Rick Rubin.
We invite you to experience our creative agency and production haus reel…
Many thanks to our client partners: Xbox, Nascar, Puma, Billboard, Foot Locker, Bundesliga, Newark Public Schools, Netflix, DoorDash, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and more...
And now, a few words from some of the folx "behind the palette;" after each project, we take time to hear how the experience was for our crew and talent. Or, we just give them the space to express their approach to their craft:
Edem Kwakumey, Producer
“When recording Newark Enrolls, we shared a number of special moments with the kids laughing, dancing and overall expressing themselves. I got the feeling that the experience of shooting this project with the school created a positive association with Newark Public School System for them.”
Lenny Emery, Director, Producer
“No matter what project I am directing / producing I try to make sure our talent always has their authentic personality shine through in the piece - the best art is a collaborative process where each person contributes for the greater good"
Liz Barrella, Production Designer
"I loved this project(Puma Back to School) because the production design was a tad more minimal than past shoots and we used strong elements to create an environment without over propping or overcomplicating the scenery. It felt more editorial with strong lighting and I love that !
Most of the time I find inspiration in my environment and surroundings. Sometimes I find inspiration from a larger scale environment and sometimes I find it from a tiny detail like the texture of a glass or the textile of a pillow.
Collaboration within the teams. Good energy from everyone on board and a willingness to assist and dive in."
Austin Vidmar, Talent, Photographer
"My identity as a photographer and dasher was represented so well in this project. We only had a small time frame for this ad but we still were able to cover all the photography that I enjoy doing (music, street, portrait). We captured me as a dasher and the switch over between the two. We captured a glimpse of what a day in my life would be like. My identity was also reflected in the tiny details of the video. My nails, my hair, my outfit, everything was captured so well that represented who I am. We captured the places I like to go and we captured the things I like to do. It was honestly so amazing to see all those tiny details and when I go back to look at the video, I really think to myself that this truly represents me in every way. It's actually incredible."
DoorDash BTS Film
Justin Guo, Director
"It’s no simple ask to create something truly original in a saturated advertising space, while simultaneously delivering a dope final product to fit the client’s needs. As much of a cinema buff as I am, it’s helpful to absorb things beyond the filmic medium that lend insight or perspective to my understanding of the world. An Edward Hopper painting. An Angela Davis lecture. A collection of 1970s East Asian street photography. A sample from Thundercat’s discography. Or dive deeper: The methodical way in which my roommate arranges house plants. The sound of aunts and uncles fighting for the bill at a Chinese restaurant. The conspiracy theories whispered at my local park. I think if you only surround yourself with creatives, you could miss out on a vast majority of perspectives the universe can offer. At the end of the day, it’s all about learning how to tell better stories. Leveraging the voices that matter and connecting to human beings in an authentic way."
Emily Hlaváč Green, Photographer
"Using a camera is a privilege. The lens gives us a window into other people’s lives, their personalities. The purpose of my work is making images photographing people in a way that makes them feel empowered and tells a story. I love being able to use my skill set to collaborate with other artists and clients from all walks of life.
Each photo project is an opportunity to push creative boundaries and make something new - I make the work I wish to see in the world."
Corri Plunkett, Producer
"A team is like the perfect house. Once you put all the foundational elements together and you have faith in their solidity, you know you are safe. That’s how I feel on set. The team I assemble are always a step ahead, they are dedicated to the work and nurturing the home we’ve built."
Moe Elgawly, Producer
"After countless days working on an idea, long nights, laughs and even some tears - there's that moment when the dust settles and you see the work coming to life. It's magical."
Suliya Gisele, Producer
“We overcame every hurdle that was thrown at us as a production. From everyone lacing up sneakers at BOK, to all hands on deck to create a fashion runway out of Mylar for the Flawless shoot. It was incredible!”
Her creative process allowed her to “be open minded and flexible, thinking fast to see what resources I had in my network and working hard to achieve the vision of the client and for the creative team leaders.”
Esteban Veras, Gaffer
"Probably at around the age of 7, when I first received an analog disposable Kodak camera. My entire perception of reality changed when I realized I could capture moments into a chemical that can be then developed into a piece of paper. It was almost an awakening for me."
Jazz Erskine, Cinematographer
"Through working with the Palette Group, I feel like I've been lucky enough to be surrounded by free thinkers and creators who are open to trying and doing new and fun things. I was honored when I was asked to shoot a piece for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I strongly believe a lot of my strength as a creative comes from the people helping and supporting me and the Palette Group did not lack in that support. My creativity didn’t get stunted because they were open to seeing what was outside the box. They want to break through to a new world of creativity and I feel honored that I've been able to be a part of that."
Nicole Lelacheur, Creative Director, Copywriter
"She mentioned the importance of “bringing attention to women’s equity, especially during the pandemic… I knew we needed to do it in a way that was poignant, artful, and through the words of women themselves. This was one of those projects that just immediately made sense: give women the mic, let them write the script, speak their own words, and do it in a way that felt like you could see into their soul."
My creative outlet as a kid was always writing – short stories, songs, poems. Fast forward, and I found myself in a creative agency on the account services side. I took notice of the creative team and was like, “Hey, what are they doing over there…” I started hanging around the creative department, writing headlines, scripts, and manifestos on the side. One day they were finally like, "Nicole, do you want to be a copywriter"… and the rest just sort of, clicked.”
Andre Rucker, Photographer, CGI-artist
"My creative process for the Footlocker "Seasonal" project and most projects that I have the opportunity to work on, I try to start as big and bold as I can. I think it's important to have a purpose for visuals and try not to just repeat the same photoshoots over and over.
I also focus a lot of attention to lighting so I wanted to create situations where light could reflect and bounce and generate shadows that helped the overall composition and furthered the story we're telling. Especially for the group shots you end up needing a lot of space to be taken up by set elements and propping. Having something like a giant shoebox covered in mirrors for reflecting light and large painted leaves casting shadows goes a long way in making interesting images.
My goal for every project is always to make the largest visual impact possible and this project gave me a lot of freedom to collaborate with a great team and make everything come to life in a big way."
Beary Becca, Model
"My favorite moment on set with PG x Puma, Big & Tall was shooting in front of one of the Little Havana resident’s home/gallery. She was so gracious with all of us, welcomed us into her home, and even shared some laughs with us. The whole shoot was so raw and human. I will never forget the feeling of love and community on set that day. The smiles in many of those shots came so very natural to me. I felt comfortable and confident and so blessed to be there working with inspiring creatives."
Adisa Duke, Cinematographer
"To me, what makes lifestyle campaigns like our Puma project unique is that they give me an opportunity to connect with and capture the joy of everyday human beings engaged in activities that they love and that I admire. Whether it be dancing, bmxing, or simply modeling – being able to be present with a camera to capture the joy emanating in those moments is such a privilege. Working on Puma with Palette Group was an opportunity to do not just that, but to also incorporate one other aspect of visual storytelling that I love so much: problem solving with other like-minded storytellers to create work we are all proud of, all while hearing their own individual stories as well. Our Puma campaign reflects my appreciation for that process."
