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Filipino director, producer, editor and co-founder of ZooPraxi Studio, Dominic Bekaert brings Filipino creativity and skill to the world
“We were contacted directly by FKJ on Instagram and after some talks, he sent us the original track that we fell madly in love with,” said director and co-founder of ZooPraxi Studio Dominic Bekaert.
This Filipino-Belgian audiovisual director and film preservationist creates content that stops you in your tracks. He and his company can proudly add yet another achievement under his belt, as Bekaert and ZooPraxi directed, filmed and edited international recording artist FKJ’s new music video which includes none other than the iconic Carlos Santana.
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Filipino talent is shining brightly thanks to such talents. “We shot a first video for it in a couple of days in the Philippines with just him and then we discovered after a few months that Carlos Santana was going to be featured on the track as well. So we started thinking about ways to integrate him into the music video we had already shot, edited and post-produced,” Bekaert shares.
“The concept of the video was fully created by FKJ himself, he had a very precise idea of what he wanted to show and what he wanted it to look like. So on our end, we really wanted to help him bring that vision to life as meticulously as possible,” he expounds, sharing his praises for the artist.
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ZooPraxi filmed FJK here on home turf in the Philippines and then worked with an American production firm to shoot Santana in Hawaii. “They sent us the footage in order for FKJ and us to integrate it to the existing edit and match the grading with what we had already produced for the original song,” he explains.
FKJ’s music video was a massive undertaking for the production house because of how well known the artist is globally and how widely seen the content would be. “This was our most collaborative project to date as he is also our co-director and co-editor on the video,” Bekaert adds.
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As his first experience working with an international celebrity, and across different time zones and workplace cultures, Bekaert tells us that it was utterly memorable. “It was an inspiring experience to meet with FKJ and learn more about his creative process, and have the chance to create this visual piece with him. This first international project taught us a lot about our own adaptability and was a very humbling and fruitful process.”
Previously based in Paris, Bekaert has since founded ZooPraxi with Clementine Comoy in 2019, took the lead at the National Film Archives of the Philippines, where he spearheaded the preservation and restoration of titles such as Insiang by Lino Brocka, Noli Me Tangere by Gerry De Leon and Batang Westside by Lav Diaz, among many others.
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ZooPraxi is responsible for other stunning video and photo creations such as Nadine Lustre’s Wildest Dreams visual album, a first of its kind in the Philippines, and Bekaert’s short film, Mabini.
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About
Isabel loves to learn, and see things from different perspectives. Connecting with people and engaging in new experiences to broaden her horizons is what inspires this storyteller, keeping her constantly curious, and excited for what's to come. An absolute love for all things F&B ignited a hunger to devour content from this world and keeps her jumping into tasty adventures around the globe. From the beauty of simple bites, to nuanced fine dining tasting menus, street food, and the art of entertaining, the multi-faceted nature of the dining experience is something she can't get enough of. A good cup of coffee or a glass of wine paired with a dash of witty conversation is a quick way to win her over. This editor loves travelling, food, music, skincare, fitness, and is only friends with people who love dogs. Guilty pleasure?: Binge-watching TV shows and movies she has already seen.
Work
Concept creation is the name of the game and branding takes centre stage in Isabel's day-to-day schedule. From producing shoots, conceptualising bespoke projects for our partners, relationship management, to cooking up features and events for Tatler Dining, this editor is a tried and tested foodie at heart. She mainly writes content for Tatler Dining, engaging in captivating discussions with restaurateurs, chefs, producers, and food enthusiasts to tell must-know stories. Aside from that Isabel manages Tatler Dining's flagship events like Off Menu, or Cocktail Festival and puts together the Tatler Dining Guide, our annual listing of the best eats around town.
Follow her on Instagram @isabelvmf.
