This is a series highlighting the people and organizations in our own backyard and celebrating our west coast creative community. This interview is with Keyon Slowly of Escuro Studios.
What is Escuro and how was it born?
Escuro Studios is a Production Company that produces music videos, commercials, campaigns, branded content, and is currently beginning development on television series, and feature films. It was born from the understanding that film is turned into art when the heart of a production’s story is utilized as its binding and no matter what role you have in the process, every collaborator’s voice should be heard.
We are focused on providing grounded and powerful stories, transforming ideas into alluring and impactful visual narratives. Escuro Studios celebrates its ability to turn advertisement into authentic engagement.
How does Escuro want to be known in this city?
Escuro Studios is establishing itself as a production company dedicated to representing Canadian talent and expanding into the creative development stage of filmmaking. We intend to harvest the storytelling genius alive in Vancouver and show how this city is a place where ideas can be realized from conceptualization through to post-production without needing to go elsewhere.
What are the challenges? What needs to change? What are the implications?
One of the biggest challenges that Vancouver’s film industry is facing is the reliance it has on outsourcing the key creative roles for a production from outside of the country. There seems to be a misunderstanding that storytellers within Vancouver aren’t on the same playing field when it comes to creative development. I believe this is a huge hinderance on the progression of the entertainment industry in Vancouver. Escuro Studios plans on counteracting this by incorporating Canadian bread talent and creatives into the forefront of the projects we undertake.
What makes a piece of content great for you?
What makes a project great for Escuro is the reaction it receives upon delivery from the client. If we have made a client happy, we are happy. Escuro always sets out to deliver high caliber content to its intended audience. We know a project has been successful if it has a powerful impact on those who view it and has clearly communicated the message or story our client intended to share.
Can you share some insight into your own process that you feel is key to great creative?
When working with the client I find it imperative to insure that the client feels comfortable communicating everything they feel with help get the message across to their community that they are building. Too often do people hold back of sharing their experience with production companies because they think just leaving it to the professionals is the only way to go, but every experience matters and I always want to make sure the creative development process is as collaborative as possible.
Do filmmakers have any responsibility to culture? Do you feel that being a creative person requires that you give back or tell a particular story? Why or why not?
I believe not only filmmakers but artists within all disciplines have an obligation to foster the growth of future generations of creatives. It’s my belief that this is a responsibility to assist up and coming creatives by providing the recourses and tools they will need to realize their dreams. Escuro plans to host Workshops that will help to educate the next generation and give them the skills required to be successful within the entertainment industry.
Whose work here on the west coast are you finding exciting right now? (This is the tagging of another creative)
I’ve been a huge fan of the work Brock Newman has been creating. I believe that he is one of the great creative minds that has come out of Vancouver, his approach, thought process and execution is nearly un-matched. I would recommend everyone check out his work and stay on the look out for future projects.
If you like what you see, check out more from Escuro Studios or reach out to Keyon at keyon@escurostudios.com
