Jaxon Whittington
Jaxon Whittington has roots in Houston, Texas, where his interest in visual arts was first ignited. Since moving to Los Angeles a few years ago, he’s developed a distinct style of photography and filmmaking, working with a variety of well-established brands, models and musicians.
V:
What film has had the most impact on your practice, and how has it directly influenced your work?
JW:
The Wim Wenders film “Wings of Desire” has definitely had the biggest impact on me. I’ve always been obsessed with certain directors’ ability to create such strong and vivid emotions in the smallest ways and I think this film does it so effortlessly. After watching it, I’ve always made my number one goal to create scenes that evoke strong emotions when watched, that’s what I care about most.
V:
As an audience member of your work, there is this dream-like state your images and films put the viewer in; your point-of-view, cuts, lighting, and visual distortion to name a few. Is there a film, or more specifically a scene from a film, that has inspired the surreal world your work exists within?
JW:
There are two films that I remember watching for the first time and having the feeling that “this is exactly what I’ve always wanted to create.” Mulholland Drive and Natural Born Killers – those two films basically sum up everything I could ever want to experience and create. Every second of each one is surprising, intriguing, and extreme – the way they flow is so beautiful.
V:
There is a charming sense of lo-fi rawness to the images you make. Is there a filmmaker who has opened your eyes to this approach to image/film making? What drew you to it? And what is one film they’ve done that has directly impacted your personal approach?
JW:
David Lynch has had the biggest impact on me without a doubt. Regarding the use of lo-fi cameras, I was definitely inspired by Inland Empire and the fact that it was shot on DV tape. The film is shot so simply, yet every shot is extremely effective and purposeful. I think a lot of films can be visually beautiful but lack in other areas, which is a problem I find with myself. Seeing films like Inland Empire has helped me to realize this and take note of it.