BIOGRAPHY

JEAN-PAUL FRENAY is a Belgian Film Director and multidisciplinary Visual Artist.
He is the co-founder of the Belgian production company BLACK LODGE.

With a clear dedication to visual storytelling, his work is always shapeshifting. From in-camera wizardry and full CGI projects to highly technical tabletop shootings and character-driven music videos, he’s taking every project as a new challenge to re-invent himself, merging every aspect of his skills to create a unique vision and explore beyond boundaries.

After studying film direction and cinematography in Brussels, he started his career as a Visual Effects Artist and worked with advertising agencies and production companies alike, quickly leading to directing his first commercial projects.

Working internationally for the past 15 years, Jean-Paul directed creatively versatile commercial work for high-profile brands such as Nike, Nescafé, Renault, Volkswagen, Nestlé, Nissan and The Lincoln Motor Company.

Several of his personal projects like the animated short film « ARTIFICIAL PARADISE, INC » or the music videos for the US band SON LUX were critically acclaimed and featured in numerous international film festivals and publications as Onedotzero, Stash, IDN, Fubiz, OFFF, Director’s Notes, Motionographer and Shots.

His short film « YOU ARE THE CANVAS », created for the OFFF Festival, was nominated as a finalist in the Excellence in Title Design competition at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival and captured the internet with his reflective portraits on society.

While still active in the advertising industry, he’s now expanding his storytelling skills to longer format focusing on his feature and episodic film projects.

When he is not working, you can find this passionate PHOTOGRAPHER on a road trip riding his motorbike or in rehearsal with his band « I, THE PHOENIX »

LATEST NEWS

ADG LAUS 2022

I had a great time, in Barcelona, with my fellow jury members (Pablo Honey, Visual 13, Marte, Ana Pérez López) as part of ADG LAUS 2022  audiovisual Jury. 

OFFF SEVILLA

Just came back from the OFFF Festival in Sevilla where I presented my talk called “Struggle for Eclecticism”. As usual with the OFFF festival, I had an amazing time, making new friends and having…

NEW PROJECT : ROWENTA

When a client offers you his blind trust, following your creative direction to promote their new product, you can only push the limits. Every scene is highlighting one feature of their new…

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

SON LUX : THE FOOL YOU NEED
2019 Best Music Video Around International Film Festival, DE
2019 Best Music Video Canada International Film Festival, CA
2019 Best Music Video Brussels Independent Film Festival, BE
2018 Best Music Video London Super Shorts Film Festival, UK
2018 Best Music Video @ Venice Film Week, IT
2018 Silver Award @ Unknown Film Festival, RU
2018 Best Music Video Award @ Hong Kong Arthouse Film Festival CHN
2018 Best Music Video Runner Up Bucharest ShortCut CineFest, RO

SON LUX : CAGE OF BONES
2017 Semi Finalist for Best Director @ International Music Video Underground, FR
2017 Winner Best Music Video of the Year @ Paris Art and Movies Awards, FR
2017 Winner Best Experimental Award @ Berlin Music Video Awards, DE
2017 Winner Best Music Video @ Top Shorts 2017
2017 Shortlisted for Best Music video and Best Cinematography award @ Berlin Fashion Film Festival, DE
2016 One Talent TV Award @ Sulmona International Film Festival, IT
2016 Nominated for Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best VFX @ Widescreen Film & Music Video Festival, US
2016 Nominated for Best Director Award @ Ibiza Music Video Festival, ES
2016 Best Art Direction Award @ Austin Music Video Festival, US
2016 Winner Video of the Day , VOTD
2016 IMVDb Staff Pick
2016 Vimeo Staff Pick, Vimeo
2016 FMF Video Staff Pick, Fringe Music Fix

YOU ARE THE CANVAS (OFFF QUEBEC 2015 MAIN TITLES)
2016 Winner Platinum Award, Muse Creative Awards, USA
2016 SXSW Excellence in Title Design Finalist, USA
2015 Top 2015 Motion Graphics, Design Collector
2015 Winner Audience Award, Motion+, FR
2015 Finalist Best Sound Design (International Short Film), Music + Sound Awards
2015 Top Pick Of The Day, Illusion Magazine
2015 Video Pick Of The Day, Film Shortage
2015 Vimeo Staff Pick, Vimeo

TOYOTA : INDESTRUCTIBLE HILUX
2015 Silver Award for Toyota Indestructible Hilux @ Creative Club of Belgium, BE

CPH BANK : LIGHT BULBS INSTALLATION
2015 Honorable Mention for CPH Bank Light Bulbs Installation @ Howww.com, US

KYASMA : RADIOACTIVITY
2013 Nominated for Best Swiss Music Video @ Solothurner Filmtage, CH
2012 Best Music Video @ California International Shorts Festival, US
2012 Celtx Seeds award, US
2012 Staff Picks, Vimeo

ARTIFICIAL PARADISE, INC
2011 Second Place of the Non Narrative Category @ Cutout Festival, EM
2010 Honorable mention for Artificial Paradise, Inc @ Fargo Film Festival, USA
2010 Nominated for Best technical Realisation @ Animago Award, DE
2009 Staff Picks, Vimeo

VOLKSWAGEN : BLUE-MOTION
2010 Best production design for VW Bluemotion @ CFP Awards, BE

JURY & LECTURES

2022 Jury @ adg-fad LAUS, ES
2021 Lecture @ OFFF Sévilla on Tour, ES
2017 Jury @ International Music Video Underground, FR
2016 Lecture @ Faux Images, DE
2016 Lecture @ Pixels Festival, BE
2015 Lecture @ OFFF Barcelona, ES
2015 Lecture @ OFFF Québec on Tour, CA
2014 Lecture @ Fête de l’Anim Lille, FR
2012 Lecture @ OFFF Lille on Tour, FR
2012 Jury @ Festival International du Court Métrage de Lille, FR
2011 Jury @ Kikk Festival, BE
2010 Lecture @ OFFF Paris Openroom, FR

PRESS & INTERVIEWS

2018 Director’s Notes / Interview Son Lux The Fool You Need
2018 Promonews.tv / Son Lux The Fool You Need
2016 Fubiz / Son Lux Cage of Bones
2016 Promonews.tv / Son Lux Cage of Bones
2015 Stash Magazine / Interview OFFF Quebec 2015
2013 Empty Kingdom / Interview Jean-Paul Frenay
2013 Promonews.tv / Radioactivity
2013 Empty Kingdom / Radioactivity
2012 Page Magazine Issue 01/12
2012 CutOut Fest on Tour DVD 2012
2011 Stash issue 81
2011 Stash issue 80
2011 Pixelarts Magazine Issue 24
2011 Kromotion / Entretien avec Jean-Paul Frenay
2011 Shots issue 126 contender
2010 Mensomadaire #119 Spécial 3D
2010 Offf Paris Print Catalogue
2010 Repérages issue 68 DVD Expériences #06
2010 Movie Creation #3  / Dans les limbes du souvenir
2010 Realflow case study
2009 Stash issue 61
2009 Motionographer / API
2009 Cultcrusher / Dans le monde de Jean-Paul Frenay
2009 IvyBetty / Director, Visual Artist Jean-Paul Frenay
2007 Stash issue 39
2005 Stash issue 14
2005 AVI magazine issue 94

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