Taking inspiration from iconic directors like Iñárritu, Kubrick, and Abbas Kiarostami, artist/filmmaker Gawx Art effortlessly weaves together artistry and storytelling. Learn more about what keeps the Mexico-based filmmaker inspired, his favorite projects, and how he uses Musicbed to create captivating soundscapes for his films.
Musicbed: What sparked your passion for filmmaking/storytelling?
Gawx Art: Well, I’ve always been interested in cinema, mainly because when I was a little kid, I watched films with my dad—all types of films. So that helped me discover all kinds of ways to tell stories. Also, when in my second or third year of working on YouTube videos, I started discovering this different side of YouTube. All these kinds of videos that feel like films but are on YouTube. All these YouTubers create tutorials on how to light a scene or how to collaborate. Well, that motivated me to start adding different elements to my videos that make them more interesting, and like a snowball, everything started growing. I started learning more things and implementing more things into my videos, and eventually, they became what they are right now. My passion for filmmaking has been here since I was a little kid. But that trigger was when I found all these filmmaking YouTubers.
What keeps you motivated and creatively inspired?
Mainly the films I watch. And also the music videos. Music videos are a big source of inspiration because with music videos, you’re basically free to do whatever you want. Everything is valid. And every time I discover a new technique and new ways to tell stories, I try to implement that in my videos. Films, music videos, and short films keep me inspired and I love to experiment. I think experimentation is one of the most important parts of the creative process, so I love to experiment and try new things.
What makes a story visually appealing? What role does music play in storytelling?
I think lighting is one of, if not the, most important things to make a story visually appealing. You can turn a pretty mundane scene into something really visually interesting when you play with light and shadows. I think lighting is the most important aspect of the visual side. Also, composition and color are important. Music sets the tone of the video. Music sets the tone of the scene. I’ve noticed that a good music choice can take a video to a whole different level. I would say music selection is one of, if not the, most important part of a video or a film. One of my biggest inspirations when it comes to the use of music is Kubrick. I think he has an exceptional use of music.
What elements do you think are essential for crafting a compelling story?
That’s a pretty difficult question. Well, as I said, the music sets the tone, vibe, and rhythm of a scene or a story, because rhythm is very important as well. But I think, what’s also essential is conflict. It doesn’t have to be a huge conflict—it can be something simple—but conflict makes the story interesting, and makes you keep watching to find out what happens in the end.
How important is music in your work?
Music is one of the most important aspects of my filmmaking process. Music sets the tone of your video, sets the rhythm of your video, and enhances your video. And a bad music choice can also break your video. So, yeah, music is one of the three most important elements of my work. I think I would say, the one is the story then the music, because first you need the story then you need the music, but in some cases, you can tell the story through the music. So yeah, it’s absolutely essential.
What advice would you give other filmmakers or creators who are just starting their careers?
Consume a lot of content—a lot of valuable content. Also, experiment with the content you consume. Try to see different movies that you might not normally watch. Try to read different books that you would normally not read and apply everything to your work. But not only use it, but also make it yours, and add your little spark. I think something unique is more valuable than something perfect. So consume a lot of content, apply it to your work, and make it yours and experiment. Because change can only enrich you.
How do you find the balance between pushing boundaries creatively and developing and delivering what your clients want or your audience wants to see?
That’s a difficult question. First of all, I think those limits make you more creative and think out of the box. I don’t see that as a challenge—I see that as an advantage. Take that as an advantage to be more creative and try new things. But I also think that having a second hobby helps—that’s why I have a second channel. I think also having maybe a second hobby where it’s not related to work and you can use this as a break, so you don’t feel limited by working with brands or by the YouTube algorithm.
What is the most challenging aspect of being a filmmaker/creative?
Innovating and also organizing your time. Filmmakers and creatives are kind of our own bosses. So you have to manage your time correctly to be productive and improve on your craft. Also for me, I want to start up my YouTube channel. I make my videos basically on my own. Sometimes I get help from my brother or my dad. But I also want to start working on narrative projects. Short films, eventually feature films, and since I’m so used to working by myself, I find it hard to reach out to people to collaborate on projects and maybe reach out to actors or crew. For me, that’s one of the most difficult things, approaching people. But once you approach them, I think you always get a positive response. So that’s mainly more personal to me. But maybe someone can relate.
What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on?
One of my favorite videos I’ve worked on is the How to Make Videos Like a Pro series because I’m in love with filmmaking. I’m not a pro but every time I make a video, I learn something new. So sharing that with my audience was very fun. And I also got to experiment a lot in that video, and I love to try new things. Also my second channel, I love those videos as well because I get to travel and make films and edit those videos with music.
How do you search for music on Musicbed? What are some tips that you would give filmmakers to search on Musicbed?
I would say using the genre and the vibe is really helpful. I always search for cinematic, and I’m a fan of classical music, so I love the classical music selection—they have music from really respected orchestras. I think setting the vibe is first and having a rough idea of the genre you want your song to be like, those are two of the most important aspects when I’m searching for a song. It takes time there. I mean, Musicbed has a really good selection of music with really good songs, so it’s hard to choose between a lot of them. But take your time, try different songs for the video, and follow your gut.
Why do you use Musicbed in your work?
I’ve tried different platforms before, and I think Musicbed has the most professional music. It’s music that I would actually listen to when I’m traveling or when I’m working on my art. The music is just fantastic. It’s incredible. As I said before, the selection of classical music is just incredible. My parents are musicians—both play classical music—and every time I show them where they find the music, they are mind-blown. I’m able to use that in my videos. They have a really professional selection of music and every time they fit the vibe I want to express, the feeling I want to express.
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Explore a curated playlist of Gawx’s favorite music to use in his work—available for licensing only on Musicbed.
