Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia DeJesus.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey with creativity started from a young age and has been evolving ever since. I started doing ballet at age 2 and somehow found a way to incorporate some form of creativity in my life from that point on. In elementary school it was dance, handbells and art class at school. In middle school it was playing the flute in band, dabbling in theatre classes, and more dance. In high school I became super busy with college preparation and my academic career but still found some time outside of school to create dance covers and daydream about when I would have time to focus on my creative side and what that could look like.
College was almost like a second start of my creative journey. I joined a dance group where I met one of my best friends and by far the most influential figure in my creativity, Richard Ngo. We started out by doing quite a few photoshoots and video projects together in which we would collaborate on the overall vision for the project but I was mostly in front of the camera as the subject, styling, doing makeup, or helping with other aspects of the production.
Summer of 2021 we went on a trip together with some friends to NYC. Richard handed me the camera on the Brooklyn Bridge and said “Do you want to try?”, and that was the start of something that has changed my life in ways I had never imagined.
From directing my first short film to shooting graduation photos, events, and concerts, doing wedding makeup, helping with production on projects for friends, dancing, and modeling, these past 4 years have been so monumental in creating the version of me that I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am convinced every creative goes through their own struggles at some point no matter how they choose to create. I think often times we try to stretch our mental and physical capacities farther than we should. It is necessary sometimes especially when you are still working a full time job and have other responsibilities as many of us do, but it can definitely make it harder to take care of yourself in other ways.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a director, photographer, makeup artist, and dancer but I consider myself a multidisciplinary creative who truly loves exploring anything and everything!
If there were to be something that defines or shapes my creative work the most it would be music and storytelling. I think an artist can inform their music with their experiences and talent and in the same way I think music can inform an artist’s visual story. I try to bring the story of both the artist that I shoot and their music when I do concert photography which is what I have been doing the most of recently.
The short film I directed and worked on with Richard Ngo is my pride and joy. It is the largest project I have worked on to date and the one I have had the biggest role in as a director, actress, dancer, and choreographer. This project was inspired by a creative collective of music and visual artists called Dream Perfect Regime (DPR). They create all of their music, concepts, and music videos in house. This idea of multifaceted creativity and really pushing yourself to be able to do all of those things is something Richard and I truly admire so we wanted to make this film as a tribute to DPR but also to the many creatives that push themselves in that same way. Most importantly, we wanted to do this for ourselves to honor our personal growth over the years despite the struggles and growing pains that came along with the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oliviadejesus.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olivia.dejesus00/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKiEhrANop8
