Hidden Gems: Meet Kevin Jordan of JK FILMS & ART, INC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Jordan.

Hi Kevin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My career began when I was 15 years old. An undeniable passion for the “image” completely took over me. Light, composition, and the search for a perspective or angle beyond the ordinary became my obsession. From a young age, I found myself immersed in understanding the meaning behind the elements within an image; beyond what was simply beautiful or visually pleasing.

At that age, after showing a deep curiosity for film photography and the chemical process that brought images to life inside a darkroom, my father bought me my first digital camera: a Nikon D90. To me, it was a weapon that activated all my senses. It opened the door to creativity, hundreds of questions, and thousands of experiments. It was the beginning of a stage in my life where I no longer had to wait for the result, the proof was already in my hands.

Buying a camera was only the beginning. I dedicated my time completely to mastering my craft. I took dozens of courses to better understand photography and the magical spectrum of the language of light, from the fundamentals of photography to the most technical aspects. I became fascinated with ratios, with Ansel Adams and Fred Archer’s Zone System, and with the science behind photography. I was learning a new language without having to speak a single word.

As time passed, and I began my professional career as a Social Communicator with a specialization in Audiovisual Media (a path that, in many ways, was influenced by my financial limitations to pursue formal film studies), I started working and transforming photography into my life and my livelihood.

Like many others, I began photographing weddings. However, that path quickly became a stepping stone toward the world of advertising; a more challenging and technically demanding environment. There, I had the privilege of working with important clients while being guided by professionals who shaped me into a better artist and person. One of those mentors was Jesús Viloria in Caracas, Venezuela.

We produced advertising campaigns for brands such as PepsiCo, Empresas Polar, Diageo, and other major companies. I was not only a photographer, I was also a producer, involved in bringing these projects to life from a broader creative perspective.

Through these opportunities, I met incredible people who elevated my career even further, including Omar García from Caracas, Venezuela. That was the moment when I made the transition into moving images. I began working as a second camera assistant on commercials, soap operas, television programs, films, and other productions. Slowly, I earned the trust of industry professionals and began directing and working as a Director of Photography on different projects.

Before I knew it, I was creating documentaries for international media outlets such as France 24, BBC News, ABC News, Al Jazeera, TRT World, among others. I was directing commercials for international brands and collaborating on film productions that expanded my vision as a storyteller.

Writing was another one of my passions, which led me to create my own short films. I produced Natural Hero, a documentary about the Harpy Eagle in the Venezuelan rainforest of Bolívar State. This project required 15 days fully immersed in the jungle, climbing trees over 147 feet high while hanging from a single rope. Despite the unfortunate loss of 60% of the recorded footage, it gave me the opportunity to participate in international festivals and receive honorable mentions at events such as Vaasa Wildlife Festival (Finland), EcoCine International Environmental and Human Rights Film Festival (Brazil), Latin American Nature Awards (Chile), and a recognition at Festival Ascenso (Venezuela).

I also created Turbatus, a short film that was selected and received honorable mentions at festivals including Prisma Rome Independent Film Awards, Indie Shorts Awards Cannes, Prague International Indie Film Festival, LIFT- OFF Global Network First Time Filmmaker Sessions, Festival de Cine Oro Negro, and New York Indie Short Awards.

Everything I have experienced throughout this journey has shaped who I am today. It has been a career that has given me so much, both professionally and personally. I have worked with brands that were once only dreams, with artists I used to watch through a screen, and in environments that have completely changed the way I see life and storytelling.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not been a smooth road to navigate. The times change, and opportunities are not always the same. The digitalization and automation of certain processes have significantly transformed the way people consume and perceive art. The economy has also influenced and reshaped the way people invest in their brands and the stories they want to tell.

The accessibility to gear has made the industry more competitive, not necessarily in terms of quality, but in the ability for more people to create. The client’s criteria and understanding of the value behind a creative process is a different conversation.

For me, another factor that has prevented my career from being as stable as I would have liked is the fact that I have not always been in one place. My passion truly began, or was first recognized, while I was living in China. It developed in Venezuela, continued growing in Chile, and now I am building it in the United States. Miami was my base for many years, and I recently moved that foundation to Atlanta, Georgia, where I am focused on establishing myself again and creating a reliable network of clients. So, its important to find one place and try to do as much as you can there, before you decide to move.

There will always be external factors that make the journey more challenging. What matters is not losing focus and staying connected to what defines you as a professional, whether that is your passion, your vision, or the unique perspective you bring to your work.

We’ve been impressed with JK FILMS & ART, INC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
JK FILMS & ART, INC is a Miami Florida and Atlanta Georgia based production company with more than 10 years of experience in the industry.

We specialize in producing tv commercials, documentaries, and films.
Our collaborative team of highly skilled professionals is dedicated to developing unique and creative ideas with meticulous attention to detail. Our storytelling leaves a lasting impression on the audience’s mind. We educate our clients as well; we aim towards a fair competition. We won’t sell ourselves as the cheapest, but as professionals who knows what we are doing and whose work has real value without damaging the industry with crazy cheap prices that only makes the game worse for everyone.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about our city is its cultural diversity. Culture will always be an element of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual expansion and diversification; something I believe many people need.

Atlanta, Georgia, and its surrounding communities provide an inspiring environment. From the Southern hospitality to the greenery that accompanies you every step of the way, it is a place where you can dream and create. It is a city that allows ideas to grow and possibilities to feel within reach.

What I like the least is that not everyone takes care of it in the way it deserves. A city with so much character, history, and potential should always be valued and protected by the people who call it home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jkfilmsart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkfilmsart/