MEET RAOUL PAULET: MORE DEFINED BUT NEVER CONFINED
It's common for creatives to cite an army of backgrounds, muses, and practices that shape their artistic methodology. But few offer a portfolio that so clearly exhibits every influence as WNW Member Raoul Paulet. His work reads like a kaleidoscopic dance, heavy on both risks and rewards. Below, Raoul recalls a creative background that traverses theater, cinematography, visual design, and digital animation, and examines how each field has shaped the fluidity of a few of his more recent projects. "This profound love and respect for the creative world, and the constant research I do every day in this wide field help me shape my evolving profile, getting day by day more defined but not confined." Through a passion for creative discovery, Raoul honors his inspirations without ever allowing them to paint him into a corner.
Tell us about your creative background. Who is Raoul and how did he get here?
Who is Raoul? Well, that’s a very good question!
Being a very curious and versatile creative, I hardly find a way to define myself. Even though you may see a “fil rouge” throughout my works, I almost always tend to revolutionize everything on every new project. That’s why I think the Industry sometimes struggles when it tries to put creatives into defined and somehow limited boxes. They usually say: “you’re this and you do that, or you’re that and you do this”, full stop. In my case, I’m this but also that and I could make that but I could also make this. My creative background goes from theatre to cinematography, passing from visual design and digital animation, plus I have a deep passion in any kind of art form.
This profound love and respect for the creative world, and the constant research I do every day in this wide field help me shape my evolving profile, getting day by day more defined but not confined.
How would you describe your creative style? Do you recognize a signature style that links all of your projects, or do you try to excuse yourself and approach each project as its own entity?
From my personal POV, I’d say it’s indescribable, because as you suggest I usually try to approach each project as its own entity, but at the same time people who look at my projects quite often find and recognize my touch, my personal signature style, so I guess my work can be visually recognized even though I do not do it consciously.
AINÉ + Sergio Cammariere - "Dopo La Pioggia" Music Video
What drew you to this subject?
I felt it was the right time to push the cinematic storytelling a bit further, and jump on more complex story structures, where multiple storylines cross each other simultaneously throughout the whole film. Although the video suggests a flow of events, I love the idea of putting a certain amount of ingredients on the table and then leave room for the audience to imagine their own narrative.
What inspirations helped inform this project?
The idea behind it is to investigate a storytelling and editing style that mimics, on one hand, the way we consume content in the digital age, and on the other hand how our minds silently deform and readapt stored memories while recalling them back. So through the sole use of GIFs (playback included), the video breaks down a love story into hundreds of memories run in a loop.
Hardest part?
Putting all those clip together and giving them the right space, timing and reason to exist. It was like working on multiple edits at the same time, all intersecting with each other. Quite a long and tricky process.
Telekom Television Campaign - DDB Slovenia
What drew you to this subject?
DDB Slovenia gave me a lot of creative space for this big national TV campaign for Telekom. The more I was proposing new stuff I wanted to shoot, the more they were excited about working together. This is how it all started.
What inspirations helped inform this project?
Because they wanted to create an inspirational and metaphorical piece around the brand, I had the chance to play with my cinematographic background, taking inspiration from some of the best storytellers ever such as Kubrick and Hitchcock. I like the idea of slightly elevating our reality to something magical. I wanted it to look like an open-eyes dream.
Hardest part?
Probably the big long-take sequence where we passed from a sunny NYC indoor location shot of a woman through a decomposing apartment in the middle of the woods to finally end up at night on a bridge on an obscure lake where a mysterious sand castle is placed.
In order to create the “in-camera” visual effects, we had to build one big set and use only one long Steadicam movement from point A to point B. Big preparation for it as you can imagine, big crew helping out, and a lot of takes in order to get the right “in-camera” visual effects I had in mind. But at the end and after a lot of hard work, everyone was quite excited with the result.
Hugo & The Prismatics - "Le Mystère" Music Video
What drew you to this subject?
I wanted to explore the Japanese Kuroko technique, by turning it into something more contemporary, with a strong link to design and animation.
What inspirations helped inform this project?
I took inspiration mainly from Surrealism and Deconstructionism, especially exploring their graphic elements. Using those examples, we (Terrible Twins and I) started to draw sketches of the main scene, the table and all the main shapes we used on the set. We played with perspectives, lines, and shapes. We chose flat colours and analogous tones, so that the viewer’s eyes could easily mix and blend things together into one strange 2D/3D world; real 3D objects painted to make them look flat and flat surfaces that looked like 3D objects.
Hardest part?
Definitely the creation of certain kind of practical effects. For example, the moment where the performer falls into a mirror that breaks up into multiple pieces all around her was one of the most challenging but rewarding parts of the production.
Imagine a mix of camera movements, plus a live performance mixed with perfectly timed choreography. Everything should work and happen exactly at the same time in order to create the right visual illusion. I really love that section of the video.
What moment or project in your career so far has made you the proudest?
Being nominated as one of the best new young directors at the YDA in Cannes has probably been one of the best moments in my career so far. But I’d say also directing my first big TVC with DDB for Telekom Slovenia has been quite a big step up.
Biggest career failure?
I’d probably say the tons of pitches that almost every month sadly don’t get approved.
What are you working on now?
At the moment I’m in pre-production on a new music video that should be shot around the beginning of September and also just finished writing an idea for a short film that I hope to get it produced very soon. Stay tuned!
How does London influence your work?
To be honest London doesn’t influence my work that much. I think in terms of creative inspiration we could point at other cities, but for sure this city helps you push your work further every day.
Almost everyone here is only interested in getting the “next thing” done and when it’s been done no one remembers it the day after, because they’re already projected to the “new” next thing. This can be quite frustrating of course but it’s also exciting because it makes you research and pose a lot of interesting questions without the risk of getting bored in the process. But I also think that if on one hand we’re all running towards the next thing without looking back, we should also be able to better appreciate what everyday amazing people and artists do-make-create; otherwise the risk is that we might lose a lot of very good stuff in the middle.
What cultural and creative venues do you frequent in London?
London offers such an amazing cultural programme, from music to art, from screenings to live shows that it’s difficult to pick a few places. Established and underground institutions continuously offer new exciting things. Almost every month I find out about new galleries, clubs, theatres or concert spaces, especially in East or South London. One place I love in particular is the Red Gallery in Shoreditch. It’s an underground and alternative cultural venue where you can find cool expositions and exciting gigs in the same place. It’s probably the only remaining creative space left in that, sadly to say, gentrified area.
Do you thrive off of being part of a creative community or are you more in your element as a lone wolf?
For sure I’m more in my element as a lone wolf, but it doesn’t mean I wouldn't love to feel part of a more “real” and proactive creative community.
Even though it seems we’re all connected to each other, I don’t feel this sense of “community” these days. I probably have an old-school vision of a creative community but honestly the fact is a lot of time is spent online looking at each other's work in a very voyeuristic approach rather than meeting up in person. It’s quite depressing, at least creatively speaking. Yes, it can be part of our everyday way of communicating with others but it can’t be seen as “the only way” possible now. So how can we invert this trend? I don’t know, but I’d be more than happy to be a part of a creative community revolution.
Who are some of your biggest creative idols and influences?
David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, Gaspar Noé, Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Glazer, Spike Jonze, Bill Viola. Just to name a few…
If you weren’t a Designer and Director, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Perhaps a philosopher or a performing artist. ☺
What do you do when Not Working?
Trying to get the most out of my life spending time with my wife, friends and family. Sports if possible, or simply doing nothing all day.
What are some things you would tell your high school or early twenties self?
Don’t waste your time too much.
Any album, film, television or book recommendations for your fellow WNW members?
Of course! One per category not to be missed out: “Malibu” by Andreson Paak; “Pusher” (the whole trilogy) by Nicolas Winding Refn; “Peaky Blinders” by Steven Knight; “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things” by J.T. Leroy. A good mix of new and old stuff.
Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire, and why?
To be completely honest with you, this is quite a tricky question to answer. WNW has so many great artists in each field that it’s almost impossible to point to only a few of them. The overall level is really high and so each of them should be admired. Well done to all of you!
Anything else you’d like to add?
If you’re in London and would like get in touch, please do not hesitate to drop me a line. I’d love to meet new artists with which to collaborate, especially on creative (no budget!) personal projects. Let’s meet up. Let’s share creativity. Let’s make great things together.