Deaf Director Jules on Filmmaking, Music, and Visual Storytelling (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Music Sound of glass breaking Cut. Music People think that music is what you hear and that it has a rhythm, but what they also forget is that rhythm doesn't have to be heard. My name is Jules. I am a film director. And yes, I am deaf. Sound of wind blowing Music People talking I'm directing a music video called Rolling in the Deep. Our lead performer is Amber Zion. Amber already had a big fascination with Adele. And after that, I completely fell into that song too. I love it. Sound of glass breaking Right now, this project is between Damn Name Productions and D-Pan. D-Pan is well known for bringing music and sign together. Sound of glass breaking My family have always been musicians, so I feel that music is a part of who I am. The first music video that I did here in LA was Let's Mambo starring Sean Forbes and Marlee Matlin. Music That project really started my whole process, and after that, I started to get a lot of requests.

Speaker 2: Music

Speaker 1: When I was seven years old, I was at a family reunion. I saw that my uncle had brought a video camera, and he connected it to the TV using a live feed. So we were able to see ourselves in the screen with the camera set up facing us so that we could watch ourselves. And I remember thinking, oh, that's how it works. And really from that moment on, that was it for me. I knew that I wanted to make movies. Music It's funny, you know, I've never really viewed my deafness as a challenge in the filmmaking process. I actually think that it contributes to my filmmaking. Film is a visual medium, and I communicate visually.

Speaker 3: This is my first time working on set with a predominantly deaf crew and cast. And I've just been mostly impressed with the energy and excitement that people have to be working together. I think because they're in the same community, there's a different level of bond that they have together. Well, I think Jules would say that she is very visually oriented. But I would say that I've actually seen her as more of an actor's director, if that makes sense. She's really tight with the cast and very focused on them.

Speaker 1: I've worked with hearing directors, and they're all great, they are. But they don't have an understanding of deaf culture. For example, deaf expression. They don't understand how I can exaggerate. But Jules is a deaf director, so she understands. And if I do too much, she can come and tell me, you need to tone it down. Or if I don't have enough emotion, she can come and give me the right feedback.

Speaker 4: I am deaf, yes. But I have an understanding of the concept of music. My family plays music, which has been an influence on me. I understand the concept of rhythm and beat. But what I try to do is bring visual elements to fit with that rhythm. Through mood, tone, using motion to visually match the feeling of the music.

Speaker 1: It's really tough to exactly translate the lyrics from that song. Because some of the phrases in that song are just very, it's a very English expression. We also want to pick signs that match the timing of the English. So that's why it's tough to do. We have to think in signing time, and at the same time, clearly communicate the right feelings to all of the native ASL signers.

Speaker 4: She's listening to music in her headphones. How are you?

Speaker 1: Well, I know the song itself. I know the beats. And I can feel the vibrations. I bought these headphones because really, really strong bass. And I learned from a music video, you know, exact timing. It was a hearing signer or whatever. So I watched, and I was able to memorize the timing. Every day on my way to work, in my car, I turn the bass up really, really loud so that I can feel it and try to memorize the beats and the timing. So I memorize the beats based on watching that music video. And then I, with whatever hearing I have left, which is very little, I have about a range of above 75 decibels, which means I can hear only if it's really loud. On a typical music video set, they have a playback operator who will play the music so that the performers can match the timing. But we don't have that.

Speaker 2: Cut. Cut.

Speaker 1: So I would memorize the music carefully so that I could be her support and I could make sure that she was in time.

Speaker 2: Cut. Cut. Good. Nice. Cut.

Speaker 1: The key lyrics, they have to be shown visually with sign. So matching those with the words, it's kind of an art. It's an art of captions and they have to be represented accurately so that that song is accessible. These headphones are so strong that I can feel the bass really loudly. So I feel this and I look at the waveforms and it helps me figure out how to piece it together and how to perfect the timing. Heartbeat I feel like I can challenge myself and that I can actually help to develop a new way of approaching deaf people, their characters, their stories. And really we have so many stories that we need to tell. But my fire inside, ultimately for myself, career-wise, I want to direct for all kinds of audiences. Heartbeat

Speaker 2: Music