Behind The Scenes of Destiny Manifest w/ Joaquin Jutt.
Meet Joaquín Esteban Jutt — animator, motion graphics artist, video director, and Creative Artistic Director for Destiny Manifest. Joaquín’s work spans MTV VMAs, The Roots, Burna Boy, Spotify, HBO, and the Kennedy Center. He joins Ridah Ridah Entertainment as our lead video and animation partner. We sat down with him to talk about his collaboration with Atiim Chenzira on the Destiny Manifest project.
How do you know Atiim Chenzira, and what motivated you to collaborate on Destiny Manifest?
We collaborated many moons ago in Oakland, CA — giving me an opportunity to share my art in a group show with an incredible range of other artists and performers.
What was your role, and what did you contribute to the Destiny Manifest project?
I was blessed with the chance to complement his music through the visual realm — implementing green-screen footage with animation, effects, and graphics as Creative/Art Director and Lead Designer.
How was it for you working on this project?
It was a chance to visually flex what Atiim has been writing, rapping, and performing for years. Knowing his unique background only added to my desire to do this project justice, because ultimately that’s what we’re all after. Helping to bring awareness through history and his personal experiences was an honor and a privilege.
What drives you as an artist, and how was it aligned with this project?
My drive is to wake up people who are ignorant to the reality and the depth of the issues plaguing everyone with a higher melanin count. This project was born out of a love for the people and the unheard, and I couldn’t be more aligned with this sentiment.
How was this project and your contributions relative to the Kennedy Center’s Social Impact Initiative?
“As the National Cultural Center, the Kennedy Center has a unique and urgent responsibility to turn symbolic gestures into tangible systems. On June 2, 2020 we made a statement to hold this institution accountable and ensure that the Center is always home for critical conversation about race and discrimination.” — Kennedy Center Social Impact Initiative
This project is about the multi-generational discrimination born out of two genocides that always gets glossed over in the classroom. I wanted the visuals to be a teaching moment — a mirror to the reality of this country’s track record.
In summary, what did this project bring up for you — how has it inspired or moved you?
It moved me to push the envelope through the medium I know best: animation and visual effects. It inspired me to pursue more of my own personal narrative and thought-provoking artwork.
What is your favorite part of this project and why?
Seeing the comments during the live-stream — because we kind of created it in a remote vacuum, but once it was out there, to know that it resonated the right way with viewers was validating after all the late nights spent animating, rendering, and video editing.
Where can we find out more about your art, and what can we look forward to from you?
My website and portfolio is jjutt.com, and my Instagram is @j.jutt. In terms of the future — I know for certain that I’m going to continue doing portraits (2D/3D) of inspiring figures, with the aim to highlight their contributions to humanity.
Joaquín Jutt joins Ridah Ridah Entertainment as our Animation, Video & Motion Graphics partner. Visit jjutt.com to see his full portfolio. To work with Joaquín and R2E on your next project, get in touch here.
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Sound · Music · Production · Portland, Maine