Not many creatives have the opportunity to come out with two films in one year but with remakes of cult classics like White Men Can’t Jump and House Party but today’s guest, Calmatic (@calmatic ), did just that. Calmatic proudly grew up as your quintessential Black nerd, creating flyers, making beats, designing album covers and capturing memorable moments for LA’s finest. Go on and hit play as dive into this Grammy award winning director’s career journey and his approach language, references and representation.
Claima Stories with Bimma is available wherever you listen to podcasts and on Youtube. @bimmawilliams#linkinbio
Blessed with another one! New Super Bowl commercial for Popeyes directed by Calmatic starting the big homie Ken Jeong. Special thanks to Special thanks to everyone at for trusting me with this concept. Shout out to @christianzollenkopf for the crazy set design, @bethanybankston for the costumes and the homegirl @makeupjunkie_j for the make up vfx. Also to do my dawgs @romano_stunts , @reconciliation and the gang at @prettybirdpic for helping me put this together. It’s always an honor to make art for the masses to see, can’t wait to do it again. ✊🏾🖤
New Super Bowl spot for Silk directed by Calmatic starring the legendary, resilient and last years most googled celebrity Jeremy Renner. Had a blast putting this together with everyone at @havas ! Special thanks to @melissalarsenekholm@larksss@romano_stunts , @reconciliation , @itaaaru@rickygausis and the gang at @prettybirdpic that helped bring this things to life. Y’all gotta understand my boy Jeremy damn near died last year after being ran over by a snow plow. 36 broken bones later and all kinda metal screws everywhere the homie is round house kicking and giving yall James Brown on the kitchen counter. Hawkeye still got it. Truly an inspiring comeback story. #superbowl53
Don’t show me the money! 😅 Big thanks to @cbsmornings for capturing me in my element for their Making Of A Super Bowl Commercial segment. Cant wait for the world to see what we cooked up this Sunday. #superbowllviii 🏈🏟️
In 2023 I did A LOT.😅 Hopeful for the same prosperity from here on out, but for me 2024 is about me mastering abilities by tapping into my personal creativity more than ever. This year I’m starting and opening my first creative practice and studio space. ‘New References’ is a conceptual doing space and incubator for all things “new”. More information and announcements will be coming soon so follow @newreferences.jp and stay tapped in!
Photo by @nubawd at @misternaf crib in Brooklyn, NY.
Had the opportunity to direct a handful of commercials for Hotels.com and the NBA airing during the Christmas Day games today! Had a great time working with Jokic, Peyton, Jamie and Jimmy, y’all are all the homies but it’s still Lakers for life! 💜💛 Special thanks to @bethanybankston on the wardrobe, @reconciliation for holding the set down, @larksss and @casprenger for helping out behind the lens and everyone else that helped put this thing together.
Had the opportunity to direct a handful of commercials for Hotels.com and the NBA airing during the Christmas Day games today! Had a great time working with Jokic, Peyton, Jamie and Jimmy, y’all are all the homies but it’s still Lakers for life! 💜💛 Special thanks to @bethanybankston on the wardrobe, @reconciliation for holding the set down, @larksss and @casprenger for helping out behind the lens and everyone else that helped put this thing together.
Had the opportunity to direct a handful of commercials for Hotels.com and the NBA airing during the Christmas Day games today! Had a great time working with Jokic, Peyton, Jamie and Jimmy, y’all are all the homies but it’s still Lakers for life! 💜💛 Special thanks to @bethanybankston on the wardrobe, @reconciliation for holding the set down, @larksss and @casprenger for helping out behind the lens and everyone else that helped put this thing together.
Had the opportunity to direct a handful of commercials for Hotels.com and the NBA airing during the Christmas Day games today! Had a great time working with Jokic, Peyton, Jamie and Jimmy, y’all are all the homies but it’s still Lakers for life! 💜💛 Special thanks to @bethanybankston on the wardrobe, @reconciliation for holding the set down, @larksss and @casprenger for helping out behind the lens and everyone else that helped put this thing together.
Was blessed with the opportunity to film that last two episodes of the second season of HBO’s Rap Sh!t. My first time directing television and couldn’t have asked for a better group of creators to do it with.
Full circle moment being able to work with my dawg C-San. Since 2007 we’ve been creative partners in different facets of this industry. From trying to make it in the rap game (as rappers 😅) to managing a rap group to now working together in the film and television space as writer and director, it’s been a wild journey to say the least. This only the beginning for us and proud to have him as a brother in this thing.
Special thanks to theee Issa Rae for continuing to create opportunities for so many of us, as well as Syreeta Singleton for running the show and making pivot after pivot while still maintaining the integrity of these important stories. To every single actor and crew member, I appreciate y’all for allowing me into y’all’s tightly knit community and allowing me to add my two cents to such a well oiled machine. Everyday I learned so much, can’t wait to do it again.
Season 2 finale of Rap Sh!t directed by CALMATIC and written by Issa Rae is out now HBOMax. Go run it up!
