INTERVIEW
Q A
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Bringing diversity to the media industry
Visual artist E . Greaves has not only earned his spot in the media industry , but also has shined a light on the lack of diversity that inspired him to start his own production company .
Eddie Greaves wears many hats – visual artist , director , editor , entrepreneur , and producer . He is a London-based artist who was recently nominated for best director by New Wave Magazine . The publication , which showcases the work of emerging and established creative artists , named Greaves among the top upcoming directors of 2022 .
Greaves , who founded media group Foolish Professionals , has worked in a variety of areas , from music videos and artist profiles to commercial projects with sports figures , clubs and brands like Champion and Lonsdale . He recently worked on a global campaign with New Balance and Xiaomi . Greaves is also a rarity . He is one of the few successful black visual artists in an industry that is predominately white . According to a survey by the Creative Industry Federation , visual artists from BAME backgrounds represent 11 % of the industry ’ s workforce , compared with nearly 18 % for the population at large .
In an interview with Sleuth , Greaves spoke about many aspects of his career , from his work as a visual artist to his future aim to support diversity and inclusion .
Tell us a little bit about yourself . How did you get started as a visual artist ?
I am a multi-disciplined creative thinker , art director , producer , graphic designer , and director of photography . I direct music videos and commercials , and brand campaigns to high profile projects . I can say I have been very fortunate to work
“ Sometimes , when you are a minority you must work 10 times harder to get people in the industry to take you seriously .” on a lot of amazing projects , but it has never been easy . I have become accustomed to trusting the process and having a more flexible approach to things .
Funnily enough , the way I got started as a visual artist was that I pretty much just fell in love with it after being introduced to it along with my new group of friends in my early teens .
They were all creative souls , making content and hosting events . Seeing what they were doing at the time , I was inspired to pursue this field because it looked more fun than what I was doing at college - which was construction and architecture .
I remember when my course was coming to an end , I decided to apply for a media course at Havering College of Further & Higher Education , and the rest was history . I started doing freelance work with my friends while I was in college . I studied media and graphic design before going to university . I spent my early years working hard to build my portfolio . It was tough , but I had to trust the process .
Sometimes , when you are a minority , you must work 10 times harder to get people in the industry to take you seriously . I spent a significant amount of time building my profile and professional relationships to get to where I am now .
What challenges did you face when you started ?
The biggest challenge I faced was not knowing anything . I remember sitting on YouTube just learning everything I could from Premiere Pro tutorials to camera
08 SLEUTH ISSUE 5