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AD 276 | Saman Kesh
Iranian-American director and writer Saman Kesh has the most Vimeo staff picks, ever. He attributes this accolade to excessive consumption of rocket fuel and a knack for combining the human experience with a healthy dose of controlled chaos. Saman gained recognition with popular music videos like Cinnamon Chasers: Luv Deluxe (which won ‘Best Video’ at SXSW), Kygo: Stole The Show and Basement Jaxx: Never Say Never, along with videos for Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, and Placebo. He has also directed award-winning commercials for major brands like Zoom, Google, Uber, Toyota and Nintendo. Saman has written and directed industry-hailed short films, CONTROLLER and HIT TV, and is currently developing several feature films. On his off hours, he plays video games and trolls racists.


Topics Discussed In This Episode:
  • Yoshino and Saman catching up (00:02:14)
  • Imbuing authenticity into commercial creations (00:05:54)
  • Saman speaks about his experience shooting the “Azizam” music video for Ed Sheeran (00:20:38)
  • Saman reflects on 15 years in the film and commercial industry (00:29:43)
  • Saman discusses dealing with triggering moments on set, and how he has learned to comport himself appropriately in those situations (00:39:04)
  • Yoshino asks about romantic relationships and finding a shared rhythm with a partner (00:43:44)
  • Knowing how to make the most truthful decisions for our lives (00:49:56)
  • Getting out of analysis paralysis (00:56:24)
  • Saman reflects on how his past self might perceive who he is today (00:59:00)

samankesh.com
instagram.com/saman_kesh

Posted 4.18.2025


About

"I started this series as a means for exploration, an exploration of self, and an exploration of the perspectives of other artists.

This series is an unabridged documentation of conversations between artists. It’s a series dedicated to breaking down the barriers we tend to set up in our own minds. I want to inspire future creatives to have the courage to explore and experiment. This is about making dreams a reality and not about letting our dreams fall to the wayside.

My intention is to give my audience a sense of real human connection, something that feels rich and organic.

When I was thinking of a title I thought of the word “movement”.

In relation to the Renaissance period in art, my goal for this program is to signify a rebirth of consciousness towards the way we look at contemporary art."

- Yoshino
Contact

info@artistdecoded.com