Creative duo Antoine Cotton and Antoine Poulard enhance the experience of the everyday with their mixed-media film. Following a Day In The Life format, their film collects the moments and details that define our daily lives and transforms them into an immersive commentary on the creativity that exists in the capital.

Inspired to create a Day In The Life Film that showcases the area’s rhythms, routes and way of life, Swiss musician and producer Antoine Cotton and French videographer and photographer Antoine Poulard paired up for this project. Both have called West London home for some time now, drawing inspiration from the welcoming communities and palpable creativity to channel into their work.

The final piece, a mixed media film that combines video, stills, polaroids and sound follows a protagonist as they cycle around the interconnecting areas with ease, reflecting a sense of belonging in the built environment. Simultaneously, the swift shifting of pace and perspectives is used to portray the diverse and lively spirit of this slice of London.

ANTOINE COTTON

How would you describe your creative expression?

“I’m a multi-instrumentalist and producer who works collaboratively with artists to curate and develop their sonic visions. Coming from a musical background and family, I’ve always seen music as a medium of emotional expression. I thrive when supporting creatives on their path of self-expression, from creating sounds and shaping lyrics to bringing together a fully formed narrative and journey. Sonically I tend to resonate most with alternative hip-hop and contemporary R&B as well as some more traditional indie pop.”

What inspires your work?

“I generally get inspired by certain sounds, stories and rhythms. It’s always a brilliant moment when you’re able to connect with an artist to make their story come alive through sound. For that reason, I spend most of my time collaborating; having such an eclectic selection of characters in the studio keeps our inspirations diversified.”

Describe your connection to the area

“I’ve lived in the area for years now and find that it has a very special energy, which I love returning to and rediscovering. There’s a lovely balance of cultures, both in the local communities and different neighbourhoods. It somehow feels like a small village within itself. London tends to be impersonal at times, and finding a place where you belong isn’t always very easy. I think I’ve found that place here.”

How has the creative community formed here?

“It’s the balance between the active and the passive. You can always find things to do and lovely restaurants to discover but also switch off from the city life and find peace and solace in the quiet of your home. I think that brings forth a sense of grounding and balance helps drive creativity.”

Tell us about the concept and process behind your final piece.

“In collaboration with my good friend, the talented cinematographer Antoine Poulard, we imagined the perfect day for us – how it starts and develops; how the time passes and where you find yourself most at peace. After planning and scouting locations to represent that journey, we set out to capture the footage and storyline, as well as recording audio on the streets to create a more immersive experience.

“We used the idea of TVC as a hub to connect all the different local communities. From there you can easily reach out to the whole area in a flash. The final piece takes a classic “Day In The Life” format, depicting a young West London creative that skims and cycles through the different pockets and neighbourhoods. We decided to have the protagonist cycling as it reflects the ease and simplicity of interaction around this area. With both sound and image, we depicted the changing times and burgeoning diversity, seamlessly evolving in the space.

“Once the shooting days were done, I took the material into the studio to start creating a sonic representation using the sounds captured on site and adding them to different ideas I had of what the area sounded like. Its many inspirations and musical microcosm that make it so unique. After sound was approved, we moved on to image, attaching, emphasising and depicting that journey with all its vibrance. We decided to use mixed media (audio, video, photo, polaroid) to represent the wide diversity of approaches in our work. Hopefully it captures that sense of community and belonging, with all its vibrant colours and the habits that shape each day here.”

ANTOINE POULARD

Tell us about your craft and your creative vision.

“I am a French videographer and photographer. I believe my visual style sits between cinematic and documentary, and I focus on producing video content for the fashion and music industries. In a nutshell, I would describe what I do as capturing emotion in motion. I work across a wide range of projects, from adverts and music videos to documentaries, short films and social media content. My goal is always to use my visual skills to create emotional and engaging content that elevates the imagery of the people I work with. My experience as both a creative and a technical professional has been invaluable throughout my journey as a content creator.

What inspires you, and how does this area play into that?

“I’m mainly inspired by people and their unique stories, places (history and architecture) and pieces of art (predominantly cinema, museums and books).

“I moved to London six years ago, specifically to this area, and from the very first day, I felt welcomed, even though I didn’t know anyone. It’s here that I’ve made all my friends and built meaningful connections. I love the diversity and vibrancy of the area, in the architecture but also the people in West London. I think there is a real sense of community and it’s a good artistic hub that inspires my work every day.

“There are many creative people living in this area or connected to the arts, which makes it a great choice. It’s also a blend of different cultures. The contrast between the relaxed atmosphere here compared to central London, while still being vibrant and full of activity, adds to its appeal.”

whoiscotton.com
Insta @whoiscotton

antoinepoulard.com
Insta @antoinepoulard