Young Guns 19: Douglas Bernardt

By Alixandra Rutnik and Brett McKenzie on Oct 27, 2021

Featuring the creative stars of Young Guns 19


A year and a half of uncertainty across the creative industry and beyond has finally given way to a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel — a spotlight with a great big "YG19" standing in the middle of it. After more than 70 acclaimed creatives from around the world and across a multitude of disciplines reviewed hundreds of submissions, whittling them down to a formidable finalist list, we can finally reveal the phenomenal winners of Young Guns 19!

This year, we welcome a diverse class of 32 inductees into the exclusive Young Guns family, a collection of young creative talent that is already near the top of their game — and will only get better. These are the designers, the art directors, the illustrators, the filmmakers, the animators, the multidisciplinary artists whose names you'll want to know — if you aren't already following their every move, that is.

Ahead of the Young Guns 19 Ceremony + Party taking place on Wednesday, November 17 — our first in-person event since the pandemic began — we are featuring the future legends who will be stepping into the spotlight that evening.


DOUGLAS BERNARDT
DIRECTOR & CINEMATOGRAPHER

Based:

São Paulo, Brazil

Hometown:

Porto Alegre, Brazil

SEE DOUGLAS' ENTRY

When did you first hear about Young Guns?

From knowing past winners and following The One Show awards in general.

Congrats on the first time win! What made you enter this year?

I think with the projects I released in the last years, my body of work is strong enough for the competition.

Since you are only allowed to submit six projects, how did you decide which pieces were best to enter and truly reflected you and your work?

I tried to select a mix of pieces where my language would be recognizable through different formats– music videos, short films, and commercials that I believe somehow translate and convey my style.

How did you feel when you found out you won Young Guns?

I felt really good. In slow years like the one we went through, it was great to receive such amazing news. For me, the coolest thing about Young Guns is that the competition is based on portfolios. Other competitions tend to judge only individual work and not the efforts of each artist to make a whole body of work.

If you had to pick one of the six projects that you entered as your favorite, which one would it be and why?

Bluesman. It's a mix of personal and professional work, as it was a passion project that ended up being commissioned. It is my favorite because I could try a new format– I had freedom from all sides (agency, artist, label) to tell the story in the way I wanted. I blended documentary, fiction, and music video languages with old and new references and inspirations. Somehow it is a project that's not caged into a format, which makes its content the most important thing.

If you had to describe your creative style, the part of your work that’s most distinctively “you,” what would it be?

My efforts go into making the process as human as possible. I get close to every single member of the crew and cast– listen to them, translate their ideas, etc. Everyone has their own vision of the project, and as the director, I learned sometimes the best thing you can do is speak less, give less orders, and listen more. Let your partners have a voice, and really feel like a vivid creative part of the project.

"Everyone has their own vision of the project, and as the director, I learned sometimes the best thing you can do is speak less, give less orders, and listen more."

Who are some of the biggest influences on your work and career– people who may have had a hand in mentoring and supporting you?

In cinema, Tarkovsky always. Contemporary director, I'd say Kahlil Joseph. I've had a few mentors throughout my career– it wouldn't be fair to name just one, but honestly I think my path is new. It was built by the people who believed in the stories we had to tell.

The pandemic of 2020 is slowly starting to taper a bit, so do you have any big goals moving forward into 2022?

I have two goals, and they might contrast a lot.

1. Develop more fictional content, and write dialogues and longer narratives.

2. Grow in commercials.

People may say they are two completely different worlds, but I always learn from ads and add them into fiction and passion projects. I want to learn more about gears and equipment, meet new and inspiring crew members, and shoot abroad and absorb different cultures. In my career, both sides of the coin always walk together.

Name a professional dream that you have yet to fulfill — hey, maybe Young Guns can help propel you in that direction!

There's a part of me that really wants to grows in commercials and consequently be more confident and comfortable to try longer formats.


 

STINKFILMS.COM

IG: @DOUGBERNARDT


Go check out all the Young Guns 19 Winners in the archive!

Young Guns 19 Archive

 


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