“Dealing with real life will always be more challenging and inspirational than anything any actor can bring you.”
Andi Reiss is an independent producer, video artist, photographer, director, publisher and creative. He is also an independent filmmaker (self shooting producer/director/editor, journalist, video ethnographer) with over fifteen years experience making programmes ranging from observational documentaries to films on art, music, architecture and current affairs. He lives, works and teaches in Oxford, UK and (part time) in New York City.
He made up for his lack of good grades at school by drawing pictures and writing stories. Then, at around the age of 18, he was lucky enough to go to RWCMD where he made up for his lack of interest in musicals by drawing pictures, writing stories and making films.
From there he moved into the world of film and video, first working in advertising and then independently, which has been the case to date. His documentary films, photographs and art installations aim to focus on realism and social commentary with a distinctive experimental style, highlighting issues of controversy and distant voice; a gaze at humanity which expresses compassion & empathy is key to his focus.
His screenplays and drama work aims to entertain, his commercial work aims to creatively connect business, and his teaching aims to innovate and encourage students into 21st media employment. The politics of interface, translation as expressive medium, and language as form, are some of his areas of interest using software, video, performance, print and other media.
He has won some international festival awards and gained experience of most film-making situations, producing many varied types of content from live events, digital videos, long-form observational documentary, short and very short films, to a 90 minute feature and multi-channel video installation, or video variants. He is increasingly intrigued with the development of projects that are interactive and immersive; virtual reality, augmented reality, with 360-video, live performance, motion comic, room-scale experience and installation. There is always something new to learn.
Andi has also taught filmmaking at SAE, Bucks New University and The London Academy, and currently runs an online resource that helps filmmakers create sustainable careers through online workshops and a video podcast interviews with filmmakers, distributors, and funders. He has taught practical documentary production, screen-writing and editing, and run personal finance workshops for five years, focussing particularly on breaking down intimidating concepts into small, manageable, bit-sized lessons that incorporate hands-on activities.
He is director and owner of Yellow Media Group, that makes documentaries, advertising commercials and installations, and holds an MA (with Distinction) in 21st Century Media Practice.
Outside of professional activities, his interests include trampolining, bubblewrap, Avril Lavigne’s underrated latter work and stone-skipping, and with a seven year old son, he’s working on his interest in musicals.
