After running a stall in Camden Lock market in his teens and then co-founding infamous Soho club-night ‘Slow-motion,’ JAKE NAVA broke into the industry directing films for MTV Sports and music videos while still studying at film school. His visual style & authenticity quickly brought him to work with the music industry’s best and brightest; from The Rolling Stones to Arctic Monkeys; from Britney Spears to Lana Del Rey.
Jake is widely known for his diverse work with Beyoncé; 10 music videos including ‘Crazy in Love’ and the iconic ‘Single Ladies’. which won multiple MTV and BET awards. This iconic piece continues to be cited as one of the most influential music videos of all time, that redefined the ‘viral video’ as something interactive and participatory. He also collaborated on Beyoncé’s visual album ‘Black is King’, released to critical acclaim and Grammy success.
Video collaborations with artists such as Adele (the mega hit ’‘Someone Like You’) and Kanye West (the controversial ‘Monster’) landed Jake on Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Music Video Directors list and he is a recipient of the prestigious UK MVA Icon Award.
Within the advertising world, Jake has collaborated with iconic global brands such as Remy Martin, Puma, Google, and Armani, with some notable success along the way supervising commissioned music and in identifying innovative tracks. Inclusivity and diversity have been a continuous theme throughout his career, as seen in Levi’s ‘Circles’ – a celebration of multi-cultural dance rituals, which became one of the most watched ads on YouTube.
His campaigns for Guinness were delivered with trademark passion and cinematic integrity – ‘Intolerant Champion’, commemorates John Hammond for ushering in racial integration in the 1930’s NY jazz scene and ‘Made of Black’ for Guinness Africa, celebrates the continent’s passionate love for soccer. Jake’s work has been recognised with numerous accolades including Clios, Cannes Lions, British Arrows, video awards from MTV and NAACP. Press honours include Campaign magazine’s Top 10 TV & Cinema Ads, Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Music Video Directors, The Times’ 25 Most Influential Music Videos of All Time and more.
Jake lives in East London and is currently developing feature projects close to his heart.
