To kick off the 'An Interview With' series we caught up with the talented Vish Kumar. We talk about his journey into the world of media production some of the highs and lows along the way.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am a content creator originally from Hamilton, who loves capturing action and visually bringing stories to life through photography and videography. I work with musicians by creating their music videos and social content, and I also capture different combat sports.
When did you first decide that you wanted to start taking Vish Kumar Art seriously?
The first eye opening moment was very early on when rapper/singer Swae Lee interacted with a couple of my artworks on Instagram. That’s when I realised just how powerful social media was, for someone with no following to be able to get access to artists at the highest levels. From there it was really just curiosity, to see what I was capable of and how far this venture could take me without sacrificing the enjoyment factor.
What is Runaway Media and why did you start it?
Runaway Media is a brand I own which focuses on creating all kinds of photo and video content for musicians. I started it because music, especially hip-hop, is a community I always want to be connected to throughout my creative career. I do so much fun work with musicians so I thought it would be a cool idea to build a hub around that. It is a place where people can come and enjoy that work, while also allowing room for growth where other like-minded creatives can join the brand in the future and add to the foundation I am building now.
Name a time you felt that you failed yourself in your work and why did you feel that way?
We shot a music video last year involving some fight choreography with a stuntman. Unfortunately, we did not make enough time to prepare and practice well so we ended up having to wing it. It was a shame that we didn't get to execute the way we intended, which made the video really challenging to salvage. But, we changed our perspective and added a more comedic and arcade vibe to the video so it would actually work to our advantage tonally in the end.
What is the quote of the day?
“You're never as good as they say you are, you're never as bad as they say you are” - Israel Adesanya
When did you release your most prideful work and why?
The ‘Pagans’ music video would still be my favourite. It was the first project to kick off my relationship with King Bushido and it was another fun collaboration with ATG Gucci. We put so much work and commitment into that video, and it was easily our most ambitious project to date. So, it was really cool to see it come to life the way it did, and have everyone love the visuals as much as we did.
How does working on your craft make you feel?
It can be stressful and challenging at times, especially when you’re constantly trying to outdo your previous self. But overall, I haven't really experienced anything as fun and fulfilling as getting ‘THE’ shot ringside at a kickboxing bout, or the feeling of seeing countless hours of planning, filming and editing finally coming together into a cohesive polished music video.
Where are you in 1 year?
I’ve had a taste of shooting NZ’s fighters and musicians in action, but I’d love to get more involved in telling the stories behind the scenes which leads them to that moment too. There’s so much insane talent in this country which gets completely overlooked, so shining more light on that would be really cool. I’ve always planned on leaving New Zealand to work overseas, so I’d love to take advantage of those opportunities while I can.
What is your long term goal with your businesses?
With Runaway Media, I’d love to model it after existing music-related brands like Lyrical Lemonade. I like the way they do so much, not just with music videos and content, but also; merch, festivals and other dope collaborations with brands and artists. I want to build Runaway into a larger-scale production house that does what I’m doing now, just at a higher level and with more creatives involved. I really just want to be in a position to create freely with artists I love.
Why will you be successful?
The most significant factor is that I actually enjoy what I’m doing. There aren’t any finish lines for me. It’s more just about doing what I’m doing now but in a bigger and better way. I picked up a camera only 2 years ago now and it’s taken me so far. So, as always I’ll let passion, curiosity and hard work take the wheel.
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