Jay Martin’s directorial career path can be characterized by an almost enviable clarity – admirably driven by the pursuit of and enjoyment of art. Martin is first and foremost an artist, yet he possesses the unique ability to successfully communicate his creative vision into moving pictures – a translation often harder than it looks. As a music video and com- mercial director, Martin has proven his ability to conceptualize, and then bring to fruition, visually captivating narratives.
Originally launching his professional career as a comic strip artist, Martin created the nationally syndicated strip Tommy, which ran for two years and was featured in approxi- mately one hundred papers across the United States.
Martin then took a step in the cinematic direction when he moved to Los Angeles and became a storyboard artist – originally for music videos and commercials, then feature films. He has worked on films such as Not Another Teen Movie, Bulletproof Monk, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Mean Creek, Constantine and I Am Legend. While employed as a storyboard artist, Martin also shot a series of spec commercials for Budweiser that aired at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival and brought him widespread recognition as a director. From there he directed a music video for Death Cab For Cutie, followed by videos for Burning Bridges, Charlie Mars, Eagles of Death Metal, Jack’s Mannequin, Plain White T’s, Thrice, Atreyu, Gatsby’s American Dream, Matchbook Romance, and Moving Units.
He has also directed commercials for Royal Caribbean and humorous specs for the L.A. Times. His commercials and music videos – although often stylistically unique – maintain a strong theatrical element that border reality by staying visually focused on the sensuality found in the colors and shapes of everyday life. As he puts it, the art of directing – or “getting people to act out his images in front of a camera” – is just painting with a different medium. Martin knows a thing or two about that considering he did his graduate work in painting at Pratt Institute.
After graduate school he immediately fled to Los Angeles and has been there ever since.