By Darren Gilbert
Today, you’ll find him focusing all his efforts on film, photography,
Instagram and creative consulting for brands. And it’s all for one purpose: the sake of creativity.
“I have always loved being creative. Even growing up,” he says. Ironically, when he was younger, he swore that he’d never get into film or photography. That all changed when he studied at The Open Window School of Visual Communication in Centurion.
“I was exposed to the most amazing people,” he remembers. “I’d sit in on lectures of other classes [and] just listen to them.” One such lecture was about the power of film and its ability to change people’s minds. “Film influences us in such a [powerful] way but we don’t realise how much,” he says. “That lecture amazed me.”
Since then, Pon’s appreciation for film has grown to the point that he will readily admit it’s his first love. “As much as I love photography and consulting and all that, my heart is in storytelling. And for me, the best medium to do that is through film.” Mind you, this doesn’t mean he is looking to punt any particular topics or influence anyone with his work. Instead, Pon is about answering the questions he himself grapples with.
“I am a very personal person,” admits Pon, “So there will always be a piece of me that comes out in the work I do.” This means the films he creates often dissect and answer his own philosophical questions.
One example is his short film –
Wildly Innocent – which is his interpretation of where creativity comes from. It’s not a definitive take on the subject, rather, it’s Pon’s examination of the origins of creativity.
That’s also not the only question he’s attempting to answer. “For me, it’s about taking questions that I don’t understand and then seeing where it takes me.” Another example is the journey he is currently on. Pon explains; “I’m in the process of asking specific questions but only revealing them just enough without totally clearing them out of my mind.” This means that he has a longer time to take in the answer, whatever it may be.
“I believe there is a moment where you reach a point of understanding [and] then you almost forget that thing,” explains Pon. “This is because your body and mind gets to the point where it says it’s done, which means you can forget it and move onto the next thing.” But Pon doesn’t want that to happen. Instead, he wants to remain immersed; forever curious and pushing the boundaries of creativity.
It is for this reason that he turned to
Instagram. “It all really started as a way for me to have another creative outlet,” says Pon. Surprisingly enough, prior to joining, he had hardly noticed social media. He was disinterested. However, once he realised the social potential of the platform, his attitude changed. “A lot of
Instagram’s success is attributed to the community side of it and for me that is its biggest draw card.”
This means that Pon can use the collective passion for photography to bring people together. In fact, he has already done that with Instagramers South Africa, a movement he established around three years ago.
Considering he is now
Africa’s Top Instagrammer – an award that recognised those people using and championing the platform – and is highly in demand for his creative work, Pon must be doing something right.
Add this to his combined knowledge of film and photography and experience in fashion, architecture and web design. It’s a crazy mix but the end result is invaluable: someone with a unique approach to creating innovative ideas.
For more information, visit www.garethpon.com or see his recent travels on Instagram. Alternatively, connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
*Image credit: Damiane Van Reenen