In our new series, we catch up with creatives making a big impression with their work in music videos in 2024 - and we're starting with FRIEND director Pedro Takahashi. Turns out he likes lots of bands that we've never even heard of.

Over the past four years Pedro Takahashi has brought a distinctive vision to his music videos for cutting edge artists in alternative music and indie rock, including Shame, Chubby & The Gang, Real Lies and Sam Akpro. At the start of 2024 he signed to FRIEND in London, and its been a busy few months since then, with two new visuals resulting from his close collaboration with singer-songwriter Akpro and a promo for up-and-coming alt-pop artist Haitch Ber Na.

We caught up with Pedro by sending over the questions in our new Snapshot Q&A, and he fired back some answers, giving us a little insight into his world - and 'snapped' the self-portrait (above). 

Name: Pedro Takahashi

Birthday: Halloween

Where did you grow up? London

Place of further education and course (if any)? Film and Television at the University of Westminster.

Where do you live now? Hackney!

What was the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed? 

Shame - Water in the Well [in 2020]. It was the first project where I decided to fully look inwards for inspiration as opposed to looking outwards at what other people were doing. It taught me to trust my own instincts and helped me better understand my own sensibilities and style as a director.

Best film you’ve seen this year? The Human Surge 3 by Eduardo Williams. The only film I saw this year that I felt genuinely tried to push things forwards. Effortlessly challenges cinematic codes and convention whilst retaining a playful edge.

Favourite song/album/music artist this year? Chanel Beads, Model/Actriz HONESTY, Still House Plants, Lorraine James, Special Interest.

Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year? Wulu - Daylight Song [directed by Ethan Barrett].

What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? Any night by Cabin Fever.

My top suggestion to improve the music video industry? Start paying directors to write treatments.

Name a film, video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?

Film: Caché [or Hidden] by Michael Haneke. It showed me a new way of approaching cinema. I’m still dealing with the ramifications of watching that film over 10 years later.

Music Video: Canal by Ratking [directed by Eric K. Yue]. There’s a physicality and dynamism to this video that set something alight in me. The energy, the aggressive editing style, the constantly surging camera... This video has had a profound effect on everything I’ve done since.

Art: Triolets by Dóra Maurer

The photography of Bill Henson.

In terms of music video-related jobs of the past year or so - what was the most rewarding creatively, and why?

Disposition - Sam Akpro. This is the first video where I felt I truly made what I wanted to make without compromise. I naturally make videos in quite a constructed manner and the process often involves a lot of planning and testing in pre-production. We were granted enough time to capitalize on this workflow and I feel the final outcome is as close to my original intention as it could have been.

Of course, this was only made possible by the help of my very talented collaborators and Sam who was up for getting stuck in. I also really value works that attempt to experiment with the form and I’m proud that with this video, we genuinely tried to create images that we had never seen before.

We genuinely tried to create images that we had never seen before.

What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so? Family Unit + RIP Magic <3

What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? Meeting someone who is now very close to me.

What's your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works? Start paying directors to write treatments.

What are you looking forward to most for the summer and/or the rest of the year? There’s a short film idea that I’m very excited about and which I plan to shoot before the end of the summer.

• Watch more of Pedro Takahashi at FRIEND; Pedro is represented for music videos by Lee Fairweather at Leethal Reppin.