Meet Anthony Jakobs | Filmmaker / Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Jakobs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I remember being in elementary school, watching a Lana Del Rey interview where she said to pick your role models wisely and to find people who inspire you, and learn what they did to get to where they are and do the same.

Growing up, I found school to be difficult and often struggled to remain interested. I didn’t have any passion for the subjects I was learning about; I could only ever think about the films I watched and the records I listened to. Adolescence is a difficult time; you’re learning so much about yourself and the world. It’s all so overwhelming. I wanted to make work that connected with people the way all my favorite artists did.

The challenge of being an artist is getting your work seen while also maintaining the authenticity of it. I attribute a significant portion of my drive to pursue an artistic career to the talented creatives I admired growing up. I feel really fortunate to have the creative outlets that I do, and I hope to continue building my platform alongside artists who also want to release work that resonates with people who might also need that outlet to escape.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My name is Tony, and I am a filmmaker and a songwriter. I recently completed my university studies last year and am excited to further develop my craft and work towards my professional goals. I aspire to be part of the next generation of artists who continue to push boundaries and create works that inspire and excite people.

I’m gearing up to release my first mini-album with my musical project, Dec Serrano. The record is titled “No More Parties” and chronicles the stages of grief one goes through during a breakup. It’s a really personal project, and each song has an accompanying video. I’m super excited to release it and share it with people!

In addition to my music releases, I direct short films and music videos. I’m about to release a long-delayed short film I made a few years ago, called Vänner, and I’m also currently working with several musical artists on launching their new eras. I’m excited to help with all elements of these release rollouts as a creative director. I’m very passionate about all aspects of music videos: the characters, the art direction, the choreography, the styling, all of the elements that help create a fully immersive story.

This year, I plan to continue releasing music more frequently and collaborating with other artists. I want to experiment with genres and try things I’ve never done before.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is such a fun question! I have some friends coming next month, so this is a good opportunity for me to do some planning.

In-N-Out is typically the first post-airport tourist stop, so after getting our strawberry shakes and double cheeseburgers, I’d take my friend around Santa Monica (hoping they have the energy for going out). We’d walk around Third Street and, of course, hit the pier.

A little photobooth moment and a fruit cup later, we’d walk on the boardwalk and go to Venice. Everyone who comes to LA should see all the famous spots in Venice. We’d go to Abbot Kinney, get a draft beer, and watch the sunset. We’d then go back home, rest, before going clubbing in Silver Lake that night.

On the second day, we could hike Runyon and do a Starline tour (I’ve never actually done it, but I need an excuse to).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a massive shout-out to my creative collaborators: my musical partner, Dyl Travers, and my director of photography, Michael Frazier. They are two of my very close friends, and they are my favorite people to create with. It’s through our creative partnerships that I’m able to create songs and films I’m not only proud of but also enjoy watching and listening to. They are two of the most talented people I know, and I’m really thankful they believe in my vision and collaborate on these creative works with me.

Website: https://www.anthonyjakobs.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyjakobs/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyJakobs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/34Aylzu6GwL1bXIFFPjR6L?si=0Y4iHxVkR9irt9xTC12suA

Artist YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@decserrano

Image Credits
Cristina da Luz (1-4), Jasper Bickers (5), Alvin Valverde (6), Cindy Yeh (7)