Longford videographer going from strength to strength

The Longford Photographer/Videographer has been watching as the views for one of his creations have spiralled up on YouTube.

Shot on location in New York, Atlanta and Dublin it features three New York hip-hop gods, KRS-One, AZ and O.C., and Ireland's Stylistic Murder.

Stylistic Murder is the sobriquet of Gav Byrne. The aforementioned Mr Byrne has taken a 10 year old KRS-One track and run it through a lazy hazy old skool filter to create a sublime cut. Enlisting the skills of the triumvirate of hip hop legends the tune has racked up 107,000 views on YouTube.

In his promo Sheridan has created a perfect visualisation of the feel of the track: “Gav reached out to me about this project. He wanted me to be a part of this release under his Irish label called 'Stylistic Murder'. That's how I ended up editing the official music video for 'Represent The Real' featuring some of the biggest US Hip-Hop artists in history,” Nathan outlines.

The videographer is having a chat over 5,000 miles from where the opening images of 'Represent The Real' were shot. The artist studios of Engage Longford at Garvey's Yard facilitate a broad mix of artists. It's a valuable asset to the local arts scene, adding to the growing creative vibrancy of Longford.

Nathan is a case in point. His tenure in the studios located just off Main Street has provided him an opportunities to work and develop his practice. There's water feature on his desk that Nathan describes as “a little Zen area” in the studio. Water trickles rhythmically, tinkling in the background as the the artist describes his process.

“My style is influenced by a lot of US artists. I started working on YouTube back in 2010,” he explains, name checking Cole Bennett, “That's where I pickled up all my editing skills. The past few years I've been at it full time. It has just taken off.”
The Edgeworthstown man tells how “a lot of the magic happens” in his Garvey's Yard studio. The movement and sound of the Zen waterfall alludes to Nathan's art. The mixing of the aural with the visual of the desktop water feature could be an analogy of what he's doing.

An art that exists online: “I was always a 'movie guy', but the past few years I have pushed away from that. The internet is the way things are going. There everyone is creating their own form of art, honing their own style.”

Nathan's particular style was the deciding factor in his choice for the Stylistic Murder project: “It was so special to me. I love hip hop and rap music. Being able to produce this video for these old school music legends, artists who have gone down in history for some of the biggest rap records, felt surreal, like a dream.”

The numbers in the lower left hand side of the YouTube frame continue to clock up: “The video got attention from some of the biggest hip hop press in the United States, like HIPHOPDX, UPROXX then it started to spread throughout major press companies in Europe.”

Nathan built up his portfolio by making promo videos for “little or nothing” for businesses and music artists: “Eventually people started reaching out looking for me to do jobs. I made connections, around Ireland, Europe and the US, built a following and that is where I am now.”

The legwork has paid off and he now has the luxury of focusing on the area he most enjoys: “I'm most passionate about working with music artists, be it making music videos or on tour. I get a real buzz about that. Being part of the concert, when I walk onstage, capturing the crowd reacting to an artist. Taking that moment and making a short documentary, that's my favourite part of it.”

The opportunity of working with KRS-One, AZ and O.C. has its own rewards: “It's all going in the direction I want it to go. It's opened up a whole new path. I like the way it's going. I am expanding what I do; photography, graphic design, event organisation. I try to do as much as I can to keep things exciting.”

You can check out Nathan's video for the Stylistic Murder track on YouTube, just search 'Represent The Real'.