Hi DeepMind & Matthieu,
I'm Jarrard Cole. I spend my time using AI to make films.
I’ve been using Google’s AI tools intensively and think my mix of cinematic craft and the ability to bridge creative vision with technical execution would be a great fit.
I've spent the last 15 years taking new technologies and turning them into top-tier storytelling. A few highlights:
I produced WSJ’s viral AI robot short (1M+ views) and have been using Flow, Veo, and Nano Banana for upcoming projects. I’ve been combining AI imagery with live-action cinema, refining aesthetics to push AI away from its glossy default, and building structured workflows using Gemini.
I also have experience collaborating both with product teams at Google and world-class filmmakers to produce new forms of cinema. Early in the VR wave, I led WSJ to build its own VR player into its apps. I directed, filmed and edited more than a dozen VR pieces. My work, like this piece about a mesmerizing artwork made from pigeons, caught Google’s attention and led to WSJ becoming a Daydream launch partner. We developed a custom VR app and interactive 360 video player.
I executive produced a $1M+ VR documentary series for the app — teaching Oscar- and Emmy-winning directors (Marshall Curry, Gary Hustwit) how to use Google’s JUMP camera, refining their films for interactive narrative branching, and working alongside them in the field and in post. VR really did become liquid, to borrow your description.
Earlier at WSJ, I directed the newsroom’s first Emmy-nominated interactive film project, then later was the showrunner and a story-editor for The Journal podcast and helped launch a new NYT audio app. Across formats, I’ve built teams and workflows that let new technology become invisible to the audience while elevating the story.
What I would bring to DeepMind
I’m a visual storyteller who thrives at the intersection of creativity and technology. I understand the strengths and limits of new tools, can translate between product teams and filmmakers, and love the challenge of getting just the right shot, whether that means refining prompts for days, designing workflows, or teaching others how to use the tools. I’d love to help show what Veo, Nano Banana, and Genie can do in high-profile film projects and to collaborate with filmmakers to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
I'm excited to reconnect and explore how I could contribute. Get in touch with me here.