society highlights
two new directors
Jian “Layla” Luo and Jeremy Miller join Society’s roster. Each brings a distinct artistic perspective and astonishing technical prowess to their productions. These are filmmakers made for the moment.
A global citizen with a natural curiosity and intrigue of the human condition, Layla’s work showcases rich cultural experiences with stunningly cinematic backdrops. With international work for such top clients as Mercedes and Nescafé, she consistently infuses brand stories with truthful, human connection.
Jian "Layla" Luo - Allianz
Layla has a strikingly beautiful visual style and a natural ability to tell stories empathetically, highlighting both real people and fictional characters with depth and cinematic flair.
Jeremy Miller - Tesla
Hailing from Salt Lake City, Jeremy Miller has built not only an impressive directing reel, but a full-scale studio to support productions that take advantage of the unparalleled beauty of Utah’s landscapes. Primarily focused on automotive commercial work, Jeremy draws from the techniques of ski and snowboard films to combine a sense of human connection with scale, pacing, and style.
IN CONVERSATION: JIAN “LAYLA” LUO AND JEREMY MILLER
SOCIETY: What in your childhood made you want to pursue a career as a filmmaker?
LAYLA: My family used to travel a lot in order to get work. I’d switch in and out of different kinds of accents to avoid being mocked, to make friends only to lose them and do it all over again in the next place. During that process, I started to realize that my personality changes depending on the language I speak. It’s a very strange feeling; a level of uncertainty of who I really am. I came to the conclusion that visual language is the most direct way to communicate.
JEREMY: As a child I always loved the idea that anything was possible in a movie. It was a medium that could clearly communicate feelings and that was something that felt very surreal to me.
SOCIETY: What are the most satisfying parts of the filmmaking process for you? The most frustrating?
LAYLA: I tend to approach the world with childlike curiosity: prodding boundaries, ruffling feathers, finding humor in everything.
Filmmaking allows me to do these things, and that’s satisfying. But it is at the same time frustrating, because these things aren’t always considered an acceptable approach in areas I’m drawn to exploring – religion, race, femininity, contested history.
JEREMY: Production is the most satisfying part of filmmaking for me. It’s that special time when everything you have worked so hard for comes to life. “The most frustrating thing about filmmaking can also be production. On paper something that seems so simple, can be incredibly challenging to get right.
SOCIETY: How do you hope your work will evolve in the future?
LAYLA: I’m developing my first feature film script Frog and Ladies. It’s a story about the struggle between freedom and circumstance.
JEREMY: I feel like feature filmmaking speaks to my soul. I really want to push my limits and take on bigger stories. It would be a treat to work on stuff that feels a bit more timeless.