Story & Lesson Highlights with David-Georges Renaud of Brooklyn

David-Georges Renaud shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi David-Georges, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My morning routine is strategically designed to establish momentum and focus. I begin by making my bed, ensuring I secure the first completed task on my to-do list; this simple win sets a disciplined tone for achieving everything else I set out to accomplish that day. I follow this with coffee, hygiene, and a period of meditation for mental clarity. I then layer in exercise: my routine always includes targeted stretching, and depending on the day’s schedule, a full gym session, ensuring I am physically and mentally prepared before I transition into my workday.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is David-Georges Renaud. I am a Haitian-American filmmaker and multifaceted artist who co-founded NativRoots Collective, a creative agency specializing in content production and development across arts and culture. My grandfather’s storytelling inspired me during my childhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I pursued my passion and graduated with top honors from the New York Film Academy.

My work often leans toward surrealism, blending genres to create films that hold a mirror to society and challenge conventions, with a primary mission to enrich the cultural landscape by contributing content that authentically represents people of color. My portfolio includes documentaries, music videos, and short films.

Through NativRoots Collective, my team and I have executed projects for major institutions and Grammy award-winning artists, including leading media management and creative direction for Michaël Brun’s BAYO Tour 2025 at the Barclays Center.

I am always guided by the mantra that “Filmmaking is a team sport.” I am currently in post-production for my latest short film, “The Blue Buffoon” and can’t wait to share it with the world.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
There was a critical transitional period where I honestly felt completely lost and consumed by self-doubt. It was a truly terrifying place to be. But that moment of pause was essential: I needed to power down, strategize, and build a new plan of attack rooted entirely in my passion. I started re-examining films like Get Out and Black Panther, and their influence was pivotal. They were proof that Black success could thrive both in front of and behind the camera, giving me the visual permission I needed. While legends like Spielberg and Scorsese provided the classic foundation, it was the current visionaries like Peele, Coogler, and DaCosta who truly pushed me to act. So I leaped and applied to the New York Film Academy. My light immediately shone bright again; I had finally found myself. The industry threw every challenge imaginable at me, but I realized quickly that the struggle was part of the fun and that greatness was waiting on the other side of fear.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
In every endeavor, if you are not having fun, you are doing it wrong.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m far too efficient to bother with code-switching. Constantly shifting my personality based on the environment sounds like an administrative nightmare. It’s simply too much work. I’ve found that leading with the authentic self, the real me, is the best filtering mechanism; it instantly attracts genuine partnerships and real people, which saves everyone a considerable headache.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If I were truly immortal, my absolute mission would be to archive history the very moment it happens. This mission is critical because the historical record is easily manipulated and rewritten by those in power. We must have the complete, unfiltered truth.

Crucially, this archive must include more than just footage or facts. Art is the archive of the human soul. Through literature, music, and visual works, we capture the emotional and social reality of an era that mere data can never reveal.

Only by understanding what truly happened and how it felt can we grasp how we arrived at the present. This deep, honest knowledge of history is essential; it enables us to make wise choices, move forward confidently, and, above all, ensures we never repeat the biggest mistakes of the past.

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Image Credits
Marlon King, Juvanie Piquant, Steven Baboun, Davidson Toussaint

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