If you’ve spent the last couple of weeks perusing the Instagram pages for this year’s May Balls, you’ve likely come across the work of cinematographer, Jedrick Koh (@KOHNOBE on Instagram). With a portfolio that includes twelve May events since 2022, you may already be familiar with Jedrick’s work at the Trinity May Ball and King’s Affair from 2023, or perhaps his promotional reels for this year’s theme reveal at Jesus, ‘Into the Surreal’, even enticed you into purchasing a ticket.

Jedrick discovered a passion for filmmaking on the deserted streets of Fitzrovia amidst the London lockdowns of 2020. In a difficult period of illness, Jedrick began taking walks and filming the jarring “ghost town” of what was typically bustling central London on his iPhone, encountering a number of photographers and filmmakers in the process. A street photographer approached Jedrick and took his portrait on a Hasselback camera – the camera used to capture the first images taken on the moon. With this small step, Jedrick founded the Moon Bunny Collective, a buzzing creative community bridging together the various photographers and filmmakers around London Jedrick met during this period and beyond. “Within thirty days, I had met thirty-three filmmakers and photographers,” he says. Jedrick realises that the pandemic was a difficult period of disruption, but for his creative journey, that “disruption brought transformation.”

“Within thirty days, I had met thirty-three filmmakers and photographers”

After lockdown, Jedrick returned to his Cambridge studies with an invigorated passion for videography, and took on his first official project with the 2022 Girton Spring Ball. From this experience, Jedrick felt confident and eager to do more, following up with event films for the Murray Edwards Garden Party and the May Balls of Churchill, Wolfson, Homerton, Jesus and Sidney Sussex college. After building an impressive portfolio with these events, Jedrick returned for the 2023 May Ball season with Trinity, King’s, Downing and Wolfson, to name a few. Indeed, Jedrick’s prolific creative fingerprint can be found all over past and present May Weeks and the Cambridge event scene at large.

Speaking of his creative process when filming at events like a May Ball, Jedrick explained that a lot of the filming takes place organically, capturing the natural and candid moments unfolding before him. But Jedrick also goes further, getting involved and immersed in the event in order to execute his creative vision. “Being an event filmographer requires you to chat to people and create the shot you envision for the final product,” he says. “I used to struggle with anxiety, but my work has helped a lot with that.”

“Jedrick has now polished his video editing turnaround to an impressive forty-eight hours”

Post-production planning is also crucial to Jedrick’s success, and his projects are reflective of a thoughtful creative process that considers how to successfully incorporate the theme of each May Ball into the finished product. From music to transition editing, Jedrick recognises that this line of work is a unique blend of all art and media forms. “There are so many event videographers who do amazing film work but don’t use the right base to capture the right energy for the event,” he explains. Jedrick is passionate about every element that goes into his projects during filming and beyond, and his holistic approach translates into the expert quality of his filmography.

Discussing the length of time that Jedrick devotes to the post-production portion of his May Ball videos, he notes, “it really just depends on how much of a perfectionist you are.” Though Jedrick has now polished his video editing turnaround to an impressive forty-eight hours for current clients, he has generally spent anywhere from one to two months on previous May Ball event videos in order to take the time to get it right. Working solo throughout the editing process, Jedrick admits, “I spend a lot of time perfecting transitions.” Indeed, the high-energy and fast-paced feeling of Jedrick’s May Ball films comes precisely from his skilful transition work and detailed editing style.

Entirely self-taught and an ambitious self-starter, Jedrick is now a full-time filmmaker based in London. Jedrick recognises that he has strayed from “the beaten path” of his degree in Human, Social, and Political Sciences, especially when compared to his peers from university. But even though it might feel scary at times, Jedrick couldn’t be happier. “You meet people from all walks of life,” he says. “It’s exciting and it’s vibrant.”

Jedrick has maintained close contact with the Cambridge community and plans on working at a number of events for next term’s May Week. If you’re planning on attending a May Ball this year, you might just end up captured in one of Jedrick’s iconic films!