As sophomore Donovan Farrow grew up, it did not take long for his parents to notice his interest in music, and later, videography. Farrow would consistently kick a certain section of his cradle that would trigger a tune to play for a short while, even as a newborn.

From that point on, whether listening to rock or R&B, Farrow has taken a liking to music, and more recently, videography. Farrow’s instagram page (@donovan_the_creator), showcases his love of music and videography, combining the two to create a wide variety of short films. 

Farrow’s interest in videography started in 8th grade, when he came across a seemingly simple TikTok video. 

“I saw this amazing video. It was really cool, [and] the colors were amazing, and in my mind it told a really big story even though it was eight seconds long . . . . It definitely sparked something within me. I wanted to use the colors and the framing and everything in between just to tell a story as beautiful as that,” Farrow said.

Farrow started using YouTube to research everything he could about videography. He bought the same camera used in the TikTok that inspired him, a Panasonic G85, and got to work. Farrow films roughly 80% of his content in the moment, or as he calls it “run and gun,” and the rest as planned shots either with or without an actor. 

Farrow has been taking filmmaking at Revere both semesters this year and appreciates the practicality of the curriculum. 

“Each video, you do not have 100 percent free will, but it’s only because he (teacher Nicholas Kos) wants you to be able to show your ability in certain parts of a movie, maybe still frames or matching action, or certain portions or aspects of a shot in videos or in movies. I think it’s really helpful . . . . Filmmaking was the other step I needed in order to understand what it really [meant] to make a good looking video,” Farrow said. 

Farrow not only has a passion for videography but the technology behind the shots. His current camera, a SONY A7 S III, has a wide range of features that helps Farrow properly execute his ideas for short films. Although Farrow appreciates having his “dream camera,” he insisted that the quality of a film comes not from the camera but from the person behind it putting the work in. 

“Don’t get too caught up with [thoughts like,] ‘do I have the latest technology? the latest lens? the latest gear?’ [You want] something that can make it all big and flashy, [but] you are the person who can make it big and flashy,” Farrow said.

Farrow’s brother, Andrew, has watched Donovan grow over the past few years, serving as a subject for some of Donovan’s videos. Although Andrew has considerably less of an interest than Donovan in music and film, Andrew really admires Donovan’s creative side. 

“Donovan’s interest in film is his form of expressing himself in his world through his own eyes. His photos are what he sees, and the beauty in things that he sees. All of those aspects of the world that he is looking for . . . he looks for almost every second of the day,” he said. 

Aside from his strong passion for videography, music creates another outlet for Farrow to pursue. When he combines the two, his videos feel both complete and natural. 

“I listen to music all the time. Sometimes when I listen to a certain song, I get  random inspiration for a video . . . . For Alright [by Kendrick Lamar], I was listening and I like the story in the song and the lyrics, and also how hype the song is in general, [so I thought] what better way to use it than in a track video?” Farrow said. 

Farrow’s recent video utilizes the beat on Alright by Kendrick Lamar, changing short track clips in tune with the song. Some track athletes shared the video around social media and it quickly gained traction, a similar trajectory of most of Farrow’s videos. The music is half of the experience of Farrow’s videos, so he explained further his relationship with music. 

“My whole life I’ve just been influenced by music. I was in 6th grade and I wrote this rap for [English class] . . . . I started writing lyrics first, I wanted to be more of a rap type person. I pursued that from about 6th grade to 7th grade. Then I was introduced to R&B and alternative, and that was just something that branched my music taste into five different parts, [more] like five billion actually,” Farrow said

Farrow currently experiments with making his own music too, striving to create similar music to that of Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator, while maintaining his own unique identity. Farrow said he could potentially release an album, having produced plenty of instruments, but he is still finding confidence in his voice. 

Farrow’s friend and fellow musician Gavin Bright has produced music with Farrow in the past. Having a strong personal interest in music, Bright commended Farrow’s commitment to his creative outlets. 

“I actually work on music with him . . . . We were in a band together. He puts so much time into [music]. Every day you see him with his MacBook, always working,” Bright said.

Farrow also participates in track and football, and hopes to either pursue a career in music or videography. His subjects often include his family members and friends and focus on living presently and appreciating the beauty of everyday life. 

All of Farrow’s public videos are posted on his Instagram page @donovan_the_creator.