Director Nem Perez signs with Tuff Contender

Perez’s interest in film began early in life shooting BMX and basketball videos with his friends, but later it became a natural career path when he directed a few commercials for artist Brandon Breaux’s t-shirt design business and several music videos that premiered on BET, MTV and REVOLT. Nurtured in a tight-knit creative community in Chicago, enamoured with pop-culture, and working alongside hip-hop artists featured on Fake Shore Drive, an industry revered website devoted to the Chicago rap scene, Perez and his peers across music, design, and film ideated projects that pushed all of their art forms into the mainstream.

“I always blame my career on my car,” comments Perez. “I had an ‘81 DeLorean that we used for Rockie Fresh’s music video which eventually became a motif for his album and its promotional assets. From there I have been working with artists and brands to bring a memorable perspective.”

Through the years, Perez has worked for agencies Leo Burnett, Tribal, Deutsch LA and, this year, completed the period-inspired, disco commercial for Converse featuring the A Shirt To Sleep In collection by Joe Freshgoods, a Chicago-based streetwear designer. Perez most recently directed four spots for Walt Disney World focused on young adult park guests.

“I have been fortunate enough to work with clients where trust runs deep and we’ve been able to create work that pushes boundaries for both of us,” adds Perez. “The work is never short of passion when we have this collaborative short-hand. I’m excited to partner with Tuff to expand capabilities for clients and see what’s next.”