Discoloration - Katy Guillen & The Drive

Discoloration was the second video I directed for Katy Guillen and the Drive off their album Another One Gained. Initially, the band asked for a simple lyric video. But because of our trust and history, they gave me the freedom to create something more expansive something that served the emotional complexity of the track.

The song’s moody verses, juxtaposed with deceptively bright choruses, felt both trippy and melancholy. It pulled me into the memory of my brother, who had taken his life after a long struggle with mental health. That personal connection shaped the video: a surreal, dreamlike journey where grief and beauty coexisted.

To bring the vision to life, I collaborated with my friend and cinematographer, Jahmia Phillips. We began shooting at 9pm in my apartment and didn’t stop until sunrise at Riis Beach. With Jahmia’s Blackmagic 6K Pro, a few shaky light stands, and cinefoil rigs, we built an otherworldly visual language out of minimal tools.

I leaned into my signature low budget strategy of using locations with built in art direction. My apartment provided intimacy and texture, while the beach gave us vastness and release. To tie the spaces together, I projected ocean waves onto my bedroom wall above my bed, blending the domestic and the infinite.

I wasn’t just behind the camera on this project, I also starred in it, while handling creative direction, producing, and editing. This video was as much a personal expression as it was a collaboration with Katy Guillen and the Drive.

Making The Video

Impact

Despite costing nothing to make, Discoloration resonated deeply with audiences. It received 20,000+ views across social media and went on to be officially selected at multiple festivals, including:

  • Garden State Film Festival

  • Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival

  • Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival

The project stands as a testament to what can be created with vision, trust, and resourcefulness and how personal storytelling can transform a simple “lyric video” into something much more lasting.

Credits

  • Director / Producer: Khitam Jabr

  • Cinematographer: Jahmia Phillips

  • Editor: Khitam Jabr

Silhouetted hands in front of a digital screen displaying ocean waves.
A person playing an electric guitar in dim blue lighting, with a mirror reflecting them and a chair with a balloon on it.
A woman with wet hair looks up against a blue sky.
A person in black clothing standing on the shoreline of a beach during sunset, with waves crashing nearby.

Other Music Video Work

Toxic
Bottom of Your Belly