Paradoxal + Residency

11/13/2025

are back! Our next resident to feature is Meryl Valerie — the photographer whose images unfold like cinema stills 🎞️⁠
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Swiss-born, French-rooted, and New York–based, Meryl’s creative path has been anything but linear. From acting to running her own floral design studio, to prop styling for features in Vogue and Gentleman’s Journal, every step shaped the cinematic eye she brings to her photography today.⁠
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Since 2019, Meryl has built a body of work defined by refined aesthetics and emotional storytelling, collaborating with clients like , , , , , , , , .

Today, we’re featuring her latest editorial for Schön! Magazine — a portrait of actress Tala Ashe, photographed during her Broadway debut in English, now a five-time Tony Award-nominated play. A shoot Meryl co-created with her partner, creative director Simon Douaire. “We shot it on a sunny day, on February 4th, a day before my birthday, in our Brooklyn loft — assembling the team, building the set, and wrapping the entire space in plastic tarps and muslin sheets, as a canvas for actress Tala Ashe to portray, metaphorically, a series of characters through sculptural silhouettes and painterly geometry in the styling.»
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Her latest chapter takes her into the world of wedding photography — a space where her narrative instinct and global perspective converge. With roots stretching from Zurich to Paris and years spent sailing the world with her family, Meryl approaches each wedding as a visual journey, balancing intimacy with timelessness.⁠
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“For me, it’s about more than documenting a day. It’s about telling a love story through images that feel cinematic, deeply personal, and poetic.” — says Meryl.

Starring: Tala Ashe
Photographer: Meryl Valerie
Cretive Director and Set Design: Simon Douaire
Stylist: Kingsley Osuji
Hair Stylist: Yukiko Tajima
Make Up Artist: Virginia Vera .dev

11/07/2025

— last year our team went to Palm Springs to produce ’s Summer 2024 campaign with . Now that her new movie Christy .movie has its theatrical release, we’re taking a look back at this one — still one of our favorite days on set. 🎥

Different story, same star power. ✨

Talent:
Photographer and Director:
Executive Producer:
Line Producer:
Art Direction:
Director of photography:
Stylists: &
BTS Photographer:
BTS Videographer:
Set Design:
Hair:
Make Up: .hernandez
Manicurist:

10/28/2025

10/24/2025

Meet our newest Resident, photographer and multidisciplinary creative Hao Zeng — whose lens reimagines beauty through identity, movement, and light. 🪐📸

Born in Beijing and raised in the U.S., Hao’s journey spans art, fashion, dance, and music — from studying at Howard University and Berklee College of Music to assisting the legendary David Armstrong.

Now based between New York and Los Angeles, Hao has created striking imagery for global names including , , , , , , , , and — with editorial features in , , , and .

Through their personal work, Hao celebrates diversity and the LGBTQIA+ community, offering an alternative standard of beauty that’s both intimate and unapologetically bold.

Welcome, Hao — we’re honored to have your vision as part of the Residency.

10/21/2025

For ’s Reborn Series: Iconic Stories, we filmed through dance — using movement and light as our language. 🩰🎬 The camera stays close, tracking her rhythm, her breath, the subtle shifts that reveal transformation in real time.

Grateful to the incredible team who brought this piece to life — and to and for the trust and collaboration.

Director: Chelsea McMullan .mcmullan

Phantasm Paris
Executive Producer: Léa Ranaivojoelina
Line Producer: Clémence de Sailly
Production Manager: Léonie Vescovi .vsc

Publicis Paris
Creative Director: Antoine Bonodot
ACD: Cécile Ellena Chapellier

Paradoxal NYC
Executive Producer: Gaetan Rousseau
Line Producer: Olga Kotova
Bvlgari
Image Director: Valentina de Caris
Celebrity Manager: Francesca Bassi
Creative Social Content Manager: Cecilia Lombardi

DoP: Catherine Lutes
1AC: Cai Hall
Sound Mixer: Ada Zang .zang
Make Up: Gucci Westman
Hair: Orlando Pita
Stylist: Erin Walsh
Stylist Assistants: Carlyn Rosario and Lucas Cruz
Manicurist: Meri Kohmoto
Tailor: Thao Huynh
Agent: Jesse Lee
SUV Driver: Jacob Hewewisch-Allen
15pass Driver’s: Blaise Cange and Arys Katafygiotis
Set PA’s: Luke Schnabel and Jeanne Courret Faure

Post Production
Studio: Ultra Motion Studio .studio
Post Producer:
2nd Editor: Gregoire Brice
Editor Assistants: F***y Longe and
Colorist: Florian Martiny

Sound Production
Studio: Capitaine Plouf
Sound Producers: Maria Albadejo and Sebastien Cannas
Sound Engineer: Maxime Vanderbeck
Music:

10/16/2025

Fall Saturdays aren’t for hay rides or pumpkin lattes — they’re for college football. 🏈🍁

This summer, our team produced latest promo video for featuring the incomparable — capturing the energy, humor, and anticipation that define game day. From creative direction to on-set production, every frame was designed to bring that unmistakable NBC Sports spirit to life.

A true game-day energy, straight from set to screen.

Produced by Residency
Executive Producer: Gaetan Rousseau
Producer: Antoine Manceaux
Production Manager: Corrie Zaccaria
Production Coordinators: Estelle Parks and Gabby Schlein
Office Coordinator (Paradoxal): Jeanne Courret Faure

Director: Jon Mintz
1 AD: Joseph Jenkins
2 AD’s: Aneli Garrido and Darcy Thompson
DOP: Kip Bogdahn
1 AC: Ken Thompson
2 AC - A Cam: Dante Corrocher
1 AC - B Cam: Michelle Sun
DIT: Mike Kellogg
Steadicam: Franz Brun
VTR: Jon Osterman
Sound Engineer: Gabriel Cyr
Script Supervisor: Rachel Cole
Gaffer: Eric Hora
Key Grip: Sam Kretchmer

Set Designer: Lana Ferron
Art Director: Lucas Godlewski
Set Dec: Cyrus Gainer
Art assistants: Lana Stepanova, Chris Ungco, Gawaine Ormsby, Riley Morgan

Wardrobe Stylist: Frida Becker Figueira
Wardrobe Assistants: Stephanie Rizzo and Diego Lawler
Make Up: Bambi Andrea Cambridge
Hair: Amy Palmer
HMU Assistant: Gemma Laquinta

NBC Team:
Creative Direcrtor: John O’Brien
Assistant Producer: Nicole Sinnaeve
Producer: Josh Goldman
Social: Matthew McAuliffe

10/09/2025

As continues, we’re thrilled to welcome our newest Resident, Los Angeles–based director and creative Andrew Hebert — a storyteller whose work moves seamlessly between Hollywood campaigns, branded content, and music videos.🎬⭐️

With over a decade of global production experience, Andrew has collaborated with the biggest names in the industry, from , , and to , , and . He’s led crews across every budget level and worked alongside an impressive roster of talent including Rihanna, Jessica Chastain, Pedro Pascal, Jenna Ortega, Lupita Nyong’o, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Jeff Goldblum, Paul Mescal, and more.

“I’ve had the privilege to play in the sandboxes of others for some time,” Andrew says. “Whether it’s a brand, a musician, or a film project, my goal is to bring a new perspective — something cinematic, exciting, and unexpected.”

We’re featuring some of Andrew’s works, including a standout promo for :

“We shot over 30 promos that day, but this was my favorite. Gladiator is a male-focused, action-oriented franchise, so I wanted to craft a piece that highlighted the elegance and beauty of Rome — this one was for the girls and the g**s. I was happy to see the footage end up in so many fan edits!”

Expect more creative voices from the Residency — each adding their unique vision to our community.

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10/09/2025

As continues, we’re thrilled to welcome our newest Resident, Los Angeles–based director and creative Andrew Hebert — a storyteller whose work moves seamlessly between Hollywood campaigns, branded content, and music videos.🎬⭐️

With over a decade of global production experience, Andrew has collaborated with the biggest names in the industry, from , , and to , , and . He’s led crews across every budget level and worked alongside an impressive roster of talent including Rihanna, Jessica Chastain, Pedro Pascal, Jenna Ortega, Lupita Nyong’o, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Jeff Goldblum, Paul Mescal, and more.

“I’ve had the privilege to play in the sandboxes of others for some time,” Andrew says. “Whether it’s a brand, a musician, or a film project, my goal is to bring a new perspective — something cinematic, exciting, and unexpected.”

We’re featuring some of Andrew’s works, including a standout promo for :

“We shot over 30 promos that day, but this was my favorite. Gladiator is a male-focused, action-oriented franchise, so I wanted to craft a piece that highlighted the elegance and beauty of Rome — this one was for the girls and the g**s. I was happy to see the footage end up in so many fan edits!”

Expect more creative voices from the Residency — each adding their unique vision to our community.

10/06/2025

We’re starting a new series, , where we’ll be sharing our past works, from defining collaborations to never-before-posted pieces.

A year ago, we had the extraordinary honor of collaborating with Cai Guo-Qiang’s studio on ’s 90th anniversary. “Paris Rose,” created with cAI™—the custom-built AI model by Cai Guo-Qiang—is a magnificent burst, a grand bloom, an explosion of color and imagination that celebrates Lancome’s legacy while looking boldly toward the future. Witnessing Cai’s vision come to life, blending art, innovation, and storytelling, was truly unforgettable. This collaboration reminds us how powerful creativity can be when it honors the past while imagining what’s next.💫

CCO: ludwigciupka
Director:
DoP:
VP, Client Partnership:
Director, Client Partnership:
Client Partner:
Executive Producer TUX: 

Producer: .baril
Paradoxal Production:
Executive Producer: Gaetan Rousseau
Line Producer: Olga Kotova
1AC: Tom Fenaille
2AC: Lucy Moloney
Gaffer: Lester Beck
Key Grip: Yoel Collado
Set PA/ Driver: Quentin Viel
Set PA/Driver: Timothy Guzman

Motion Design: .felix
Editor:
Graphic production: .mrk
Title Design:
Music: .chioini
Color Grading: Jérôme Cloutier

09/30/2025

Revealing the second chapter of the story for with , seen through the eyes of . Produced by .🪄

Agency
In partnership with
Executive Producer
Executive Producer (NY)
Line Producer
Production Manager
Photographer
Stylist ._
Hair .calhoun
Makeup
⁠Manicurist
Art Direction
Assistant Stylist .cerezo
Lighting Design James Sakalian

09/16/2025

A story of allure and strength told through bold frames and refined detail at latest campaign starring . From sculpted light to precise motion, every element was designed to mirror Mugler’s signature drama and elegance. ♥️ Produced by .

Agency
In partnership with
Executive Producer
Executive Producer (NY)
Line Producer
Production Manager
Director
DOP
Stylist ._
Hair .calhoun
Makeup
⁠Manicurist
Art Direction
Assistant Stylist .cerezo
Lighting Design James Sakalian

08/14/2025

As continues, we’re expanding beyond DOPs and directors to showcase the photographers who capture magic in a single frame — starting with still life photographer Elkin Jaramillo , whose eye is drawn to the stories objects tell and the beauty hiding in plain sight.

From luxury handbags to bottle caps on the sidewalk, Elkin’s lens transforms the ordinary into something extraordinary. Their work spans commercial and editorial — collaborating with , , , , and .

“In my work I try to find beauty in everything... Observation and obsession with the different objects we interact with (or hope to someday) helps me work to make each image feel important”, says Elkin.

Whether capturing the scratches on a well-loved heirloom or highlighting a high-gloss object of desire, Elkin’s process is rooted in careful observation and deep appreciation for the stories objects hold.

Expect more creative voices from the Residency — each telling stories through their own visual perspective.