Award-Winning Filmmaker, Director and Producer

Julien Christian Lutz

Creativity. Culture. Diversity & Inclusion. Pop Culture.

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Julien Christian Lutz

Speaker Bio

Julien Christian Lutz pka Director X has directed music videos for many of the world’s top artists, including: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Fifth Harmony, Wiz Khalifa, Usher, John Mayer, Korn, Iggy Azalea, Sean Paul, and many more. His work has been nominated and awarded by the MTV Music Video Awards and Much Music Video Awards. Julien has directed commercials for Mercedes, Hyundai, Apple Music, Ebay, Virginia Black, and Gap’s noteworthy “Meet Me In The Gap” campaign.

Julien is also the director of two feature films; Across the Line, and the 2018 of remake of Superfly produced by Joel Silver (The Matrix, Die Hard) as well as numerous episodes of television including Cross (Amazon) Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic). In 2024 Julien created the television series Robyn Hood (Corus Entertainment) a modern day imagining of the Robin Hood legend. His interests extend outside of filmmaking with the 55ft art installation Death of The Sun which was the center piece of Toronto’s public art festival Nuit Blanche 2016, with Drake incorporated the art work into his European and Australian tours. Nuit Blanche invited Julien back in 2019 with a partnership with the Ontario Science Center called Life Of The Earth. The 20ft tell piece addressed climate change and was housed in The Ontario Science Center for the year.

In his community Julien is an advocate for change founding Operation Prefrontal Cortex. The organization’s mission to reduce gun addressing gun violence and its resulting trauma through meditation. The operation focuses on education and awareness with public speaking
engagements like TED X Toronto “Message To The Man Who Shot Me” and the award winning documentary Quiet Minds Silent Streets produced in partnership with HeadSpace.

Julien speaks on the power of of creativity in achieving success, the leadership lessons he has learned as a director managing the egos and creativity of talent and crew then focusing them towards the best possible artistic and professional results, as well as using the tools he uses to get great performances from those in front the camera and how they can motivate and enhance performance for everyone regardless of their position in work or life.

Julien Christian Lutz Topics
Making Art Go Viral: How Julien Christian Lutz Became a Creative Icon
Beyond the Frame: Using Creativity to Drive Social Change
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You know when you’re watching a Julien Christian Lutz music video—they’re unmistakable. The lighting is moody and stylized. The dancers are deliberately placed. The movement is fluid and evocative. The visual style is graphic and bold. This is creativity at work—no matter the artist, Julien’s vision comes through.

In this talk, Julien tells his story—from starting as an intern to becoming an icon of his industry. He shares his creative process and what he’s learned from collaborating with some of the world’s top artists. Any organization can learn from his approach to innovation: understand everything you can about every facet of your business, work hard, and take as much responsibility for failure as you would for success. Take risks. Make a statement. “You really have to make something people pay attention to,” says Julien. “You really have to go for it, man. If you want people to notice, you have to go that extra mile.”

In a world dominated by media and visual storytelling, film and music videos hold immense power to shape narratives and influence perspectives. As a visionary director, Julien Christian Lutz—professionally known as Director X—has worked with some of the world’s biggest artists, using his talent to craft compelling stories that push the boundaries of creativity. However, for Director X, storytelling is more than just entertainment; it’s a powerful tool for promoting diversity, inclusion, and driving meaningful social change.

In this keynote, Director X explores how teams and organizations can leverage their platforms to tackle social issues, amplify underrepresented voices, and reshape the cultural conversation to drive true impact. Drawing from his experiences directing groundbreaking projects and championing inclusivity both on-screen and behind the camera, he delves into the responsibility and opportunity creatives have to challenge stereotypes, celebrate cultural differences, and build a more inclusive society. Director X’s thought-provoking session invites audiences to see their work as part of a larger movement for social justice and positive change, inspiring them to use their voice and talents to open minds, break down barriers, and advocate for a world where everyone feels seen and heard.

Julien Christian Lutz

Stories of my life

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Julien Christian Lutz's

Merch

DIRECTOR X "SET BAG"
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Testimonials

Words for
Julien Christian Lutz

GQ

“The best of the best. There is no debate.”

Globe and Mail

“In the past two decades, few examples of homegrown talent have shone brighter than Lutz. Transitioning from local wunderkid status to one of the most in-demand music video directors on the planet (creating award-winning music videos for Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Sean Paul), Lutz has been a fierce cultural ambassador for Toronto.”

Consulate General of Canada

“We’re honoured that Julien is one of our inaugural recipients of the Key to the Consulate. The Key to the Consulate recognizes outstanding civic and cultural contributions in building bridges between Canada and the global entertainment industry. Along with the presentation of a ceremonial key comes a pledge that the recipients’ ideas, passions, and concerns will be represented in the policies and programming of the Consulate – aiming to improve equity and ensure that the Consulate reflects Canada’s diversity.”

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