Ibis is a team of cinematographers, Will Basanta and Clay Jeter, who have been collaborating on projects since 2004. Before graduating in 2006 from film school at the University of Southern California, they shot a short film in New York on S16mm, "The King of Central Park," which debuted at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. Since graduation, they have worked on numerous projects, ranging from narrative films and documentaries to music videos and commercials. In 2007, they DP'd a S16mm short, called "Last Meal," which premiered at the 2008 AFI International Film Festival. They have shot videos for artists such as: Bloc Party, Will.I.Am, Sebastien Tellier, LCD Soundsystem, Okkervil River, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and Does it Offend You, Yeah. In 2008, they filmed a feature documentary in Uganda about breakdancing that is scheduled to be released in 2009.
Will was brought up in the woods of deep southern Illinois. He became interested in visual media at an early age, restoring a derelict darkroom and teaching himself black and white photography. For a time, after graduating from USC, he split to the mountains of northwestern Wyoming to work as a painter and whenever possible to get out into the backcountry to climb, and camp. His adventures in the woods and mountains a major influence, he has developed an organic aesthetic and an unflinching desire to explore the magical nature of moving pictures.
Clay was born and raised in Clarksville, Tennessee. His infatuation with directing and cinematography started soon after he began acting as a kid. When Clay wasn't on-camera, he spent his time on set shouldering up to the directors and camera crew even at the age of eight. He began directing theater in high school, and in 2006 and 2007, after graduating from film school, Clay traveled all over North America and Europe when he went on tour with Brooklyn-based rock band, The Hold Steady, to direct a feature documentary that is scheduled to be released by Vagrant Records in 2009.
