We Are The Brothers Que Pt. III -A Final Farewell

This will be the final installment for the 3pt. series of graduation at The University of Alabama . For the graduation I not only took pictures, but recorded a footage of the graduating brothers of Omega Psi Phi hopping.

This all was done for a specific reason. I'd recently noticed my identity as a photographer could be seen on the website and my photography page , but none so for my YouTube Channel. This led me to the idea of incorporating slideshows as another piece of my work. I first thought about doing so with some of my older pieces, but opted to use my recent work as a starting ground for my idea.

Check out the new video encompassing not only photography from the graduation, but incorporating the video as well to give a more dynamic feel.

Graduation isn't too far away for me. This may only be the halfway point of my third year in college, but with the extent of my studies (especially the fact I've yet to take a semester off-fall, spring, or summer) I could graduate earlier.

This doesn't mean I'm interested in the option. I'm on scholarship plus I enjoy the the act of learning. I avoid this conception of education as merely a step towards employment. This is not wrong, but I find myself more enthused about learning as a process that is continuous & evolving.

I'm not mad at people who want to get in & out. It's just not my philosophy (though I will graduate on time regardless). Also, be sure to check out the archives. You can find an interesting post HERE
The Graduate School Quest - A quick run-down of the three best Film schools in the nation.

Happy Holidays!

Stand in the Schoolhouse Door

If you're from the state of Alabama shame on you. If you're from the southern states of the US you should know this. For everyone else let me inform you. This is The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.

The event took place outside of Foster Auditorium at The University of Alabama on June 11, 1963.  Governor George Wallace stood before the doors of the auditorium to make sure two african american students (James Hood and Vivian Malone) could not register to become students at the university.

Last week my fraternity, The Beta Eta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, and the UA Chapter of NAACP held a Toy Ball to commemorate the "firsts" at The University of Alabama as well as provide needy children with gifts for christmas.

One of these first commemorated were the first black students to attend Alabama-Autherine Lucy Foster, James Hood, & Vivian Malone.

The president of the UA chapter of NAACP asked me to make a video to commemorate the occasion and be played for the audience

I'll Meet You at North Greene

North Greene Records (which consists entirely of UA undergraduate students) has been working with me recently to finish & amp their resurgence into the rap game. The group purports that their sound is a unique compliment to the way we examine southern rap culture. I can get with it!

I'm always interested in working with individuals who I know work hard themselves. Friends, clients, models and co-workers should all have a similar concept of my work ethic- I'm thorough. Once I start a project-I'm GOING to finish it.

Most importantly, I have to feel a NEED to work on the project. It's the urgency that makes me work best. Any project I pick up I'm going to work with the kind of diligence that warrants and brings about more work. The client's project is a reflection not only of his subject matter, but my skill and propensity as a blacksmith of tangible redefinition (could've just said editing there. I'm being fancy on this piece)

I've learned you've got to be willing to help those around you in order to build a good rep. This goes beyond friendships

To clarify the guys I did this project for were my dorm-mates. We even went in together and produced an online radio station show for the campus our freshmen year. This plays into what I'm saying. It's not so much about the friendship (though that makes play a factor). It's more-so the understanding I can trust these individuals to stand by their word & work just as hard as I do. That's all I ask.

 Who is North Greene?

The IIACI Program

(This is Dr. Janeann Dill & me @ Cannes De La Bocca for the Cannes Film Festival)

If The American Pavilion was the host for our time at the Cannes Film Festival Dr. Dill & the IIACI Program were progenitor & guide. It was through IIACI and the University of Alabama I was able to find a sustainable program with guidance towards traversing the Cannes Film Festival.

This is a small description of the many highlights stemming from Dr. Dill's past and present endeavors...

Dr. Janeann Dill is a filmmaker, artist, scholar, and mentor to young filmmakers, artists, scholars and thinkers. For more than twenty years, her work has been a productive investigation of the intersections of film, experimental animation, drawing, painting and discourse. Dr. Dill's work in the film industry is as an Animation Timing Director and she holds a Ph.D. in Media Philosophy (EGS, Swiss Institute-University), a M.F.A. in Experimental Animation (CalArts), a M.A. in Painting and Drawing (Vanderbilt University) and a Certificate of Live-Action Directing and Editing in New Media (UCLA Extension).

(You can find  The IIACI Program at this link as well as Dr. Dill's blog and youtube channel)

Going beyond this, Dr. Dill is my guidance in my career path as a screenwriter & director of film at Alabama. If I formulated and began to crawl with the idea of jumping into the business she is steadily teaching me the benefits of walking.

At the moment Dr. Dill teaches at The University of Alabama in the New College department helping students gain Interdisciplinary Studies within their avenues of interest. An interdisciplinary degree affords the student the ability to pull from all facets of their interest (throughout the University) while bringing everything under a compact and guided curriculum directed by an advisor.

This is the avenue I'm taking in developing my degree in film (Labeled Interdisciplinary degree in Film Production) at the moment.

Through IIACI and Dr. DIll I was able to make my way to and from France. I'm definitely thankful for the opportunity.