AKA: Welcome to The Mafia

I've you haven't noticed by now I've done a lot of mob related films since I started Que The Lights.

There was my early (very early) work for the my fraternity. Afterwards, I shot a mob themed video for Que-Delta week at The University of Alabama. Now, I'm coming back to tested territory and I wanted to make sure I utilized my past knowledge to make a video far in tune with my growth as a filmmaker. now The Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is looking to bring the mafia back.

The AKAs wanted a Citizen Kane/Strangelove film noir look for their video. It would be reminiscent of the old black and white detective films where lights and shadows played an integral part in setting the mood. For this venture I enlisted the help of my editor, Douglas D. 

For this explanation I'm mainly focusing on the shots seen starting from 00:50 or the Round Table Scene.

This video was shot using a 3 camera set up. We used a Canon 5D MK II along with an Arri Lighting Kit ,six C-Stands, and six silk flags. 

For the master shot we set up a 650 Arri to the front right shooting towards the table (mainly on the girls in all white on the left). Next, we set up the 300 Arri to light on the left of the frame shooting towards the girls in all black. I wanted to illuminate the all white dresses (giving a more pristine look), while leaving the darker dresses to somewhat blend in with the darkness behind them. Finally, we took the 150 Arri and set it in the foreground to lightly backlight the girls in all black. Finally, to block off all of the extra light (turning all of these lights on would completely overexpose even the darkest room) we set up silks on the 650 and 300. We left the 150 bare.  We then took a lamp and set it right behind the head woman at the table to give her a backlight and illumination. We wanted to emphasize her importance as "The Don" of the table. 

For the singles (close up shots of each person) we set the camera on a pile of magazines (I know, very professional) so we could strong close up without moving the table out of the scene. For each single we took the 150 Arri light and positioned it towards the actor to better illuminate her face during her single. 

For the medium shots where we focused solely on each side of the table we kept the lighting identical to the master shot save repositioning the lights to better illuminate that side of the table for a moment. 

We shot this all in one night. It took around 4 hours, but I consider that very expedient because of the amount of preparation we took testing preparing each light set up. Of course, the master shot took the longest to get right. Once we had that together, everything went smoothly from there. 

So, if you'd ever like to ask me a question about lighting or cameras in general feel free to contact me. 

I hope this quick behind the scenes post gave you some insight on how to light a proper Black & White scene. 

Also, be sure to check out my latest feature on website, I Am The Nu Black. I recently wrote a post entitle Journey of a Student Filmmaker detailing my time as a filmmaker and my decisions on graduate school for film school. Click the banner below to check it. 

A Year in Review

So much has happened this past year it's hard to believe we're only a few weeks away from 2012. The sheer amount of work I've put in as an artist and filmmaker is mind-blowing when I think about the strides I've made.

I've done a lot and I'd like to share it with you.

My newest DP Reel does not include Alpha Kappa Alpha Probate which I believe will be one of the strongest non-narrative pieces I've put together. 

Still, let me take you back in time and give you a review of everything that has led to this point. Last semester I won Best Drama at The University of Alabama's Campusmoviefest with my film Bottom of a Glass. 

This led to me being invited out to California to participate in the International Grand Finale for Campus Moviefest. Also, I was asked if I would like to make a 3D film the International 3D Society Competition being held through CMF. It would be the first ever student 3D film competition. 

I said yes immediately. As I worked on putting together my 3D piece April 27th tornado hit Tuscaloosa devastating it's population. 

This completely destroyed finishing all of the projects I was working on at the moment, but I was given another opportunity. CMF allowed me to use the 3D gear to shoot a documentary highlighting the storm that hit my town. The film, Portrait of the Storm: Tuscaloosa, AL, would go on to win at The International 3D Society Competition and I earned a $5,000 cash grant for my efforts. 

When I was out in California I met a plethora of other students doing amazing work.  Sparks and Tick Tock were two in particular that stood out. They would both go on to win top prize alongside Portrait of the Storm. 

While I was in California I visited some of the schools I was interested in attending for graduate school again. After review my list expanded to five schools: AFI, USC, UCLA, Columbia, and NYU. 

When I came back to Alabama I was overwhelmed with the amount of work I was asked to do, but I stepped up to the challenge. These are a few samples of the finished products. 

This does not even include the amount of work I did for The College of Arts and Sciences at Alabama.

Beyond all of this my biggest worry for the semester was the dilemma I had been tackling since I began this blog. It was time to start applying for graduate schools. I needed to pull all of my work together while shooting new pieces for my classes. I shot this piece, The 15th Lake, with a Sony HDV. I've always been a DSLR snob, but this made me realize the potential of alternative cameras. 

I sat down with Dr. Raimist, a teacher I have mentioned on numerous occasions, to go over my work as a filmmaker. She let me know, that with as much I have done, I still needed to do more. So I began planning to shoot my next short film which would exemplify everything I have learned so far. The product ended up being my latest work, And Goodbye.

You can also read my Personal Narrative as a filmmaker and my Mission Statement, two pieces I wrote to convey who I am as an artist, as well as inform the individuals who will be critiquing my work for admissions into graduate school.

This does not include the amount of photography work I've done over the past year (the biggest being my work for The New York Times), but you can find it in the archives of my blog as well as checking my Flickr. The path I've chosen has yielded some amazing results but I am nowhere near the level of competency I wish for myself. I'm still hungry to do better.

I'm looking to make this last semester at The University of Alabama amazing.

Stephanie Jones

School is starting back up soon and I can feel the weight of another year looming over me. I decided to take a lighter load this semester to off-set the amount of projects I'll be working on.

Fellow photographer, Kevyn Bryant, has been adamant about me taking out the time to appreciate the philosophy behind being a strobist.

     Strobist - A person who habitually usues small, hot-shoe mountable electronic flashguns (or speedlights), off-camera to enhance the lighting quality of his or her photos. Anyone who attempts to generate professional quality photographs by using portable, lightweight and (relatively) inexpensive lighting equipment, creatively.

This is a quick explanation behind what it means to be a strobist, but it's best summarized through the photographic quality of a picture. There is a point as a photographer your camera, on-camera flash, and natural light will suffice. As a photographer, your ability to grow will be determined by your willingness to venture outside your comfort zone, critique your own work, and buy gear which will allow you to shoot beyond the capabilities of your camera.

This is where Stephanie comes into the story. We've talked about shooting together for nearly a year. Unfotunately, one incident after another kept us from doing so. I honestly thought fate was toying with my portfolio.

Surprisingly, fate was only prolonging the date till I was ready to bring the best out in her.

I can honestly see my growth as a photographer and I'm beyond ecstatic about this. A big thank you is in order for Stephanie for being so patient as I put these together.

To see the rest of photos with Stephanie click HERE. To learn more about Stephanie you can find her on TUMBLR. I'm on twitter now as well! Follow me HERE @XLNB as well as my photography account HERE @QueTheLights. Finally, be sure to check out the newest with Que The Lights on our FAN PAGE and TUMBLR.