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.

The 15th Lake

Homecoming is Oct. 7th and my entire life for the past month has been dedicated to coordinating our show. Stepping (or if you're a part of my fraternity hopping) is a choreographed style of dancing typically seen in the African American Greek community. If you've seen Stomp The Yard, you've seen a very basic representation of stepping.

If you're in the Tuscaloosa area I'd recommend coming to see the show. Even if stepping doesn't interest you you'll have the chance to see a show I personally brought together. You won't be disappointed.

Besides the step show, I've also been handling new types of cameras. I believe a good photographer or  cinematographer has the ability to pick up any type of camera, camcorder, dslr, etc, and make something spectacular.

Yea, there is a certain limit on any piece of equipment's ability, but this is when talent and technique should come into play.

I decided to shoot a time lapse around Forest Lake. This is the lake near 15th Street in Tuscaloosa, AL where the storm crossed over. It's been a recurring theme in all of my work dealing with the Tuscaloosa Tornado. After riding by the area one day and watching the sun set I knew I had to get out there.

Shooting took around four days. I filmed with a Sony HDV, edited in FCP, and graded in Apple Color. The music is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Using the HDV was a huge step a large step away from my DSLR, but I wanted to prove to myself I could create a powerful piece of work even when I'm outside of my element.

Click on the thumbnails below to check out some of the pictures from around Forest Lake the day after the tornado.


You can also check it out the video on Youtube. I'm always looking for new followers and interesting people on twitter as well as tumblr.