Author: Warin

Understanding Basic Film Shots

Posted on by in Establishing shot, Rick Ross, singles, Welcome To Fairfax, Wide Shot.

Back in 2013 I had the privilege of interning for a well known web series and got served a crash course in basic cinematography. Little things in terms of where the camera is located in relation to what is being filmed and how it’s later edited, made a big difference on how I consume media today. Here are some examples from the reality show, “Welcome to Fairfax.”

The Establishing Shot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first shot you see in a new scene or segment is usually called the establishing shot. The reason why it’s labeled this is because it’s important to establish to the viewer (i.e. you) where exactly the next scene is taking place. In this first shot we see Mizzle (the guy in the shirt that says ‘Youth’) and Rick Ross (the real former drug kingpin Rick Ross from which the rapper by the same name took as his alias). Both are walking through a pair of open doors that look like the entrance to some coffee shop.

The Single:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The single shot is rather simple: it features primarily one person in the frame, hence the term single. Here we see Rick Ross’ face quite clearly and even some of the letters on his shirt. We can also get a somewhat blurry over the shoulder shot of Mizzle which is to show that the two of them are in conversation. What you won’t see is that there is probably a guy on Mizzle’s right shoulder (Ross’ left side) who is holding a reflector to get more light on Ross’ face for the camera.

 

Opposite Side Single:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is basically the same as the last shot except reversed with Mizzle in the foreground and Ross off to the side. Again, singles in this manner really serve just to show that the two characters are engaged in conversation and also to assist the editor so that the viewer isn’t seeing a conversation from just one character’s viewpoint.

 

Wide Shot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shot shows the two characters in the middle of the frame and the rest of the eatery, along with some other people in the background. The words “Welcome to Fairfax” appearing at the bottom left of the screen subtlety tell the viewer this is the last shot of this scene before a commercial break.

These are just some simple shots but are used regularly in TV and film alike. That’s why it can take hours to shoot one scene because of all the different angles involved. It’s worth it though as each shot allows the editor more freedom to piece everything together and make it look seamless by the time it hits your TV screen.

Thoughts on Beyond The Lights

Posted on by in Beyond The Lights, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

A few weeks ago director Gina Prince-Bythewood, penned an open letter urging audiences to see her latest film, “Beyond The Lights.” Having had the chance to view the film twice myself, I wholeheartedly agree more people should see this film.

“Beyond The Lights” stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as pop star Noni, and Nate Parker as Kaz, the police officer who saves her life after an apparent suicide attempt. After saving her life, Noni and Kaz become close and their relationship evolves, much to the chagrin of their doting parents.


Throughout the film we see the evolution of their relationship and despite coming from two completely different worlds, we see them as just two people in love attempting to put aside the distractions.

What we really struck me with “Beyond The Lights” is that as the film progresses we see the varying layers of Noni and Kaz’s lives peel off as both are struggling to find themselves while exploring each other. Another underlying theme of the film deals with the hyper sexualization present within the music industry, specifically as it relates to female artists. “Beyond The Lights” is probably out of theaters at this point but should be coming out on Blu-Ray/DVD in February. I definitely recommend giving it a look.

A Look Back at 2014

Posted on by in 2014, Beyond The Lights, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Hollywood, Lupita Nyong'o, Sony.

2014 was a year of progress and one of resolve for me.

It was during that calendar year I really upped my camera equipment game: camera mount, overhead light, microphone, and a new tripod. On top of all that I got some editing software as well. Even picked up some books on producing in the process.

In terms of covering films and Hollywood, I was happy for Lupita Nyong’o winning an Oscar at last year’s Academy Awards. I made proud to see another woman, and former movie of the year winner on this blog — Ava DuVernay — receive critical acclaim across the board for her film “Selma.” Not to mention Gina Prince-Bythewood and her moving film, “Beyond The Lights.”

In 2014 there was the continued rise of the web series and we can began to see web success spill over into the more traditional medium of television. Issa Rae is working on a show for HBO and the creators of BlackandSexyTV are doing a show for HBO as well. TV shows like “Blackish” and “How to Get Away With Murder” showed network TV executives (again) that shows featuring characters of color can not only succeed, but thrive, especially in the realm of social media.

Despite this progress, most films released from the major studios are still overly white and male focused. That old door however is being pushed against harder and harder every year. People want to see themselves on screen, and in 2014 people of color are making that happen through many different forums. Let’s keep this going in 2015. Let us continue to get educated.

Millions March NYC

Posted on by in Eric Garner, Hands Up, Mike Brown, Millions March, New York City, NYC, Protest.

About a week and a half ago, I had the opportunity to film some of the protests taking place in New York City following the deaths of unarmed men Michael Brown and Eric Garner at the hands of law enforcement. It was a powerful experience and one that will stay with me for a long time.

Thousands of people of various races and nationalities came out to protest the deaths of not just Mike Brown and Eric Garner, but the litany of people of color whom throughout the years have been killed by police. I was honestly surprised by the number of white people I saw out at Washington Square Park for this march as it shows that it’s not just black folks who are fed up with this mess. I’ll be including more videos of interviews and other happenings at the protest in the coming days.

Black Digital Media Members Speak on Diversity and More in New Emerging Platforms

Posted on by in media, National Black Programming Consortium.

Saw this last week and thought it is an interesting view from some media professionals on where they feel the future of media is going — specifically regarding people of color. The event was put on by the National Black Programming Consortium and featured a panel of experienced media professionals.

One of the things that struck me was not only the continued development of television as a venue for telling stories (as opposed to feature films) but how ideas and stories that can fit into a series platform instead of a just one time two hour special, are seen as much more valuable. If you have some time, definitely check it out.

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Sony Pisses Off Wrong Dictatorship

Posted on by in George Clooney, Hollywood, North Korea, Sony, The Interview.

It’s been a no good, terrible, horrible, very bad week for Sony Pictures Entertainment. From being hacked last month and having numerous memos and internal documents leaked, to cancelling press for their film, “The Interview,” to shutting the movie down altogether, it has indeed been a week to forget. Oh and there were those rather crude comments about President Obama and some movies he might like.

As amusing as this fodder might be, it’s worth noting that a major Hollywood film is not coming out because of serious threats made against it and its parent company — Sony. This sets somewhat of a dangerous precedent as it has been argued what happens if someone else makes a movie that pisses people off? Is that film also going to be pulled from theaters? George Clooney gave a very interesting take on the matter.

The United States has implicated North Korea in the hacking scandal but the real question is what happens now? Sony is poised to lose millions of dollars in advertising and production already spent on “The Interview,” and they’re not getting those funds back. That’s a serious hit for any studio. Let’s see how this one plays out.

Chris Rock on Working in Hollywood

Posted on by in Chris Rock, Hollywood, Jon Stewart, Top Five.

With the release of his latest film, “Top Five,” last week, Chris Rock has been on the press junket giving interviews and publicity in support of his movie. Rock was recently interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter and gave some candid quotes on his experiences as a black man working within Hollywood. The whole article is definitely worth a read. Below is a quote Rock gave on what exactly it means to cross over.

“If someone’s people don’t love them, that’s a problem. No one crosses over without a base. But if we’re just going to be honest and count dollars and seats and not look at skin color, Kevin Hart is the biggest comedian in the world. If Kevin Hart is playing 40,000 seats a night and Jon Stewart is playing 3,000, the fact that Jon Stewart’s 3,000 are white means Kevin has to cross over? That makes no sense. If anybody needs to cross over, it’s the guy who’s selling 3,000 seats.“