Short Films: Rock, PAPER, Scissors

For Valentines' Day, I want to share these two short films I seen recently that are all about love (and paper too).

The first one is an animated short from Disney, which has been nominated for an Oscar. I like the fact that is a noir silent film, with a small touch of color, which symbolizes the love interest. The lack of dialogue makes you pay attention more to what was happening and it's simplicity and "magical" elements makes it a tough contender for an award.



The second short is one that my girlfriend sent to me from "Free People" about this Brooklyn couple who uses "rock, paper, scissors" to dictate their fun, romantic evening. I loved the shots and editing in this short and it had a warm ending.



Which short was your favorite?

-Video Vix[o]n

Frame x Frame: Barclays in Brooklyn

The opening of the Barclays Center has dawned upon Brooklyn for about 2 years now. Finally, it is done and standing in all its glory. All of Brooklyn has been anticipating the stadium, and I must say, it's a beautiful structure indeed and the feedback from most of the public has been positive. While shooting my latest Internet show in front of the center, I got into a conversation with some local Brooklynites (all more experienced than me) about the changes in Brooklyn, from the past to the present. It was nice hearing their stories and relating to these people about the borough, and ultimately, the city we love. However, this new stadium has brought together people in more ways than one.

I knew about the stadium's arrival back in 2008 when I had to write a journalism report about the upcoming changes in the Downtown Brooklyn community. When I first heard of the stadium, I didn't know how to feel about it. I knew it was a big project and a lot of the community members weren't alright with the project going underway and changing the community for the worst. Concerns were higher property values and lack of affordable housing, not to mention that the stadium was the catalyst for other smaller businesses around the area closing down and being replaced by more "mainstream" establishments. The time I spent around the Downtown area, collecting the story of people and places in the area made me appreciate Brooklyn more. There's a spirit to the place that doesn't like to be altered, and all of the changes happening down there is turning that part of Brooklyn into "Little Manhattan," with the stadium being the final nail in the developmental coffin.

There are some people who are still protesting the failures of the development company in charge of the Barclays Center (Forest City Developers) by not fulfilling their promises of affordable housing, jobs or paying workers their compensation when it comes to the project. Nevertheless, the stadium is here to stay and it has become the beacon for what I like to call the New Brooklyn. Will I ever get a chance to go inside and have an experience there? Who knows, but for those who will be going to see Jay-Z perform there soon, the stadium does have the capacity to hold many memories of Brooklyn to come.

-Video Vix[o]n

"Red Hook Summer" Off the Hook

When I first saw this trailer, I thought "... oh boy, here comes another over exaggerated 'Spike Lee Joint' again." But as they say, you should never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a movie by its trailer.

After watching "Red Hook Summer," I can safely say that I enjoyed it. It was a bright mix of comedy, realism and just deep enough that you can tell only Spike can write it. I don't know whether you can classify it as a "coming of age" film or an overall tale of different characters who lived in this Brooklyn neighborhood during the height of summer. All in all, there were a lot of truths spoken in the film, especially with the strong motifs of religious faith, hiding one's demons and looking beyond the bad things to find the good. The main character, Flik, captured all of this through his trusty iPad 2 and it helped him to understand and adjust to the new environment he was dropped into; coming from Atlanta to New York for a summer vacation.

I don't want to give too much of this movie away, for those within the NYC area who wish to watch it (though I believe the movie will stop showing soon), but if anyone does get the opportunity to see it, it is worth every laugh, thought and nod of agreement with the dialogue that is raised in this latest Spike Lee Joint.

-Video Vix[o]n

On Top Of Things

In my filmmaking endeavors, I have encountered few people who share my passion for video production as much as I have. In college, I knew people who wanted to come together and make some content, resulting in some end products that I were and weren't proud of. Today, I reconnected with one of those people and she reminded me of why I got into video production in the first place.

Standing on that rooftop made me realize that there is more to life out there that what I'm familiar with. For the most part, I know a few people, in my field, who have the same passion and drive to work on and accomplish their goals. Most of the residents in Bushwick, Brooklyn display the ideal of the "aspiring artist;" a person who just wants to leave their creative footprint in the cement of our culture. For that one moment, I looked out to the amazing sunset before me and realized I'm not alone in this journey.

Meeting people is one of the perks I enjoy when pursuing this passion of filmmaking. Hearing the thoughts of like-minded who think of the impossible becoming possible and the most strange becoming the most real is refreshing. In the world of video production, people's thoughts are able to come to life, and working together with others who understand the possibility of that happening are the people to keep close as you travel on that journey. I can't say that re-connecting with a friend means I'll be creating films left and right, like a production house, but it does replenish my hopes that there are others out there, like me, who believe in creating the possible through film. 

As I continue to meet others who are willing to create something amazing through the lens of a camera, I hope I can take something from these newfound contacts and apply them to my ultimate goal to create something awesome and be noticed by others who will feel the motivation to do something awesome themselves.

-Video Vix[o]n

Frame x Frame: Shots in the Street

*Before I continue this post, I will disclaim that I am NOT a photographer, but a man with a nice camera who likes to take pictures. There is a difference. 

Yesterday, while I was out in the street and had some time to kill, I would take a couple of pictures. I wasn't prepared to just snap at any random thing or object; I was going to shoot people walking by. In preparation for NYC's Fashion Week, happening in a couple of weeks, I wanted to practice taking some street-style photography, which is a popular art among most freelance and fashion photographers. My initial feelings were nervous and excited. There I was, standing in the middle of Downtown Brooklyn, with camera in hand, ready to capture the most fashionable people to my eye. 

(Click FULL ALBUM to see all the pictures)

At first, it was hard to take pictures of people because everyone was walking fast and I was afraid to get in a person's face with a camera, so most of the shots were taken from behind (a lot of people have this hidden fear of cameras, which I dub "camerophobia"). Most shots were also too far away, due to the limited focal length of my lens (in other words, I wasn't able to zoom in closer to take better shots). I learned that speed and precision is crucial when taking street photos. I almost felt like a street assassin; I had to stoop down for the shot, aim accurately and shoot my subject all before they either "dodged" the shot (moved out of the way), or walked off. Not prepared to chase someone down for a picture, there were some good opportunities that got away, but I stay determined to capture some good stills. Outside of speed and accuracy, courtesy was another tool that I didn't realize could come in handy. Most people, when asked if a picture can be taken of them by a random stranger, immediately raise their defenses with a load of questions and rejections. Aware of this, I experimented on two individuals by asking nicely if I can take their picture. After I explained it was for my blog, they politely and skeptically inclined and I took the shot, no bloodshed. 

After my shooting spree in the street, I reviewed my photos over a nice hot chocolate from Dunkin' Donuts. I noticed, throughout the day, I kept shooting women with red jackets on. After noticing this, I was determined to find more ladies with red jackets on, as to develop a theme. I think that inspiration came from the mind of Bill Cunningham (an extraordinary street-style photographer for the NY Times; his documentary was amazing). He would usually find a common trend to focus on and find people in the street with a similar style or look. Though not intentional, I did catch a few red-topped ladies, which in Cunningham fashion, I called the style trend "Cherry on Top." My favorite pictures were of people in motion, whether crossing the street (which is the best place and time to take pictures of people), running for some reason, or just standing around, waiting for something. Overall, it was also a challenge to find people who I considered fashionable, but I went about it by finding the people most well put together and unique in my taste.

After all this, I have something to show off and be proud of. I wish I had a better lens for street photos and some more experience capturing people in the moment, but as I said in the beginning, I'm just a man with a nice camera who likes to take pictures.

-Video Vix[o]n