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Shooting “The Whistler” on ALEXA
On 31, Oct 2013 | 4 Comments | In On Set | By Colton Davie
As a Halloween treat, Openlight Pictures just released The Whistler, a small but spine-tingling short film. Bryce McGuire wrote and directed, Rod Blackhurst produced, and I was the cinematographer. Bryce wanted to keep the shoot small and intimate, so the entire consisted of just the three of us, plus the two leads, Kate Cobb and Josh Schell.
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Cinematography for Directors: Focal Length (Part 1)
On 14, Sep 2013 | 4 Comments | In Tests, Instructional | By Colton Davie
Like the other departments of film production, cinematography is a specialized field. As cinematographers, we are required to fully grasp and utilize concepts and tools that may never be completely understood by other members of production. For instance, a director may never need to know how to read a waveform monitor, or the difference between griffolyn and ultrabounce. However, the choices the cinematographer makes regarding exposure, or his choice of bounce, or the myriad of other technical decisions ultimately have narrative and emotional impact on the film. Therefore, it is wise for directors to have a basic grasp of cinematographic techniques—as well as the other aspects like production design, sound, and editing—so that they can confidently and deliberately work with their collaborators to craft their vision.
With that in mind, I’ve set out to write a series of articles on foundational concepts of cinematography, for directors. I intend to approach these concepts from a story perspective as opposed to an overly technical one. My goal is to help new directors get up to speed, or provide a refresher for those that may have more experience, so that they can more effectively communicate with their cinematographer and better craft a film that is in line with their vision.
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“The Morning After” Featured in The Hollywood Reporter
On 13, Sep 2013 | No Comments | In General | By Colton Davie
The Purge: The Morning After, a comedic sketch I shot for director Johnny Ray Gill, starring Daniel Rubiano and Da’Vine Joy Randolph is featured today at The Hollywood Reporter. Check out the article here, and check out the video below.
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“Pas De Restes” Wins Best Narrative Short
On 04, Sep 2013 | No Comments | In General | By Colton Davie
Over the weekend, Pas De Restes, a short film directed and produced by Johnny Ray Gill, and which I shot, won the award for Best Narrative Short at the Portland Film Festival. I am proud of the entire team and am excited that the film is doing well. This was the film’s second “Best of” award and ninth festival screening.
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Shooting The Happiness Machine with Glow Sticks and ALEXA
On 21, Aug 2013 | No Comments | In On Set | By Colton Davie
A couple of months ago, I shot the music video for “Peace Hands” by The Happiness Machine, an indie garage rock band from St. Petersburg, FL. Director Bryce McGuire had memories of the cathartic, slightly rebellious act of cutting open glow sticks and splashing them around a dark room, creating colorful galaxies only to disappear as soon as the lights turned on, and built a simple narrative around that experience.
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