Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Reel and Artist Statement

Colson Domergue Director/Videographer Reel 2015 from Colson Domergue on Vimeo.
">



Looking back over the past few years, I have grown so much as a filmmaker. I try to forget the horrible YouTube videos I used to create with my friends back in high school but they are a good reminder of where I started. As I continue to look forward, there are several ideas and inspirations I want to learn from and apply to my own work. As writer and filmmaker I want to explore grand stories found in everyday life, the environment, and pull from psychology, art, and directors that have inspired me.
Grand stories are all around us, you just have to look around. Every single person, whether they acknowledge it or not, is the center of their universe. This isn’t always a bad thing and this is something I like to explore. I find it very fascinating that everyone on this planet has their own perspective and narrative. The smallest issue to me may be the end of the world for someone else. Those are the stories I want to explore and show.
            I tend to like camera movement a lot, especially when the camera follows a subject through an environment. The environment is just as important as the character. I would like to further explore environments in future projects. I was really happy when I got to do so for the doc storytelling assignment. I also did the same with my first assignment in 201.
            Directors that inspire me are David Fincher, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, and Steven Spielberg. They each have attributes that I want to apply to my work. Payne finds wonderful stories in the everyday lives of average people that I find amazing. Kubrick, Nolan, and Spielberg can make any story grand and epic that draws me in and I hope I can reciprocate that. The two directors that taught me the most about style are Fincher and Kubrick. I love the attention to detail that both show in their films. During the doc storytelling assignment, I found myself looking for shots that could be symmetrical like in a Kubrick film or close-ups that Fincher would have.

            The last few areas that inspire me as a filmmaker are two of my minors: art and psychology. They can be incorporated into film in beautiful ways that I don’t think I have done yet but I am hoping to get there.

12 comments:

  1. Colson! I love you aesthetic with the shots of the guy and the computer! I also love the colors at the end when the guy closes the computer!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love your progress man. You've come far and will continue to grow. My favorite shots are the hallway of the ferg as we track in and pan. The nature shots are beautiful (waterfall especially), and the ending is satisfying!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very cool reel. Not only are your shots very cool, but you have edited this reel very well. I think that opening and closing the reel with the starting/shutting down of the computer was a way to give your reel a narrative arch, which is a rarity with videography reels.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I loved that shot of the dude riding his bike, that was dope! Just watching your reel I have seen so much improvement. I loved working with you, you always make me laugh. I can't wait to more of your work, and hopefully work with you some more in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Colson, I really liked this reel. My favorite part might have been you beside the bicycle. Were you in a car for that? It looked really smooth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I was in a car. It was a pain trying to keep the same pace. It took many shots!

      Delete
  6. I love your style. It is evident the director's styles that you like and try to accomplish. I really enjoy your work, not only as a cinematographer, but as a writer as well. I love your humor. Looking forward to see more of what you produce!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very awesome reel! I love how the music kicked in right with the shot of the guy riding the bike. I also agree with everyone that the aesthetic for the shots with the laptop are really great! The waterfall shot was definitely one of my favorites as well! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Colson, this is awesome! I love the laptop shots and especially how they fit right tin with the tempo of the background music. You also had some awesome close ups, my favorite is with the flipping through the pages.All in all, awesome content and awesome work. I've really enjoyed everything you've done this semester!

    ReplyDelete
  9. There some really great close up shots in here, they all had a lot of interesting detail that drew your eye to the screen. good stuff and great ending, very creative editing

    ReplyDelete
  10. You had a lot of great CUs that showed a ton of detail and were really well composed. I always love the work you do, and this is no exception! Great!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Colson, my man, loved those shots of The Ferg at night. The movements are very fluid, and that wide shot with all of the empty tables is ballin'. I also really liked the closeup of the page turn.
    Also, I absolutely loved the setting and context of your scene assignment. It was incredibly clever, probably my favorite in the class. I look forward to working on Blackface with you next semester!

    ReplyDelete