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ANDREW PHAN X ALIREZA SARANI

Still from a new project I’m working on. It’s an amazing collaboration of ideas. I love this still with the tungsten lighting. Also the city blurred in the background adds so much to this one shot. Once put into it’s context, it will all make sense.

elijahbakeactivate

thecheshirekitteh

what it’s like to be an artist, writer, musician, ….

succulove

Even as a photographer I identify with this

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gosh

andrewphanportfolio

This is pretty much the literal truth in all art. You stare at something too long you end up disliking it.

Dance

It’s been a while to find a photo worthy. But the shot today is not about again the composition or the framing. It’s about the subject. Because sometimes photography or cinematography isn’t always about the lighting or the way it looks. It’s about the subject or the actor. You have to let the subject tell the story rather than let the camera or lighting do so.

The only decision I made subconsciously is to use black and white. It shows that dance and art is timeless. That there is no right or wrong to art. It’s just there. The photo is a friend of mine freestyling during Urban Dance Society which I am president of. I wanted to show the movement and how when his hand has motion blur, it shows that not all movements are precise. The motion blur on his hand shows that dance doesn’t have one definitive form. There are many different styles and forms.

#35mmfilmproject #35mm #day5

Friends That Matter

Today’s photos is a special one. There’s no special composition or lighting. Today’s photo is more about the subject of the photo.

This is a calligraphy created by friend, Karin Okawa. She’s a really sweet an amazing friend that does matter to me. We’ve known each other for 4 years now, which is surprising. I normally don’t hold onto friends that long. However, I’ve had that ability and chance to. So the photo was of something a friend made for me which I find special. The quote inscribed was a quote I had came up with for my senior year.

I find it that the friends you have don’t always stick around. Theres end in fri-ends. Friends that matter mean that they are above and beyond who you can trust. Friends that matter are family. That means no matter what, you will know you can always stay in contact with them. Family by definition first meant that it was people affiliated by blood. I disagree. Family doesn’t have to be blood related as long as it is people you trust. That’s what this quote means to me.

Karin did an amazing job. She captured the essence with the colors merging showing that blood doesn’t define family. Trust and loyalty does.

#35mmfilm #35mmfilmproject #day4

Friends & Good Food

So the composition on these shots are pretty interesting. I wanted to escape the double days of using a tungsten light. I attempted to use a black and white color scheme to help differentiate the photos. I used black and white as a way to symbolize that good food and friends is all you need to have a good time. That’s exactly what we did today. We enjoyed some good pizza from the place I worked as well hanged out (after ditching first period.. I know. It’s bad. But the excuses are spot-on).

I also used black and white to symbolize timelessness. That black and white complement each other no matter what, even through time and space. Friends and food will also complement each other as well.

#35mmfilm #35mmfilmproject #pieology #day3

First Steps

The first steps are the most important part as a child. Besides first words. They both have a significant impact on the things you can do. Words allow for expression. Walking allows for mobility. But what are the first steps into adulthood? Is it moving out? Is it getting a car?

I believe its the first step in making sure your life will be okay. That you can take care of yourself. Although I don’t believe money makes your life great. Money leads to obsession and power. However, money can help give you a starting point. So the first time you cash in a check is a monumental occasion. Which is what I did today.

These first two checks from work symbolize the hard work and steps I’m taking in making sure I can pursue what I want.

Film and photography.

That’s why I took a photo of these checks as my day 2 photo. These two checks along with many others will open up a world of possibilities in my pursuit of reconnecting people with themes of life through an independent production company.

For my lighting, I really wanted that tungsten feel again. It symbolizes the idea of warmth and happiness. As well as the aesthetic of the look it gave looked amazing. For my framing, I wanted to make the check a little bit of more than half the frame to help represent the way money has power over individuals, even those most pure of heart. That’s my representation.

#day2 #checks #35mmfilm #35mmfilmproject

Creativity Strikes

Day 1

Currently, I am saving up for the purchase of a 35mm film camera. However, before I do that, I wanted to reconnect with my love of photography which is what got me into film. I see that photography is the basics of cinematography. Photography allows you to develop the color, the framing, etc that is needed in cinematography, without the emotion.

Within these next few days/weeks, I will further my journey as a photographer in hopes to have a better grasp on deciding what my framing should be and what is important. With film, you have to be careful. You only get 36 exposures per roll which costs $10 to develop. That means, every shot you take, must be done carefully. The composition and the subject must be meticulously thought through (probably won’t help my obsession with detail haha). I hope it will make me question what is important to me as I can only take so many photos.

For this photo, I choose this as my subject because of the meaning behind it as much as the composition. This computer and desk serve as the beginning of a creative endeavor I take. It is the stronghold from which I write and edit the projects I find to be of great value. This is where the title “Creativity Sparks” stems from. As for the composition, I wanted to tackle lighting first. The lighting came from porch lights I find so often the need to use. It gives a moodier look through the tungsten lights, that I rather enjoy, making my life feel more dramatic than it should be much like the film, “Whiplash”.

This is day 1. I hope to be inspired more tomorrow.

#35mmfilm #sonya7s #photography

Chapman University Film Test Grading

09.04.15

This weekend, I brought home a bunch of equipment for a campaign video that I am shooting. I took home a whole bunch of C-Stands, lights, and boompoles. This weekend however also is a 4-day weekend. So, I decided to shoot some footage in preparation for a college admissions film I have to do.

It’s for Chapman University. It’s one of the top schools in SoCal for film. The prompt for it is to make a “self-introductary video about yourself outside of film. However, you may not include yourself in the video even in photos.”

So I decided to do a film with a chessboard. I’m not exactly sure what the full scope or concept of my film is. I’m still talking it over with my advisor. But I decided to light the chessboard in the best way possible.

The light was diffused so it wouldn’t be so harsh on the chessboard. This is just one of the set-ups I’m considering for the film. I’m hoping to shoot this near the end of September and edit it through October. This is the footage I got- ungraded and graded.

#Sony A7s

First Lighting Workshop

DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHY: Andrew Phan

TALENT: Matan Amir & Daniela Krashnenny

Sony A7S w/ Rokinon 50mm Cine T1.5

Cine 4 w/ S-Gamut Premiere Pro w/ Red Giant Magic Bullet Looks & Film Convert All Camera Audio

On August 26, 2015, my teacher was sick. Rather than not doing anything, my teacher assigned me the task of showing off filmmaking videos to help teach people new things. We went straight into lighting and cinematography which many classmates needed. Later that night, I got a text from my teacher telling me that she would be out again. She wanted me to teach the class again. I suggested that we do a lighting workshop to help reinforce ideas that we were shown the day earlier. Agreeing upon that, I started planning out a lesson plan to help make my ideas for the workshop concrete. It was weird being in a teacher's position. However, it helped not only them the next day, but it helped myself reinforce the techniques.

We started off talking about Full Frame vs APC-S camera sensors. We helped explain what differences it made, how choosing lens would be affected, and other issues surround the battle. Next, we went to our main event. We reconstructed the scene from "Whiplash" where Andrew Neiman breaks up with Nicole. I choose this scene because it was simple enough to reconstruct in the 15 minute window we had. However, the scene had a lot to it that allowed demonstration of three point lighting.

We showed the class how each light made a difference in the overall composition of the shot. Although, many cinematography classes start with a Key Light, I opted to start with backlight. I wanted to show everyone how the backlight added depth to the shot before we even got to the key light. Next, we added in our key light. We showed why we were bouncing light off a reflector rather than pointing it directly at our talent. The bounced light really made a difference in creating a much more flattering look. Next, we added another light off the wall to simulate building light. The scene took place in a restaurant so there had to be some building light. But we achieved the overall look that we were going for.

Next, we did a group activity that allowed the class to design there own lighting and present it. However, we never got that far. Time ran out on us and when the bell rang, people lost interest. It happens.

When everyone was gone, I wanted to film something really quick for fun. I got my two friends, who helped lead the two of the group during the activities. We got to shoot this quick scene which was interesting. The only thing I would have done to frame this shot better was to not get the light in the shot. It's super distracting.

I think teaching the workshop was interesting and fun. I really would like to do this again sometime to teach cinematography. However, that might not happen until I plan it out to be much more efficient. I'm really hoping that for the cinematographers and directors in the class would actually come to a session to learn more about lighting.

Anyways, that was my first workshop teaching experience.

-Andrew Phan

07.04.15 | 4th of July Photography & Cinematography | Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L-Series w/ 2x Extension | Canon 50mm f/1.8

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People gain motivation by surrounding themselves with motivated people. I want to be one of those people people want to surround themselves with. And I will be.

Can't believe that we've completed 4 days of filming already. It's amazing on how time has passed since the beginning of production. We shot in literally in two of the coldest LA nights that I have ever experienced. We were at each others' throats constantly. We stayed later than we should have most days. However, we managed to have fun, enjoy ourselves, and get our film completely shot these last 4 days leading up to Thanksgiving. I'm excited to go into post-production to put this all together.

UPDATE

That first production was basically a complete fail. My advisor did not like the film at all. We had to reshoot the entire thing.

#10toLifeFilm Filmmaking

A look into the touching moments where the new district executive officers were announced, the old district board were retired, and the new district board was installed for the CNH Key Club District at District Convention 2014 held in Sacramento, California (our state's capital).

This is a segment of aCnh bigger video. However, I felt this portion was the best part and whenever I look at this, it still gives me the chills and makes me happy of how I can create emotions by crafting clips together to a touching song to make a lot of feelings.

#CNH #KeyClub #DCON2014