One of my favorite things about living in NYC is that you get to meet some really amazing, talented people. This past Sunday we had a chance to work with cinematographer Ryan Booth (top photo), director Josh Berrett (middle photo) and actor Austin Pendleton on a narrative short film here in NYC. It was awesome.
Even though Austin is sort of a big deal, it was Ryan I was most excited to meet. I've followed his work with interest for a long time. I am a big fan. I didn't realize how similar our stories were: we both started in the music/audio world, moved to photography, and ultimately landed in video/film. When he was telling me his story, we both laughed when he said, "and then the Mark II came out," because that really was the moment everything changed. It's interesting how every set has its own "vibe" and how influential the director and cinematographer are in setting that vibe. This shoot's vibe was wonderful. I appreciated how Josh and Ryan created a safe, calm, creative space for Austin to do his thing. Ryan was relaxed and thoughtful as he walked around looking at the light. He thought out loud, which I appreciated. He selected lenses and compositions that supported the script and coordinated with Josh often about timing and blocking. I got chills at a couple of the more dramatic moments of the performance. There is something holy and mystical about seeing many people work together to create.
Ryan and Josh also worked on a film called This Is Where We Live that is beauuuutiful and worth checking out: www.thisiswherewelive.com
Even now, I'm still figuring out more about what I want to "do" when I grow up... and this, narrative filmmaking, is what I want to do. Despite waking up at 5:00AM and trudging through the rain, Simon and my spirits couldn't have been higher. There's such an electricity to narrative work! More! Life is so good and so exciting. Onwards and upwards... -John