Who Are You?

YOUR AESTHETIC/ TASTE/ CRAFT/ PERSONALITY.

  • Visual Craft as Context.

    • When we meet someone new we generally have a sense of them before they even speak. This is based on several things, namely: 

      What clothes are they wearing? How do they wear their hair? What is their body language? A disheveled person in cargo shorts and Crocs is going to give off an entirely different impression than someone in a three piece suit. Even if they say the exact same thing to you, in the same manner, that information will hit you differently based on their presentation and your personal attachments to each element of that presentation. 

      Cinematography- along with production design, costumes, score, hair & makeup- does the same thing. They create a context for what you are seeing. They serve to support the overall world, develop and create an atmosphere that dances in tune with the story and characters.

  • For most people, figuring out your tastes takes time and experimentation. Let your tastes change, let them be shaped by what you see. Always pay attention to what you respond to, negatively or positively. Your tastes are an ever-changing puzzle. Embrace it. Learn it, study it, be surprised by it.

    • I stopped reading any kind of reviews before seeing a movie to help me develop my own sensibilities and react more cleanly.

      • I notice how reading reviews after/ having discussions will shape my opinion. We are pliable.

  • Go on “Artist dates” (via The Artist’s Way)

    • Explore Museums

    • Explore Photographers, Painters, Bands. Be a curious sponge.

  • My Aesthetic (as of today):

    • This took me years and years to figure out and may change as soon as tomorrow.

    • The aesthetic that I find myself leaning into is best explained by the Japanese term wabi sabi. Wabi sabi suggests that the beauty of things lies in the flaws. It is in imperfection that we see the unique character and beauty of things. You could also call it “rustic beauty.”

      • Pen15 fits this perfectly. We were constantly battling against anything too pretty. We used various methods to “dirty” the image and were careful not to allow beauty lighting to creep in very often.

      • For Dollface season 2, I tried to find a way to ground things through wabi sabi. Season 1 was sharp, crisp, perfect.

  • Bold Choices

    • Little Things clip

    • What Sam heard in meetings- "You made choices. Most filmmakers just film everything and find it in the edit.”

    • What people want is a point of view.

      • Develop your own.

      • Try, fail, try again.

  • Comparing Yourself to Others.

    • Deflated by what I see on social media. Big, sexy lighting setups, anamorphic lenses, cool locations, etc. I have seriously curbed my use of social media for my own sanity. Be aware of how these things affect you and act accordingly.

    • Inspiration and deterrents go hand in hand on social media. Know thyself.

    • Competition can be inspiring for some, but devastating for others.

    • Nurture yourself.