Final course reflection

This class by far has been one of the best classes I have taken at UA. All of the hands on things we learn are crucial to the development process that we all need as students trying to chase are goals. When I came into the class i knew nothing about the importance of lighting and how affective it is in films. I also got better with my camera skills, teamwork and much more. As I go finish off my last couple semesters I will continue to grow as an artist and as a leader.

Director/DP Demo Reel (April 29, 2010) w/ Artist Statement

Jonathan Barge
Artist Statement

Ever since I can remember images from movies, pictures, and paintings, have always captivated me into wanting to entertain people for a living. My interest in media production began during my high school years, when I took my first TV Production class. I enjoyed the excitement and creativity involved in producing a product that others found entertaining and thought provoking.
I enjoy all types of media from the old to the new generation of entertainment. I think that is what seperates me from your "Average Joe" in the business. I know what the people want, and I can give it to them through my eyes and vision. Seeing and believing in something is a subject that I thrive in. My modo is "without faith, what do you have?" Faith and determenation is what drives me forward as a man and as a artist.
My direction for the future is to continue to see my vision take light. So far I have directed, edited, and produce short pieces. Including a music video, a short scene, documentary, and a commercial. It's so many genres in films, and TV I would like to work with including drama, action, sports, and music.

Life is but a dream, so I have my boat ready to sail. One Love

-JBARGE

An Example of a Demo Reel

Here was a good example of a demo reel that i found, lookin
through the wonderful world of youtube.

Direct A Scene Video

The Money Shots $$$$$

Personally I think the money shot is one of the most
important pieces to a film. It gives the "WOW" factor
for the audience. It is a must on my part to find or
get the money shot in my film at least one time.
To me scenery and the subject can be the best type of money
shots. Or just something expressing lots of emotion through
the pictures on the screen.

Preperation for the "Direct a scene" shoot

In planning out my scene by observing and pre-visualizing my shots by looking at the things and places around me for inspiration on good shots....But as time went by my scene decision changed. So now I have to visual the intesity and heat of the scene that I need to shoot. It's goin to be alot of emotions in my scene. Therefore I need something Hot!

"Still Life"

This is a short movie called "Still Life". The short film had an amzing plot, and amazing ending. The video speaks for itself so....watch it! haha. Your gonna enjoy youselves Im sure of it!
-(Movie is by Brookstreet Pictures)

Shot by Shot Analysis (Training Day)

Training Day (2001)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Director of Photography: Mauro Fiore
-The film I chose is one of my favorite movies, Training Day. The film stars Hollywood
Heavyweight Denzel Washington. Scene takes place in the hood of a South Central area where
Denzel is living and actor Ethan Hawke confronts him.






Shot-1
-In the first scene of my clips It shows Denzel's emotion and anger as the a key light hits
the top right side of his face. There is also a back light to give the people in
the back some emphasis on the scene. The shot is a MCU (Medium close-up) on denzel with a good
depth of field.







Shot-2
-This shot is showing the emotion of the bystanders and "bones". Bones was force to
like Denzel due to Denzel being a cop, but truthfully he doesnt like him. The shot is a MCU.
The light is hitting them from the rightside, building up shadows on their face.






Shot-3
-This shot was a pan down to show bones' gun he had in his hand. Its a MS on the gun.
The key light thats hitting him shows up good on his clothes and brings it out.






Shot-4
-This shot gives us another MCU. Which is good because it shows intesity and agression. The key light on his left (viewers right side) side gives a heat feeling like something is about to go down. Once again the key light brings out good shadows.
Also another good shot with a blurry depth of field for the background.







Shot-5
-Is a over the shoulder look at whats goin down. With a MS (Medium Shot) of all the action taking place.
In this specific shot you can also see some extra lights hitting the fences in the
background to give the streetlight effect.







Shot-6
-This shot gives another "emotion" shot with bones'. The Shadows caused by the Key light are
very effective in this shot. The shot is a CU (Close up).








Shot-7
-In this bones' drops the gun (Close-up). There seems to be a low light on the street
thats causing the concrete to seem to have more light.






Shot-8
- This shot is a Medium Shot, cross 2 of the two actors looking at bones'.
key light hits faces so we can get more shadows.







Shot-9
-I really like this shot. The Close-up zoom in on the gun shows the cigarettes on
the ground too and gives it a good blurry effect. Its also a Low camera shot, with light hitting the street.







Shot-10
-Is the shot where the camera re-focuses on the cigarettes, because denzel reaches down to
grab them. The shot is a low camera angle close-up with depth of field on the gun. As you can see again the
light hits the street at another good angle to give light to the objects.



Shot-11
-This is shot is giving us another angle to look at the scene instead of the highly favored
Medium close-ups and medium shots. Due to the intesity of this scene the MCU's and MS's are
needed and look good, But this was a good low wide angle of the car and the bystanders in the backdrop







-This was a good Medium close-up over the shoulder (but just showing Hawke's gun [blurry]) looking at denzel with the
focus of the camera. It had good depth of field with the bystanders in the background. Giving the viewer a look into hawke's view of the situation.




-I call this shot a "extreme medium close up" with the look of Hawke's intense feel as the light
beams down on his face to show the fire in his eyes. The camera's at a medium level to the actor, with depth
of field on the backdrop (blurry)




-This shot was an XCU (extreme close up) on denzel's face. I call this shot the, "Shit Talkin" where
denzel continues to taunt and test Hawke. There's depth of field with the focus on denzel and the background
with the bystanders.






-As denzel tries to test Hawke's authority he goes down to pick up
the gun. This shot is a low camera angle shot, with key light hittin the objects to
make them be known.






-This shot reaches the pinnacle of Hawke being mad, and he fires a shot at denzel in the
buttocks to prove a point that he his no joke. The shot is in a MCU focusing on Hawke with depth of field
on the background.

Lighting

Lighting is very crucial when making a film. Lights are what a cinematographers uses to paint their own potrait. Use of lighting changes to help define characters. It also helps define diffrent genres. I picked 2 photos of objects that used good lighting in a scene.


Picture 1; (THE GREAT WHITE)



-I love this shot in every aspect. As you can see the shark is
enhanced by the light that is being used at the bottom of the
shark. Once the light is hit on the shark you can also see
the ripples of the ocean on the shark.


Picture 2; (The Journey)



- The light in this photo brings out the sense of "Whats to come".
I like how the light in this photo brings out diffrent shades of shadows
to the picture. It looks like to make a duplicate of the picture, you would
need a back light for his legs and a key top light for the rest of the pic.

Assignment: Portrait of a Place (or an event)

Number One (remix) from UA, Telecommunication and Film on Vimeo.

-TCF 312 Project: Portrait of a Place
-R&B Singer Brandon Ray remixes R. Kelly's hit single "Number One". Video takes place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama home of the NCAA college football champions Alabama Crimson Tide. My goal of the assignment was to create a new look into my city, Tuscaloosa, AL and give the campus of The University of Alabama a good look. I rode around the city during night to capture the lights of the city.

Denzel and The Famous quote

This week in class...(Jan 26 and Jan 28)...

This week we got to mess around with the new cameras (JVC HD) and I love em'! To bad its so high priced!...but anyway Im sure I'll get a device like that one day. The new cameras are well designed and light weighted, so its easy to freelance around with the camera, and do what you want with it. I learned how to use the 30 degree rule better in a cross two. I always knew how to do it, I just learned a better way to do it by reading Ch. 4 in the book.

Goals!

The year is now 2010, and my time to graduate is nearing closer and closer. Therefore! that means I need to learn as much as I can, about everything in my field as possible. My goals in my new class (Advanced Videography) is to obtain new skills that can further my knowledge in Video Production. Light a power in films that is under-estimated. Without the knowledge of light the fim/project your working on can be a failure. So in saying that I hope to understand the art form of "the Light". Other than the artform of light. I want to get a better feel of everything from producing, directing, editing etc....They say the art of reptiton is the father of learning. Lets get it! "2010 im goin in"!! haha...

My Visual Style: Authentic

Alot of times someone will ask you after you watch a movie, "how was it"?,"was it real"?, "was it like real life" and most times a negative anwser is the return anwser. The movie 'RAY' which is the story of Ray Charles played by the talented Jamie Foxx brings you not only a real life in depth look into Ray's life but the feel and photography in this movie is authentic. When you watch the movie the visual style of each scene makes you feel like your in that time period.

Afflicted Photography; by Peter Dean Rickards

I really like this guys style of photography. Mixes of personalities and nature.

For more of Rickards visit ...... http://www.afflictedyard.com

My Top 10 Movies

1. Gladiator

2. Scarface

3. Lion King

4. Goodfellas

5. Pulp Fiction

6. The Count of Monte Cristo

7. Crash

8. The Hangover

9. Miami Vice

10. Training Day