Just wrapped a music video with The Less for their new single These Lights. It was a pretty killer song, and Aaron Chewning came up with an equally awesome concept to go along with it. Can’t tell you much, but we did use battery powered lamps and ran around downtown Atlanta at 4AM with a RED and Lomo Anamorphics. Couldn’t have had more fun.

I’ll post a link when the single drops

“My single, My Single is Dropping, is dropping.” -Angie

I was honored last night at the 2011 American Society of Cinematographers Awards for my work on Loves Me Not (frame grabs) with the William A. Fraker Undergraduate Cinematography Award. It was an incredible honor, and one that I hope will motivate me to pursue cinematography with renewed tenacity.

All weekend, I was welcomed by award-winning ASC members. Each was incredibly humble and encouraging. I still cannot believe I stood on the same stage as some of these amazing ASC members and received an award named after such a great cinematographer, William A. Fraker. It was one of the greatest blessings I’ve received in my entire life, and will challenge me to better myself both as a cinematographer and as a person.
Links:
Stills from the short
Hollywood Reporter
Full Sail Press Release
IMDB Page
Unfortunately, my acceptance speech was limited to ten seconds so I was unable to thank everyone that deserved honor and credit. I wanted to take that time here to truly thank everyone.

TEACHERS
Katie Brandbo, you are awesome. More teachers should push their students like you do. If they did, this wouldn’t be the first time the ASC would drop an award Full Sail’s way.
James Neihouse, thank you for being as stubborn as you are. You pushed me and challenged me to be better as a cinematographer in every way. You taught me that I can’t compromise the vision of the story. There are no excuses. This is your award as well.
Rob Tuscani, no other department is as challenging as yours. Keep doing what you do. It works.
Grover Austin, this may not be an Academy Award, but you gave me my first chance to light. And you were the first one to teach me I could tell a story with only light.

CREW
Directors – Rebecca Hodges & Ewa Pazera, I love both of you, and you are both incredibly talented. Thank you for asking me to help and listening to the feedback I had. It was unbelievable. And thank you Rebecca for pushing me to shoot it during the day. It worked.
Art Department – Aaron Marinel & Alex Thompson, I wish they gave the award to you guys as well, because, I’m no miracle worker. I lit the set the way it asked to be lit, and the story was told. Job well done.
Camera Crew – Nicholas Kramer, Adam Dorris, Thomas Semple, Johnny Lauderdale, you guys were unshakable. You set the pace of shooting, raised the level of professionalism, and every frame was exactly where it should have been. I couldn’t have asked for a better team. A special thanks to Tom; you were with me on every production I did at Full Sail. And everything was in focus.
Grip and Electric – Jose DeLosAngeles, Wade Carter, Ryan Kindel, John Guillen, you made it happen. I didn’t know what I wanted. It didn’t matter what shot it was, I always changed the entire setup, and you never complained. The vision and execution of the lighting in this film belongs to you guys. Thank you.
Everyone – Many student films crumble when just one department fails. It takes the whole crew working at at their maximum to pull off the illusion of movie making. All of us where well fed, well informed, and working at our best. Thank you to everyone.
Black Castle Production, thank you for your investment in this production to help take it to a new level. Specifically, a high definition level.

MENTORS
Brent Christy, “he who came before”. Thank you for all your advice. When I came to Full Sail, I decided you were the man I wanted to be.I definitely didn’t live up to that.
Scott Kindig, you hired a high school graduate that was hopelessly torn between two seemingly opposed world. You taught me that God’s view of ministry isn’t our view, and that it was ok to follow my passions.
Sean Chapman & Mr. H, I still can’t believe that you made the Dream Team. What an insane idea, but you taught me there is a place in this world for out of the box thinking and creativity. And without you challenging us to make the Carter Martin Video, I don’t know if I would have ever thought of film school to begin with.
Brian Condello, you approach a little nerdy middle schooler and changed his life. You challenged me to live deeply and ask myself tough questions. I felt blessed then and I feel blessed now. Thank you. Not only do I owe this part of my life to you, but I owe almost all of it. Thank you.

PARENTS
Mom and Dad, you always say I pick good friends. And I credit every one of my friend’s amazing character to their parents; yet, of all the parents I know, none have invested in their child the way you have invested in me. I can’t even think of all the gifts you have given me. You keep giving and giving and giving. You have supported me in every whimsical pursuit, and every passion I have had—even when you didn’t fully understand what I was doing. I am who I am, and I have done what I have done, because of who you are and who you raised me to be.

Part IV of the Around the World Series

It was at this point in the trip that I noticed a trend, the more relaxed I got, the fewer pictures I took. That made Phi Phi Island come in dead last on the picture count. Coming in first however, is the wonderful land known as India. In the land flowing of stares and glances, I had little else to do but take pictures.

However, while it may not be on the top ten list of best vacation spots, it is certainly one of the most historic and rich lands. More than any destination, this place was the most culturally rich. They have, whether by the people’s choice or not, avoided adopting western influences. What is taboo here, is normal there and vise versa.

The challenge of photographing India is in the choice of what not to photograph. Everywhere you turn there is something even more strange. But in order to capture anything good, you have to stop and focus in one story at a time.

Previous stop: Phi Phi Island, Thailand
Next stop: Venice, Italy

I’ve been working on some content for the Move Conference. The program directors wanted to open the conference with a sleek video with an organic feel. Nothing seemed to fit better than some anamorphic lens (actually, I’d probably say that about any project). So I slapped one of my Iscoramas on the end of my 5D and here are just a few stills from the edit.

I will say that getting the flares is not as easy as it may seem. Sure, pump a lot of light in to the lens, but keeping that light from hitting the scene can get dicy.

Part III of the Around the World Series

We arrived in paradise. Phi Phi Island is the most beautiful remote place I have ever been to. To get to this place, you would have to take (at a minimum) two planes, a taxi, a ferry, and a longtail boat. There are no roads on Phi Phi island, only beaches, bungalows, and boats.

We roughed it at the Holiday Inn Resort. I would sit on the beach, snorkel, eat Pad Thai, snorkel some more, and then eat some more Pad Thai. In short: heaven.

Unfortunately, I didn’t make the most of my photographic opportunities—too much Pad Thai. There were many more uncaptured beauties to this little world. You’ll just have to visit it yourself.

Previous stop: Phuket, Thailand
Next stop: India