"The Chase" wins a Promax Gold Award!

I am proud to announce that "The Chase," a promo for PIX 11 that I served as cinematographer, has earned the Promax Gold award! The spot is directed by the talented Jeff Pinilla. Here is some info on Promax:

The 2012 PromaxBDA North America Promotion & Marketing honor outstanding promotion, marketing and design content in the entertainment industry throughout North America during the eligibility period of January, 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011.

I would like to congratulate Jeff, PIX 11, the cast and visual fx crew that brought this spot together. I'm proud of how it turned out.

The spot can be seen on the Promos page of the site.

"You can't polish poop"

I had the privilege of attending a rough cut screening for Spike Lee's documentary on the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's "Bad" album. I bumped into an NYU classmate, the talented Kiel Adrian Scott, and we were discussing current projects that we were working on. I am generally leery of this type of conversation because at times it feels like people are trying to out-do one another. Luckily, that is never the case with Kiel so it was more of a catching up thing than anything else. I mentioned I was working on "The Gunnery" (my feature script for those that are unaware, but will be in the future) and how I am taking a deliberate approach to the screenplay. When I heard those words coming out of my mouth I questioned myself for a minute. Did it make sense to take my time with the script? Should I be trying to hop on the wave inspired by Cary Fukunaga, Dee Rees, Rashaad Ernesto Green and some of my other NYU classmates right this very second? Should I fly through this draft so I can yell to the world I have a semblance of a script in my hand? I walked into the screening doubting a strategy that up until that moment was working well for me. So the screening starts and I find the answer to those questions. The legendary Quincy Jones, when discussing the demos for all of MJ's solo albums, had a saying that goes: "you can't polish poop." I realized the reason I'm being slow in this process is so I don't produce some "poop" that no one wants to waste their time on. Despite the prevailing notion that you should fly through a draft or just get something on to paper, it is important that you have a strong starting point. It only maximizes the potential of the idea. It made me feel much better about how I was approaching a project that I care DEEPLY about. I'm entering that no-poop zone and feeling good about it.

Luke Matheny's Directorial Debut "Lovesick"

My NYU classmate, Luke Matheny, won the oscar for his live action short film "God of Love" last year and now he will be making his feature directorial debut with "Lovesick." The film stars Matt LeBlanc of "Friends" and "Episodes" fame. Bobby Webster, another NYU classmate of mine, will be the director of photography. I am excited and proud of these two guys and I wish them success with the project. You can check out the Variety article here. 

Docket 32357 is an official selection of The San Francisco Black Film Festival!

I am pleased to announce that Docket 32357 is an official selection of the San Francisco Black Film Festival! The festival runs from June 15-17. I would like to thank and congratulate the cast and crew of the film for all of their hard work and talents. You can get more info about the festival here. I will post more details about the festival screening as it comes in.

That One Thing...

I came across a blog post this morning and I've been thinking about it's message ever since. It asks all of us what is the one thing that makes you stand out. The one thing that allows you to connect with a large contingent of people. The blog uses Kevin Clash, the creator of Elmo, as the starting point and works from there. The thing that stands out to me is these qualities or "one things" are simple as hell. For Clash, it was love. Granted love can be complicated and confusing, but at the end of the day we know it when we feel it. If I was honest with myself I think I am still trying to figure out what my one thing is. It has helped a great deal that I know I want to be a filmmaker for the rest of my life but how do I connect with people? How do I build a relationship with my audience so that it is a union of growth and give and take. I'm not just interested in entertaining. I'm interested in becoming a stronger contributor to the global community.  That blog post has made me realize that the process is both complex and simple at the same time. Check out the link when you get a chance. What is your one thing? Source: Twisted Image

Docket 32357 Accepted in the Martha's Vineyard African American Festival!

I'm very excited to announce that my new short film Docket 32357, written by Eljon Wardally and produced by Jessica K. Brown, has been accepted into the 2012 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival! The festival takes place August 7th-11th on Martha's Vineyard (obviously). I was a part of the festival a couple of year's back with Osvaldo's. I'm excited to bring the new film to the island. I would like to thank the hard working cast and crew who helped make the film a reality. They were awesome. Please come back to the site for more information as it comes in. Here is the teaser for Docket 32357.

Osvaldo's Screens at the Legendary Nuyorican Cafe!

Osvaldo's will be a part of the NY Short Buzz Screening Series Thursday, May 3 at 7pm in the Legendary Nuyorican Poet's Cafe! The address is 236 East 3rd Street. There will be seven films screening and there is a $10 cover charge with the proceeds going to the Orphaned Starfish Foundation. You can find out more information about the charity at http://www.orphanedstarfish.org/. Please come out and enjoy the films!

Homage to Bela, A Prelude

I have been debating whether or not to post this over the internet for quite some time now. I had this big filmmaker plan and strategy for it. But then I realized that I made this film to bring awareness to the issue of gun violence amongst young people of color and how this affects the community at large. So I will be offering Homage to Bela, A Prelude to all of you through the weekend. If you like it please send out the link to this post to as many people as you can via email, facebook, twitter, etc. If you know of any anti-gun violence or community organizations that you think would like this please contact me here on the comments or at randy@pamsson.com. This project means a great deal to me. I am very proud of it and all the work that was put into it. I would like to thank Jessica K. Brown, Christina Voros, Jonathan Altman, Joey Salim, Billy Green, Shane Duckworth, Karen Song, The Parchment Family, Peter Svarzbein and all the brave souls who stood out in the cold to make this happen. I am in debt to you all. You can also view the film at http://www.vimeo.com/27197895 Without further ado, I present Homage to Bela, A Prelude...

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/27197895 w=600&h=338]

THIS...

is the goal... [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7cL1kOuGSw&w=600&h=338]

Video courtesy of www.stonesthrow.com

Homage to Bela Casting Call...

UPDATE: THE SHOOT WILL BE FEBRUARY 20th not the 13th. Part of the great thing, I think, about this short film I'm gonna shoot is that it features every day people. In fact, the presence of every day people is critical to making the film an impactful one. And even better than that, nobody has to be an actor to be a part of it. I'm looking for 100 extras to be a part of the project. We are shooting SUNDAY FEBRUARY 13TH IN WILLIAMSBURG BROOKLYN. I am looking for ALL SHAPES, SIZES, RACES, GENDER, AGE AND LOOKS. The diversity of new york city should be on full display here. The shoot will take place outside (yes in the cold) and will only be for the day. And I promise that all of you will be seen in the film. There will be no edits in this piece so no one will be taken out. So if you would like to spend the day watching and participating in a film please come on down. If you're interested please email homagetobela@gmail.com. We would love to have you.

"Can't Wait!!!"

So at some point I'm gonna merge my two biggest passions, sports and film, together on a couple of blog posts. In honor of starting that trend I present you with the early favorite for sports interview of the year. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6028527 This took place immediately after the Jets "shocking" (I picked them to win) victory over the patriots yesterday in the NFL division playoffs. His name is Bart Scott and he is one of the many vocal members of the New York Jets. Outside of the obvious comedy of the moment, I love this interview and respect this team because of the confidence and bravado. The belief that they can accomplish things while others doubt. I also admire the focus, concentration to detail and commitment to accomplish the stated goal which is to win. These are qualities that I try to incorporate in my own journey in becoming a successful filmmaker. Now success is obviously relative but I am basing this off of my own personal definition and expectation. I have an athletic background so I'm drawn to these examples to serve me in my endeavor. Its refreshing to see such unabashed and raw confidence on display . It reminds me that its ok to be the same way as long as its respectful. You have to believe and not be afraid to believe. Bart Scott and the Jets were unafraid and now they're one step closer to achieving their ultimate goal. I plan to follow in their footsteps and be one step closer to obtaining my ultimate goal.

Homage to Bela...The Visuals

Lately, I have been going through some visual references to help me construct the look for Homage to Bela. In some ways I want to be respectful of the visual integrity of Bela's film but I clearly have to make it my own. I've been wrestling with the idea of merging strong contrast of black and white with a vibrant color that makes it pop. I've actually been drawn to the H&M ads that I've seen throughout New York City over the last couple months (here's a word of advice: if you want to look for strong visuals both in classic and non classic ways, take a look at fashion ads and magazines. They're great). I wanted to post two examples of what I am going for here on the blog. Both photos are by the insanely talented LYANI POWERS and you can visit her at http://www.lyanipowers.biz/ She is very dope.

I love this picture. This was taken down in Haiti after the earthquake while Lyani was on location for a UNICEF PSA. I could go on and on about it, but for the purpose of this I want to focus on the color. The blue and red stand out really well against the kid's skin. It adds visual depth while also portraying the theme of life and hope given the context of the situation. It is a simple device (I use that term in a positive way), but very effective. I want to incorporate something like this into the film.

This picture captures the foundation of Homage to Bela. Strong black and white contrast that highlights the details of the subject's face. The weariness on his face is heightened by this visual approach. As I stated in an earlier post,  the piece is highlighting a pretty serious topic. The primary aesthetic needs to communicate the complexity of the subject in a subtle and effective manner. This picture captures that thought well.

I hope this gives everyone a pretty good glimpse into what I'm thinking. I'm doing this so people who are not in film understand the process in creating one and also for those in film maybe I'm passing along a nugget that they didn't think about.

Homage to Bela (A Prelude...)

So I'm in the process of shooting another short film but this is going to be a little different from what I have done in the past. While I've been writing the feature for Osvaldo's, I have been itching to shoot something. You can't go too long without directing something if you want to improve on your craft; especially when it comes to directing. You have to keep your eye sharp, your ability to communicate through the camera must be refined and you have to remind yourself how to deal with people and various situations under pressure. The short I'm shooting is entitled "Homage to Bela...A Prelude." I'll break down the title for you. I saw a film by the great European director Bela Tarr and was inspired to do my own version of it. I thought his film captured a very specific reality of his country but in such a simple and powerful way. I was looking to do the same thing in terms of simple direction and camera work but containing an observation that is very specific to the issue of New York City. Bela's film is a great blueprint for me to accomplish that.

Gun violence amongst young men of color by men of color is very disturbing to me. What I find equally disturbing is the casual manner in which these incidents are received, processed and portrayed by everyday people and the media. People are desensitized to it. It is an accepted practice in our society now and that troubles me. This brings me to the second part of the title. Once Osvaldo's is done I am going to focus on my next project. I won't talk much about it now but it will be my take on gun violence in urban areas. It won't be some stereotypical bang bang hood classic thing, but rather an examination and indictment of all people involved: criminals, victims, community members, etc. I really want to put a mirror up to our collective faces regarding this topic. This short film is a prelude to the larger film. A trailer of sorts if you will. I'm really excited to get this film done.

Did I mention that it is a one shot, steadicam, 4-5 minute piece with a hundred (I hope) extras?! I'm always looking for ways to challenge myself and this is a new way to do that. It's gonna be fresh. I need extras. So hit me up if you wanna be a part of it. Did I mention that I was excited to do this?

Questions

When you go to a movie what are your expectations? What do you want out of the movie? Do you want to see people who look, talk and act like you on the big screen? Do you want to be taken to a far away world? Do you want to see political issues played out in front of you? Do you want to fall in love? Do you want to be a hero? Do you want to laugh? Cry? I'm curious as to the kinds of stories you all are interested in seeing. What draws you to see a movie? Why do you spend your precious free time to watch a particular flick? I want to know what makes you tick and if I'm telling the stories worth your time. Not that I would change everything that I do but its more a question of if we are a match or not. I'm looking to keep people more informed about my work and where I'm heading and don't want to pester people if they're not interested. It is a research thing for me right now. I would love to hear back from some of you. Thanks.

Embracing the Process

I have been focusing on the feature version of Osvaldo's off and on for almost a year now. This is my first major undertaking of a feature script and I feel a little weird because I am not carrying the whole "tormented artist" weight on my back. I have definitely had moments where frustration has popped up, but that is more a by-product of my general tendency to frustrate myself for no reason. I think it's a curse of being such a critical thinker. Some times those thoughts spiral wildly out of control. But anyway, I'm not sure because I have a short film to reference or because the story is a simple and organic one, but this has pretty much been a satisfying eye-opening experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering new things about the Vazquez family as well as new things about myself as an "artist" (I put that in quotes because I still can't come to grips with the idea that I'm artistic. It's funny to me). I mention all of this because you normally read or hear people speak about the creative process like it's some near death experience. I have yet to have a seminal moment where I could relate to that sentiment. I love the process and the discovery of it all. I'm insanely curious about how one grows from one project to the next. Sometimes I'm more interested in that than the end product. Maybe I've put up a roadblock or I'm tricking myself but I love it. I should probably be writing more consistently, but I could be doing a whole lot of things more consistently. This just further solidifies my feeling that I made the right choice in pursuing film. It is a very tricky thing to be a part of, but the fundamental joy that it provides at its high moments make it well worth it. Ok, back to writing.

Harlem's Blues

So I read somewhere that many directors fail to understand that every opportunity that a new project provides him or her is a chance to screen some of their older work. I think that's true. We are so focused on moving forward that we tend to neglect the pieces that helped us get to that point. In an earlier post, I offered every one "The Anniversary." As I wrote in that post, "The Anniversary" was a very personal film because of my relationship with Tim Ruiz, who is a posthumous character. I felt like I needed to put up some of my other work for everyone's enjoyment, but also to showcase my improvement as an artist. So I present to you "Harlem's Blues." This was my second year film at NYU and I'm quite proud of it. There was a lot that I didn't know about directing coming into this film, but I think there are some great moments in the flick. It stars Samuel Ray Gates, Erin Cherry and Lemon Andersen. I have noticed that pretty much all of my films deal with family relationships and more specifically the complex dynamics of siblings. Blues is no different. I also think this film has the best shot that I have ever done in my life so far. I get all excited every time I see it. I won't tell you which one I'm talking about, but it will be pretty easy to figure out. If I can post a higher quality version of the film later I will. Also, check out my one and only SPEC commercial that I've done. We had a lot of fun doing it and it's not bad for a first time. Please let me know what you think. [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/19157903 w=600&h=400]

Harlem's Blues from Randy Wilkins on Vimeo.

Strong Arm Steady

I have been looking at a couple of music videos lately for  a potential gig. I've struggled with this medium for a while now; not as a filmmaker, but as a viewer. I found a lot of them to either be lazy artistically, not well done or very typical in the sense that you throw some money in the camera, rent some cars, hire some strippers and you find yourself with a video. I always thought that videos and commercials were a great outlet for directors to take some liberties with visuals. Of course some songs require narratives but the beauty in a video, at least in my eyes, is that a strong song provides all the narrative that you need and the visual aesthetic can be just an accompaniment rather than the driving force. I also love when something is simple in idea but contains layers in the look. It just makes it a more enjoyable experience for me as a viewer. One example of that is this Strong Arm Steady "Chittlins & Pepsi" video directed by Henry Demaio. The idea is basic: dude with a bad chick cooking and eating some healthy food. What I like about it is the transparency of the images, the colors, the aged texture and the framing of the shots. In many ways its reflective of the song in emotional context and intimacy. It's definitely not what I would have thought of when I first heard the song and after watching the video I think its pretty on point. What do you think? [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3_6vfQHTeo&w=600&h=338]

A Jazz Thing

So for those of you that don't know me that well I have a very broad range of music that I like to listen to. I used to be a big time hip hop head. You would always see me with a big ass pair of headphones attached to my ears, a fitted pulled low, baggy clothes flopping all over the place and a very distinct NEW YORK bop to my walk. I dj'd too and loved the music that basically defined my teenage years. But as we all know hip hop was flushed down the toilet save for a few great artists that have managed to keep it moving as an innovative musical genre. The one personal benefit of hip hop becoming bastardized is the new forms of music I have been following. Whether it be brazilian, world, afro beat, garage, electronic I have truly been inspired by the various voices and interpretations of such fantastic artists. But the two things that I still find myself being drawn back to is good hip hop and jazz. There is one person who has mastered the marriage between the two. His name is Madlib. I know I'm borderline obsessed with dude's work but its well-earned. His catalogue is crazy. For all of 2010, Madlib has put out an album every month. His latest two albums are amazing, but this is a biased comment because they are his two jazz installments. I'm not sure there is a more beautiful thing than a strong jazz record. I rely on jazz heavily in my work as a filmmaker both as a writing inspiration and a reliable tool in the film itself. It captures the primal and complex emotions of man in such a specific and honest way that I can't help but to draw something from it. I was a drummer in a jazz band in high school and never understood how lucky I was to be a miniscule part of such a beautiful thing. Now that I'm a little older, I understand its importance to me as a person and as a filmmaker. In any case here is a snippet of Madlib's Medicine Show #8: Advanced Jazz. Peep the album cover and notice how much visuals influence the music as well. It is such a dope marriage. I hope you enjoy the clip and you can cop the album at www.stonesthrow.com (I'm giving out free plugs that's how much I love it). Have a great day.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR_oPvuI7jo&w=600&h=338]

God was Willing and Da Creek Didn't Rise

For those of you that don't know I was recently an assistant editor on Spike Lee's latest film, "If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise" that aired on HBO last week. Its amazing the gamut of emotions you go through when you're in post for a film. The initial reaction is excitement. Excitement that you have a job. Excitement that you're about to embark on communicating an important story to the world. Excitement that you are going to grow as a filmmaker and hopefully as a person. The trepidation is going through the process of that growth. When I worked on "When the Levees Broke" I was completely overwhelmed. I had just learned the avid editing software maybe six months prior, I had never been an assistant editor before and I was working on Spike's passion project. All of these elements were essentially working against me at the beginning. I had to learn on the job and I had to perform. I was green behind the ears and had to grow up quickly. It was a grueling learning process as a FILMMAKER that I underwent, but I made out well in the end.

For If God is Willing, the growth was more of a PERSONAL nature than an artistic one. In the time between the two films I camera operated on two features, I was an assistant editor on a few more projects and more importantly, for me, I was enjoying the success of my own work with Osvaldo's. My improvement as a filmmaker was increasing by leaps and bounds and my confidence joined for the ride. So when IGIW came around I knew that artistically I was up for the challenge. What I didn't expect was the increasing sentiment within myself that I'm ready to put my name out there in the world. It's great to work for one of the greatest to ever do it, but I want to be a part of that conversation. I'm looking forward to building my own community and collaborating to tell stories that impact people and have the streets buzzing. I'm not in this for self-indulgence but to give a voice to all kinds of everyday folk. I was reminded of this while working on IGIW. It was a tough road during the making of this film to reach this understanding, but I'm appreciative of it. I'm ready.