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.