WILL DARBYSHIRE & PLACES
Will is someone I’ve followed on Youtube for a while now and someone whose filmmaking style I really enjoy. I think his videos have a very nostalgic feel to them and are great at capturing the exact mood and atmosphere of the places he was in. Whilst watching his latest video, I remembered how much I liked the way he shot the world around him and thought it would be good inspiration for my Film 3 project. Below, I’ve picked out some of Will’s videos that I enjoy the most/think relate to my investigation of places.
1. Snapshots Series (LA/New York/Paris)
Snapshots is a series Will does for his travels, a compilation of photos created in the style of film strips in little moving moments. The one I’ve linked above, which is my favorite out of the series, is about New York. Whilst the others all capture the beauty of each respective city, this one particularly does an amazing job of giving the audience a real feel of the life and people in the city, as well as all the things that make it iconic and unique. It’s only 2 minutes and definitely worth a watch.
2. London at night
This video was really good inspiration for shooting at night – exactly the type of vibe I hope to capture in my own videos for Film 3. I also really like the soft filter colour grading and bokeh effects he uses, something I’ll try to replicate as well. Cinematography wise, I liked some of the obscure angles used and the handheld effect of some of the clips, creating a more intimate feel. I also enjoyed Will’s voice over describing his personal connection with the city, having grown up and lived in London all his life. I think this could also be something I experiment with, as suggested by Paul.
3. California
Granted, I think this video is as much about the experience of being in love as about the place of California, but I liked how with this Will was able to connect an experience, a moment in time and a feeling and associate that with the places he was in. Music in this clip was also integral to add to the atmosphere of the visual, as it is in many of Will’s short films. I particularly liked the transition around 1:36. The change in pace to a crescendo of the music, paired along with the switch from slow to more frantic paced clips of movement was really effective. Also, again, this video has a very nostalgic, soft, romanticized feel which I like about Will’s style of filmmaking.
