An unusual video project accompanies this year’s Great Performers photo portfolio. These nine black-and-white films, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (with two by Ami Canaan Mann), let the viewer inhabit a scene opposite some of Hollywood’s greatest actors, all in a series of classic film-noir scenarios. The action takes place in a dimly lit bar — an enveloping, 360-degree set, with all wiring and lights cleverly built into the scene. And in each short drama, the V.R. camera plays the role of a major character: The stars were instructed to play their scenes with the camera, speaking to it, singing to it, walking around it in circles, firing a gun at it.
The result is strange and thrilling, a new sort of moviegoing experience that puts you right inside the frame. This was each actor’s first time performing in V.R., and it took some getting used to. But there was one advantage over traditional filmmaking. Unlike a typical film set, which is full of crew members and equipment and other distractions, the V.R. set, once the scene began, became a closed, immersive fantasy: just a bar, a few actors and the single camera rig standing in for one last character — which is to say, you.
–JAKE SILVERSTEIN
You can watch the video on NY Times.
CREDITS
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY
Gina Prince-Bythewood
“KILLER” AND “BOOKIE” WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY
Ami Canaan Mann
DIRECTOR OF VIRTUAL REALITY
Armando McIntyre-Kirwin
MUSIC BY
Terence Blanchard
PRODUCED BY
The New York Times Magazine and MILK(vr)
PRODUCERS
Kathy Ryan, Christine Walsh, Jenna Pirog, Kaitlyn Fong
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Jake Silverstein, Andy Wright, Tyson Pilcher
EDITOR
Livio Sanchez
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Santiago Gonzalez
VIRTUAL REALITY SOUND DESIGN AND VIRTUAL REALITY MIX
Dražen Bošnjak
STARRING
Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, Krisha Fairchild, Royalty Hightower, Sasha Lane, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman, Kristen Stewart; Appearing together: Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Gail Bichler
ART DIRECTOR
Matt Willey
LETTERING
Luke Lucas
WEB PRODUCTION
Linsey Fields, Matt Ruby, Jeannie Choi, Kyle Ligman
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Bashir Taylor
PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
Nick Batchelder, Rosie Torres, Luis Perozo, Karen Hanley
2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
Gara Clark, Aubrey Lee Glover
GAFFER
Alberto Alonso
KEY GRIP
Derrick Armand
BEST BOY GRIPS
Adam Sheedy, Scott Parent
GRIPS
Jeremy Ochoa, Rick Peebles, Shun Goldin, Ricky Rosales, Mike Carter
BEST BOY ELECTRICS
Kevin Gray, Greg Ledwig
ELECTRICIANS
Justin McMahan, Rob McKay, Brian “Scarlet” Hickman, Mark Durling
LEAD VIRTUAL REALITY CAMERA TECH
Jordan Ritz
VIRTUAL REALITY CAMERA TECH
Nick Vanhecke
VIRTUAL REALITY DIT
Tyler Sturgulewski
SOUND RECORDIST
Fred Helm
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Geoff Flint
SET DECORATOR
Marisa Collins
SET ART DIRECTOR
Drew Wootten
SET DRESSERS
Tyler Stone, Colby Berlin Henkins, Spencer Reynaud, Allen Commish Singh, Todd Super, Jessup Luedke
ART ASSISTANTS
Jake Kingsbury, Ashley Yellin, Garrett Wright, Mike Morin, Ryan Pautsch, Giuseppe Wright, Matthew Leland
POOL TECH
Sal Butera
ARMORER
Clay Van Sickle
CONSTRUCTION COORDINATOR
J.P. Gutierrez
SET CONSTRUCTION
Last Stop Props and Scenic
COSTUME DESIGNER
Callan Stokes
WARDROBE ASSISTANTS
Gabriel Marrazzo, Avalon Petersen
DIRECTOR’S ASSISTANTS
Solange Morales, Larrina Ellison
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Emma Debany, Pete Carlin, Nicole Prokes, Spencer Tortorici, Danielle DeMatteo, Harry Buerkle, Lakisha Hines, Jennifer Mendoza
ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED AND PERFORMED BY
Terence Blanchard
RECORDED AT
Over the Garage Recording Studio – New Orleans, Lousiana
MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Jabari Ali
MUSIC COORDINATOR
Maronda “Lyric” T’Pring
MUSIC CLEARANCE
Deborah Mannis-Gardner/DMG Clearances
MUSIC FEATURED IN “EX-LOVER”
“Fool of Me” performed by Chrissy Depauw, written by Frederick Peno and Me’Shell NdegéOcello, produced by Chris Hanebutt for Musicians Ego. Under special license by Paragon Film Music.
MUSIC FEATURED IN “FIANCÉ”
“Payin’ No Care” performed by Glenn Crytzer & His Syncopators, written by Glenn Crytzer, Glenn Crytzer & His Syncopators appear courtesy of Ledbetter Entertainment. Under license by Ford Music Services.
MUSIC FEATURED IN “GIRLFRIEND”
“Got The Feeling” performed and written by Jack Trombey. Jack Trombey appears courtesy of De Wolfe Music USA. Under license by Ford Music Services.
MUSIC FEATURED IN “BOOKIE”
“Kelli’s Number” performed by U.S. Army Blues. Licensed under a Public Domain Mark 1.0 License.
POSTPRODUCTION EDITORIAL SERVICES
Cause & Affect Media
EXECUTIVE POSTPRODUCERS
Livio Sanchez, Vanessa Roth
POSTPRODUCER
Devorah Palladino
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Tyler Sturgulewski
VIRTUAL REALITY SOUND PRODUCTION
Q Department® in association with Mach1™, Virtual-Reality Mix Powered by Mach1™
Q DEPARTMENT TEAM
Jacqueline Bošnjak, Heather Lee MacFarlane, Dylan Marcus, Alex Mitchell, Zack Rice, Will Rosati, Jean Baptiste Saint-Pol
STEREO VIRTUAL REALITY POSTPRODUCTION
3DPaint/FX
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Thomas Polson
PRODUCER
Shelley Andagan
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Elaine Kelley
LEAD COMPOSITOR
David Miller III
SENIOR COMPOSITOR
Maximilian Funke
COMPOSITORS
Dwight Angelito, Jessica Grimshaw
COLOR BY
Velem
COLORIST
Arianna Shining Star Pane
HAIR
Cheadle: Quan Pierce. Fairchild: Giovanni Giuliano. Lane: Jakob Sherwood. Negga: Vernon Francois. Portman: Adir Abergel. Stewart: Bridget Brager.
MAKEUP
Cheadle: Eric Ferrell. Fairchild: Red Phallon. Lane: Samuel Paul. Negga: Melanie Inglessis. Portman: Jo Baker. Portman (manicurist) Ashlie Johnson. Stewart: Beau Nelson.
GROOMING
Affleck: Barbara Guillaume. Hibbert, Hightower, Sanders: Red Phallon. Rhodes: Aliana Moss.
BACKGROUND HAIR AND MAKEUP
Jackie Gideon
BACKGROUND TALENT
Patricia “DeAnna” Hubbard, Brittani Zonker, Casey Thomas Brown, Anthony Q. Williams, Tyler Sturgulewski, Spencer Tortorici, Sharena Walker, Sean Marlon Newcombe, Sarai Addai, Sam Krumrine, Robert McBride, Pete Carlin, Patrick Caberty, Norma Burgess, Maxi Witrak, Mark Madison, Maire-Rose Pike, Larrina Ellison, Kenneth A. Dickason, Ken W. Murphy, Kelsey Jackson, Keith Weidner, Jonathan Rivas, Johnnie Johnson III, Joel Sutton, Jason Posey, J Ferguson, Gregory Phillips, Frank L. Jones Jr., Ethan Crenshaw, Emma Debany, David Kurtz, Conley Patillo, Clay Rasmussen, Chrissy DePauw, Camren Turner, Cameron Davis, Avalon Petersen, Ashley Locco, Andrea Sixtos, Amy Shu, Alex Jones, Anthony Wemyss
VOICEOVER NARRATION IN “REPORTER”
David Lohrstorfer
SPECIAL THANKS
Varun Shetty, Julia Hamilton Trost, Lian Chang, Jessica Northrop
MINI DOC DIRECTOR / DPS
Alexandre Themistocleous, Daniel Guevara
MINI DOC 1ST ACS
Miguel De Leon, Adam Kryzer
MINI DOC SOUND RECORDISTS
Clay Rasmussen, Victoria Carrillo
MINI DOC EDITOR
EmaLee Arroyo-Mahdavi
BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOGRAPHER
Alexandre Jaras
Source: NY Times