Visual Intonation

In this episode, we discuss the lack of diversity in advertising and media, with a focus on the Super Bowl. The NFL's "We See You" advertisement during the Super Bowl drew criticism due to the advertising industry's lack of diversity. Rodney Lucas, a black director, directed the advertisement, which was the only Super Bowl commercial with a black director in 2023. The lack of d...

"My films are collective works in which everyone takes an active part." - Safi Faye  Born in Dakar, Senegal in 1943, Safi Faye went on to become one of the most prominent African female filmmakers of her time. She is widely recognized as the first Sub-Saharan African woman to make a feature-length film and has been an inspiration for generations of African filmmakers. In this podcast, we...

Today we'll be speaking on the life and death of the great director Oscar Micheaux. Born in 1884 in Metropolis, Illinois, Oscar Micheaux went on to become one of the most important figures in early African American cinema. He directed over 40 films throughout his career, many of which were groundbreaking in their portrayal of African American life and culture. Despite facing racism and discri...

In this podcast episode , we had the pleasure of speaking with acclaimed director Sheldon Candis, known for his work on feature films such as "LUV" and "Baltimore Boys." We dug deep into Sheldon's creative process and talked about his influences for his work. We discussed how he got his start in the film industry, working with prominent actors and producers, and the hurdle...

Hito Steyerl's Defense of the Poor Image Hito Steyerl was born in 1966 and quickly became prominent in Germany's filmmaking circles. She's interested in how images and motifs are spread worldwide due to globalization, militarization, and surveillance migration. Steyerl's work defies convention by layering metaphors on top of metaphors and painting satire over serious subjects....

  Films and Cinematography Review for 2022   What was your favorite film for 2022?   Do you think black films did better in 2022?  For sure, last year, the film industry performed exceptionally well. We saw many notable black films, whose diversity is something we can’t afford to overlook.  In this episode, Mike Augustine joins me on the show for a review of the 2022’s films. We will share what st...

Meet Joel Adrian Harris , a talented and experienced Atlanta-based director of photography. He's had an incredible year of filmmaking, working on a variety of projects and collaborating with some of the industry's most exciting and innovative filmmakers and companies.  Joel brings a unique and artistic vision to every project, whether he is shooting documentary work or commercial spots....

By far, the most significant impact of capitalism on the filmmaking industry is the presence of studio systems. A film studio system is a business model in which a film studio produces and distributes films, often through subsidiaries. This system has its roots in the early days of Hollywood, when film studios dominated the industry and controlled all aspects of film production, distribution, and...

A.I. can be a scary term. In the film industry, artificial intelligence (AI) has been used for a variety of purposes, including content creation, special effects, and audience analysis. AI algorithms, for example, can be trained to create new video content, such as original film scenes or dialogue. In terms of special effects, AI can be used to improve or automate the creation of visual effects, m...

Piracy is one of the most significant challenges in the film industry. Almost a quarter of all internet bandwidth is devoted just to online piracy. People visited piracy websites around 130 billion times in 2020. There isn’t any format that has avoided piracy grasp. People can pirate anything digital, whether a book, a film, a television show, or cutting-edge computer software.  One of the most si...

Slow cinema aesthetics are becoming more popular in mainstream cinema, not only the art house or festival circuit. People are looking for ways to get away from the quick pace of modern life and our continual connectivity. Why not look for it in the stillness, in the static images of landscapes, in the experience of ordinary people living ordinary lives?  Slow Cinema is a formal trend that has grad...

What's the most important thing you can do consistently? What's the foundation of all your work?   Being a black filmmaker can come off as being an unrewarding venture if you don't tick some boxes and ask yourself specific questions.  Black filmmakers are marginalized in the film industry, and black film projects are not given the attention they deserve. Black directors are not left...

Who are you? How does your identity influence who you are and what you do?   Have you heard of dana washington-queen (they/them)? They are a queer, research-driven writer, lens-based artist, director, poet, photographer, editor, and screenwriter who examines power, memory, and spirituality in place through narrative, blackness, and visual culture. dana explores blackness, cultural/knowledge produc...

Sean Woods is a filmmaker, photographer, and teacher. Sean is the person to contact if you need someone to handle your commercials. His love of cinematography drives him to tell your brand/product story perfectly.  Are you about to have a wedding or an event? You need Sean to help you perfectly capture the special moments of your day. Sean has been practicing photography for over seven years. One...

How old were you when you discovered what you wanted to do with your life? I know we have many people who are yet to unearth their passion. Our guest today, Shea Stephens, discovered his passion when he was a kid. He was into films, and he could grasp scripts easily.  Shea's mother didn't think film was a good career path for him at first, but after seeing how confident her son became by...

Meet Dominick Cormier. He is a director, screenwriter, and actor. He was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Dominick’s passion for the film industry is peerless. Today, he will be sharing his journey in the film industry and helping me dig into how to empower locally produced filmmakers.  According to Dominick, he believes Atlanta has many talents but lacks opportunities. For instance, he points...

Welcome to the Visual Intonations podcast's debut episode. This is Vanté Gregory, your host. I am the podcast's host in addition to being a screenwriter and director. The field of film production is very diverse, and there are many opportunities available. For instance, you might choose to pursue post-production, which offers a variety of opportunities.    The highly skilled Brittney Tur...