The Turner Brothers, Gabe and Ben, are filmmakers recognized for their distinct and captivating style, exemplified in their documentary “I Am Bolt,” which chronicles the life and career of Olympic sprinting legend Usain Bolt. Their filmmaking approach combines elements of intimate storytelling, dynamic visuals, and a deep understanding of their subject matter.

One notable aspect of the Turner Brothers’ filmmaking style is their ability to capture intimate and candid moments with their subjects. In “I Am Bolt,” they offer viewers unprecedented access to Usain Bolt’s personal life, showcasing not only his achievements on the track but also the challenges, sacrifices, and emotions behind his success. Through a combination of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and vérité scenes, the Turner Brothers create a portrait of Bolt that is both larger-than-life and profoundly human.

Visually, the Turner Brothers employ a dynamic and engaging style that keeps viewers immersed in the story. From high-energy race sequences to quiet moments of reflection, every frame is meticulously composed and visually striking. The use of slow-motion, fast cuts, and vibrant colors adds a sense of excitement and energy to the film, mirroring Bolt’s own electrifying presence on the track.

In addition to their visual flair, the Turner Brothers demonstrate a deep understanding of their subject matter and a willingness to explore complex themes. “I Am Bolt” goes beyond the surface-level portrayal of Bolt as a sporting icon, delving into his upbringing in Jamaica, his relationship with his family and teammates, and the pressures of fame and success. Through interviews with Bolt himself, as well as his friends, family, and coaches, the Turner Brothers offer insights into the psychology of a champion and the inner workings of elite-level athletics.

Another key aspect of the Turner Brothers’ filmmaking style is their use of music to enhance the emotional impact of their films. In “I Am Bolt,” the soundtrack features a mix of pulsating beats, anthemic melodies, and reflective tunes that complement the narrative arc of Bolt’s journey. Whether it’s the exhilarating sound of crowds cheering during a race or the introspective strains of a piano melody during moments of introspection, the music serves to heighten the emotional resonance of the film and draw viewers deeper into Bolt’s world.

Overall, the Turner Brothers’ filmmaking style is characterized by its ability to blend intimate storytelling, dynamic visuals, and emotional depth. In “I Am Bolt,” they offer a multifaceted portrait of Usain Bolt that celebrates his extraordinary achievements while also humanizing him as a person. Through their innovative approach to documentary filmmaking, the Turner Brothers have created a film that resonates with audiences on both an emotional and intellectual level, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll.

Coodie Simmons is a filmmaker known for his distinctive style characterized by a raw and intimate approach to storytelling. With a background in music videos, documentaries, and sports content, Simmons has developed a unique cinematic language that combines elements of vérité filmmaking, stylized visuals, and authentic human emotion.

One hallmark of Simmons’ style is his use of vérité techniques, which prioritize capturing unscripted moments and genuine interactions. This approach imbues his films with a sense of immediacy and realism, allowing viewers to feel like they are experiencing events alongside the subjects. Simmons often employs handheld cameras and natural lighting to further enhance this sense of intimacy, creating a fly-on-the-wall perspective that invites audiences into the world of his subjects.

In addition to vérité techniques, Simmons is known for his innovative visual storytelling. He frequently incorporates stylized cinematography, dynamic editing, and creative use of music to enhance the emotional impact of his films. Whether he is capturing the energy of a live performance or exploring the personal struggles of his subjects, Simmons’ visual style is both immersive and evocative, drawing viewers deeper into the narrative.

Simmons’ background in music videos has also influenced his filmmaking style, particularly in his use of music as a narrative tool. He has a keen ear for selecting tracks that complement the tone and themes of his films, using music to underscore emotional moments, drive the pace of the story, and create a sense of atmosphere. This synergy between image and sound is a defining characteristic of Simmons’ work, elevating his films beyond mere documentary into the realm of cinematic artistry.

One of Simmons’ most notable projects is the documentary film “A Kid From Coney Island,” which chronicles the life and career of former NBA star Stephon Marbury. In this film, Simmons employs his signature vérité style to provide an intimate portrait of Marbury’s journey from humble beginnings to basketball stardom. Through a combination of archival footage, interviews, and vérité scenes, Simmons captures the highs and lows of Marbury’s career with honesty and depth, painting a nuanced portrait of a complex and enigmatic figure.

In addition to his work in documentary filmmaking, Simmons has also directed narrative projects that showcase his versatility as a filmmaker. Whether he is telling real-life stories or crafting fictional narratives, Simmons’ commitment to authenticity and emotional honesty remains constant. His films are imbued with a sense of humanity and empathy, inviting audiences to connect with the characters and themes on a deeply personal level.

Overall, Coodie Simmons’ filmmaking style is characterized by its rawness, intimacy, and emotional resonance. Whether he is capturing the thrill of victory on the basketball court or the quiet moments of introspection behind the scenes, Simmons approaches each project with a commitment to truth and authenticity that shines through in every frame. Through his innovative visual storytelling and keen sense of narrative, Simmons continues to push the boundaries of documentary filmmaking, creating work that is both compelling and unforgettable.

In this screen shot you can see the structure of a section of the film, with the green being the underscore as well as the darker blue being other types of audio, the solid blue blocks are the different videos.

In this screen capture you can see how i have layered the different audios to create an ambient score throughout with Jamies dialogue and different environmental sounds layered on top, the use of the underscore can create a narrative within itself and i wanted to partially explore that using a song that slowly builds up until the end.

And like my case study documentary by Coodie Simmons, i wanted to use editing to portray part of the narrative so that is what i tried in my film.

Femininity Vs Masculinity

For this project I went in with the idea of identity devoid of gender and also beauty standards and the subsequent insecurity that comes with living in a society with such high standards.

I knew from the start that I wanted to mainly photograph my friends who are all more typically feminine and have experienced insecurities of some kind. Along with taking to photos to then be painted over I wanted to take photos that made my friends feel beautiful in the process and how I see them externally outside of their own criticism of themselves.

First Photoshoot

The first Photoshoot was inspired by Sian Davey’s ‘Martha’ work. Davey focuses mainly on her daughter in her life and out with her friends I wanted to do the same when taking pictures on a day out at the beach mainly focusing on my friend Keira.

I think when looking at my images compared to Davey’s work they effectively convey the intimate feel and exploring the personality of my friends, however I do wish I could’ve also taken more images in different situations to further explore my friends interaction with the world.

Second Photoshoot

The second photoshoot was by far my favourite and I think the most effective inspired by Sian Davey’s the garden and Tom Hunters work recreating classic paintings. It was taken in the grass land at Gorey

Photoshoot 1

First photoshoot taken on the west side of the island with the intent of getting pictures of the ocean and grounding a general aesthetic that I like for my images, I wanted to focus on isolating and empty spaces- empty pebble beaches / large stretches of ocean / stranded boats. All to create an alienating atmosphere.

Photoshoot 2

A continuation of the first photoshoot getting pictures of open space + old boats.

Photoshoot 3

Focusing on making images relating to Francesca Woodman. with varying backgrounds.

Photoshoot 4

Images of my face made in studio to be used for photo manipulation.

Editing

When editing I had a particular pastel blue value I wanted to achieve throughout the images – very much inspired by the aesthetic values of Laura Letinski.

For the Francesca woodman inspired Images I switched them all to black and white to better mirror her work, I think it made the blurring from the slow shutter speed more obvious without getting lost in colour.

“I was inventing a language for people to see the everyday things that I also see, and show them something different” Francesca Woodman

process of creating page layout:

Evaluation:

Overall, I believe that this project was successful. I enjoyed the process of staging and taking my photos and have learnt a lot along the way. I have found that I have become even more confident behind the camera and have a greater understanding of the selection process of making a book, and the amount of time it needs to design the layout of each page. One stage I particularly enjoyed was creating a narrative with all of my images and placing them near or next to correlating images which allows them to flow more easily. I think I have stuck to my artist references well and kept within the theme of nostalgia. Nostalgia is a very personal theme which can be interpreted in many different ways in which I decided to focus on femininity and youth culture and it is shown throughout the book.

I did struggle in light room slightly as my images were in folders instead of collections which didn’t allow me to produce my book in light room. However I managed to overcome this issue when designing my book by re-editing a selection of images within collections and moving some folders around.

This is my virtual gallery its displaying my favourite photographs these photo I will be printing out and displaying them I do believe these are my best photographs

evaluation: making these photographs was a creative process in which I explored night and urban photography the later photoshoot that I took I know turned out the best out of all my photos you can see that my early photos are not as good as my later photo these photos in the gallery are only a selection of my photographs.

The photobook overall is set to the small square size (7×7 inches) and has a total of 42 pages, a lot more pages I was expecting. The front cover, I wanted the title to be simplistic and nominal, of course I also chose a text colour to stand out from the dark image. I also put the date of publication on the back. I liked the font because it looks bold and serious, similar to the text you’d see on a sign telling you to stay out.

For the photobook, I wanted to feature mostly square photos placed in the middle of the page. I feel this makes the pages feel more professional and nicer to look at, it also makes the images print out at a higher quality. I selected these two images because they both feature a fence and some form of un-welcomeness, with the signs and the dark doorway.

For this page, I wanted to put the images of the same thing but with different colours, I felt it made sense and made the order of the images tidier. I also did this for the page with the polaroid too.

For these pages, I wanted to mix the layout a bit to cause less repetition. They also matched the same sizes too so It made them fit better together. The image that goes through the gutter makes the photo more interesting to look at while not differentiating too far from the general style of the book.

These pages, because they feature landscape photos, have the photo stretch over the middle too. To emphasise that of the long subject in the photo.