Matthew B
- Research Program Mentor
Industry expert at University of Southern California (USC)
Expertise
Film Production and Cinematography
Bio
I'm a working cinematographer with 6 years of industry experience. I've been on set since I graduated USC with a BFA in Film & TV production and have worked on 3 feature films, commercials for Panda Express and Instagram, videos for the Youtube channels Jubilee and Lily Singh, and many, many music videos. I got my start in filmmaking when I was in high school, teaching myself After Effects so I could make videos for my school's weekly broadcast, and I hope I can nurture the same love of filmmaking in you! I am particularly interested in genre movies: westerns, action, horror, sci-fi, even romcoms. I think there is something so valuable in dissecting the tropes of a particular genre and using them to either cement or subvert a viewer's expectations. My favorite movies vary widely, from the black and white French film La Haine that addresses police brutality, to the light and cheery Christmas classic Love Actually. In my free time, I like to rock climb, garden, and work on my amateur woodworking.Project ideas
Let's make a genre film!
Many movies use specific patterns to give their viewers clues to the movie they are about to see: the "meet cute" in a romcom, the "dark and stormy night" in a film noir, the fast cuts of an action film. These tropes can be used to make your audience feel comfortable, but they can also be used to subvert your audience's expectations. Using your favorite movie as a backbone, we can explore the patterns of any genre you like and use them to make your own short film. Along the way, we can discuss the history of your particular genre, the ways in which genre popularity fluctuates in relation to world events, and how you can use the disarming nature of genre movies to talk about real world problems.
Poetic Cinema: the art of the moving image
Some people say the best films can be watched on mute and the plot will still be clear. The moving image is a powerful storytelling tool that has capacities beyond other mediums because it affords the artist 24 frames every second to catch a viewer's attention. In this project, you will make a short film with no dialogue and no music. How can you use just images to convey a feeling, a story, or a moment? Along the way, we will discuss cinematic storytelling's tools and tricks, as well as the pioneers throughout history that have made modern moviemaking so clear.