This is where I want to do something really different.
I want to shoot OUR footage with a “locked camera” approach, allowing motion in frame to be the driving force of the story telling in this spot, not the energy of handheld camera movement. I believe the handheld approach to this is not only too obvious, but it’s a distraction and a crutch. Let’s go against the grain on that. Simplicity is what’s key, let’s let our visuals reflect that idea.
This is a direct reference to the “Americana” photographic tradition, where we have seen the world of the American dream, particularly of the trades, explored through Robert Frank, Stephen Shore, Alec Soth and others. We have come accustom to seeing this heartbeat of America through the static image, lets lean on that for our shooting style.
That’s not to say that we can’t have a contrasted aesthetic with more motion— It just won’t be OUR footage. That’s where our UGC comes in. This is where we get a personalized window into the lives of our subjects that provides a different aesthetic in the edit. I know you are already involved in your casting process but that is a great time to get some of this stuff. Invite our dads to show us their house, their kids, their family, or simply what they do in their time off that makes it all worth it.
I have an example for you below. While there isn’t UGC in this snippet, imagine the shots you see that have the quick flashes and frenetic movement as those types of “home video” moments we will get from our subjects. See how elegantly those cut together?