FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Combination Film + Photo Portfolio for TIM NGUYEN
Fall 2024 MFA Documentary Media MFA Submission
SUBMISSION SUMMARY
FILM: 4 minutes, complete dance film
PHOTO: 13 images in 2 parts
ADDITIONAL FILM (Shortlist consideration): 5 minute clip
FILM SUBMISSION
RESONANT SOUL: BREATH ( 2021 ) [ 4 minute dance film ]
Written and Directed by Deanna Whitwer, Choreographed by Beth Durnie, Performed by Reese Wilson & Taylor McLeod, Musical Score by Steven Dierkens
Roles: Cinematography, Camera Operation & Film Editing by Tim Nguyen
Project: Breath is the second film in the Resonant Soul series, a ten-part series of meditative dance films commissioned by Corps Bara Dance Theatre intended for their wellness streaming platform. Themes of breath, self-grace, vulnerability and community are present throughout the films that were created to offer a “journey of re-orientation” in the late pandemic. Screened at the Wild Dogs International Screendance Festival. Made possible by Calgary Arts Development, The City of Calgary and The Rozsa Foundation.
Approach: Both first time filmmakers, Whitwer and I chose to approach the shot list for these films chronologically. This allowed longer takes for the dancers (most of whom were only with on-stage work) enabling them to perform at a higher intensity for longer periods. I took a documentarian approach to capturing the b-roll, spending several hours at each location in a state of exploration and curiosity, utilizing timelapse captures and macro focus, deepening my own sense of connection to world of the film, elevating the quality of footage captured.
Embedded Youtube video:
Youtube Text Link: https://youtu.be/7mU-vfEn_d4 (unlisted)
Vimeo Text Link: https://vimeo.com/901714890 (private, PASSWORD: TMU2024)
PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMISSION (13 images TOTAL)
Stage Documentation (10 images)
The images below represent a cross section of my professional arts documentation work captured on Calgary stages during the 2022 and 2023 performance seasons.
All images were captured on-the-fly during dress rehearsals without any staging for camera.
interview informed Portraiture
The Artists That Move Me Vol. 1 (2016-2020)
Project Description: A natural extension of the relationships formed working in the theatre industry, TATMM began as a social invite to artists who’s work resonated with me, to sit and chat and be photographed in an intimate studio setting. It was during this process that I discovered how deeply invested I had become in celebrating the hearts and minds of fellow artists, and utilizing my craft to amplify their stories.
The below images are excerpts from The Artists That Move Me Vol. 1, accompanied by the original written reflections on the experiences shared during the photo shoots.
11. SHONNY (2018)
I asked Shonny what dance meant to her. After a quiet moment of reflection, her answer was this photo and a series of pained wincing faces. She described the influence of Dance on her lived experience and how her community may have saved her life more than once. I fully felt that. I still feel that moment.
Lighting decisions made on the fly, no predetermined conversation topics, and no idea where the hours would lead - I wanted to use this project to re-connect with people. I thought I was building a series that asked poignant questions to elicit reactions akin to moody “real” celebrity portraiture.
When I stepped back to look at the types of people I was reaching out to, the answer was already apparent: These are the people with whom I resonate the most, the artists that move me.
12. LIZZ (2019)
This conversation with Lizz would have set the creative tone for my whole summer had we not all been ordered to stay home instead… I was familiar with Lizz’s witchy nature and scholarly take on demonology, which I absorbed intently. We discussed the value of making anti-establishment ‘shock art’ and whether it holds any lasting social impact.
She suggested that I view counter-cultural art-making as the beginning of a conversation, rather than an opportunity to flip everyone off. Sage advice, to say the least.
I specifically chose a ‘hero shot’ look for Lizz’s main portrait because I wanted to represent the way I feel her deep critical thinking resonated throughout the room that day. And then at the very end, she turned her eyelids inside out and made some brilliant weirdo faces.
13. BRIAN (2016)
Brian was my acting professor at UCalgary, and one of the most influential people of my artistic journey.
He was the first person to get me to understand that failing at art making was not only perfectly acceptable, but an expected part of the process. I sat in his office one day and confessed that I felt acting was no longer my art form - that I was scared because my path was leading somewhere unknown. Seeing my distress, in his ever-calm demeanour, he assured me that so long as I continued to look inward and be true to what I found, that the path would eventually become clear. And he was right.
Brian ushered me through one of the most harrowing moments of my early career, one where I can clearly see my path forever having changed course.
Thank you adjudicators, for your time and consideration.