Reel and Artist Statement

Director/Cinematographer Reel Fall 2014 from Kristina Cruz on Vimeo.

Artist Statement

            As a filmmaker, I aim to create unique images that further enhance the story. Rather than simply depicting a visual to accompany the storyline or message, I craft visualizations to reflect the emotions of the subjects. The frame becomes a window into the lives or sentiment projected upon these people and objects.

            Through my role as a director, every detail helps to comprise the larger meaning of a shot. A shot not only communicates the action or dialogue, but also builds the message of a film. Each one possesses some sort of meaning. I choose to tell stories through visualizations or lack thereof. I believe dialogue should possess just as much meaning to the story as the lighting or frame; excessive amounts of these filming elements results in what I like to call “mush” onscreen.

            Mush relates to the overabundance of a particular filming element without any sort of motive or incentive. I feel that excessive amounts of dialogue lose their meaning and just become noise in the background. Excessive amounts of characters make it difficult to form a connection or bond between the audience and the universe envisioned onscreen. Though there may be a time and place for each, I attempt to focus as much of my frame on the key elements as I can. In order to do so, my position as a cinematographer takes control.

            Cinematography allows me to paint portraits of people, places, and objects, but above all emotion. Emotion is something cannot be seen yet we all know exists. The images I create allow emotion to take a visual form through my framing and lighting. Frames allow characters to relish in their freedom through wide shots or reveal their most intimate moments through close-ups. Shadows are equally as important to a shot as the lighting is. Lights are able to reveal while the shadows allow me to obscure. I enjoy painting sets with color to emphasize the mood of a scene. Most of my sets contain at least one or two gels just to give my shots a splash of fantasy or delusion. This technique helps to draw in my audience’s attention just enough for them to focus on the story.