RENAISSANCE DANCE SERIES:
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DREAM TEAM
All pictures on this page but nowhere else on the site are hyperlinks... except this one... the link is right here-
I'm sitting in the Lorenzo lobby when Jaylen comes downstairs to greet me with a ginormous hug. Of course, he's wearing the glittery checkered outfit from the HEATED visual. "Cam and I are matching," he assured me just when I thought I couldn't be more underdressed. I met Jaylen at Club Renaissance back in late September as a friend of a friend (also named Jay), but now a few months later I know him as a friend, artistic colleague, and powerhouse creative. After our interview, I know his creative partner and cinematographer, Cameron Elysia, as the same. When Cam arrives, we find an (almost) empty media room for our conversation. Follow us along here:
But yeah introductions. So, names, majors, careers, career aspirations, the whole nine.
JAYLEN: Hi, my name is Jaylen Brown. My major is commercial dance and I'm a Los Angeles-based creative director, choreographer, and producer. And I like creating dance visuals.
CAMERON: My name is Cameron. I am a photographer and cinematographer. So yeah, kinda based on both coasts right now, but I’m originally from the DMV area. Now I'm trying to come out to LA to build a division and just work collaboratively with more people. I have a background in editorial work portraiture, and now I'm moving that into motion capture.
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How did yall come to meet each other?
J: I came across Cameron's account on Instagram [in August 2021] and I was really amazed by her work right away. I was like “Ugh, the glamour!” I just-- her work gave me a very timeless feel and I was like, “I really want to work with this.” So we ended up doing two concepts.
The first one was honestly like a King Renaissance concept. I had all white on. We had these silver curtains. So I had this regal type feel to it and I had a crown. So that was really nice.
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And then our second concept that we did was a 70s type of feel. I was wearing this green fitted crop top and these patterned pants. And we were in this really, wooden vintage 70s room that really complemented it; there was a disco ball as well. So it's really cool how those two elements kind of are here with the Renaissance and the disco balls and the crowns! So I'm here for it!
C: Yeah, very much set the tone I would say.
Love, love that! Alright, so I'll go ahead and introduce myself and my project. So I go to USC; I'm a cinema and media studies major, but this project is for an African American Dance class that I'm doing. In general, I want to become a researcher and perhaps a college professor in the long run. I still want to be a filmmaker. I want to be able to integrate my research with my films and everything, but I want to do research first cuz I really enjoy writing at the core. I think I am more so a writer and then, you know, like you say too, a storyteller at core. So that's sort of the angle I'm coming at here. I want to be able to tell yall’s story. So it's cool sitting here asking you about the series because I really do-- I love it and enjoy it and I'm looking forward to all the future installments.
[I give an introduction and explanation of the project to them. The same can be found on the ABOUT page]
What were yall’s introductions to house and ballroom culture?
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J: My first introduction to house and club culture was Baltimore Club music actually. I grew up in an area where a lot of that was kinda emphasized. There was a lot of parties. The Graffiti Alley where they freestyle and do that movement was emphasized and I used to watch a lot of videos. So that was my first time. But recently, I would say 2018 when I went to my first Pride in Baltimore, I got to see a whole ‘nother side of that and, you know, that's through the expression of vogue and house and just the appreciation of that.
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C: For me, I would say that RENAISSANCE kinda allowed me to dive into ballroom culture; of course, I had friends in high school who would indulge in drag and things like that, but I was never actually in a place where I was able to be immersed in the culture. So I think for this, it's very much like it's an expression project. So like I, as the cinematographer, am capturing all that and doing more research about the history and just how to appropriately capture things and make it meaningful.
What do you feel like this project is sort of giving back to those communities?
J: A sense of freedom and individuality that I think I haven't been able to express in a very long time. I think this is the first time I'm really emerging myself into my femininity and embracing all of that. The album truly just impacted me in many ways. I think right away I was kind of drawn into this new world and I wanted to kinda live throughout it and showcase it visually, which is why we created this series to inspire viewers to produce their own work of intention and originality.
You were saying how you were introduced to the culture in the Baltimore clubs and that there was this sort of freedom of expression that you didn't see anywhere else. When you decided to recreate that in artistic form, was that because you wanted to express that same freedom in art because you hadn't been able to express it before? Or because you had been able to express it in the clubs and you wanted to share that with other people?
J: Mm-hmm. I think it's a mixture of both. I'd say just because my childhood… it was kind of limited in a sense, unfortunately. But as I’ve gotten older, I was able to view things and see things and also go to a performing arts high school; that kind of really broadened my perspective on just art and everyone in their individuality. But I think also sharing this has really created a safe space for me. And I'm really grateful for it cause I haven't had something like this and I'm glad I've been able to connect with other people doing it as well.
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[What do you feel like this project is sort of giving back to those communities]
C: I would say definitely to allow people to see themselves in the art and to be able to imagine more; whenever I'm doing creative projects I want the viewer to be completely encapsulated by the project. That was our mission and just to really open avenues for people to feel represented, feel like themselves.
I noticed on your Instagram you have a lot of Black clients. Would you say that you were exposed to wanting to explore other cultures before you got into photography, or did engaging in photography with people of other cultures than you- like how you said when you were immersed in ballroom you wanted to be able to accurately capture it- is that what spurred your connection?
C: Yes. I would say yes. I think that a good photographer is someone who can capture every different skin color and every different culture… It's a very personal thing: you have to be able to have a relationship with your client where you're able to catch them in their light in their way, which is different for everyone. So I would say, my family is also multi-cultural; half my family is from the Philippines. Just growing up with that different culture than the other side of the family makes me want to be able to learn more about different people and cultures. I think that I have such a very strong intention on just capturing people for who they are and being authentically them. That’s my number one thing: to always be able to work with my client and see their vision through whatever they have, and to work behind a creative direction of course, but their authentic self is the main goal.
J: Exactly. I love that.
BACKGROUND OF THE SERIES
So what triggered the creation of the project?
[He and Cam buss out laughing]
J: Oh, okay! This is our first time ever talking about it. So basically, I attended a dance convention [on August 6] and, I was performing two numbers and one of them was to MOVE. And at first, I was going to do COZY, but I ended up switching it. Even with the outfit I had-- I had on this white fringe outfit, fringe pants, these fringe-like sleeves, and it was all white. So it really had just this freedom moment. I think MOVE was a great song to kind of embody that. I ended up doing the convention, and I performed them, and it was great. I received great responses from my friends and family, so that was great. And then fast forward, um… we were texting!
C: We were texting. It was like days after…
J: Days, literally days after. I was still in LA and she was like, “Well, let's do something to COZY as well…” And then she was like, “Well I can make gloves for COZY and a hat and you can just incorporate that, and let's film in a church.”
So it was a church.
J & C: It was a church
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C: I would say I definitely wanted to cause I know that he had come up with all this choreography for MOVE, and we really wanted to move towards just putting the work in a format where other people can also consume it; so you have clear memories and things like that. I didn't just want for him to have this moment of expressing [himself] to be limited to a dance competition.
So would you say that your- and that was gonna be one of my questions- would you say that your choice to use the format of a visual anthology of dance videos on YouTube was spurred by wanting to have more freedom of access basically?
C: Mm-hmm.
What are the main influences?
[pensive, brooding silence]
J: I’m gonna sayyy… “Black is King.” That film- just like the cinematography, the creative direction, the outfits, the movement, the transitions into the next songs and things of that sort- broadened my perspective of what can be brought visually to an audience. Like Homecoming and Lemonade, I’ve been just watching her films. If I can take an essence of that in my artistry, then yeah.
C: I would agree. We definitely noticed some visual similarities between MOVE, especially with Black is King, and then I think for HEATED there are some references to The Weeknd and his cinematography as well. And really we're moving and progressing through visuals to create more of an atmosphere, more of a world that you're experiencing that's different per visual. So it's really pulling the viewer in, using different visual techniques and lighting techniques to convey that message. You know, look at different ways of capturing things, look at different building techniques, different editing.
A: I know that’s gonna go crazy for ALIEN SUPERSTAR
[He and Cam buss out laughing again]
A: Favorite songs on the album as in one from both of you?
C: It’s gonna be ALIEN SUPERSTAR for me. When we were reading the track list, we looked at that and we said, “So that's gonna be the one.” Just based on the title we knew it was gonna be something special. It definitely, sonically, is the most interesting to me just because it keeps a steady rhythm throughout the whole thing but it kind of allows for moments of extreeeme glamour. I think that's why I like it the best out of all of them, and it's very empowering too. I know Beyoncé’s visual is gonna be crazy for that… and ours is as well.
J: It really took me a moment, but recently, AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM. I'm gonna give it to AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM. Something about the track gives me this nostalgic feeling, but like also futuristic. Like if you heard it… if this was in 2010, I don't know, I feel like we would still be in it.
A: It's like one of those songs from the eighties that still sounds like it's from the future.
J: Yesss and the rapping, the production itself, the ending, and the transition to PURE/HONEY. I think that's also what gives me! It’s just that! It's literally a slap in the face for me [He aptly provides a demonstration of slapping himself in the face]. But yeah. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM!
MOVE
For each song, the first few questions are gonna be on production and costumes. So the significance of the set for MOVE? And then also I really like the color contrast. So what were the thoughts going into that?
J: Well, we had a teaser for MOVE and we had a boom box: it was me walking past it and starting to use it, and me on a stage with a spotlight that just went off. I think that in itself kind of created this atmosphere of just presence, and just an aura of confidence, especially with the sort of photography that Cameron used in the lens. I have this shining aura.
C: For that specific one, we didn't introduce any other set elements or anything like that… just giving the viewer a chance to really hone in on things like choreography, movement, and expression throughout the whole thing.
That was gonna be my question again about the costume cuz I loved the frills and everything. It sort of gave me… not a direct cultural connection, but it was kind of there between ballroom and cowboy/Black South. If it was a different color- if it was brown or black and I couldn't see the material- I would've thought it was like some sort of cowboy outfit. But I loved the costume so much. So were all of these- what I'm hearing is- all of these like decisions were centered around making sure that we are focusing on the movement specifically for that video.
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J & C: Yes
To me, the song sort of plays on the different definitions of MOVE and the word ‘move’ itself, especially in like a Black sort of way as well. Was that also in consideration when you were coming up with these different choreographic and cinematographic methods?
J: Yes, I would definitely say that. Even in the beginning of the song, “move out the way” is very aggressive and it's very loud; it’s very out there. So I wanted to embody movement that kind of showcases that separation of something being moved out the way. But also when she says, “this is how I move, this is how I live,” you know, “moments like this,” I wanted to express some type of freedom. So there's an aggressive side and a soft side to this track, and even with the movement itself, I wanted to deal with that push and pull.
Were there different cultural, or different types of, movements that were influencing the different sides of the track? It looked like with the more free, more expressive side, it was more like a ballroom-influenced kind of movement, but then with the more aggressive afrobeats side of the track, it was more so like, “Oh,” I couldn't pinpoint it. So I guess my question is what what was the influence there?
J: That transition where she's like, “who's this girl in the back of the room,” I wanted to really embody that ballroom portion, especially with the commentary and the background from Tems. So I really wanted to tap into the groundedness of it all. As far as the opening portion, I did incorporate some African moves as well to reference not only the culture but also just with the outfit itself and how that's what we embody.
COZY
What was the influence on using the TV and then the grainy filter as well? And I guess that's also related to the moon part of the video. Was that sort of a reference to Westerns? What was the influence there?
C: So I would say that concept started from MOVE because in that one we have the boom box, and that's part of the teaser, and on the boom box it actually does have a TV so that’s what we’re using for COZY. We take you from one reality where Jaylen’s there and the boom box is there and you don't tap into what's on the TV in the boom box, but that's the next visual for COZY. So it would transition from being the boom box, and then you would see the TV and snap back to reality. And so we just really wanted to play with, again, distorting the viewers’ perception of reality. And then we did wanna incorporate some Western themes, especially with the transition then you see the spotlight again, and just using that snapping back and forth from inside to outside the TV.
What was the driving force behind having so many Western influences? Jaylen also said that you had recommended the disco cowboy hat. I really love that throughout the video, especially how you whip it like it's hair and everything. I love that. So what was your driving force?
C: I think just listening to the production on the album and thinking about where that stands. I did actually design the gloves and the hat by hand, and we wanted something that not only we would get from thinking about things or envisioning things or listening to the album, but also something that captured movement in a way that was glam but very showy at the same time. So fringe does a great job doing that and we just used stuff that refracted light and really showing that it's, you know, glamorous.
When you created the hat in the gloves and everything- did you see the teaser that Beyonce had posted with the Pure- 
C: No, no, this was way before.
This was before that. That is crazy because I was thinking those are the two heaviest ballroom tracks on the album and both of y'all sort of incorporated Western themes into the fringes and the cowboy hat cuz she did the same exact thing.
C: Yeah, I think just seeing fire visuals and knowing obviously she’s from Houston and just that whole emphasis on not only, again, what you're visualizing when listening to the album and knowing Beyonce's entire collection of music, but also finding something that’s gonna capture and translate well on camera. You want something that's gonna look pretty, but also when you're moving the fringe is moving with you.
Gotchu. So then also y’all said it was set in a church. What was the motivation behind that too?
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C: So the specific building that we were using was like a dance floor-- it’s an auditorium so that's what it was for. But I would say, in a way there, I think there are some undertones there like having filmed in a church knowing the Church's historical standpoint on LGBTQ issues. It kind of went along with the visual for the entire time. There is a little bit of motivation there. The specific church that we did film that-- they are accepting and everything, but I know that was something we did think about when we were filming and just making it like, “Yes, we're here.” I think it makes it more powerful in that way.
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My other questions are about the use of Black ballroom dancing cuz, obviously, it was a ballroom track, but you were saying- I think it was on Instagram or YouTube- how in Club Renaissance and then in club spaces in general where you're allowed to dance with ballroom expressions- disco and house expressions, or whatever- you were able to be more free; you were able to express yourself better and you felt like you were in a safer space. I was wondering if that translated into COZY; did that feel like a much more freeing experience performing than compared to MOVE?
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J: Yes, definitely. I think I was dancing in boots as well, so like something about me and some boots and the kicking and the jumping! It really had–
Were the fringes adding to it too? And the cowboy hat?
J & C: Yeaaa
J: Yes, I definitely was feeling myself. It created a new power for me as well. Especially with the song talking about being comfortable in your skin and for that particular song, I've never really heard a song like that. So it really did- when it came out and we were able to film it like right away- it did feel pretty personal to me. So I was really grateful that I allowed myself to pour into it. And majority of it was freestyle, so.
Oh really? Yeah, I love that cuz that goes right along with ballroom and everything. And then when you are, you know, dancing with those expressions, like the ones that you used in COZY, are there certain… do y'all use the term “corporeal zones” in dance at all?
Corporeal zones relate to bodily zones that are normally either very coded or politicized, and/or they're used a lot like in (cultural) dances for certain subversive purposes. So the hips is a very popular corporeal zone cuz, for black people with twerking, that's just, you know, self-expression for us. But then to non-black people, it becomes a sexualized thing, or you know, with women the same thing as for hips; or with hair that's a corporeal zone in a political sense, but then also it becomes transplanted into an expressive form and dance because it's politicized, you know, “Whip My Hair” by Willow for example, which does include ballroom dancers as well.
Are there certain corporeal zones for you that you feel are most freeing whenever you're dancing or do you feel like when you're using certain body parts or showing off certain areas of your body that they feel most freeing to you?
J: I would probably say my arms. I like extending fully. I like using my space all the way and kind of feeling that sense that my body is fully going through the motion.
A: Do you feel like there's a certain corporeal zone that's the most powerful in capturing when it comes to cinematography?
C: I would say specific to COZY- just based on costume and what we had- arms were a great part of it. We just kind of like having the arm movements draw between those places (the lower and upper body).
A: As a contrast between the two.
C: Yeah cause we did have some parts of the video that were like more of a full body; but then, for freestyle, a lot of it we filmed second-day, and we wanted to really capture more movements that were freeing; I don't think we've done that in a video.
HEATED
So now we're onto HEATED. So starting with production… the production is crazy for that one. What sort of triggered this because, you know, all the comments on YouTube pointing it out too about how there was this leap in how you were world-building. What triggered the leap of production and how y'all had all the different settings-- yall had like three or four different settings?
C: I think the first two visuals that we did were very much introductory visuals and also- to be transparent- the beginning into my cinematography career I guess you could say… I always like to be on film sets and I do a lot of behind-the-scenes and so I see all these different locations and different lighting setups and different ways we can transform space with lighting, and it just adds layers and complexity to the final vision. And so we wanted to keep up with the pace of the song cause the beat is more uptempo than the other songs.
I was actually gonna ask that. Is that why you felt like you were able to have more fun with this track? Because of that more uptempo beat.
C: Yeah, and we wanted a challenge to take the viewer through, like I said, creating a world with the different places that we’re going, but also to keep the wow factor. So keep an element of surprise. So you think this looks cool? Ok, another one and another one and another… Kind of keep the viewer engaged and keep the pace of the song. Cause at the end when it goes into more of a ballroom feel, we really wanted to hone in on the drama, and we wanted to give that a moment of its own; really capture the essence of the song. Just really level up the production, and that's the goal for each and every one as we go through the series. Just to add more layers and visual effects and the whole nine.
Were there specific influences for each set? Like was there a specific thought behind, “Oh, let's do a rooftop. Oh, let's do a burning house. Oh, let's do the black and white floors with the fans and everything.” Were there specific thoughts behind that? Or were you like, “Let’s just see what we can do forreal.”
J: Yeah, yeah. So I was listening to the track, and towards the end where she has the commentary, there's fans that click and I kept hearing it and I'm like, “Okay! This has to be incorporated in some type of way.” I think we already had our three locations with the rooftop, the Biltmore Hotel, and then the checkered room, and then the wooden space. But yeah I just envisioned fans coming out of the curtains, and that's where that inspiration came from really- just hearing the production and I was like, wait… there's really elements that we can incorporate visually to this audience.
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So a lot of it was just about transplanting what you felt in the song visually?
C: Yes, and I would echo that from the beginning as well cause that intro part feels very, what's the word? Um…
Kind of distorted and ethereal at the same time.
C: Yes, yes! So like for that, that's why I wanted to reference The Weeknd cause a lot of his stuff is either built in LA or Vegas- there's like a nighttime, a mystique to it. You don't really know where exactly he is, but in the visual you'll see buildings start to be distorted or the reality starts to be distorted and there's like a theme of kind of getting back to the 80s in terms of cinematography, but it has a more modern twist. His team is really good at taking stuff and working with names of the 80s, even in production, and then translating it back to the new media in a way that we really haven't seen before, and in a music video format. So creating a whole ‘nother world, then using distortion to really challenge and say to the viewer: “Is this really happening?” We wanted to tap on that a little bit just for the introduction.
J: For the opening as well it has “What sets your soul on fire?” That was something that Cameron and I came up with as we were working with the visual, and we wanted each project to have its message in itself, but for this one, we really wanted to encourage viewers, “What sets your soul on fire? What motivates you with passion to do the things that you want to do?” And I feel like whatever that passion is, is a fire that enlightens you to go for it.
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C: I would say that kind of also mirrors the shooting experience that we didn't have. There was no budget, you know what I mean? There was no crazy budget. There was no-- I was even sick for most of it. So we just had to power through; we were on a time crunch. We just had a bunch of people who were committed to it, who wanted to see the project through, who came with us to assist on set and really got us from point A to point B. And so it gives back to that whole theme of when you really care about something, cause we really wanted to put this visual out and inspire people. It all goes back to that: What sets your soul on fire? What are you willing to do? Are you willing to stay up until midnight filming this thing to get it done? To share it with people? And I think yeah, we kind of echo that same sentiment in the actual process.
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How did you get that sort of theme out of the song cuz, you know, fire is always symbolic for many different things. Sometimes destruction, sometimes rebirth, sometimes, you know, passion. In the song, she wasn't using it in a passion sense. So what made you wanna use this song to convey that message?
J: Yeah., for me during that time leading to the HEATED visual… the space I was in, the environment I was in, it was holding me back in a sense. I was noticing little things around me that I was like, “Okay, I can either allow this to hinder me or I can either persevere through this, through my art and through creating,” and that's what I chose. And I'm grateful for it cuz I'm not gonna lie, I feel like HEATED was probably one of the hardest projects I've ever done, especially cuz it was the first one in Los Angeles-- in this new city, in this new environment. And I'm literally-- I'm from across the country. So a lot of that was hitting me at once, but I'm grateful that I had a good dream team to build it, and I love you so much!
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C: I love you too! Yeah, same thing. Even for me, there were things that happened; it's like you get to that point where you're like, “It's now or never.” You really have to make a choice for yourself. Are you willing to do what it takes to invest in yourself and your people around you?
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Was there anything besides- like we talked about the upbeat tempo and the track itself allowing you to have more fun with this one- that influenced you or allowed you to have more fun with this one from a performing and a capturing standpoint since you're still exploring your cinematography skills?
J: I'd say hearing Bey with the commentary portion at the end-- that was kind of like the icing on the cake, and it actually made me re-listen to the track a little bit more.
That's literally what happened to me too. I did not like HEATED that much at first and then I kept remembering that ending and I kept going back to it for that.
J: I was like, “Okay, like this is-- this is what I live for! I want to embody this in some type of way.” So I think that commentary portion kind of did it for me honestly.
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C: I think also whenever I'm developing a visual for a song, I do a thing- I literally listen to the song on repeat and just envision in my head whatever comes to mind and write it down to drive through different scenes or whatever else. Also hearing lyrical content: What does she mean by this verse? Going to visit different commentary on her work and just dissecting each section of the song to give something that matches that individual outfit. There was a lot of weird content there…
J: (Laughs) Yes.
C: … that we were able to go back in and re-examine and figure out even before we ever shot the scenes-- what would fit best in which places?
CLOSING REMARKS
« So this series is partly dedicated to Baltimore then?
I'll make sure to highlight that. »
Well my next question was gonna be, “Can you give me any hints on PURE/HONEY?” But Jaylen already gave me one!
J: (Laughs) Just be on the lookout for a ballet bar! A disco ballet bar.
And then also any hints on future installments, specifically because I love AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM, so…
[They buss out laughing AGAIN]
J: That is crazy!
Is-- That’s after?
J: That’s literally after PURE/HONEY... so this one will be filmed back at home in Baltimore, Maryland at the Graffiti Alley, which is a warehouse where raves used to happen [and] underground house parties back in the day.
C: I think for this visual we're gonna be very intentional about the dancers that we're picking now. Definitely wanna get back to Baltimore club culture-- that's what we’re gonna go all out for; that's what we kind of wanna give. Definitely a short film experience for that one. It's gotta be a little bit of a lengthened production; we wanna give more for that.
I love that. And I didn't know that there's-- obviously, there's club culture everywhere, but I didn't know there was “Baltimore club culture.” Is that a very important area?
J: Yeah, yeah. They just had a Red Bull dance competition in Baltimore. This was their first one, and they had a Baltimore club freestyler; some other dancers from Virginia also like Delaware come out and battle. But yeah, Baltimore club, it's been a huge thing. K-Swift was one of the pioneers. She passed away, but her work back in the 2000s was seen on MTV; she kind of put us [on the map], she was the one that showed us to like the general public media. ​
Then also there's a film called Dark City Beneath the Beat which highlights Baltimore club dance culture and was directed by TT the Artist. She's from Florida, but she moved to Maryland to produce the film. It took her seven years just to bring the dark community to life. It's on Netflix and I'm a part of it as well; I’m in the Paradox scene which was a club that everyone used to go to back then. We had some Baltimore club house music, everything, the whole nine, but the club was unfortunately shut down. But you know, hopefully through the art that we create they're like, “Wait, maybe we need to bring these clubs back for the community,” because the Graffiti Alley has such a history to it. So we really want to, if we can, bring it back to life and emerge the audience into that world.
C: I would also say that we reference the DMV a lot, which is like DC, Maryland, Virginia, but Baltimore is its own thing. Baltimore is a very rich city with very rich culture. So it's definitely different than the DMV area as a whole. So even though we say, “Oh, we're the DMV area, and this and this and this,” Baltimore is one of those… it's a little bit more isolated. And so there's a lot there to unpack and just very-- “let's go back in and dive into culture.” I think that'll be a very special.
So to wrap it up, what do you hope that people gain- I guess in the end when you're done with the series- what do you hope that people will gain from it with respect to learning about Black queer movements?
Also you're gonna be teaching about the Black Baltimore club experience, and then in the future you could even tie in even more. But what do you hope that you're sharing with these people? Are you hoping to reinvigorate different communal practices in Baltimore?​
J: I would like to enlighten the community back at home for sure. I feel like my city Baltimore- there's a lot of amazing talent and we're truly gifted- but I think that there, what is being presented in the media doesn't really become emphasized a lot. I think through the art, through these visuals, and through the dance and the culture that we wanna emphasize and showcase, it will really create a new space, I hope, for the community [of creators] to come in and for them to know it's possible! You can create this.
So this series is partly dedicated to Baltimore then?
J & C: Yeah.
I'll make sure to highlight that.
C: Second that. I think that giving people not only just a sense of pride as we move through these visuals but, again, being able to say that they could make something like this. I think also even from a standpoint of resources, like bringing in different resources. Cause growing up, I didn't even realize that this was a pathway that people did, like actual cinematography! Back in our area there's not a lot of productions that are filmed, and so it's one of those things where we hope to involve the community, especially in AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM to show: this is what you can do, this is what production looks like, this is what this is, this is how you can express yourself to dance; you can be yourself and you can find a way to showcase that.
