PORTRAITS
Personal films for you and your loved ones.
BY CALVIN NEMETH
How would you like to be remembered?
WHAT A PORTRAIT DOES
Represents the love that one person has for another.
Captures the essence of a person through audio and visuals that will exist in perpetuity.
Provides an environment for vulnerability and intimate conversation.
Creates memories that will last many years.
WHAT ARE “PORTRAITS?”
Portraits are a mode of connection.
Filmmaking is a mode of memory-making and acknowledgement. Portraits are a way of narrowing the lens of that care onto the people in our lives who matter most.
All Portraits are a form of collaboration between the filmmaker, the subjects, and their stories.
The process of each film is built around interviews, activities, and settings. All portraits fall into one of three categories.
The Biography, The Conversation, or The Reflection.
The funding from these films makes it possible to tell the stories of people who are marginalized, impoverished, and otherwise could not afford them.
THE BIOGRAPHY
This process is a study between the Director and the Title Character. The Director acts as a Biographer combing through the subject’s stories in intimate, one-on-one conversations.
The benefit of this approach is that it can capture the Title Character in a new, but honest light. It gives the subject a chance to tell their story on their own terms.
An example of The Biography
Johnnie Grigsby, Woodworker.
THE CONVERSATION
A unique process through which the Title Character speaks to their loved ones in a comfortable setting.
The Director acts as a basket, catching the tension of otherwise embarrassing or difficult conversations so that the subject and their loved ones can focus entirely on listening to one another.
These films reflect the relationship between the Title Character and their loved ones, creating an opportunity to amplify and acknowledge feelings of love and affection.
An example of The Conversation
Paul Bowen speaks to his grandson about life before, life after, and life in the moment.
THE REFLECTION
A process through which loved ones can convey their feelings to the Title Character one-on-one.
Often, these videos are a surprise for the Title Character’s benefit.
These films begin with an introduction. One on one with the Director, the Title Character explains who they are and why they care about their Loved Ones. They anticipate that this is a biographical film, and are surprised when it is not, in fact, made for their loved ones, but is made instead for the Title Character.
Upon seeing the film for the first time, the Title Character is met with a string of affirmations from the people they love most and stories about moments they have shared.
As a result of speaking directly to the camera, Loved Ones can comfortably convey feelings in ways they may struggle to express in person.
An example of The Reflection
Kiefer and Rachel share a beautiful love and express their gratitude.
PRACTICAL GOALS
Every portrait will come with a set of deliverables on a hard drive.
The first deliverable is a single 20-100 minute film (depending on the project). Client will receive both digital download(s) of this product as well as a hard drive including this file. The film will include subtitles in English.
A second, optional deliverable is a batch of carefully edited interviews conducted on set. These are by default not captioned, but can be for an additional fee.
Three rounds of edits between client and Editor are provided by default on the finished film. The filmmakers will provide the first cut of the film, and the client will have three opportunities to request changes and adjustments based on their preferences.
Calvin, the filmmaker, will hold copyright to the film, and does not provide raw, unedited footage.
BUDGET
The budget is contingent primarily on the number of people, amount of footage, and the style of the film.
Each film requires at least two days of filming, even if those days are only a few hours long. 10 hours is the standard day.
The length of the production depends on the number of people involved, and the ways in which they would like to interact with the Title Character.
A single portrait can be Biographical, Conversational, and Reflective. Each approach requires a different kind of work.
We work with a small crew of between three and six people. The cost and number of people working on set will change depending on the client’s needs.
Budgets are agreed upon in advance of the production.
In general, the greater the number of interviews, the more all participants will get out of the experience, and the more expensive the project will be.
Discounts are available for larger projects, and all services are provided on a sliding scale for those clients who do not have the funds necessary to fund all labor.
Let’s make the movie your loved ones deserve.
Please provide some info below and Calvin will reach out to you.