In early 2022, Wide Angle’s fee-for-service Production department was selected for NBCUniversal's Creative Impact Lab. Through this initiative, NBCU partners with national nonprofit creative agencies that train apprentices to craft marketing materials for a roster of nonprofits. Last summer, we were paired with Urban Arts, a NYC-based nonprofit that teaches game development through coding, computer science, animation, and other mediums to underrepresented youth. Together, we produced a 30-second ad for Urban Arts, set to air on NBCU platforms.

Each of our team members was able to contribute to each stage of developing and producing the project. We wrote and developed scripts to pitch to the Urban Arts team. Although Urban Arts enjoyed all of our pitches, they decided that production apprentices Kamaria and Nyakio’s script fit their needs the most. We worked as a team to tighten up the script and create the shot list. Our Production team is extremely collaborative - everyone has the opportunity to work in any role that they want to develop their skills. However, for this project, we decided to take on specific roles to maximize our efficiency since we would be out of state.

The Production team traveled to NYC for 4 days to film the ad. I was excited to be on a trip with my team and have the opportunity to work on a high-profile piece. Kamaria Avery, Filmmaker and Arts2Work Multimedia Apprentice Editor, directed the commercial and vlogged the entire trip. I wanted to develop my directing skills so I worked closely with Kamaria as the assistant director for the commercial. After seeing Kamaria in action, I decided to speak with her to learn more about her experience.

Why did you want to take the lead in directing this project?

I’ve spent most of my career handling cameras, lighting, and leading post-production projects, so I wanted to take on more of a leadership role. I’ve directed a few short films and music videos in the past and did enjoy that role, so I wanted to give it a try again on a larger production like this project! Since I had a hand in writing the script and shooting/editing the mock-up video, I wanted to make sure Nyakio and my vision came to life. Directing is a skill I want to develop and I always feel good when I can work directly with the on-screen talent and also make executive decisions. 

What were some of the challenges you experienced when developing the pitch, writing the script, and directing the 30-second ad spot?

Developing the pitch was a challenge because there were so many good ideas circulating among our team. We took on a branding role for our client, Urban Arts, who wanted assistance in defining their organization succinctly; we condensed a lot of information to define them in a short yet authentic way. Another one of the challenges particular to creating a 30-second ad spot is planning precisely timed shots. There were moments on set where I’d come up with new blocking for the actors, but then we’d have to reconfigure how to time the movement of our shot to fit all the action. I remember one of the student actors overhearing our team deliberation and being shocked watching us figure out how to time an actor’s action to fit in a scene that could only be 4 seconds long. That was the most exciting part of the shoot, seeing the student actors intrigued by our workflow as a production team.

Another challenge inherent to directing is executing the visions you had in your head and what you planned during pre-production, then making sure that translates on set and for the cast and crew. Being a director means figuring out what's going on in the shot - how the set looks, and how the actors are moving and reacting. Translating the script and needs of your client into a visual language was a fun responsibility to have as a director.

What made you decide to document Wide Angle’s trip to NYC? Are you a vlogger outside of work?

I’ve always enjoyed documenting my life but I’ve struggled to put any of that footage or photos out there for the world to see, keeping the memories to myself. Being that this was our first out-of-state shoot, I knew this was an experience I wanted to capture. I also thought it’d be a fun twist to the normal content I capture in my daily life (i.e. traveling content) because I’d get to show more of the behind-the-scenes of my career life/what it’s like on a film/commercial set and all the fun interactions with all my coworkers. I get excited at the thought of everyone else on the team watching the finished product and being able to enjoy seeing themselves in the vlog and relive my version of this memory we shared. Plus, I thought that since I’d be filming this for my team, it’d motivate me to start publishing my vlogs.

What are some things you want people to take away from watching the vlog?

I hope the audience can learn a little about what it's like to be on set and that being on set for an important client can still be fun. The production/filmmaking world is depicted as cut-throat, but as you can see in this vlog, we have a lot of fun working together, but are still hard-working, efficient, and reliably creating quality work. I want people to see the contrast from this vlog to the professional, commercial, finished product and go, “Wow, so that’s what they created.”

Overall, how do you think this experience contributed to your experience as a Multimedia Editor & Arts2Work Apprentice at Wide Angle?

I’m thankful this experience allowed me to take on a leadership role and develop my script-writing and directing skills. I can’t believe I can put on my resume something like: “Directed a commercial for NBCU!” I don’t know how else I would have gotten an opportunity to be in a role like this if I wasn't an apprentice with Arts2Work and Wide Angle Youth Media. I’m super thankful to be a part of this team.

Do you have any upcoming personal or NBCU Creative Impact Lab projects that our readers can support?

I created this vlog in collaboration with the social media team for our organization, so there are a lot of personal POVs I cut out, but I included them in an extended version I posted on my personal YouTube channel @sunkentalent. Our team is working on our next project for the NBCU Creative Impact Lab for another non-profit organization, Mission: Launch! 

Looking back at the vlog and the completed 30-second ad spot for UA x NBCU, are you glad that you decided to vlog the trip? Why?
I’m glad I vlogged this trip. I think it captured great memories of our silly team and how well we all work together. It was also cool to be able to showcase what it’s like to work on a production set. I wanted to show the magic of the lifestyle of filmmakers like ourselves. I’m glad I could get shots of myself in action which I rarely get since I’m usually the one behind the camera. Overall, I think it’ll also be a time capsule for our growth as media professionals - something to look back on and go, “We did that.”

Check out the final commercial below!

MEET THE AUTHOR

Janai Cherry is an Independent Filmmaker and Screenwriter from Oxon Hill, MD. She is a Morgan State University graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screenwriting & Animation. Through film and television, Janai wants to share the stories of historically marginalized groups, so that they feel accurately represented in film and media.