Forward
"We are Really Visually Sophisticated and Totally Visually Illiterate! We can process visual information at a speed that wasn't common before. But thinking through what an image means... Not so Much! " These words pinned by film blogger Tony Zhou are synonymous with what I've come to witness in many modern-day films and photos. We can easily look at an image in awe of its hue, grandeur, or locale. Yet how often do we see images that compel us to ask how #AMoment was captured? When we decipher the authors’ composition of a scene, we break down the fourth wall, and the veil between spectator and spectacle is torn. This four-dimensional outlook is what I strive for. Ponyboy Films exist to expose and exemplify the beauty of these visual art forms.
About
My name is Dante Williams. I'm a videographer/photographer from the Lower East Side, New York. Sadly, I was not raised in the era where kids got super 8s at eight, yet I still managed to foster an interest in motion picture at an early age. Although I watched a lot of movies, it took some time for me to understand the role of a cinematographer in them. It wasn't until I could comprehend the masterful cuts in Robert Burks' North by Northwest, Emmanuel Lubezki Children of Men, or Wally Pfister's Inception that reels started spinning (pun intended). Later in life, I saw filmmaking as the career I desired but ended up going to College for what I thought was a more practical profession (Mechanical Engineering). My passion would not be denied though, and the rise of DSLR videography allowed me to again pursue this beautiful craft. I started learning online and attending workshops to get my feet wet again. My first real camera was a 5d Mark III with the (outer-worldly) Magic Lantern hack. I used this to create my first montage piece Smother about a weekend trip I took to the beautiful state of Maine. I am currently dabbling in Event, Wedding, Product, and Short Narrative filming.
Of paramount concern to me is the standardization of visual arts. In others words finding similarities between the two disciplines I primarily engage in (i.e. stills and video). Truly the best DPs (cinematographers) are the ones able to evoke the sense of depth and composition found in high level photography. I try to use this filmic eye in my photography. With the intention of fully immersing my audience in #AMoment.
I am always on the lookout for advice from professionals in either trade, and welcome anyone who would like to collaborate on a project, participate in a photo-walk, or organize a workshop to contact me.
"The lamp of the body is the eye. If then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright."
Equipment & Software
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k
Panasonic GH4
Various Stabilizing Equipment
Final Cut Pro X
Da Vinci Resolve
Premier Pro CC
Lightroom CC
After Effects CC
Audition CC
Photoshop CC
M1 iMac
M1 MacBook Air
Expertise
Color Correction
Camera Operator
Production Management