PORTRAITS
Personal films for you and your Loved Ones that create memories, conversations, and healthy points of connection.
BY CALVIN NEMETH
Read on and consider what kind of film you would like made for your parent, child, or the special people in your life.
It’s all for a good cause.
WHAT ARE “PORTRAITS?”
Calvin is an experience-maker, and sees filmmaking as a mode of connection. He makes privately funded films for individuals to celebrate where they’ve been, where they’re going, and who they’ve carried along the way. If you are interested in making a film about one of your loved ones, he can help.
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.
The funding from these films makes it possible to tell the stories of people who are marginalized, impoverished, and otherwise could not afford them.
All Portraits are a form of collaboration between the filmmaker, the subjects, and their stories of the past.
The process of each film is built around the same three things - interviews, activities, and setting, and they are approached from three different perspectives:
The Biography, The Conversation, or The Reflection.
WHAT A PORTRAIT DOES
Represents the love that the client (You) has for the person they want to make a portrait about (The Title Character) and show how that love is expressed.
Captures the essence of the Title Character’s spirit, personality, and sense of humor through voice and visuals that can exist forever.
Provides an environment for organic vulnerability and intimate conversation between Loved Ones.
Creates memories through the process of filmmaking, whether Loved Ones see the finished film or not.
THE BIOGRAPHY
This process is a study between the Director and the Title Character. The Director acts as a Biographer writing the story of the Title Character, carefully combing through the Title Character’s stories in intimate, one-on-one conversations.
The benefit of this approach is that it can capture the Title Character in a light that surprises their Loved Ones and gives them a chance to tell their story entirely on their own terms. It does not require the involvement of anyone else.
The downside of this approach is that, if it is relied on exclusively, it does not create new memories shared between the Title Character and their Loved Ones.
An example of The Biography
Johnnie Grigsby speaks of his life as an artist of wood.
THE CONVERSATION
A unique process through which a Title Character speaks to their Loved Ones in a comfortable, unique setting.
The Director behaves as a basket to catch the tension of otherwise embarrassing or difficult conversations. This makes it easier for the Title Character and their Loved Ones to focus entirely on listening.
The Title Character will speak with their Loved One(s), and both will be captured on film. The Director will provide questions so that participants can focus on one another.
These films reflect the relationship between the Title Character and their Loved One(s), and can amplify feelings that are already present but have gone unacknowledged.
The feelings these conversations inspire are what all participants will remember.
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 in a safe, private setting.
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 clients’ wants). Client will receive both digital download(s) of this product as well as a hard drive including this file. This film will have English subtitles and be professionally color corrected by a professional Colorist.
The second deliverable is a batch of cut-downs (carefully edited versions) of all (or most) interviews conducted on set. These are by default neither subtitled in any language nor color corrected by a Colorist, but can be for an additional fee.
Each film will include an introduction as well as conclusion featuring the Title Character (if available).
Each film will include activities with the Title Character as well as B-Roll of their home or an environment familiar and/or meaningful to the Title Character, their loved ones, or some combination of both.
Three rounds of edits between client and Editor are provided by default on the finished film (this does not cover cut-downs of interviews). This means that the Editor will provide the first fine 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 Loved Ones involved, and the ways in which they would like to interact with the Title Character.
A single portrait can be Biographical, Conversational, and Reflective, but each approach requires a different set of time restraints.
During production, we work with a small crew of between three and six people. Three people is the minimum - this includes Calvin, who records the video, sound, and conducts the interviews, Manuel Hernandez who provides structural and story support, and a Production Assistant who ensures everyone is fed, watered, and happy. Depending on client’s budget and needs, a dedicated Cinematographer, Sound Mixer, and Gaffer can be added to the budget. These roles ensure a different quality of product and allow Calvin’s focus to remain entirely on providing the best experience possible for all participants.
Prospective budgets are provided separately from this document and are dependent on the requests of the client.
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. That said, 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.
Additional roles can be provided: Soundtrack (Composer), 2nd Camera Operator, Sound Designer, and Production Designer, to name a few. Base price for any Tier represented in the budget reflects a three person crew composed of Director (usually Calvin), Director’s Assistant (usually Manuel), and a Production Assistant.
Let’s make the movie your Loved Ones deserve.
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