ARTIST STATEMENT

Artist Statement of Johnny Gibbons

There are many things that I would like to accomplish both as a director and a cinematographer. Although I enjoy non-fiction and documentary film, my main goal and passion throughout my career in film is to make fictional films. My goal for all of my future films is for my cinematography style to bring you into and show you a fascinating and impossible world that will have you begging your logical mind to let you give in and throw yourself into it.

I want my shots to bring to life these mystical and enchanting realities and there are several ways in which I plan on doing this. The main way is my favorite and probably the simplest way to do this. This way is through the effective use of slow motion. Some people might think that excessive use of slow motion can make the film seem corny but I think that when used right it can thoroughly transform a movie. I’m not on big on action movies but when John Woo stepped in and directed Mission Impossible 2 I think that he made the greatest movie in that franchise. He change the mood of just another action movie into a beautiful piece of artwork by slowing down the shots and creating a steady, almost musical, flow of cinematography. He did all of this without changing the script.

I want my films to be an escape from reality for people. I am not worried about making them as realistic as possible; I will leave that to the documentary film makers. Even if the film I am working on is not science fiction or fantasy I want every element of it to exaggerate extremely from what would happen in real life. I think that most people come to the movies to get away from what is real and or to throw themselves into someone else’s life to take a break from their own. So why not make the story and shots as beautiful and fun as possible?