Darno DeJohnette Productions
Professional Wedding Videographer
Our Portfolio
Cinematography is all about capturing images in motion, and cinematographers use various tools to accomplish this. A motion picture is a collection of images tied together in such a way that it tells a story. The story usually has a specific theme, designed to stimulate certain emotions in the viewer. As professional storytellers movie producers use a variety of techniques to achieve the desired audience response. I have posted a few presentations of varying length to demonstrate how theme affects the content of a motion picture or video. These short stories will acquaint you with my artistist style.
An Evening With Jack
This presentation incorporates both video and motion photographs. Still images help to promote the theme by freezing a moment in time, giving the viewer an opportunity to connect with the image and content depicted in the scene. The use of motion photographs enhances this experience by reminding the viewer that time has not been frozen at all. This subtle contradiction elicits a flow of emotions rather than a single emotional response to the image itself.
Note how lighting has affected the quality of the video images. Flourescent light produces a greenish haze which darkens the video and adds a grainy quality to the content. Contrasted to other light sources it is clear why natural lighting is preferred. Video cameras are designed to operate efficiently to a specified lux level, or luminosity. Some cameras can produce fairly clear images under low light conditions. It is important to understand the lux level of the cameras being used in your production, as to later avoid dark and grainy images. ...(view video)
California Sunday Afternoon 
In this presentation we introduce some fascinating techniques that incorporate transitions timed or set to the rhythm of the music used in the production. Transitions are an important part of any motion picture. They are the punctuation marks and paragraphs in the story, and should never be used simply for special effects. Observe the transitions used in any major motion picture. You will see fades between scenes; but mostly, you will see quick cuts. The use of transitions is necessary to tell the story. Otherwise, the movie would be boring. Transitions allow the viewer's mind to actively participate in the action, and adds suspense and drama to the subsequent scene. ...(view video)
Officer Down
In this presentation we introduce the use of cue cards to explain what is taking place in the story. This technique, used in silent movies, gives the viewer an opportunity to participate in the actual telling of the story, thereby making it more of a personal experience. ...(view video)
Creative Cinematography
Every cinematographer uses his/her skills and talent to tell a story with motion pictures. The clarity and vividness of the story depend upon a variety of factors. Equipment, lighting, acquisition format and skill all play a key role on the ultimate outcome of a motion picture story. But more important is the fact that cinematography is art, and as such, it is subjective in nature. No two artists will paint a subject in exactly the same fashion. What you must decide is the type of artist you desire to capture the motion images of your special event.
Birth of a Marine
One of the most difficult challenges facing event and wedding cinematographers is the reality that there is only one shot at getting it right. There are no do-overs or retakes. Whatever is captured on film or video, good or bad, is all there is. No amount of post-production editing can makeup for poorly shot cinema. Whether unexpected obstacles blocked an important shot during the event, or poor lighting made the whole scene unviewable, the captured footage is all there is to work with.
This presentation depicts some of the challenges faced while attempting to capture important sequences during a formal ceremony, and at the same time, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. ...(view video)
Walking With Earth Spirits
Camera movements are used to accomplish several different tasks. One of those is to follow the action. In a race car scene, the camera follows the action of the cars. When a subject moves from one point to another, the camera follows the action. Another task is to direct attention. A slow pan, tilt or zoom may be used to direct the viewers attention to a specific object located somewhere in the scene. That object may appear to be insignificant at the moment, but may be important later on in the story.
Camera motion can also be used to intensify point of view. Typically, the camera acts as the viewer's eyes; providing the perspective of an objective third party, privileged to watch, but not to actually participate in the action. To intensify the visual experience and bring the viewer into the action, a special technique is used. The movie, Blair Witch Project incorporated this technique. What should have been a very boring sequence became exciting, because the viewer had become "the camera operator."
This presentation uses the technique to demonstrate how easy it is to keep a viewer's attention, while depicting a typically boring subject. ...(view video)
Yuk Ro Sam Dan
Long extended video sequences may be used to present content that requires uninterrupted coverage. It is not always appropriate when "telling a story." Also, the choice of music should help to enhance the quality of the story, and not detract from it.
This presentation shows uninterrupted coverage and the appropriate use of music to enhance the theme. The content in this video is intended to be used by students in order to learn a specific sequence of movements. Maintaining the same camera angle is required, so the viewer is not confused when the subject changes directions during the sequence. Training videos such as this provide the viewer with a contiuous perspective, making it easier to duplicate the actions of the trainer. ...(view video)
The Last Thanksgiving
This presentation shows how old home movies captured on 8mm or Super8mm film can be transferred to digital format and edited with non-linear software. The content in this video is extremely faded, as the film itself is old and worn. The original movie was shot with Kodak Ectachrome 160 high speed low light film. The film was transferred to video by projecting the images onto a smooth white, non-reflective background. A digital camera, mounted on a tripod, was set directly in front of (and slightly beneath) the projector. The camera was manually focused on the non-reflective background with the motion images centered in its field of view. ...(view video)
