Film Grad Blake Dellinger Discusses The Industry

We sat down with Film Graduate Blake Dellinger to discuss his experiences in the industry, and how he has overcome new challenges.

What inspired you want to get involved in the entertainment industry?

“Originally? To be honest I can’t remember – so I called my mom and asked her. She said when I was young (from infant to three-years) I was in some films so it could have been that, but I was interested in films as long as she could remember. So there doesn’t seem to be an origin it’s just been an interest of mine pretty innately.”

What have you learned from school that you are now applying in your professional life?

“Currently the Cinematography and Post-Production education I received was what I most utilize daily. Working as a Media Director for municipal political campaigns I am often required to act as the Photographer, Videographer, and Graphic Designer. All of those skills I picked up during my time at LAFS. The post was crucial because it was the one aspect of film I knew the least about going in (transcoding, adobe suite, color grading) and ended up taking a real liking to.

But one of the most important lessons I learned, that was the thesis of every single teachers’ class at the school, was the techniques and ideology required to tell stories. The necessity to tell stories. Even on a political campaign, well especially on a political campaign, in the way your camera looks at the candidate, the nature of the colors that are there, the place you are shooting, all these things have to tell the story of who this candidate is without writing it right-out there on the wall. The art of storytelling, communicating with an audience, is the through-line of all the classes and by far the most important lessons that I utilize daily.”

What do you like about film?

“I believe that films (especially after the advent color and sound) are capable of doing what art had been trying to do for thousands of years. That when the ingredients are just right, for a brief period of time something can make perfect sense. That we can be completely taken by something, our senses can be wrapped up in it, and we can trust everything we think and feel for those few moments. Even surreal films like Luis Bunuel’s work or Space Odyssey make the unknown feel a little more understandable.

Films can get us just as close as we possibly can to something we never otherwise could have.”

What are some projects that you are proud to have worked on?

“I am really proud and honored to have worked on Mad Men as my internship in the last few months of school. I put that show on such a high pedestal, its infallible to me, I really appreciate what that show has done for storytelling in our day.

Of my own projects I did not necessarily enjoy my first out-of-school short film, which finishes post in early July. However, I am very proud of a music video for a musician named Beny Ed who has had a series of very successful music videos previously. My video for him comes out end of June and I think this is the first project that I have worked on that is truly close to what I had in mind for film when I first entered film school. It’s surreal, dark, funny if you happen to have a pretty horrible sense of humor, proves a point, and most importantly – it’s really entertaining to watch. I like things that teeter on pulpy and artsy. Beny is doing a tremendous job on the song and his performance.

It’ll also be used to launch my little production company’s, Paracinema Pictures, internet presence. So the whole project has a very rewarding sense of “a long time coming” that I owe to Beny Ed for allowing me the opportunity.”

What are some words of advice that you would give to new students entering the program?

“As much as I appreciate my time in school, I frequently fantasize what it could have been like had I entered a year-later than I did, when I had grown just ever-so-slightly more. My best advice would be to realize this is a protected haven, a sandbox, that you have the opportunity to build a tremendous foundation on it. Do everything you can to find yourself as a technician, but more importantly an artist. Stay at the school as many hours as you can. Be your teachers’ best friend or worst nightmare, bug the crap out of them, they get paid for that. Make friends with everybody. When you are not at school work on your own or others’ projects. Do whatever you can to make sure that you and your partners leave school with as much material, experience, and sense of identity as possible.  Achieving those goals can become remarkably difficult the day you get your diploma.”

Congratulations to you on your many successes in the industry so far, Blake!