This was a short film shot at my great friend Ryan Taylor’s coffee shop “The Coffee Pedaler” in New Haven CT with the intention of being displayed at a class about storytelling with video.

Technique/ Cinematography:

Soft light on our subject eluding that the shop is not open for business. Also the detail of the Chartreuse in the reflection.

Because this was shot for a class based in storytelling I wanted to make a point that you can do a lot with just a little. One camera, one lens and two lights. I chose to use two Aputure 120Ds, one with a China lantern above our subject and one on the back wall with a blue gel. The coffee shop has a very warm, inviting look but I really wanted to emphasize the fact that it was not open and this isn’t a time for everyone to enjoy. By using the blue light I really changed the whole color palate of the environment and the china ball above Ryan made it feel like there was light coming from a street light in front of the building. The video itself was shot on a Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera with a Canon 50mm 1.2 lens simply put on a tripod.

Where I had the most fun was the subtle gestures made to really highlight our subject Ryan, his personality and his relationship to the coffee shop. I put Chartreuse bottles in the reflection of Ryan’s espresso machine. It’s his favorite spirit and the machine is how he affords his “finer things” lifestyle. I kept the camera on one side of the counter to make it seem like we aren’t a part of his world, the camera has the exact relationship that a customer would. As well as the final scene where Ryan has his back to the camera and looks out the window from the table, a perspective he never gets to enjoy during the day further emphasizing the idea that it is closed for business and he is enjoying the “perk” of his own coffee shop.

Will Talamelli - Cinematographer Director DP

Founder/Owner Will Talamelli Films