Noted mobile moviemaker Cassius Rayner has been documenting life in London in the Covid-19 era. In May he filmed graffiti artist creating a mural honor the National Health Service (NHS). The movie’s content is certainly timely and significant. But Rayner’s cinematic mastery elevates this mini-doc. Note techniques such as the establishing sequence, a high-angle shot, and the extreme close-up of the wall. While we expect to find such artistry in narrative films, making it happen on the run—without controlling the subject—requires imagination, flexibility, and extra effort. The result—”Graffiti art by Lionel Stanhope”— is  dramatic and visually memorable.

The filmmaker wrote this about the project: “Lionel Stanhope dedicates a street painting to the NHS during this difficult time with Covid 19. I had the pleasure of meeting him yesterday (social distance maintained) and film him as he created his art under a railway bridge near Waterloo.”

The mini-doc was shot using an iPhone 11 pro, the FiLMiC Pro app, and a Zhiyun Smooth 4 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal.

We have previously showcased several of Rayner’s productions, all of which demonstrate his cinematic mastery. These include another of his Covid-era documentaries “London Falls Silent—Tower Bridge,” a contained music video “Tell You Tell Me” (winner at the Dublin Smartphone Film Festival), and a remarkable dance movie “Silience in London 2017.”

To learn more about Cassius Rayner, check out his Instagram page and his website.

The editors of Mobile Movie Making have chosen “Graffiti art by Lionel Stanhope”—as the Mobile Movie of the Week.”

 

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