PROJECT ROLE: ON SET Director & CINEMATOGRAPHER

"Locked Up" was a deeply personal project for a San Diego-based rapper, reflecting on his time incarcerated and the flashbacks that haunt him. As both the Cinematographer and On-Set Director, I was tasked with capturing the emotional weight of these memories while seamlessly blending them into the present-day narrative of the artist’s journey.

The video explores the tension between past and present, using distinct visual shifts to symbolize moments of reflection. Harsh, confined lighting and gritty, handheld shots were employed to represent the feeling of being "locked up," contrasting with wide, more liberating shots for scenes representing freedom. The narrative was designed to be both immersive and cinematic, ensuring each flashback left a lasting emotional impact on the viewer.

By using intentional cinematography techniques and dynamic storytelling, we crafted a visual experience that both portrayed the rawness of incarceration and highlighted the artist's resilience in moving forward.