"HESS"
HESS
The year 2020 has created a dysphoria of emotions and experiences. This range of human expression has been challenging to manage overcome and triumph. Hess the stunning CinePoem drama created and directed by Lisa Simmons confronts these issues in usual and unusual pictorial images.
We enter her world which includes love, honor, tragedy and recovery. This short excursion journey, the director exposes the viewer to allow the raw senses that human spirit encounters to be felt in earnest. The active creation of daily activities allows the viewer to move into the scenes as if the character is us was us.
We all desire recognition and the exposure to human expression of love and compassion. Hess embodies the truth, the reality of life and love during dark moments that existence offers. The foremost triumph is the sharing of life’s emotions with each other to become more than a conqueror.
-
Lisa SimmonsDirector
-
Lisa SimmonsWriter
-
Talaya GrimesProducer
-
Umit GulsenCinematographer
-
Natasha JonesCast
-
Lisa SimmonsEditor
-
Andrew BrooksEditor
-
Alicia RodriguezAssistant Director and DIT
-
Serdar Zemmus1st Assistant Camera
-
M. FoxxxGaffer and Key Grip
-
Jake StaleyAssistant Camera and Grip
-
Chris MarilesGrip
-
Christian DruittGrip
-
Alaa ZabaraGrip
-
Keri KamiKazi WilliamsKey Makeup and Hair
-
Lisa SimmonsWardrobe
-
Lisa SimmonsProdution Designer
-
Keri KamiKazi WilliamsProdution Designer
-
Keri KamiKazi WilliamsCovid-19 Compliance Officer
-
Keri KamiKazi WilliamsWardrobe Preperation
-
Vincent BriscoeMixing Engineer
-
Lisa SimmonsCasting
-
Talaya GrimesCasting
-
Diana Vannesa Gomes GuzmarProduction Assistant
-
J Alex CooperExtras
-
Talaya GrimesExtras
-
Alan LewisExtras
-
Stacey LincolnExtras
-
Rachel TorgoffExtras
-
Rick ToyeExtras
-
Ryann WaddyExtras
-
Alaa ZabaraExtras
-
Emmanuel KerrySpecial Thanks
-
Meagan KerrySpecial Thanks
-
Project Type:Experimental, Short, Student
-
Runtime:11 minutes 9 seconds
-
Completion Date:April 30, 2021
-
Production Budget:20,000 USD
-
Country of Origin:United States
-
Country of Filming:United States
-
Language:English
-
Shooting Format:Panasonic Varicam LT
-
Aspect Ratio:2:35.1
-
Film Color:Color
-
First-time Filmmaker:No
-
Student Project:Yes - Howard University
Lisa Simmons is a Director and Filmmaker from Washington D.C. and was also a longtime resident of London, England. The concept behind her films visually tells the story, while at the same time she seeks to create films that catch the intended viewer's eye and heart. She is a philosopher of aesthetics when it comes to cinematography.
Lisa studied as a dancer at the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. She moved to London to pursue her dance career and studied at The Place London School of Contemporary Dance. However, early in her studies an injury prevented further development and performance in her chosen artistic field.
Following her accident Lisa looked for other artistic areas that could stimulate her creatively. She returned to the Washington Metropolitan area after many years of living and working in London with no idea of what she would do in the white-collar city. By chance, a friend suggested she work with her on set as a production assistant. While working on that set and various other productions she caught the filmmaking bug and realized she could do the job if given the chance.
She decided to pursue a degree in film which turned from one into two degrees in film. Her previous thinking during her dance career was that she was the movement and now she was capturing movement. Lisa feels whole again, and says, “it is an amazing feeling to choreograph and direct movement and be able to capture it on film.” Capturing movement makes her feel like she is still dancing but instead of being in front of the camera dancing she is behind the camera capturing movement which is the dance to her.
Lisa holds a BFA in film and video. In December,2020, Lisa completed her graduate studies at Howard University receiving her Master of Fine Arts in Film. Her thesis film “HESS” received numerous post graduate accolades and in March 2021 was nominated for and received the prestigious Paul Robeson Student Awards for Best Director and Best Film. These awards speak to Lisa’s abilities as a Director and Filmmaker.
Film is such a powerful tool to be able to communicate a past or future moment in time and be able to bring that into the present. My goal is to create films that have never been done.