the jungles

BTS

by kaliya warren

WELCOME

The BTS for The Jungles will be all about capturing a vibe. A feel. The joy of hanging with Keke and SZA – as they riff off each other, and speak to you directly. Like a late night of laughing with friends. It will be immediate, and authentic. And funny as hell.


As the Cinematographer for Issa Rae’s feature doc, Insecure: The End, and BTS Director and Cinematographer for Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi – I excel at building relationships with talent. At growing their rapport with the camera, and finding the narrative throughlines on set. I’m a major fan of the worlds that Issa and writer Syreeta Singleton have created – from Insecure to Rap Sh$t, and now the The Jungles – and of Keke and SZA’s brilliance, and effortless charisma. I’d love the chance to share the excellence of this set with the world.

Kaliya Warren

THE APPROACH

We’ll use a mix of the Sony A7SIII and the Iphone 15, both on handheld gimbals. We’ll go for the feel that Keke and SZA present on their socials; it’ll be a special peek into their lives through the lens of making of the film. Filled with humor, advice, style, and stories.


The A7SIII will allow us to be nimble with following their comedy and interactions, without sacrificing image quality and lensing. The Iphone will more directly mimic their Instagram and TikTok vidoes, without placing the responsibility of shooting onto talent. (Though, if they’re down to capture their own content, we’ll 100% utilize that!)


We’ll film the ladies in HMU, kiki-ing with their hair and make-up teams. This will be a key moment each day for Keke – getting Dreux’s signature half done braids. We’ll capture them as they first emerge with their Russian tracksuit and Lady of the Night second-hand wear. We’ll have them guide us through a day in the life on set, and through the film’s distinctive locations. We’ll capture them in Chairs, and in between takes as they hold court.


I’ll use the down moments for interview prompts, and have the ladies speak direct-to-camera.



POTENTIAL PROMPTS + SPOTS

Hair Horror Stories

The perfect prompt for the hair trailer. Every black woman has one. When did they first really “figure out” their hair? What is their approach now? We could also delve into the loyalty between black women and their hairdressers. Why is it important to never piss them off? (CC: Jameel.)


WHAT WAS YOUR CRAZIEST SIDE HUSTLE

SZA has been open about her day jobs, and has lived the life of an artist like Alyssa. There will doubt be many talented folks on set who’ve had to hustle to pay the rent. We could start with SZA, and open it up to Issa, Syreeta, and our other on-camera talent. ALTERNATIVE: What’s the brokest you’ve ever been? (In college, I was “use water as a vodka mixer” broke.)


What to say to a friend who is dickmatized

CC: Keshawn. Advice from Keke and SZA.


THE COMMUNITY

South LA is the third star of this movie. The community and its history our vital to telling our story. We could interview location owners, and highlight local black business owners in the area. What does it mean for the them to have the production here? What is it that makes this neighborhood unlike any other? We’ll look for those distinctive, unique characters, whose stories are singular to South LA – the real-life versions of Mama Ruth – and profile them and their businesses in short vignettes.


TRANSITIONS INTO CHARACTER

Centered in the HMU and wardrobe trailers. What defines Keke from Dreux, and SZA from Alyssa? How did they collaborate with department heads on make-up, hair, and costume choices? If we’re able to film in prep, we can capture this process in camera tests and wardrobe fittings.


collaborations between keke & sZA

The heart of our BTS will be the relationship between Keke and SZA. Undoubtedly, many unpredictable, iconic moments will emerge between them. Whether it be a running joke, a TikTok duet, or an impromptu freestyle – I’ll be there to capture whatever authentic highlights emerge.

SIT-DOWN Interviews

This will be our chance to showcase Keke and SZA in their full glam glory. We’ll film two angles: centered wide, direct-to-camera, and a medium-CU from 3/4 profile, similar to my prior interviews below. The direct-to-camera approach will provide consistency with the on-set interviews.

Our background and shooting location will be flexible per budget and scheduling. If we have the option of renting our own space, we’ll go for a colorful location like the ​one pictured below. Something that evokes the strip mall aesthetic of LA, but with an elevated, neon look. Similar to above, the background will be soft enough to blur any ​text.

If budget dictates that we utilize the film’s locations, we’ll light a space within the apartment complex with that same neon vibe. Either way – much like our ​stars – the interviews will be vibrant, exuberant, and stylish.

PRIOR WORK


Excerpts of BTS work I’ve shot on the A7SIII rig. On-the-fly interviews with Issa Rae, Moses Ingram, Kumail Nanjiani, and Hayden Christensen.

INSECURE: THE END

Obi-Wan Kenobi

GENERAL REEL

THE TOOLS

ON-SET BTS


  • 1x Sony A7SIII Camera
  • 8x Sony G-Tough V90 256GB Memory Cards
  • 1x Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens
  • 1x Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens
  • 1x Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens
  • 1x Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Lens
  • 1x Sony FE 50mm F1.4 GM Lens
  • 1x 67mm, 77mm, 82mm Tiffen Variable ND Filters
  • 1x DJI Ronin-S Gimbal w/ 2x Additional Batteries
  • 1x SmallRig 5" Quick Release Plate for Manfrotto & DJI Ronin-S
  • 1x Small Rig DH10 Heavy Duty Tripod Fluid Head
  • 1x Steadicam Monopod (provided by K. Warren)
  • 1x Sony XLR Adaptor Kit w/ Shotgun Mic
  • 1x Iphone 15 Pro (provided by K. Warren)
  • 1x DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Smartphone Gimbal









SIT-DOWN INTERVIEWS


  • 2x Sony Venice Digital Cinema Camera

w/ Gold Mount, Matte Box, Rod Support, On-Board Follow-Focus

  • 12x 256B Memory Cards
  • 1x Canon CN-E 24mm T1.5 L F Cinema Prime Lens
  • 1x Canon CN-E 35mm T1.5 L F Cinema Prime Lens
  • 2x Canon CN-E 50mm T1.3 L F Cinema Prime Lens
  • 2x Canon CN-E 85mm T1.3 L F Cinema Prime Lens
  • 2x Sachtler Video Tripod
  • 2x Small HD 703 Bright Small 7" Monitor
  • 1x Sony PVMA250 25″ OLED Production Monitor
  • 12x Anton/Bauer Hytron 140 140Wh 14.4V Battery
  • 1x Decimater, 3x BNC Cables
  • 1x EyeDirect
  • 2x Aputure 1200D
  • 2x Aputure Nova P300c RGB Light Panel
  • 1x Litemat 2L Plus
  • 1x Litemat 4L
  • 6x6 Bleached Muslin & UltraBounce
  • Additional Grip Equipment







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DIrectOR BIO


Kaliya Warren is an award-winning director and cinematographer. She served as Series BTS Director and Cinematographer on Disney's Obi-Wan Kenobi, and as the cinematographer on HBO and Issa Rae’s feature doc, Insecure: The End.


Most recently, she directed the key art campaign for the Hulu TV series Reasonable Doubt, produced by Kerry Washington and Larry Wilmore. Her commercial clients have included Google, Hulu, Vanity Fair, and Delta Air Lines. Narratively, she was a Top-Five Finalist for Tribeca and AT&T’s Untold Stories competition, and her pitch for her feature Expatriates received the $50k Fan Favorite Award. Additional BTS credits include the movie musical In the Heights, Just Mercy, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, and The Last Thing He Wanted, starring Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck.


Warren has filmed work across four continents, from Tanzania to the Philippines. She excels at crafting cinematic, high production value documentary work. She is a member of IATSE Local 600, International Cinematographers Guild.



THANK YOU