By: T. Felder
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/19/23 – Ayana Baraka is a Director of Photography. She has been named “the person on the rise in Hollywood,” with numerous films and documentaries on her resume. She is most definitely at the top of her game and highly sought after. Even with an Emmy nominated /Oscar hopeful films and the opportunity to work with the likenesses of esteemed actors such as Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira, she manages to remain grounded and with her mind centered around helping other women, particularly women of color, have access to the vast number of opportunities available in the film industry. Baraka’s most recent work Uncharted has brought her into the music sphere. Uncharted is a documentary based on Alicia Key’s She Is the Music songwriting camp. In the docu-style film, Baraka will use her skills to highlight the music business and its lack of opportunities for Black and brown women. It will also take you on a journey through several women’s lives as Artists, singers, songwriters, and engineers. Fans can also expect Key’s to get a bit personal, sharing her struggles in the music industry and her unwavering dedication to helping women succeed.
THT was able to catch up with this buzzy bee; check out our interview below to get more insight on the Documentary and a look into Ayanna’s journey as a Director of Photography.
THT: How did you get into wanting to become a Director of Photography?
AB: I’m From New Jersey and didn’t have any real-life examples of people who entered the film industry and successfully created a business. So, I didn’t initially pursue cinematography; instead, I went to school for psychiatry and made a documentary on my friend’s mom, who is paranoid schizophrenic. I saw the impact it had on my classmates and just them having many questions about the institutionalization of mental health. I still didn’t pursue it, but when I got out of undergrad, I realized I truly loved cinematography and filmmaking and its impact, so I went to New York and started working anywhere I could. I worked at Ari Rentals, Park Pictures, IFC Center, and many others. I knew that I wanted to do a camera and worked hard to work my way up and eventually got a letter to join the union because I had been working on union projects. Around the same time, I got a letter from a USC grad school to study there. I decided to take the USC offer, so I moved to LA and put in more work. By graduating, I had built a substantial resume, working on films such as Oscar-hopeful The Hunting Ground, Emmy-nominated United Skates, and Behind the Curtin: Eclipsed, starring Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. Now I primarily shoot documentaries and commercials.
THT: My next question was going to be what draws you into cinematography? You kind of answered it in the previous one, but could you elaborate?
AB: Of course. I aim to tell impactful, memorable stories that change beliefs, inspire, and have the truth. The film is compelling, and I want people to walk away from movies I’ve shot and have a new understanding of themselves and the world.
THT: You had the opportunity to work with Alicia Keys on her documentary Uncharted, how was that experience?
AB: It was amazing! Like the film industry, the music industry has the same disparities regarding women, primarily black and brown women working in more technical aspects of the industry, and it’s Alicia Keys, so I was super excited to do this project. I wanted to highlight the twelve women in Key’s music camp. Alicia Keys is phenomenal; she is super philanthropic and present and a joy to work with.
THT: Is there anything in particular you wanted to focus on while working on this doc?
AB: I wanted to reflect on the women’s stories most authentically. They’re all public figures, so it was important to remember who they are and their intentions accurately. Similar to my own story, I didn’t have anyone to look up to who looked like me in my industry. Once people see these ladies, they can find hope in pursuing their dreams of becoming an artist, songwriter, or engineer. They are all phenomenal women and have an excellent purpose.
THT: Sounds like you had a really good time. Do you have any favorite scenes from the film?
AB: Yes! There’s a scene where Alicia Key’s song Empire State of Mind comes on, and for me, that was “the moment.” I cry at that moment every time because I have been following these women’s journey for a year, and finally, everyone gets to see them, and they get to showcase their hard work. Also, being from Jersey and working in New York, that song resonates with me.
THT: Which of your other projects are you most proud of?
AB: I genuinely love all of them. The first feature film I did was with Lupita and Danai, some of the interviews didn’t make it to the final cut, and there was one I will never forget where Dania was asked the question How does it feel to be working on Broadway as a woman, especially as a black woman? Everyone said you couldn’t do it. Her reply was, “I’m not focused on that. I go where I’m loved.” There’s so much truth in that, go where you’re loved, and things will open up for you. I’ve had that lead me through my career. I also have a project close to my heart: a VR project about Black Wall Street and the Race Massacre of 1921. I had the opportunity to meet one of the last living survivors, Dr. Olivia J. Hooker; back in 2016, I would visit her and have her orate this story to me. I wanted people to have the exact impactful moment I had, so I made this VR experience about this young girl who’s living on Black Wall Street during the 1920s, and it’s been used as an educational tool by the Oklahoma City Thunder, The Chicago Bulls, and a bunch of other places. After Dr. Hooker’s passing, I was able to locate three living survivors; now, I’m super close with them and traveled to Ghana with them.
THT: There’s not that many female DP’s, especially women of color. When I was researching you, I read that you were 1 of 5 Black DPs in the Local 600. Can you elaborate on that? Also, what advice would you give other young women of color that are interested in becoming a part of this industry?
AB: Local 600 is the camera union for all of the United States. Women were not allowed into the union for a large part of history. I’m 1 of 5 black women in Local 600, which means I’ve earned the position because to get into Local 600, you have to have a certain amount of credits in that specific position, and you also must have the money to do that. I think they put that barrier in to ensure members can maintain that steady pace of work. I am a part of an organization called 600 Black Women, and we are working towards changing the demographics of Local 600 so that there are more Black women in the union.
I give the same advice to everyone, which is to write a personal statement for yourself, your goals, and your career. There is no road map in this industry, so you must make one for yourself. Some of the challenges I sometimes face, especially when shooting documentaries, is that there isn’t much money in it. So, I often have to choose between work that I love and work that pays me, leading me back to my statement to help me make that choice. And for Black women specifically, I always say find your tribe, find your mentors; I will also open it up for people to contact me because it is difficult. Continuing to do projects, I think a lot of people want to network up, but I think the best way to do it is to network across because you all are holding each other accountable and supporting each other. I’m collaborative, and I’ve always been that way. I want people to win if I met you once and you said this is my dream, then I’m going to help you achieve your dream. There’s plenty of work out there, and we can all win. Never be deterred from your goal because if: you have the idea to do it, there’s a reason why and at some point, you’ll get there; keep going.
THT: Where can the Uncharted documentary be viewed?
AB: We had an amazing Tribecca premiere, and it was streaming on their website. It will also be two more festivals. We are hoping it gets purchased so that more people can have access to it.
THT: What are you currently working on?
AB: I’m working on an eight-part series about Serena Williams. It’s the second season of the Emmy award winning show called In the Arena. The first season was called Man in the Arena with Tom Brady, this season just focuses on Serena Willams.
THT: Is there anything else that I might have not mentioned that you would like to plug in?
AB: I just want to highlight the women in the documentary; Ayoni, Davionne, and Jeann Deaux these ladies are amazing, go listen to their music and support them!
THT: How can our readers find you?
AB: Instagram: @iseeflicks Website: http://www.ayanabaraka.com/
