3 Projects That Made Us Feel Something (and How They Did It)

Notable projects of the month! 🎦 

#1: ORIGIN

This is our #1 pick on the notable project list — and for good reason.

"Timeless" is the word that comes to mind. Initially the Cinematography style left me feeling uneasy and confused on certain choices. Later I realized the timeless feeling from the image.

From a storytelling perspective — it offers a fresh, deeply human perspective on life, identity, and connection. Films like this don’t just entertain — they shift something in you.

It's the kind of work that reminds us why storytelling matters.

#2: Marine - “Made For This”

Capturing the human side of the Marines. Raw honesty and real experiences of the people who serve 💪.
Congratulations to Director Nick Stachurski and team for an amazing project!

nickstach

3,433 followers

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#3: Ride for Equity

This project made our list — not for its cinematography or production value — but for its purpose.

Ride for Equity is a movement on wheels: a bike ride created to raise both funds and awareness around the need for equitable funding practices for entrepreneurs of African descent. It’s a reminder that storytelling isn't always about the perfect shot — sometimes it’s about amplifying the mission.

Watch it for the message. Share it for the movement.

bldetroit

9,858 followers

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🎬 BTS That Teaches

It’s one thing to see a cool shot.
It’s another to understand how they pulled it off.

This section is all about Behind-the-Scenes with purpose — breakdowns, builds, and camera magic that help you level up your own shoots. Whether it’s a lighting trick, a creative transition, or an entire VFX pipeline — these BTS picks are worth studying.

🤳 Periscope Lens System

The standout piece here is a periscope/snorkel lens — most likely a Cinefade or Innovision-style periscope lens.

• It allows the lens to "snake" into tight spaces (like aiming at a mirror) without the bulk of a full camera body.

• These lenses have rotating prism elements to avoid showing the camera in reflective surfaces like mirrors or water.

Watch the BTS

🎬 Scene 1: “Car Overhead” – Surreal Suspension Shot

We see a group of dancers and a lead artist in an industrial location, with a car lifted overhead as if it’s floating or being carried effortlessly — a striking, surreal image that grabs attention.

🎥 BTS (Bottom Image):

• Suspension Rig: The car is securely mounted to an overhead truss or crane-like arm using visible support cables and a custom rigging frame.

• Counterweights + Safety: The car is likely gutted to reduce weight, and rigged with weight distribution trussesto prevent tilt or instability.

• Black Flags/Negative Fill: You can see large black solids (probably ultrabounce or Duvetyne) placed stage right to control spill light and add mood/contrast.

• Wide-Angle Framing: Camera is positioned low to the ground to emphasize scale and distortion, making the floating car feel more epic and bizarre.

🎓 What You Can Learn:

• Use rigging and optical tricks to sell surreal concepts in camera.

• Negative fill is your friend when trying to sculpt industrial light into a stylized look.

• Grounded setups with lifted elements create high-impact without heavy VFX.

🎬 Scene 2: “Gold Grillz” Macro Shot – Hyper-Stylized Lettering

🖼️ Final Shot (Top):

Close-up of gold grillz spelling out “FCKN SINA” — black-and-white grade with glowing gold typography makes it feel grimy, glossy, and bold.

🎥 BTS (Bottom Image):

• Camera Setup: Looks like a RED camera rigged with a macro or telephoto lens to tightly focus on the subjects' teeth.

• Lighting: A strong key or bar light (possibly a mini LED tube or single point LED) is visible under their mouths, angled up to catch the gold reflection and cause sparkle.

• Group Alignment: Multiple actors are leaning in closely to make the text stretch across multiple mouths (a creative blocking choice to spread a message across several grillz).

• On-Camera Monitor: Framing is being monitored live, showing how tight focus and sparkle timing is critical.

🎓 What You Can Learn:

• Details matter with macro shots — especially with reflective surfaces like jewelry.

• Light positioning + angle is everything for reflections and shine.

• Creative blocking can turn a simple concept into a statement visual.

💡 Got Your Own BTS?

Send us your behind-the-scenes clips, lighting tests, or breakdowns — and we might feature you next.

Industry News 📰 

🎬 Industry Headlines

Rick Moranis to Return as Dark Helmet in Spaceballs Sequel
After nearly 30 years away, Rick Moranis is reprising his iconic “Dark Helmet” role in Spaceballs Part Two, directed by Josh Greenbaum. Original cast members like Mel Brooks and Bill Pullman are returning, alongside new additions Josh Gad and Keke Palmer. Expected theatrical release: 2027 thetimes.co.uk

Stormzy Steps into Film with Apple-backed Short ‘Big Man’
British rapper Stormzy takes his first lead acting role in a short film produced by his Merky Films with Apple. Directed by Oscar-winner Aneil Karia, Big Man stars Stormzy as a washed-up rap star and launches June 18 on YouTube. The project is part of Merky Films' broader push into drama, documentaries, animation, and more theguardian.com

Clay Theatre in San Francisco to Reopen as Arthouse Hub
San Francisco’s historic Clay Theatre (Upper Fillmore) is set to reopen in 2026 after closing in 2020. The renovated space will host premiers, classics, festivals, and community events—widely praised as a win for indie and arthouse cinema sfchronicle.com

Fran Drescher & SAG-AFTRA Lobby Trump for Film Tax Breaks
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher is working with President Trump to introduce U.S. tax incentives aimed at stemming film production from moving overseas. Some indie producers argue the move doesn’t address their capital access challenges pagesix.com

🎬 Final Frame

Whether it's a feature film that moves us, a raw campaign that humanizes service, or a BTS shot that reveals the magic behind the frame — every project we share here has one thing in common:

It reminds us why we create.

DPG Cinema isn’t just a place to showcase beautiful work — it’s a space to study it, honor the purpose behind it, and build a smarter creative community along the way.

We’re here for filmmakers who think deeper.
Creators who ask why — not just how.
And storytellers who know their vision deserves preparation, not just inspiration.

👉 Got a project with a mission, message, or lesson?
Send it in. We want to spotlight work that says something — and show how you pulled it off.

Until next time,
Stay sharp. Stay intentional. And keep telling stories that matter.

— DPG Cinema
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