Portfolio reel for Chris Gaines  

A sampling of my work from the past few years. I love the entire creative process of filmmaking, from concept to completion. Conducting all the varied elements into a perfect sort of collision, creating something fresh; a magical new reality of sorts, is exciting stuff.  As such, it's not unusual for me to direct, shoot and edit many of the projects I take on. This reel is a collection of projects where I've served primarily as director and cinematographer. Take a peek around, let me know what you think!

Ignite: 25 Years of Raw Art Works

The Ignite Project was created as part of a 25th anniversary marketing kick-off for Raw Art Works 25th Anniversary.  RAW wanted to use the unique moment in time to raise awareness of RAW's mission to 'ignite the desire to create and the confidence to succeed in underserved youth,' as well as to kick off a two-million dollar capital campaign for program expansion; strengthening core programs and adding new space to more teens throughout the year. 

RAW wanted to focus on hearing the honest voices of Alumni who grew up at RAW, to hear what the organization has meant to them.  Visit Raw Art Works Here.

Ignite:  Creativity - Tanisha

Tanisha attended RAW's Reel to Real Film School for 3 years, and graduated in 2013. She was invited back to RAW as a teaching assistant in film school while in college. Tanisha hopes to persue a career in film.

Direction, camera: Chris Gaines                 

Editor:  Peter Pa 

Music: Jon Bellini (jonbellini.com) 

Ignite:  Desire - Matt

Matt began coming to RAW's Reel to Real Film School in 2003. He graduated high school in 2006 and is currently an Assistant Video Editor at Soup2Nuts Animation studio. He is one of two alumni to sit on RAW's board of directors. 

Direction, camera, editing: Chris Gaines                 

Music: Jon Bellini (jonbellini.com) 

Ignite: Success - Johnny

Johnny started coming to RAW at age 7, and stayed active at RAW until he graduated high school in 2009. He currently owns Foot Traffik, a high end sneaker store, and is the father of two boys. 

Direction, camera, editing: Chris Gaines                 

Music: Jon Bellini (jonbellini.com) 

© Copyright 2013 Raw Art Works

Big Ol' Dirty Bucket - Mic Smoke

The challenge: to make a strong debut video, that could be shot quickly, while keeping all 10 members of the band satisfied.  The band didn't want a typical funk video, and they were also concerned about walking away with a video that focused solely on the lead singer, only showing the band for a shot or two.   This is the outcome.  One room, one set-up, one day, and a lot of fun energy in front of the camera.  

Additional help from:
Jean-Paul DiSciscio

Vicki Zagdan-Gross

Matt Ecclesiastre

Live at Brighton Music Hall

As a favor, I was asked to film one of their live shows, only to be told that we could only use one camera and no-tripod upon arrival.  Challenge accepted. 

Sittings

There is something pure and simple about people sitting in front of a camera. They are so open and vulnerable, which provides a great opportunity to capture pure, unscripted emotion...and to gently torture them at the same time.

I'm the founder and director of The Real to Reel Filmschool at Raw Art Works. We believe that all children, regardless of race, class, sexual orientation, education or gender should be seen and heard.  In the Real to Reel program, While learning the craft of filmmaking, we empower our young filmmakers to recognize that their own stories and visions are valid and worth sharing. We provide the tools and education for them to share in a way that is entertaining, deep and engaging.  See more work from the program here. 

Balloon outro 2014

Made for Real to Reel's 2014 screening at the Peabody Essex Museum as a way to introduce each class member. 

Music: RUN-DMC 'Peter Piper'

Raw Art Works Alumni Night

A quick, fun alternative to the traditional photo-booth. 

Edited by Tanisha Garner

Music by Nancy Sinatra

Real to Reel outro 2012

We were lucky to have Rule Camera let us borrow their TS3 Cine high-speed camera for a weekend. This is the result. Kids and water, such a fun shoot.   

Edited by Desiree McMahon

Music by Marina and the Diamonds 'Hollywood'

All work copyright © Raw Art Works

Dropped

An adaptation of an Emily Dickinson poem. Created as a filmmaking challenge with some friends, this was made in under a day, and served as a testing ground for a new camera and lenses.

poem read by Lenore Barber

music by Osmodius Bell

Home

I had the opportunity to talk to high school seniors about their experiences at Raw Art Works  (where I serve as Director of The Real to Reel Filmschool) as they prepared for graduation. 

Music: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

copyright © 2012 Raw Art Works

This is a trailer for Areno, a film that's currently in pre-production. 
Areno (Japanese for The Desert) explores the lonely souls, unattainable dreams, and comic tragedies that
unfold for an out-of-place
Asian-American military family
trying to survive in the Arizona desert.

Music by the Pernice Brothers 

Partially funded through a grant from the LEF Foundation

Music video for The Dejas.

Music videos for This Blue Heaven

Slow Dance Slow & Bliss

This Blue Heaven are so easy to work with, so of course I did two videos for them! Bliss was a quick, fun shoot; a chance to get to get together and play. Slow Dance Slow; a more ambitious shoot with a few locations and story lines.  Each film is an opposite of sorts from the other. One is hyper motion, vivid colors, and pure energy, while the other is a like a slow motion memory.

Hood Luv/Outta Jail

Two music videos for RIPSHOP. Hood Luv/Outta Jail was meant to be a re-mix track, a way to slip in another look and sound (basically a short version of a completely different track) into one song.  Of the two elements, I love the the simplicity of the Outta Jail edit. He's got a great energy and his flow is awesome.  Hood Luv is more summertime; a love song to Dorchester, MA. 

Direction, Camera, Editing: Chris Gaines

Betta Days

Just a tight video shot by my friend, Iga, that I edited.

Direction:  Iga Mikler

Editor:  Chris Gaines

A little trilogy of some personal filmmaking. 

A Moment in Time

A love letter for my wife and baby. Made in the months before my wife and I were preparing for our first child, Mena (short for Philomena, named for her Great-Grandmother). I've always wondered what my parents were like before they had kids, so I decided to make a short document of who we were before she came into our lives. It was made in a 24 hour period, and is a quick snapshot of the last days as we transitioned from being just a "couple," to being a "family." Life couldn't be better.

Home

A personal documentary of sorts. I made this film to go with a wedding proposal for my wife (it worked!), who I've known since we were kids. Made with snippets of footage collected over the years. 

Wish

Oh man. It cracks me up that I made this. I still like it, as it is 90's teen angst at it's finest! Made in my Junior year of h.s... I later married this girl! She's still just as angry (in a cute, totally fun way). I still am obsessed with her.  

Music: Nine Inch Nails

Fun (maybe not-so-fun?) fact: I can't believe that I totally brought this gun to school, so I could use it for a shoot after school. I won a h.s. video competition with this, which I made in TV productions, and it played to a whole auditorium of high-schoolers...on a military base, even! no one was concerned. Totally different time. I feel old.

Direct Objects

What happens when a relationship dies, even if you still love the person? My first attempt at shooting 35mm.

may december

I wanted to explore ways to optically and electronically alter a video image for a painterly effect, using simple environmental compositions as a canvas. Made with found sounds (courtesy of Sal Darji), and music by Ben Henry, it's a meditative exploration of my environment.

Saludeza Commercials

Short commercials that aired locally for Saludeza, a health and wellness company targeting a latino market.  I don't speak Spanish, nor have I shot Spanish commercials before, so these are a fun break from my usual directing and editing work. And for the last video, the chance to work with that classic Spanish language voice! 

All works presented here were made as part of the Real to Reel Filmschool at Raw Art Works.  © Raw Art Works  

GRYGIEL 'Make It Out'

RAW’s Real to Reel Filmmakers worked to convey the stories of three gay teens as they traverse the difficult reality of being gay in highschool. Social isolation, bullying, family stress, and heartbreak are all explored within the hopeful stories of youth emerging positively from situations where there seems to be almost no end in sight; a striking visual accompaniment to the powerful words of Grygiel’s own “It Gets Better” story.

Proceeds from the sale of the associated EP are being donated to the “It Gets Better Project” which seeks to help LGBT youth envision a life worth living.

wbur.org/2012/07/18/gay-bullying-video

Music by GRYGIEL (jennifergrygiel.com/)

Created by the teens of the Real to Reel Filmschool of Raw Art Works in Lynn, MA. (rawartworks.org)

Jordan

An exploration of an autistic teenager and his visit home from a residential setting.

Filmmaker: Katie Russell

My Bully

Who is your bully? Maybe they are closer to you than you think.

A spoken word piece written and performed by Gladys Hidalgo.

Filmmaker: Ava Ludwig

Entry

When senior year doesn't live up to expectations and you spend more time over thinking then doing homework; life can seem really cluttered. In this short film a girl tries to put her life, thoughts, and feeling in order.

Filmmaker: Jenna Ring

Music: Kayln Rock

Just Play

Talent and skill are what's most important in sports, right? Why would anything else matter?

Filmmaker: Andrys Galan

Lesson One

Everyone has their demons.

Filmmaker: Bryan Deleon

Thank You

A confession to the most important person in the world; a special thank you that has never been spoken until now.

Filmmaker: 
Jelenny Clark

Ghostbosters
Students from the Middle School group produce a shot-for-shot remake of the Ghostbusters trailer.

Watch the side-by-side comparison here: vimeo.com/100247425

Filmmakers: Emily Silva, Isaac Dreeben, Lizzy Embick, Mia Ventola, Sidney St. Ives, Taryn Osborne

See more works from the Real to Reel Filmschool here.