60 Seconds in New Orleans with Candace Bacchus

“I stroll down the streets of a new land with a gentle force urging me to release fear, hold on to dreams, and paint these pages with their whispers” ~ Candace Bacchus

We partnered with the award winning Marriott Content Studio to create a docuseries celebrating the power of travel.   

Being steeped in character based storytelling, AlterEgo has directed countless protagonists paired with world class brands and this most recent collaboration afforded us the opportunity to engage a new audience looking for depth and connection where they seek content most, YouTube.   

We gravitate towards real people who don’t always see themselves represented in art & culture and we do this because we believe in the power of storytelling to change perception. This project fully aligned with these values and we were proud to leverage our unique position to find a different kind of brand ambassador. Filming in a handful of Marriott’s top markets over the course of three months, we tapped into that feeling you get when you’re searching for, “home.”

Location can be a powerful character and as a writer Candace connects with New Orleans because it captures the richness of what it means to be Black, to be southern, and to be American. It’s one of those cities that despite tragedy has remained true to itself and fights everyday to show determination and perseverance.

Candace's belief in our limitless capacity to dream is strong and a responsibility she does not take lightly. Her goal is to contribute to and create a world beyond her wildest imagination. As a storyteller, she recognizes that there is great power in being able to contribute in both shaping the future and re-telling the story of our past.
 

Director's notes:
I will approach the storytelling for this third episode a little differently as our talent IS a writer. Working directly with Candace, together we will craft the foundation for this story through a series of pre interviews and journaling prior to our arrival in New Orleans. Visually, I aim to capture the clarity Candace seeks and finds here, away from the hustle and bustle. I want to be inside her mind and steadily immersed in her thoughts from the opening scene to the final shot. 

Cinematographer's notes:
Candace is an introspective, thoughtful observer of life, past and present. Heather had the idea to tell this story from Candace's inner monologue. I proposed that we slow things down, filming almost entirely static, save for a few slow motion limited movement gimbal shots where locations wouldn't allow for sticks. Additionally, anamorphic lenses would allow for additional width in each frame, giving the viewer the full cinematic view. I wanted this to mimic her thought process, taking in the whole scene without judgement, allowing for moments to happen and ideas to form.