Spike Lee

Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company is called "40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks" has produced over 35 films since 1983. Many of his films were created to show light on political issues. The discrimination people face in different situations and even the dynamics in a family living in poverty. The truth inside the storytelling is what attracts me to Spike Lee as a film director. In films like "Do The Right Thing", he uses a lot of color saturation to draw attention to the characters emotions or feeling in that particular scene. There is always a reoccurring theme in his films and in this particular one he uses heat. Heat somehow had the power over the characters emotions and reactions in the film. Making everything bright and somehow giving the visual of unbearable heat. In other films like "She's Gotta Have It", he uses black and white very delicately to tell the story of a women who's a fool for love. When using black and white the visuals have to be really strong and he did that well. Not only do I admire his editing but I enjoy his choice of bringing in the same actors/actresses to play different characters. For example, his sister Joie Lee appears in multiple films created by Spike Lee, as well as Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Roger Guenveur Smith and several others. I've chosen Spike Lee as my director because I am a big fan of his work and I would love to use some of his techniques in my own filmmaking. His compelling stories and usage of colors really bring his films to light.