About Her Films (Aboutherfims.com) Review,

Film is only one form of media communication that is powerful both aesthetically and in what it can do to affect people’s emotions, and value systems.

Director/Cinematogher/Editor, Melinda James has captured various mediums to help connect humanity with female perspectives through the usage of film with her company, About Her Films. James'  website Aboutherfilms.com is creatively ingenious. 

James said, “About Her Films was created to give voice to, and tell authentic stories about, women and their experiences.”

When I viewed Aboutherfilms.com, I saw that James has put the female viewpoint and analysis on fim through the way she captures the essence of the female embodiment. 

In psychoanalysis the “mirror phase” is a vital stage in human development. The mirror phase, when one recognizes their reflection, is crucial for the foundation of the ego. The recognition of one’s self is joyous in that he/she imagines his/her mirror image to be more perfect and more complete than his/her own body. 

On Aboutherfilms.com James shows that media is similar to the mirror phase. The audience identifies with the images on the screen and becomes them, however, knowing they are not. What they see on screen is something more perfect. This is why image representation is so important in society. It gives identity to us as a people. 

How can we possibly become the society we could truly be, without an imperative shift in image representation of the people that make up America. 

James said,  “It is time we represent all of America in image, not just the white, male-dominated, straight culture. If we did, we could come closer to identifying to one another as humans, seeing our similarities and not continuing to have a lost identity. “

I had the pleasure of meeting James during her humble beginnings as a Director/Cinematogher/Editor. She was new to film, however, her mind's eye-view while creating  and capturing beautiful imageries of women gave her the ability to create a space for women to be seen. She especially highlights the beautiful and creative female talents in the Bay Area of California. Music videos were not her expertise initailly, however, as she continued to grow within her documentary film Masters program at UC Santa Cruz she was afforded with the opportunity to bring up and coming music  female music artists to light through film. 

Though James has only been working with film for two years, she has received a lot of press as an up and coming filmmaker. Here are what some of the companies have described regarding her cinematography,

“Fact: I have a special place in my heart for Melinda James, whom many know as the genius behind AboutHerFilms. There is a certain air of authenticity, quality, and aesthetic beauty in her filmmaking that is second to none. As such, it was a pleasure to see that the newest visual from the elegant songstress Mara Hruby was directed by this phenomenal woman.” – frndofthepeople

“We featured a Melinda James original here before. Somewhere last year we introduced her as an aspiring movie maker and posted ‘A moment with Afta 1.’ If you take the time to run through Melinda James’s visual resume on her Vimeo channel, About Her Films, … you might notice that ‘aspiring’ can be left out of the introduction nowadays.” – Strange Fruit

“Maybe I wasn’t held enough as a baby but I love this video. The director does an amazing job of capturing a series of physical interactions between two women to convey sensuality that flirts with sexuality but never quite crosses over into the vulgar realm.” – Guff of VeniceLiquor.com
“And capping it off with that do-nothing-but-roll-around-in-bed-with-your-lover vibe is director, Melinda James, who captured the song perfectly in the above video.” – Andrew Martin of PrefixMag.com

“…and the way everything was shot amazed me.” – Gianni Lee of Babylon Cartel

“Moreover, I’m extremely amazed by the video in so many ways. Without any dialogue, it told a story. Colors were beautiful. Shout out to Melinda James.” – Mac.Mich

“This piece of lovely cinematography is courtesy of Melinda James working under the About Her Films imprint. Screw that ‘unofficial’ sh*t though. TOKi might need to holla @ Melinda for some work in the future.” – Trees for Breakfast

“The home girl Melinda James brings art to her films.  Leave the fluff and fizzle what you’re seeing here is real.” – Sasha Kelley of C-Proof

“Bay area based filmmaker Melinda James a.k.a. About Her Films is making serious moves that you may just wanna follow.” – Jacqueline of MADE Jewelry

One of her biggest accomplishment with her company About Her Films is the video she did with rising  soulful songtress, Mara Hruby last year. This video had an article featured on it in Essence magazine. 

James said, “I never thought that I would be receiving such accoladaes in such an early stage of my career. However, I am thankful that people appreciate my appreciation for the feamle entity.”

Aboutherfilms.com  subtly brings natural identification to communities of women underrepresented in multimedia. James creates and produces aesthetically stunning and realistic work, while using various forms of communication as a political weapon to give a unifying reflection of society today.

Check the video CHARACTER sung by Mara Hruby and directed by About Her Films founder, Melinda James below. 

Africa Rises with ARISE magazine

Africa Rises with ARISE magazine

ARISE Magazine December 2010 (First Issue)

Last January (2011), I stumbled across the first issue of ARISE magazine in a Barnes & Nobles Bookstore. Four stunning African women shared one space on the cover of the magazine. Each represented a different shade of Africa. This magazine is exquisitely packaged and presented like Cosmopolitan, except it is vibrantly full of color because of the hues of Africa on each page. 

ARISE is Africa’s first and leading universal style magazine. It highlights and recognizes the African presence in fashion, art, music, literature, and politics. Each page is  picturesque and gives the reader an explicit interpretation through vivid visuals, literary analysis and personal opinion. This magazine unveils beautiful creations designed by people of African descent. It forces its readers to recognize the importance and huge impact of African culture within creative industries.

The print-version of the magazine is filled with vital and voguish shades of Black Beauties. One is forced to acknowledge Africa outside of the commercialized poverty the media publicizes. It sheds light and gives us, the readers, an in-depth look on the talent which comes not only from the varied origins of Africa, but People of Color from all over the world.

ARISE enlightens, exudes, and motivates people of all walks of life, but primarily those of African descent, to rise and take in equal measure for their presence in art. “ARISE breakdowns, educational and journalistic limitations with its combination of outspoken news and interview coverage while showcasing a superfluity styled story sense told through photojournalism. ARISE has created a new category of culture trend interface. It provides the public access to a world that would more than likely be hidden in the shadows.

  

The website, http://www.arisemagazine.net  provides ARISE with a social outlet to reach a vast audience interested in the unique culture of Africa. The site is plain and simple, with highlights of creative of color. 

It is sectioned off in  NEWS, FASHION & BEAUTY, ARTS & CULTURE, MUSIC, POLITICS, BLOGS, ARISEtv, and MAGAZINE (articles) categories.  The users will find resources to people and places outside of the norm of magazine fashion. Each discovery is unique and worth the exploration.

Overall the production team stated on http://www.arisemagazine.net, “ARISE targets a discerning, Afropolitan readership who share an interest in the cultural and social developments coming out of the continent. The magazine’s mix of fashion, music, sport, film, art and politics appeals to young, educated and affluent readers who demand to be the first to know about what’s hot and what’s important in Africa and around the world. ARISE attracts a 60:40 female/male audience.”

The ARISE community is filled with inventive artists of African origins, whom eagerly wait for their turn to to reveal their essence in everyday style. ARISE magazine uses their fierce creativity to resourcefully produce imaginations into creative images showcased living in color via web and print. The producers provide the people with presentations of Africa, like never seen before. As ARISE continues to highlight the beautiful diversity within the color of darkness… Africa RISEs and is no longer invisible to creative industries.