" [We are] finding something we can't find alone, together”
- Terence Nance
Terence Nance is a filmmaker, musician and creator of the HBO Max show, Random Acts of Flyness.
The first thing I watched directed by Nance was the short film You and I and You featuring songs from the band, The Dig. I instantly fell in love with his otherworldly storytelling and use of visuals with music. Then, I watched his short film Jimi Could Have Fallen from the Sky and gained even more insight into the kind of filmmaker he was.
A friend had recommended Random Acts of Flyness to me a while back knowing that I was interested in surrealism and short sketches. When I started looking into Terence Nance, I found out that he was the one who created the show. That made a lot of sense. I was hype to see the connection and to have loved his film style prior to knowing about his current project. Random Acts of Flyness is now on its second season and I look forward to following its progression as its audience grows and content continues to break the norm.
Terence Nance is also a great collaborator and brings together different perspectives. His point of view stands out and inspires other creators.
You and i and you (2015)
I am in love with this music video. Just something about it. It's a hypnotic dance film to the songs Cold Afternoon and So Alone by the band The Dig for their 2013 EP You and I. Terence Nance and The Dig had collaborated previously on his debut film, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2013) which was a successful project and co-produced by Jay-Z.
The opening scene is a beautiful tracking shot of these painted, decorated dancers. When the beat drops, the dancers move out of frame and reveal the main subjects of the video who seem to be unaware of their presence at first.
My favorite part is when the characters notice the dancers behind them and we see a change in their expression. As the viewer, it feels like they are looking at us. They eventually approach these royal figures and give away the young girl they are carrying. The film takes place on an empty road surrounded by the woods. The cool tones in the video match the song nicely. The film really created a world for the audio to live in.
The smooth transitions, tracking shots and visual tone of this music video make it engaging. To me, the magical vibes and indirect anecdotes make it very Terence Nance. His style pays off when playing with surrealism and combining different artistic mediums in his work.
This music video also stars Naima Ramos-Chapman, another great filmmaker and creative who has surreal works of her own.
Jimi Could Have Fallen from the Sky (2017)
This short film is a reimagined biopic of Jimi Hendrix and it's really good. It's full of energy, visually and narratively. This life story is told and shown with pure imagination.
I am a fan of the b-roll footage, transitions, editing style and story structure. The use of sound effects and music elevate the taste of this short. Additionally, the movement and choreography by Naima Ramos-Chapman is equally as engaging and adds necessary layers to the project. Even the initial credit titles were dope and set the tone for the style of the film.
Jimi Could Have Fallen From the Sky is a whimsical, energetic, dream-like take on a biopic. For me, one of the most inspiring things about it is the fact that after I watched it I felt like I had the confidence to make something like it. It isn’t overly complicated or too obscure. It’s simple, yet dynamic in the ways that matter. Nance has an effortless approach to experimental filmmaking and it’s apparent in most of his works, including this one.
Random acts of flyness (2018 - present)
Random Acts of Flyness is a series focusing on our modern day society and culture through the black experience lens. The show combines different film styles and genres including; surreal drama, comedy, animation, pseudo-documentary, interviews, parodies, news footage, layered editing, mixed media and more. True to its name, this show is a collection of stylized stories, sketches and ideas. Tackling social norms, taboo subjects and nearly every type of emotion, Nance did his thing with this one.
Season one simultaneously highlighted and educated its audience about racism in America and provided striking visuals and satirical commentary on current, past and future issues. Season two lends itself to a more spiritual, ritual-isque tone and plays with a cohesive narrative throughout. Honestly, I remember the show being a little slow for me at first, but it really did pick up. Plus, learning more about surrealism in general gave me a different POV when watching this show and I appreciated it much more.
RAOF is a one of a kind type of show. The structure initially reminded me of FX’s CAKE, but this show is more thought provoking and dynamic. It’s a great modern day representation of surrealism + afro-surrealism in television. Every episode is loaded with symbolism, experimental filmmaking, perspective and original storytelling. The writing room for this show is very collaborative and I think that's the best way to do a show like this.
It’s cool for HBO to take on a show that's so experimental and youthful. I’m excited to see where Nance and his team continue to take it and how they grow themselves as artists.
