Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Blaine Harrington IV. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Blaine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My late father Blaine Harrington III was a professional worldwide travel photographer, and growing up I was surrounded by his work framed on the walls, and I would watch him at work whenever we were on a family vacation, which inspired me to want to take photos myself. He passed his talent on to me, and as I got older he took me along on some of his travels. He took me to Alaska when I was 14. When I was 17, he took me to the Canyonlands in Utah, and that same summer we were on top of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. I got to experience things no one else could, and I was loving it. My dad was very devoted to photography and no one was as passionate about it as him. His work is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

My dad was also very smart, knowing how to shoot things in a professional way, but he also knew a lot about different nationalities, locations, rituals, history because part of his job was describing the subject of his picture. He filled his head with knowledge through reading books, articles and watching a lot of documentaries.

My dad pushed me to come out of my shell and be a better version of myself. He always said you have to get yourself out there and make the best of things. He was someone who didn’t give up on you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Well I’m autistic and because I struggled with school, no one believed I could have a successful career. My dad disagreed with all of them. He saw something special in me and could see I had a gift. He was concerned though. The world changed compared to what it was like when he was growing up. Everyone wanted to be a photographer, so that meant there would be a lot of competition, and because people were using their cellphones to take pictures, they had less need for professional photographers. While my dad appreciated that I wanted to follow in his footsteps, there was still the question of how I was going to live my life doing something I loved when there are few demands for intermediate photographers and lots of competition!

I’m also a great lover of film, and when I was 27, my dad had learned about a school called Exceptional Minds. They help people with autism show the world their creative talent, and help direct them to career opportunities in the entertainment industry. Animation, visual effects compositing, 3D, and motion graphics, some of which were outside my area of interest, but I managed to develop a passion for. others. Exceptional Minds accepted me into their program, and so I moved from Colorado to Sherman Oaks, California to learn and experience new things. It was a start.

I was at Exceptional Minds for 3 years, and after I graduated I started an exciting summer internship with The Academy Gold of Motion Pictures Arts in their Academy Gold Rising Program, which opened up a lot of doors for me. I was exposed to so many things that were within my area of interest. During my time there and since then, I’ve participated in film festivals for short films, and I’m always bringing my camera along with me to take pictures at every event I’ve been invited to! I’ve also met a lot of interesting people through the program, my fellow Goldies, who have their own talents. They are writers, directors, producers, editors, set designers, cinematographers, and or actors.

One of them Andrei Vasilevich, was making a short film, “Stefan the Vampire,” as his thesis, and he asked me if I could take behind the scenes photographs for him. It was a great new experience for me to witness a film being made in person, and put my photography skills to good use. I loved the creative energy I was feeling on set. The project was imaginative and artistic. As I was looking at everything around me, ideas were coming to me for how I was going to capture the moment. There was also a lot of great lighting on each set, and I took advantage of that to help create the shots I wanted. I would shoot whenever they were prepping the scene because as they were shooting you had to be quiet on set. The microphone has to make sure the only sound it captures is the dialog being said by the actors. Andrei loved the photos I had been taking and took the time to celebrate me for my devotion and assertiveness as I was taking photographs. One of the photos I took for “Stefan the Vampire,” Andrei decided to use for the main movie poster and what an honor that was. I owe Andrei a lot of thanks for giving me this opportunity.

Another great thing about working on “Stefan the Vampire” was making new connections. Some of the actors hired me to take photographs of them to help promote them either as an actor or a fitness trainer.

One of the crew members on “Stefan the Vampire,” Nasim Kiani was so impressed with the photos I had been taking that she asked if I could take photographs for a short film she was going to make called “The Last Unheard Words,” and I was delighted. I was meant to take photographs during the entire shoot, but I only did 2 days because an unexpected tragedy happened and I had to leave. It was disappointing because I loved the feeling of being involved with another project. I did manage to take a lot of great photographs during my time on the project, and months later, Nasim asked me if I could design the film’s poster. While I was attending Exceptional Minds, I took a photoshop class, which taught me how to cut and merge images together transforming them into something else. Nasim didn’t know that. The reason she had me design the poster was she could see how talented I was and believed I could do anything. Nasim told me how she wanted the poster to look and my job was to give her what she wanted, and at the same time I had to figure out how I was going to be able to do this. I worked on two different posters for her. I put together the poster she had wanted to see, and I also had my own idea for a poster, and that one eventually got picked.

I’ve also worked as a production assistant (errand boy) a few times. The first project I worked on as a PA was “Our Late Father,” directed by Sylvia Ray and written by EP Cho. There wasn’t much to do. I just had to wait for orders. I would have brought my Nikon camera with me, but I didn’t know much about what a PA did at that time. I did take behind the scenes pictures on set with my phone, and everyone was pleased with them. In fact some were used to help promote the project.

I’ve also done behind the scenes for a new web series that is in the works called “Joaquin,” created and starring Yubi Tubi. I met Yubi at an Academy Gold gathering and we connected on social media. One day she had posted that she needed extras for her series, and I was available so I volunteered. I was only needed for five minutes and all I had to do was look average since I was an extra. After that I stuck around with Yubi and her crew to take behind the scenes photos with my Nikon. Yubi was pleased with the photos, and two months later she was shooting the rest of the series and asked if I would take more behind the scenes photos. It makes me happy that I am both needed and putting my talents to excellent use.

I always enjoy being a part of a new project, shooting a different subject, observing people at work, and feeling that creative energy. Being on a set is something I’ve become hooked to, and I want to continue being involved with projects. I ask around if anyone needs a photographer and I let them know I can give them fantastic photographs.

There’s a lot of short film festivals I’ve been to, the Hollyshorts, Newfilmmakers, Indie Night, IFC, Gold Thesis, Micheaux, and a lot of the times I go to those festivals is to support a project I’ve been involved with or supporting a friend’s project. “Our Late Father,” has had a few screenings lately, and I’ve only been to two. As I said before, I bring my Nikon camera with me to these events, and I take pictures to help remember this big moment.

I also meet new people, whose work I get to see, and become a fan of. When I was at the Indie Night Film Festival, I was there to support a film called “One Last Wish,” written and directed by Laurd Milian. Usually at these events, there are other photographers to take pictures of people on the red carpet, but I was the only photographer around, and other teams were asking if I would take pictures of them and I was more than happy to do it.

While I was an intern at the Academy Gold program, I would take tons and tons of photos during our in person events and gatherings. During graduation they showed a lot of the pictures I took and at the end it said “Thank you Blaine! You are an amazing photographer!” I’m always happy when people are very pleased with the photos I have taken to help support them or have great memories to look back on. It makes me feel I am putting myself to good use.

I’ve found myself participating and having great opportunities in various things, and I always ask myself “how did I get here?!”

I also write movie blogs. I started showing interest in writing when I was 24 and there are several reasons why I wanted to write movie blogs. Growing up I was surrounded by people who thought movies weren’t that big of a deal, and they would say “it’s just a movie,” which I wasn’t fond of hearing. They didn’t realize there was more to film and television than they thought. Thousands of people devote themselves to give a movie life, and they also put their creative talents into it as well. The story can represent either something personal, something you find fascinating, it can be representing a culture, and it could be sending out a message. You can feel various things from watching a movie. Either something special, moving, sad, personal, and it can also make you think things in a different way.

When writing a movie blog, I merge what I know with what I felt from watching the movie. I wanted to open people’s minds and have them see things the way I do, and through my blogs I was able to do it. It doesn’t work for everyone, and that’s ok because not everyone thinks the same or shows the same interests as you. People have told me they see movies they usually wouldn’t watch thanks to me, and how I have helped them come out of the box. They also say how informative and thoughtful my blogs are, and that tells me I’m fulfilling my goal.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I’m very fond of cinematography. I always explain it as like photography, only the images are moving and the cameras can be heavier. During my time at Exceptional Minds I was learning to be a visual effects compositor, but I felt I should be a cameraman instead, because I’m very fond of cinematography and I have ideas on how I want to shoot things, even with some of the projects I did at Exceptional Minds. It was something that was repeating itself in my head, but I wasn’t listening to it clearly. After what I’ve experienced and have been exposed to I finally admitted to myself that camerawork is more my thing, and I feel positive about it. The people in charge of Academy Gold are helping me with that. I’ve been watching videos online on how to be a cameraman and they have connections they can introduce me to.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are challenges, but every artists goes through a challenge and you have to say to yourself “it can be done if you put your heart into it.” You’re putting a piece of yourself into your work, whether it’s your own or someone else’s and it feels good to leave a mark.

The feeling of accomplishment always gets me energized because you’ve devoted so much time into creating something and it will be a part of the legacy you are creating for yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bharrington2022.wixsite.com/blaine-harrington-iv
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blaineharringtoniv/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaineharringtoniv/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbeIb2JKSxl_DQhgU4RdXVg
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Image Credits
Blaine Harrington IV