Nickel Boys Interview: Director RaMell Ross Details The Challenges Of POV Shots & Breaks Down One Crucial Scene
Director RaMell Ross sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss his latest film, The Nickel Boys, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Ross, who won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary Feature for his 2018 film Hale County This Morning, This Evening, spoke about the challenges of using point-of-view shots in The Nickel Boys and broke down a crucial scene in the film.
The Nickel Boys is based on the novel by Colson Whitehead, which tells the story of two African American boys sent to a juvenile reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. The film stars Demetrius Shipp Jr. and Jahi Di’Allo Winston as the two main characters, and Ross used POV shots to put the audience directly in their shoes.
“It was a challenge because we’re talking about two black boys who are in a world that’s very hostile to them,” Ross explained. “The POV shots allow us to see the world through their eyes, but it also allows us to see the ways in which the world is viewing them. So, it was a delicate balance between showing their perspective and showing the perspective of the world around them.”
One of the most crucial scenes in the film takes place in a bathroom, where the two boys are forced to strip naked in front of each other. The scene is both intimate and violent, and Ross used POV shots to capture the boys’ reactions.
“We shot that scene with a combination of handheld and static shots,” Ross said. “We wanted to create a sense of unease and discomfort, so we used a lot of close-ups and medium shots. We also used the POV shots to get really close to the boys’ faces, so that the audience feels like they’re right there with them.”
Ross also spoke about the importance of using black filmmakers and actors to tell the story of The Nickel Boys. “It’s really important to me that we’re telling these stories with people who are from these communities,” he said. “It’s not just about making a film, it’s about creating a movement. And that movement starts with the people who are most affected by the system.”
The Nickel Boys is now playing in select theaters and will be available to stream on Netflix later this year.