Black and Blue

UpRising: You served as cinematographer for the 1998 cult classic Belly, which is known for an iconic opening scene that’s illuminated with blue light. Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” music video, which you directed that same year, has a similar look. Can you speak about that aesthetic—specifically, why blue light looks so magical on Black skin?

Malik Hassan Sayeed: Hype [Williams] is my most intimate creative relationship in my career. We grew together—it was an amazing partnership. We recognized early that [blue light] had a specific kind of effect and feeling. We just loved the resonance. 

We wanted to honor darker skin tones. We looked and reacted to things photographically and it just happened to be in that space with that color light. Red has its own effect on the skin. Blue, lavender—all different effects—purple, deep indigo. We dialed deeply into blue for Belly. 

We used blue filters to get that effect, but that resonance also comes in black and white. There's a Taral Hicks video that we did, “Silly,” where you get the same kind of resonance without the color. It’s the resonance we're going for with the skin.

———

After the Hunt is now playing in theaters. Belly is currently streaming on Starz.