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Cameron Carr’s directorial debut shines a light on the untold stories of Black communities

A Personal Story

Cameron Carr’s Harlem Fragments is an autobiographical story of the breakdown of a Black family in Harlem during the 2008 recession. Told through the eyes of a young boy using FUJIFILM X-H2S, the film is made up of a mixture of present-day footage, flashbacks, and animated memories.

“It’s a subject close to my heart – and really meta in terms of how cathartic the project was,” Cameron begins. “It’s loosely based on what happened to my family at the time. I used that as a framing reference point and condensed our ten-year divorce journey into fragments, so the film operates as a kind of family scrapbook.”

This already powerful story was made all the more poignant by the film’s location. “The special, vulnerable part is that the film was made in the home I grew up in – and which we ultimately lost in the divorce,” Cameron continues.

“The crazy in me was trying to find a location that emulated this brownstone,” he chuckles. “I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever find a location that worked, then it snapped to me: why don’t I start by reaching out to the current homeowners and hear their thoughts?”

To Cameron’s delight, the owners were more than happy to oblige for such an important project.

“I thought they would just slam the door on me the second I asked something like that, but they were truly receptive,” he recalls. “Then it just kept revving up. I brought my mom in to play the grandmother in the film, my sister came to set and was seeing the house for the first time in over a decade. It went full circle.”

Working in such an emotive environment brought with it certain mental challenges for Cameron, unlocking core memories that had remained undisturbed for many years. However, this only strengthened the film’s emotional power.

“In short, it’s a vulnerable film – and that’s the approach I like to take in filmmaking. Telling these interesting stories that speak on that vulnerability is something I find very creative in the nonfiction realm.”

A Broader Narrative

While extremely meaningful to Cameron and his family, Harlem Fragments is more than just a personal project. The film speaks of broader issues Cameron feels are underrepresented in film.

“The reason I’m drawn to these vulnerable films is because, when looking at a larger realm and hemisphere, these are the stories that spotlight the untold moments, histories, and feelings within Black communities,” explains Cameron.

“To tell those stories from a Black director, a Black production team, and Black writers, in a lens that is not focusing on just the heavy-handed divorce trauma, but the beauty of families when they’re together, is crucial.

“We don’t often have the opportunity to see that in the film world currently.”

Cameron hopes that, by highlighting the beautiful moments wrapped up in emotional complexity, he can help others who are going through the same thing.

“That’s the effectiveness you can achieve through this kind of vulnerable, creative nonfiction filmmaking,” he says. “When shown in an intentional light and treated with care, you can have these conversation starters, which are so important for people who have gone through it – or are currently going through it.

“There are kids out there right now who are trying to process divorces and what to do with that reality. Those coming-of-age moments when you’re thrown into something before you’re old enough to process it.

“I hope it shows them there is a way forward from those moments, and that it’s not all darkness.”

Cool Breeze

When asked about his creative approach as a director, Cameron says his varied experience taught him that the key to success is undoubtedly the strength of the team – but it all begins with a dependable leader and open collaboration.

“I have been around a lot of different directors, and I’ve done a lot of research on what it is to be a good director,” says Cameron.

“Being from an advertising background, I’ve worked with directors on the brand side, seeing their process and how they can lock into exactly what the client wants. I’ve also been in assistant director roles, working in lockstep with the director and making sure they have everything they need.”

Cameron goes on to talk about how, without realizing, this extensive experience set him up perfectly for his directorial debut – complemented by an easy-going personality.

“My grandpa used to call me ‘cool breeze’ because I’m steady and on an even keel,” smiles Cameron. “That’s crucial on set – it all starts with the director. If you want to assemble the dream team, they must want to show up and be excited about the work. But with a director who’s a little more angsty – that can quickly permeate through,” he asserts.

“When I snapped into it, it was clear – and it excited me just how much I’ve been preparing myself for this moment this whole time. To be in that role and have it feel natural and seamless was amazing.

“Everyone around me – crewmates, department heads – I completely trusted to bring this vision to life. It’s about problem solving, staying adaptive, and saying ‘this is where we started, but now we’re in the middle of this rocket ship space excursion, how do we deviate to make sure we can still pull it off?’.”

Harlem Fragments is testament to this communicative, collaborative, and passionate approach – a fact few recognize more than Cameron himself.

“It’s potent, and pretty powerful,” he reflects. “Each day I would come home, review the dailies, and think, wow! On paper I could see it, but when it was brought to life, I could understand just how special it is.”

To explore more of Cameron’s work visit his website. To go behind the scenes on the set of Harlem Fragments view our exclusive video below.

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