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DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
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DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
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DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
• DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION • DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION • DOC NYC 2023 - OFFICIAL SELECTION
CREATIVE
direction
This short documentary highlights never-before-seen photography of Whitney Houston taken in her teenage years by Bette Marshall. The mission was to tell Whitney’s story through images and voices that predate fame and tabloid coverage. I worked closely with director Benjamin Alfonsi to establish a visual approach that prioritized restraint, humanity, and emotional richness. Together we developed a narrative rhythm that balances archival depth with present-day reflection. Our intent was clear: treat every frame, every portrait, every photograph with dignity and create a film that feels like both art and testimony.
VISUAL
direction
The visual language was directly inspired by Bette Marshall’s original photography of Whitney, blending the clean restraint of 1990s editorial style with a timeless documentary approach. We leaned into a small selection of long focal lengths, soft natural light, and slow dolly movement to mirror the intimacy of Bette’s portraits. Lighting was gentle and intentional, using white fills and wrap to preserve the honesty in skin tones and textures without gloss. Macro lenses brought the archival material to life, highlighting the smallest details such as creases in prints, never before seen film negatives, soft film grain, and imperfections that ground the images in memory. Interviews were shot with direct eye line to camera to create connection and trust. The overall feel remained calm, deliberate, and emotionally honest, honoring Whitney’s early life through the same aesthetic lens that first captured her.
IMPACT
The film had its world premiere at DOC NYC in November 2023. Originally scheduled for a single screening, the overwhelming response led to five showings during the festival. Audiences included filmmakers, critics, and cultural tastemakers who praised the documentary for its emotional depth and visual restraint. STARZ acquired the film and officially released it in June 2025 as part of its programming for Black Music Appreciation Month. The release sparked meaningful conversations about legacy, image, and the woman behind the legend. The film helped reframe Whitney’s early identity as more than a voice, revealing her humanity, artistry, and vulnerability with quiet strength.
PRESS
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The story of photographer Bette Marshall and her one-time muse, an unknown eighteen-year-old singer the world would come to know as Whitney Houston.
-STARZ
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Official selection
2023
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“In the eighties she conquered the world with her voice. After a life full of ups and downs her tragic death moved everyone 10 years ago. Today the iconic photographer Bette Marshall and the director Benjamin Alfonsi pay tribute to her with a book and a documentary in which they remember a young Whitney Houston. We talked to them.”
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Young Whitney Houston: Never-Before-Seen Photos of the 'One in a Million' Superstar Before Fame
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Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald will narrate and executive produce a new documentary about the life of late Grammy-winning singer Whitney Houston
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10 years after Whitney Houston’s death, what have we learned about her — and ourselves?
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Photographer Shares Exclusive Images of “Unaffected,” Pre-Fame Whitney Houston
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On 10th anniversary of her death, Whitney Houston’s personal photographer shares exclusive images before fame
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Whitney Houston in Focus: Photographer Bette Marshall Recounts the Moment She Realized Houston Was a ‘Superstar’
