My #1 Tip for Aspiring Cinematographers

Over the years of becoming the DP that I am today, this is my biggest tip to those aspiring to become a Cinematographer.

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-TIMESTAMPS-
00:00 - INTRO
00:43 - SPONSOR (MUSICBED)
02:04 - TRANSPARENCY
03:35 - LOOKING AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR
04:23 - "WHATS MAKES YOU UNIQUE?"
06:52 - IT TAKES TIME
09:09 - WRAP

[jakeEDITsyt]

I reached out to a a few Production companys because of you! They are interested in my work and I'm meeting them tomorrow !! Thank you for the motivation

[euryescudero]

I'm currently on a rough spot right now with filmmaking and striving to become a DP. I'm at a position where I'm starting to question getting into filmmaking and trying to be a DP. It has been really hard on my emotional and physical state. However, every time I'm down, a video from you pops up. I can't thank you enough for putting these types of content out there, inspiring not only me but all the filmmakers and DPs' all over the world. Your words inspire me every single time to keep on going, to keep on striving to put out our artistry into people's lives. Thank you so much Carlo, you inspire me every single day. :DD

[jimkappel]

"your image is your love me years to understand this and to own this.

[sonwabisedzidzi]

Thank you brother. It felt like corporate work and DPing cannot co-exist. I am so glad you admitted to doing both and it has not stolen your creativity nor slowed you down as a DP. I am still an intern and haven't started either of these but I am taking the leap and will start my own video hustle and also work towards being a DP. Thanks again for the clarity. You are extremely relatable.

[RHg]

Great input Gian Carlo! Thanks for that!

[photographyguru]

Thank you! Amazing video, I love your voice, and keep looking for your true style!

[fabiangomez]

Thank you men. Your such a huge inspiration for me❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥. Every time your Videos pop up in my YouTube Home page a little smile appears in my face. Love your work, your heart and you.

[mrdfwproductions]

Great video! Well said, thank you for this video.

[omarodhiambo]

thank you for the lessons as an aspiring filmmaker your channel is a gem keep up the good work brother

[robbieloughery]

thank you, for yet again, being a source of today’s inspiration.

[austin.camera]

Needed to hear this one. Thank you sir!

[i.ziafdamha]

This is the video that I needed to see.. Ever since i picked up a camera during the Pandemic, I really had no direction as to what I wanted to do with it. So i kinda just shot whatever that sparked my interest or videos that looked "Cool". After the lock down kinda went away, I really wasn't sure if i could make a decent living off of Videography so I just started looking for a normal 9-5 working as a Marketer. But day by day in the office, I sill had that burning desire to create. No matter what it was, I just wanted to pick up my camera and shoot something. What you said about "Being unique", that's a question that i still ask myself till this day and it's soo hard to answer it. Cause i understand that if you're just a guy with a camera, there are probably 100 or 1000 more guys out there with a camera doing similar things.

There are days where I question whether it was still worth it to chase this dream of becoming a DP or a Cinematographer. But I know that the ghost of my past would haunt me if i ever chose to give up.

Thank you for making this video. You have no idea how much clarity it just gave me. Continue to inspire Carlo.

Sending you Love from Malaysia

[drew_creates]

Earned a sub and like! Please continue to make these youtube videos, as they are super insightful, yet motivational too. Thank you!

[bohdanwynat]

Brother, you help my career growing, i watching all you you're videos, they really useful, thank you a lot

[WhySteve]

I hope you find your voice and thanks for showing us that even the pro's need some motivation now and then!

[pietjongenpj]

Best in the game with the best vids on YouTube!

[sam.oates_]

Another beautifully inspiring and informative video. Thank you Carlo for being such a great mentor. 🙏

[crs.rojas]

I think I needed to listen to this. Thanks man

[LukasHauf]

I’m working in the more traditional film industry. Working on different high budget movies, TV series as lighting technician, 2nd AC, grip assistant and working with many dops and production companies and they telling you it’s really hard to get into becoming a dop is sometimes kinda disheartening because it makes you doubt if you actually are good enough for the job.

[ENERGYSTUDIOSTV]

My tips to you Carlo is: to express your voice as a DP in what ever the project may be, I suggest you make that product, service or story yours, and learn to CONVINCE others with that artístic expresión that you want to include. Life is too short. Having said that, we all have the power to choose (or not) our gigs, they are time and effort consumming, so why not make every gig be yours looking at it from the professional growth point of view FIRST, and then the monteary point of view. When you take this approach with every single project whether you are selling a broom, or a call center, or a Tesla, you will grow artistically in every gig. You can add your artístic expresión in every show. So what I mean by making the product, service or story yours is this: think of your clients product as your own, as if you were a shareholder, a partner, o even a founding member, and ask yourself: how do I want my product to shine? Another way of thinking is: I want to create projects (corporate films, spots, feature films, etc) that I would be proud to show my friends, family, etc.. I want to make audiovisual materials THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE, not just something that works for my client or to pay the bills. No matter what the project is, Ive learned that clients are ALWAYS willing to take creative risks, as long as you comunícate THEIR needs first. In order to grow as an artístic cinematographer in what ever project you are hired for: YOU MUST FIRST LEARN THE ART OF THE SALE OF THAT ARTISTIC EXPRESSION THAT YOU WANT TO ADD TO A PROJECT. YOU MUST LEARN THE ART OF CONVINCING THE CLIENT TO TRUST YOUR ARTISTIC PROPOSAL, and that first step is to fall in love with the clients product, wether its a pencil or an iPhone. When you convey to your client the geniune love you have towards hers or his product, that emocional bond that you both have in ¨common¨ (the product) will open the doors for you to propose that artistic expresión that you may be looking for. Me and my wife are producers, directors, cinematographers and showrunners. We have donde this type of engagement with the clients product or brand for the past 30 years and it always works. You have to be as exited and involved in your clients product as if it was your own, once you are there, you will never think of mundane gigs the same way, and you will be able to share your artistic expresión with your client if you involve them, but you must learn to CONVINCE. Thats what we as producers do. We convince others to pay us to play with their money. Even Spielberg, has to convince studios to this day. Cheers!