Episode 13: Getting The Perfect Shot for Your Movie with DP Valentina Caniglia

On this episode of The Hollywood Dream, we delve into the world of cinematography with our special guest, award-winning DP Valentina Caniglia. Caniglia recently made the move from New York to Los Angeles, where she has found not only a more favorable climate but also a supportive community for women filmmakers. She is actively involved in organizations such as Women in Film and the Women Alliance of Directors.

With 16 years of experience under her belt, Caniglia has worked with esteemed directors such as Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, and Jodie Foster. Her journey as a cinematographer began after being inspired by both skating and movies. Caniglia approaches each project with a fresh perspective and collaborates closely with directors to create a unique visual style. Known for her expertise in working with light, shadow, and color, Caniglia recently took a risk by shooting a black and white film in a different aspect ratio. She believes in constantly exploring and pushing boundaries in her work.

In this episode, we dive deep into the role of the cinematographer and the challenges they face. Did you know that historically, cinematographers also served as the director? It wasn't until later that their roles became separate. We also discuss the gender disparity in the field, as only 7% of the top 250 films in 2022 had female cinematographers. Despite this, Caniglia points out that three women have been nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards, showcasing the talent and impact of female DPs.

Tune in to this insightful episode of The Hollywood Dream as we explore the art and craft of cinematography with the incredible Valentina Caniglia and uncover the secrets behind capturing the perfect shot for your movie.

Transcript

Please note: This transcript is auto-generated, so there may be spelling and grammar mistakes.

Hello and welcome to the Hollywood Dream Podcast. The podcast where we talk to film and TV professionals about their journey in Hollywood and their own Hollywood dreams, what those dreams might be to them. And in today's episode, I'm talking to Valentina Caniglia. Valentina is an award-winning cinematographer. She has worked on film and TV. She has worked with Ava DuVernay, Spike Lee, Jodie Foster, just to name a few, and she's joining me all the way from the West Coast.

My name is Johanny. I am a writer, and I'm a filmmaker living in New York City. And just FYI, I filmed this podcast from my studio apartment here in New York. So you might hear a siren or two. I try my best to block out the noise and clear the background noises, but somehow, some way, those sirens find their way into an episode or two. So I apologize in advance if you hear a siren.

If you're not familiar with a cinematographer, the cinematographer or director of photography is the person responsible for the overall look and feel of a movie, TV show, music, video commercial, et cetera. They work with a director to bring the director's vision of whatever project they're working on to life in the big screen or the small screen. In simpler terms, they work the camera and record the movie. But there's a lot more involved than just pressing the record button.

A few facts about cinematography. Back in the early life of film, back in the 18 hundreds, the 19 hundreds, when film was first invented, a cinematographer was also the director of a film because they were the person who physically worked the camera. But as filmmaking evolved, the position had to be separated, and the new position for camera operator was born. The role of a cinematographer is a male-dominated role, and according to reports, only 7% of the top 250 films of 2022 were women. That's only 17 women who worked as a cinematographer in a major film last year.

And in the 95 years of the Academy Awards, only three women have been nominated for best cinematography mandy Walker for Elvis, rachel Morrison for Mudbound, and Ari Wagner for The Power of the Dog. Unfortunately, no women have ever won just yet, but there are a lot of women who are slowly breaking in and creating great work worthy of recognition. And I have the honor of speaking with one of those women today.

How are you?

I'm good. I'm enjoying a little bit of the sun that is coming out, so it's really good. I really love it.

Are you in California? I thought you lived in New York when I

no, I lived in New York for 20 years, and then I moved to La. Like, literally five months ago. Yeah, just when the rain started. I brought the rain here.

How do you like it there now?

I love it. I have to say, I like the weather when it's good. And I really like the people as well. And I do think that it's much more open to the women filmmaker. There are a lot of community where there is a lot of support for women still, filmmakers.

That's good. It's kind of like hard to have that's good. Are you part of any clubs or memberships over there?

Yeah, I'm part of Women in Film and Women Alliance of Directors as well. And also, of course, I'm a local 600 DP cinematographer and yeah, I mean, I'm trying to join more and more and I have to say they do a lot of initiatives. So it's good that after 20 years of New York, I think in La. It's the place to be for me now.

Yeah. And there's so much more work over there than here. I mean, things are picking up here and there's a lot filming here, but I know the whole where are you for films and everything.

I'm in New York.

Are you in New York? New York has been really good to me, I have to say. Like now, with the tax credit, I've been doing pretty good there for 20 years. I was there, I didn't want to move. I remember I was coming here for work and everybody was saying, yeah, you should move, you should move. I never thought about it and I don't know. Yeah, it's funny because after I got, obviously, a UTA agent, I decided to actually move in La. I say, okay, now it's the time to do it. But I still love New York. I still love concept. Yeah, of course, the walking around, it's unbelievable.

I know. So you've been a cinematographer for more has it been 20 years or were you doing something else before that?

No, it's been 16 years because I came in New York mainly from London. I'm originally from the south of Italy in a city called Naples, which is 2 hours from Africa to 3 hours from Africa. And I grew up there up until when I was like 17 and a half. I decided to leave by myself and I went to London and I got in Westminster College and then I got in Nou and I did the rest of my credits in Nou and I stayed in New York because I thought it was my city, 100% even. I loved the people and the vibes, so it was for me. And the fact that it was close to Europe so I could see my family was even better.

I know now it takes you like, 12 hours to go back to Europe.

Yeah, actually I'm leaving on the 7th in April and it's going to be 13 hours.

Oh, my God.

Yeah, I'll be ready for that. I travel on the wall for work anyway, so in reality, I need to adjust it.

And what made you decide to pursue a career as a cinematographer as opposed to any other thing in film. And did you face any challenges when you were starting out?

Yeah, in reality, what made me be a DP cinematographer is the fact that since I was a child, I was actually skating. I was a lot of skating professionally and for me, it was actually as if I was also dancing and having in that time, I always wanted to have a camera to record what I was observing. And I remember my dad gave me a camera so that's when I started to actually capture the image as a still photographer. But then I saw a wonderful movie called The Conformist and I didn't know what it was. And I said to my dad, I really wanted to do what this person is doing. And I loved also like another movie directed by woman Lena Bertie Muller. And I decided to know a cinematographer because of that. I really wanted to capture the moment where people they were really kind of in the atmosphere as a dream as well. So I like that.

Yeah. And you've done a lot of work from your website, I saw you've done commercials and movies, TV. How do you approach each project differently and how do you like do you use any techniques to create a unique visual style for you? For the project?

The technique that I use, it's mostly observing and mostly also like collaborating with directors. And each story has a different style, so I approach in a way in a different way, to be honest, in a way where basically I can see it's the right approach for that story. But also I really think that sometimes I take walk by myself before and I see kind of like the location or where the sun goes or where actually I could potentially put a light and that's when I always have my plan A-B-C in case something goes wrong. And yeah, I think it's more like my approach is more like to listen to the director a lot and then accumulate all the information and then starting to developing what I think could be the right style, obviously with my way of creating as well. I think as a cinematographer, we painters, so we do have an idea of how the canvas could be and then what we can actually really creating with the brushes which they become our lights. But also, it's also important to know with the war media, you work with the war like camera, you work and everything, but beyond that, I think all the technical aspect that they come after when you really get to know the story and when you really know the emotions of the character, basically of the actors. And that's important to me more than anything else. I think my technique, it's actually to know the story and to really get to know the emotions behind it and what the state of mind of a character could actually emphasizing on that that's what we do also in movie.

Yeah. And aside from those techniques that you use, is there anything that you feel helps you stand out and makes your work unique? Because I saw that you've won a lot of awards in Canada and New York. So you're an award winning cinematographer. What do you think sets your work apart from other cinematographers and your style?

Yeah, I think in my style, I think it's mostly, like, how I work with the light and shadow and how actually kind of like I study, like, deft in a way that I also call a new style. Sometimes soft noir, which basically I have kind of different between light and shadow and how the contrast is different, but in the same time, I also use soft light to create that sometimes. So that's probably my style. And also color. Color are basically like the one that I work a lot. And I create contrast from the colors, too, because with two different colors, from two different color palettes, from warm to a cool. Or maybe I combine a kind of different color where I can create not only with the light, the difference between light and shadow, but also with the color. So I create the contrast with that, too. And maybe that's what makes me also different, because I always think about how I can create with the light and shadow, but also how I can create it with the colors. Although, I have to say, like recently, I shot a movie with in black and white, four x three. It was an innovation for me. It was actually when you leave your comfort zone, which I think we all of us, we should leave it and we should always take risks. So I think what makes me unique, it's actually the way I take risks. And I'm not afraid of basically jump into a new story into new style, even though I keep my own style, but I combine it with something like new. This is what opens mind as well. I think it's important to be really exploring all the time. That's probably what makes unique my style.

Yeah. I was looking at your portfolio website. A lot of the stuff that you have there looks beautiful.

Oh, thank you. Appreciate thank you so much. And you mentioned you just did the black and white film. How was that experience kind of stepping outside your box? How was that?

Actually, it was very interesting because I did work a lot with the framing in an expressionist way, so a lot of low angle, really, like an auto high angle as well. But I did like the way I approach the light and shadow situation just because I think I made it kind of like, as I say to you, I created, like, a style, which I call the soft noir, which basically, it's a lot of difference between light and shadow. But it's soft, it's not harsh, it's not like really one arch source which made a little bit different. And I I actually liked it for that purpose in that moment, in that kind of story. And I liked it to create different framing. And also we use a four x three aspect ratio, which instead of being like 16 x nine, was actually more like squared. So I really want to watch into the perspective of how the height and the lower part of the frame was filled rather than the side more. And that was something that really made me think, oh, wow, this is actually a really different way, autocompose it. And yeah, it was interesting, really interesting to explore. I always like to explore new way. I always push the director and say, why do we do that? The way I collaborate with directors, it's very as if I feed them and I actually give a lot of ideas and then I take it from there. And I made them think about it and also they can decide it. Of course, by the end, it's always their last word. And I respect that very much and I listen a lot. But as I say, they always have eyes in front, on the side and the back. Even though sometimes I rather not to see it. But I see it. Yeah, basically, I really wanted to see in a different way, in a different perspective, but I also wanted to basically tell the story and stick with what the story is about. I don't want to lose that because that's the most important thing. I also wanted to say that it's beautiful when we're creating a beautiful image visually and aesthetically, but if it's not about the story, yes, can be beautiful, but there is no motivation behind, so it's really attached to so it doesn't make sense. So sometimes your ugly picture aesthetically could actually be the best because really it's for the story. So there is a purpose behind it. And another thing I wanted to add, which is very important about my work in terms of lighting, I stick with motivation. Example, I give you an example. If there is maybe a room and basically sometimes I have to make it look like there's a window, I actually create a window, which is okay, but for me, honestly, that doesn't need to be the window that motivates the light. So in another aspect, I know there are a lot of cinematographers, they're always motivated because let's say there is a door, there is a window, there is something that they motivate and they put a light behind it. For me, even though I don't see that and it's not motivated exactly, but it works for the story and it works very well for the story. Without giving like an explanation from where the source is coming from, I think that's the best because you really have to go with that, honestly and with director vision. So you support what the director has in mind, and it doesn't matter that in your mind sees, okay, up there, there is a window. So we need to actually shine the light behind it because we need to make it look like it's a window. For me, it's not about that. It's about if it works for the story and it's the motivator for that, more or less. So that's what probably I think makes me different in the way of thinking from other VP cinematographers as well.

And how do you pick the projects you want to work on? You mentioned if there's not a good story, there's like no motivation because you could be in the most beautiful place but how do you decide what projects you want to work on?

I think at first I meet with the director and I see if our personality match and also if we get along in a way of like, well, we can have something in common. We can have probably we don't have anything in common. That's fine. But that's the beauty of that, too, that you the director, but the most important thing is also to see what you like about that specific story, if you actually really think you are the right victim for that. I want to point out something out that right now, what I don't like it. It's that people, and especially the media and everything, they always say in every aspect, in every situation, they say, okay, this person, it's right to do this. So they put you in a cluster, like example, like the DP. Sometimes they say, oh, she's good, or he's good to do comedy, or he's good to do drama like directors, or like, three. But I don't think so. That I think as a cinematographer, we can do everything. I think there's not only one aspect of the story that we can actually do it. We cannot only do it like thriller, we cannot only do it like comedy, but I think we can do both and all of it. So we should not be labeled for one thing or maybe two things that you can do. I think as a 360 degree, we are able to actually explore and also like directors as well. Sometimes they always say to director, are they good to do this kind of like gender or this kind of movie? I don't think so I think every director is born to explore new way and how to tell a story and different stories as well so why not? Let's be more a wide perspective to cinematographer and to director to actually do different story and be null enabled for one thing or two things I think that's the most important thing that we have to see in the future.

Yeah, that's interesting. That happens to cinematographers as well, because it's the same thing for actors. They typecast you and they just put you in one role, in one box, and that's how they see you. So it's interesting that that also happens to cinematographers.

Yes. Because you will think that it wouldn't you can film anything, you can work with any room. Yeah example I have to say recently I heard that there are obviously depending on the experience as well, but I heard that I'm very good to light dark skin to light people of color. I'm very good about that but also I'm good to actually light know skin color so of like with people of color, I had a lot of experience so I went to the West Bank, I shot a movie there. They kind of like all new skin color. I shot a lot of projects that they were with people of colors, which I'm very grateful about it and I know very well how to like them but I also do of course add a lighter colors like every kind of skin colors and people know that, so I just don't want to that basically you are like a label in one box. I think we should be able as a cinematographer, we painters, so we should be able to create all kind of canvas and then decide which style you wanted to really work with. With the light, with the camera and everything else. I think that's what the new generation should be open as well. Yeah, it's important. But I didn't know about the actors. I knew that they put in a box and I'm very surprised that they still do that in 2022.

Yeah, it still happens. Yeah. You still get tyoed cast.

I know, and it's not nice because I think as an actor. The purpose is that you identify different kind of characters right. What's happening to be an actor then? Because you really right. I agree. As an actor, you have to really interpret every kind of characters so that's the beauty of it. So that's actually great. Also, I noticed that as women, if we get to a certain level, which is very important, I personally take another woman or another person that needs it with me. When I get on a certain level, I always think that we need to actually be really united. And I'm not saying because I wanted to be publicity of myself. You know what? I don't care about that because I really care about what will be next. So what will be the next person that actually can know what I know and I pass my knowledge. That's why we have been doing a lot of workshop with women behind the camera. I try to get things done with all women, not only with kind of one category of women. I try to always open the door to everybody and say, you know what? If I go higher, let me take it with me so that next you can take someone else. So that's the world that we have to live in now.

I know your workshops. Do you do them in person or are they virtual because I'm always trying to better my my own I'm not a cinematographer, but I do like a lot of videos, so I would like to get better. Yeah. Are the workshops virtual or they're in person. What do you teach in?

I have to say, usually they're in person. Yeah, they're in person. But you open another idea, it can be virtual as well. So yeah, why not? I'm open to that and I'm open to collaborate with everybody. So we could one day collaborate together. If we want to do something, it would be really great. I'm very supportive about new ideas and I'm open and that's what I also bring on set as well. Also it's important because as a cinematographer, we forget that we have tools to make it happen. Right. But also when we don't have it, because I shoot in my position, I shoot all kind of level, budget wise. So when there is a high budget, I know that I can use that tool and I know I have an access tool easily. But it's also true that I'm coming from the very low budget filmmaking where I know that there is, as I call the survival mode. So I can either create that tool so basically I can call my key grip and then we can come up with a strategy and say, why don't we create that? If I don't have a 360 rotating camera, how I can create that? How I can make it happen? So I think that's really important to be inventive and also to be really creative in every aspect because we are not only technical people, we are creative. So probably we are one of the few departments where we combine creativity with technicality. So I think it's important that we ask our second, we challenge ourselves to say how I can make it happen? Yes, I wanted this kind of rotating shot, but I don't have this kind of money to budget to get that what I want. But how I can make it happen? Maybe I can have an alternative. Maybe I can propose to a director to do that. And you know what? A lot of director wants to be stimulated. They wanted to be actually know your idea. And it's beautiful because then you create this kind of like, journey together. You walk on a journey together and you say, oh, maybe we can do that. Our wife, we can do that. And most of the time works it out because both of us, we are open and both of us, we actually wanted to really get the best out of the story and tell a story not for just purpose of showing off, which is important. Yeah. And have you had any great, amazing collaborations?

I saw that you work with a lot of high profile people like Spike Lee and DuVernay. Is there one that stood out to you that you had the most amazing time working with, that I have to or a project.

Yeah, there is a project that I really loved that it was actually a great one. It was actually like Audio Lacan, the black and white movie with Selling. And it was amazing to work with David Patrick Kelly as well. He was a great actor. Judy Foster was great because actually I had a great director, Mark Peretz. Then we worked together for a long, long time. He started as a producer and then now he's a director. So it's a great collaboration. I think each individual project, they were actually my favorite. I say that because each individual I can't really point it out one, because honestly, each individual project had their own style, their own way of making, and also their own challenging as well, and beautiful experience. And I think I had fun with all of them, to be honest with you. There was nothing that I regret that I've done or nothing that I can say, this is the best, or this is like the worst. Because I think all of them, they were my favorite and with all kind of aspects. So I can't really sing one just because in my work there is always a variation and every project approach is different. So that's what I they all bring something differently. Yeah. And you always learn, I have to say each days and each moment, I always learn something. I learned something from I learned something from, like, PA. I learned something from every person on set. And that's the most important thing because by the end of the day I say, oh, wow, I thought I knew that. But then you say, oh, well, that's actually a new way to do it, so why not? And I think the most important thing is actually to really walk on a journey together with the director, but also to have your crew and people that surround you supporting you and having a great atmosphere on set. That's the most important. Because many times when I was like, I started to be a loader away the film stock. And I always observed that on set there was always like a jerky in a way of military jerky. So the DP was higher, the director was on my set. I would love to actually having something that we are all in the same level doesn't matter. And it's beautiful because we all collaborating. And I think when I propose that to a director, they're always open to that. So that's the most beautiful thing. Yes, to have a journey with them, but to have the crew being part of it, the cast and the crew to be part of it. To actually really be one thing so that they all feel it part of the process. They're not left. Exactly. And it creates a more positive environment to work with. And that way people are happier. Yeah. Be on set for hours. You don't want to be on set for 1012 hours and be with a negative attitude and negative people. Yeah, always like positivity and good wild vibes is amazing. And when someone say you can do it, it's always the moment when you can show them that you can and you can show them like wrong. Because mostly when they say you can do it, I always do it because you know what? Nothing is impossible. And this is not because I'm a hero, I'm not superwoman or something like that. Just because for me there's not only one way to do things. For me there are multiple ways to do it and that's the most important thing that maybe as a foreign I learned know obviously when I also went to England, my English was not great. So I had to actually learn how to communicate it by gesture, by eyes, by actually just glances to understand, to survive. But the thing is what is important, I also learned something very good that there's not only one way to get there. There are many ways. So as a DP, I know that the rule of thumbs is always like doing ABC because they always teach you that, but in reality you can break the rules. And honestly, I always find that going from other ways, it's also useful or thinking out of the box and say, okay, you know what? I know that this is always done, but if I get there, if I get to get that light in that position on another way and it's safe, I can do that. So I make it happen. So that's the most important thing. And this is something that I always wanted to say to young generation as well. That there is not only one way to do something, so there is always other ways. And you have to embrace the people around you and also let them know that you can do it. Not only in that situation in that way, you can do actually in other ways. And I think that's what director likes about me because I don't think as the usual did Pete things as a usual cinematographer that is like this is by the book, how it's done by the book. I know that it's done by that book and I know it's done that way, but I can get it there. I can get there. Maybe also as being a woman, that's how we used to, right? Because we do like multiple things in multiple time and we get attachment and I know how it is. But as a foreign also gives you just one points more because you're really thinking like, okay, I have to do this and I'll do it maybe not in a way that it's A, but maybe A-B-C-D. So that's what I think is important because when a director asks me something, I never say no. I always say like, yes, I see what I can do and I see that I will find a. Way to make it happen. So that's important.

Yeah, and it's important, I agree.

Yeah. It's important to also collaborate with producers because, believe it or not, as a cinematographer, the producer is for me, it's someone that work together, not against it. And I know that a lot of cinematographers, they wanted their lens, they wanted their light. But there is way to actually get with a producer and say, if we cannot get the light, I have this alternative, let's get this. Or if we cannot get the light the entire filming, maybe we can get three days, maybe we can do the schedule differently. So you're trying to accommodate and you're trying to actually make the producer a friend of yours because the producer is your friend. We all want the same thing. We all want a great project.

Exactly. You all have a common goal to create a great movie exactly. Or commercial.

Yeah, the same thing is the showrunner. When you're shooting TV, the showrunner is the person where you create something, you make it happen, and you work with them and you actually say, okay, you know what? Let's get this going in the way that we both thinking about it. And usually it's like they're the writer, they're the creators of the TV show. So you have to have respect for these people because, honestly, this is where all started and this is the reason why you're there. You're there because of the director, you're there because of the showrunner. You're there for the producers. They actually wanted you to be there. And it's good to work together as a team, not as anything else. So we all wanted the same thing. We all wanted to have the project, to be a great project with a great people. And I think also, as a cinematographer, I always tell people, other DP, especially young DP, take a course in acting because I love actors, personally, I love them, really. I love lighting them, I love to actually interact with them. I always become great friend with them, and not just because I like them and I'm very close to them. It's because I'm interested about how they develop their characters, how they develop their state of mind. It's interesting because you can learn as a cinematographer, I learn a lot from actors, so much because I know, basically the reason why I light in a certain way is because I know how they feel comfortable. I make them feel comfortable in every situation. Even if they have a difficult scene, maybe like an intimate scene, I make them to be really comfortable because I think, first of all, I see the human aspect. They dare they expose themselves in front of a camera. It's not easy, okay? They expose everything that they have emotional in front of the camera. So I wanted to show that, I wanted to capture that, but I also don't want to be invading. I wanted to be like someone that understand them. And that's the most important thing, honestly. So yeah, I take as a cinematographer, you really need to express your images, your visual, and in a kind of an emotional way. So you really express the emotion of state of minded character. And that's like an after.

I agree. And you mentioned earlier you work with UTA. My ignorance. Yeah. I didn't know that cinematographers also get representation.

Yes, because I know for actors, I started as an actor, so there's showcases. You can submit your work, other ways to get an agent. But how does a cinematographer get an agent?

A cinematographer gets an agent when they piled up all these periods so they have done certain work and then the agent basically calls you. So is the agent coming to you? If you go to the agent, sometimes you can be lucky, but most of the time it's not the right way to approach them. So you really want them to approach you rather than actually approaching them. Or maybe they see your work and they actually say, I want to talk about it. Or maybe you have something. Or maybe also through a director, maybe a director can recommend you through an agency that is rep too. Maybe he also rep directors. The very famous CA does the same. So there is a lot of agency where they rep boat and maybe director can actually make an introduction, but after the introduction, it's all about if they're interested to rep you, if they feel like you can be the right clients for them. And it's important, it's a good relationship. Your agent really get to know you. You should go out of lunch and your agent and get to know each other because it becomes like the person that you really want to be with.

Yeah, I know. I've had you longer than 30 minutes.

Okay, good. No problem.

I've been doing this rapid fire questions with everyone that I've interviewed just to get to know everyone better. Will you be willing to do it? It's two minutes.

No problem. The number of questions to be is 18.

Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah, good.

And all the questions are about you, so you can't get anything.

Okay, no problem. Even though we get it wrong, we are you ones. Exactly.

Yeah. All right, so I'm going to start the clock.

Yeah, go ahead.

Favorite TV show?

Favorite TV show? I think it's called dan T-H-E-N on Amazon.

Favorite movie?

Favorite movie? The Conformist.

How many states have you been to? All of it.

50? Yeah. Oh, wow.

Yeah.

Howmany countries have you been to?

I think probably like 50, something like that.

50?

Yeah.

What's the name of the first movie you ever saw in theaters?

Pomegranate grenades and Mirror by Nazon Azwan.

Longest flight you've ever taken,

I think was in Asia, so in Japan.

Okay. Favorite family tradition? Past or present family tradition?

Well, there is a lot of know, maybe making food in Italy. And then what was the second one, sir? Past or present? Just favorite past presentation. Just cooking with the family.

The longest distance you've ever walked or ran?

I take the long distance. I walked in kilometers. Like, maybe one kilometers. Yeah. Okay.

That's the best trip you've ever taken?

The best trip was in the Middle East.

And the worst trip you've ever taken? Worst trip I didn't really had a really worst trip. Maybe Malta. Malta? Yeah.

The best place you've ever lived in?

Best place ever lived is USA.

And the scariest movie you've ever seen?

I like the scariest movies. I think Carrie I think that was Carry. Carrie. Oh, yeah. That was scary. I watched that when I was younger.

Yeah, me too. Scare me.

Yeah. You got twelve. You got twelve questions. You answered twelve.

Okay, well, I get there.

What's here next? What are you doing next?

I'm still interviewing a few more people, and then I'm a writer as well. I've been writing scripts, a feature film that I have to do some rewrites.

Nice. So that's what I'm working creatively now, rewriting my script.

Is there any advice you have for anyone before I let you go? For anyone who wants to jump into cinematography or has interest in pursuing a career in cinematography,

it's important that they find a nice mentor. I think it's a very as a young cinematographer, I never had a mentor. I wanted to have someone. So I always learn by myself on set, mostly. But I think that the good way to actually find a mentor where they can shadow and they can learn from them. And also, I think another great way is actually to really do experience in other area, such as maybe they can study to be knowders so they can step up as a first AC or maybe lighting in the golfer and then slowly understand. To be a cinematographer, the most important thing is that they got to understand that right now, with the most sophisticated camera, it's easy to learn how to use a camera and press the button, but it's not that easy to understand how to translate a story. So in a few words, it's easy to make a beautiful image and to light it beautiful. But it's not that easy to actually really express the story and convey the story in a way cinematographer can do it. So to tell a story and I think that's what they should probably master on, because everybody can make a beautiful image, but in reality, beyond that, what it really means to actually see the aesthetic of the image. And then if you don't tell a story, what's the point at that point, I would totally like the best advice I can give to them is to learn the craft. Not to jump right away in the craft, but actually to learn them slowly and to be patient and really see how they can really tell a story through the tools that they have. That's what I can say.

Yeah. That's great advice. Yeah. Valentina, thank you so much for your time.

Keep in touch.