From Journalist to Video Entrepreneur: Here’s How It Changed Her Life!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Vipul Bindra (00:04):
Hey Nat, thanks for coming on this podcast.
I really appreciate you takingthe time out of your schedule.
You come straight from Colombiahere.
I mean that's awesome.
So how was Colombia?

Natalia Gonzalez (00:14):
Well, there's three years that I actually done
being there.
This couple of days was like 20days that I spent with my
family and, obviously, lookingtowards the past that I had

(00:37):
there and you know, like findingout those parts of me that I
kind of changed.
Well, I mean, when I startliving in the United States, I
believe you have to adapt.
So I did, and now, like goingback home is kind of like, oh, I
changed a lot, like wow.

So that's so incredible.
So, and that's exactly, see,this is perfect.
This is why I wanted to startthis podcast, so I can have
conversations where, you know,it's just two filmmakers just
talking and hopefully people canlearn something out of it or at
least get some entertainmentout of it while they're driving,
or something Right?
So this is incredible.
Um, so you spent 20 days thereafter having spent three years

(01:14):
here and we've obviously workedon multiple projects together.
Um, how did you see?
Cause you mentioned you sawthat you had changed, but you
don't realize, it right, becauseyou're living here.
What did you see?
What do you think had changed?

Well, discipline and now like
goal-oriented, because when Iwas back in Colombia, I was
doing my bachelor's degree insocial communication and
journalism and back in thatmoment I was never thinking
about making films and I justlike trying my best to figure it

(01:47):
out.
What's going on with my life?
Younger, I was like, well,let's keep going with
communications, you know like,yeah, like if you don't know
what to do or what to study,just go and go for
communications or journalism,because it's really open At the
end.
It's kind of like somethingthat is related to everything.

Yeah, no, I had a very similar journey because I,
you know, I said I I was growinglike you grew up in columbia, I
grew up in india and theclosest thing I didn't want to
leave my hometown and theclosest degree at the time there
was not a film degree.
That's what I wanted to do andthe closest thing that I had was
a bachelor's in journalism andmass communication.
So that's what I ended up doing,because, you know, cameras are

(02:27):
part of it, but I had to doother crap that comes along with
it, but all I wanted to do wasjust the camera part of it,
because you know they teach youcamera and you know all the
other, editing and all that partof it.
So that was kind of interestingto me that you know you were
doing a similar degree.
That was kind of interesting tome that you know you were doing

(02:47):
a similar degree.
Yeah and um, so what broughtyour interest in filmmaking?
At what point did you start tothink like, oh, I want to work
in either movies or corporatevideo or whatever, like
something to do with camerasyeah, uh, first of all, I
believe that when you startcommunications, uh, they also
show you more broadcasting stuff, not film actually.

So when I I started it a couple of months
ago and like semesters afterthey started telling us what to
pick on, so I pick on a classfor criticizing films or
something like that, and I sayyeah, of course, and I start

(03:24):
looking on that.
And I and I say yeah, of course, and I start looking on that
and I have a pretty good teacherhis name I don't remember his
name, but he was amazing and hewas teaching us different films
and he said, okay, let's do alittle, uh, summarized, uh
critics, critics by your own andsend it over and we kind of
like start thinking aboutdifferent things.

(03:45):
So, for example, a cameradepartment, production design,
um, you know the type ofstorytelling and things like
that.
And I started thinking like,hey, I believe that I kind of
the character with a bunch of uhsymbolism in one film and we

(04:09):
did I remember I did it for blue, blue jasmine okay that that
movie, uh, that movie is reallygood because it it's showing up
the uh, entire entire crap thatthe character had inside.
And I was like, whoa, this isreally good.
And after that I was like, okay, the next class.

(04:32):
They say, okay, let's do alittle short film, and I did it
with some friends.
But the part that I don't likeis that some of the girls were
into more like journalism andthey just have that class
because they don't have anotheroption for a reason, and they
were like no, I want to do somedrama and blah, blah, blah, and
I'm like, fuck it, I have todeal with these girls and I want

(04:55):
to do something like a darkyshit.

So what did you end up making?
So did you make something fun?

No, we did like a drama based on two girls
that are, I mean, it was notthat bad.

But yeah, but I mean, you did get to play with
cameras though oh yeah, so atleast you got to get some
interaction with it.
Is that what?
What do you think then?
You sparked that, that whereyou were like oh, maybe instead
of journalism I'm gonna go intomore proper, you know,
filmmaking or whatevervideography.

I believe that after that I just come up with
other friends and we made twofilms like short films and I
come up with this idea with afriend and I was like, let's do
that and I have it actually onmy YouTube channel.
I mean, first of all, it's myfirst thing like one of my
beginning or as a beginner shortfilms and it sucks a little bit
, but you know.

That's okay.
We all are critical of ourfirst work.
I don't even want to show it toanyone, but it was so long ago
that we didn't even have, likeyou know, and I'm not that old
but the only stuff my collegehad was, you know, tape cameras.
So it's not that good, but howlong ago was?

this when you did this um short film in school
.
Oh, like 2017 oh wow.
So it's been quite a few yearseight, nine years and and after
that we do do uh, we did a poembased on life and from there I
decided to do filmmaking, andalso because I watched certain

(06:30):
movies that marked my life and Iwas like I need to start doing
this, because films, from myperspective, is that when you
see something and you feelsomething, it sometimes changed
you and your perceptionsperceptions and you can act
after that.
So I was like, after a couple ofmovies you know this well, I

(06:56):
don't remember exactly rightnow- it's kind of crazy, but
yeah, but those films that makeyou feel sad at the same time
and, like certain parts of youis like, oh wow, this is me, but
I don't know how to deal withthis, and I believe, if I'm not
the only person, and I wanted tohave a certain thing to show to

(07:17):
the people that they can change, or whatever.
Or you know that you wanted tomake this place better for
people and blah, blah, blah, butI, I wanted to do that it's
still.

I mean, hey, that that's a good motive to have you
know, uh.
So at what point did you decidelike, hey, it's time to come to
you know america, or what?
How did that happen?
How did you end up here?

because of my dad okay my dad always said,
like you have to fly out.
Yeah, I was like oh, what itmeans.
But he always support me.
He's the supportive guy in thefamily, um, and I I kind of have
that parenting side of him.
That is always like teaching mestuff and I kind of have this

(07:59):
like friendship with him that Idon't have with anyone else, not
even with my mom sometimes.
But I realized that that lateron I had another type of
relationship with my mom as awoman too, because I'm a little
bit like more masculine side ofme.
I don't know how to explainthat, but I believe that I enjoy

(08:24):
more being with friends as guysfriends that girls, because
girls kind of tricky for me.
Like it's man, I can't.
I can't deal with stuff thatare really drama, drama so I I
prefer like chill stuff with myfriends, you know.
So my dad is kind of like thatand that's why I don't know how
you feel about it?

yeah, no, you've been.
You've been like one of themost chill person to hang out
with.
So that makes sense now thatyou say it.

Um and I didn't tell you that my, my
daddy's a psychologist and anduh, sexologist.
Oh really yeah that's funny.

Yeah, so so did he encourage you.
Then what you came to full sailright?
Is that how you, what, whatyour part thing in america was?

yeah, because of a friend that he that he you.
What your thing in America was?
Yeah, because of a friend thathe had.
The funny thing is she was likedriving around and she was
picking up her husband becausehe's a pilot.
And they come up like aroundthe front of Full Sail and you
realize that they have like aplane and they thought it's like
a aviator's sort of universityand they get in and everything

(09:26):
they ask.
They were like, no, we're atotally entertainment university
.

That has nothing to do with planes.

So yeah, they come up with this CGI planes, I
guess.

They can make video game planes.

Anyway, but that's pretty cool.

Yeah, I know, but so they told your dad about it
and then he told you and Istarted searching.

Yeah, I know, but so they told your dad about
it, and then he told you and Istarted searching oh, okay, okay
.

So that's awesome.
So you came here.
Obviously you've done a degree.

I was thinking that I have to do a bachelor's
again.

Oh.

But the advisor says that hey, if you
have one already, you just keepgoing for the master's.
And I was like, what do youmean?

There's a master's in filming and he said yes,
it's like whoa let's do that,and yeah, that's great.
So now, then you got a master'sdegree right.
So, oh, that's pretty awesome.
And um, is that where you metmario.
Oh yeah, so our father friend,I gotta have mario on um podcast
too, hopefully in a few weeks,um, and obviously I met you, so
that's an interesting story.
again, daisy, I gotta have heron the podcast.
So the way we met and that'sand I would love to know your
side of the story.
So I meet daisy at this eventand she's like you know,
obviously I'm filming for thischamber and I had sean, who I've

(10:33):
already had on the podcast, andwe were filming and then she
comes to me.
She's like hey, you know, Ilike what you're doing because
obviously you know I had an fx6or whatever in my hand and and
she's like I would love for youto, you know, help me with my
film or whatever.
And I'm like you know, I don'ttypically do movies.
I mean, I've done them in thepast, but you know, again, I'm
all into the business side of it, making money, and you know

(10:55):
there's not much money in indiemovies, true, Sad, but true,
yeah, sad, but but that's justwhat it is in corporate.
You know indie movies.
You don't go there to makemoney, right?
You go there to be creative.

And I love that.

I love the filmmaking part of it Passionate
.
That's exactly which is why Ilike commercials because it's
like a small movie and I get todo what really I want to do
without having to not be able topay my bills.

Right.

That's what an indie movie seems like, anyway,
which is why I'm doing my moviethis I want to change what indie
movies look like I want to partof.

I I'm ready to be part of your movie you are
definitely going to be like okay, that's a surprise, nobody
knows about that so let's not goto my movie yet, uh, but anyway
, so, so, so, daisy.

And then so I have a meeting and you know, uh, uh,
you know we talked about it andthen obviously in the movie her
budget wasn't gonna match.
So I was like, look, um, youknow, this is what my rate is
and that's my bare minimum, likeI don't leave the house before
then.
But you know, I definitely wantto hear her, like, you know, I
want to help her and it soundslike a fun project, because what

(11:56):
was unique about her indiemovie is like she wanted to film
these certain parts to finishwhat she had already shot, and
they didn't need a match becauseobviously our footage was going
to look nicer than what she hadbefore because it was older
footage and, um, she wanted toshoot it very differently, which
is with three cameras at onceor whatever right, to get it

(12:16):
done actually in one night.
And I was told her well, that'sright up my alley and I can do
it, but obviously we don't havethe budget to bring all my crew.
So I was able to bring mygaffer, a couple of my cameraman
and then mario, who worked withher.
That's how I met mario and itwas like, okay, we can fill the
rest of the roles, and I waslike that's great that you know

(12:37):
we can.
We can make this work actuallywhich is exciting.
So I essentially uh, met you onthe set of that movie because
you were my other, because youknow part of my team, because I
had, so it was me as a DP, andthen I had three because I
wanted to not operate, becauseso many cameras I want to be
able to make sure they all match.
So I had three operators and mewas, and plus an AC that was my

(12:59):
camera department.
So you were the last person andthen the only one that I didn't
know at that time and that'show we met.
Anyway, tell your side of thatstory I don't know.
What do you have experience ofthat movie?
What do you want to say?
Because you and again, if youwant to be critical, be critical
.

This isn't.

we don't need to.
I don't know if we don't needto polish anything, but what was
your experience?
A meeting me, my crew or justworking on that movie in general
?

well, I first got there and I I saw everything
the gear and the people wearing, like they were really
professional.
I was like, wow, these, thesepeople, I wanted to work with
these people.
Like I'm down for it.
I'm already saying I mean they.
They basically tell me hey, youhave to be, uh, camera c or b,
yeah, yeah, yeah, you were, youwere third camera, yeah, third

(13:45):
camera and I was like yeah, sure, and I met everyone.
And then I met you and you werelike hey, I'm the dp, and I was
like whoa, and they were talkinga little bit and I and you were
really nice.
I, I never expect that, uh,because normally dps are really
like, hey, don't touch me yeahthat that is a case in indie
movies.

I've noticed that there's a hierarchy.
I was talking to literally aguy who loves making indie
movies not on podcasts, becauseyou know, this is what I love to
do so I'm like might as wellrecord it.
But he was telling me the samething.
All he wants to do is makeindie movies, but the hierarchy
is he wants to be a gaffer, butthe way he's learned in indie

(14:26):
movies working for free.
Still there's a and I don'tlike that my set.
I don't care if I'm the dp, I'mthe director or I'm just a pa.
There's going to be respect alldown the road because you know
we're just out here to makecontent anyway.
So that was great.
So I'm glad you say that,because I do try to do that.

I'm like, yeah , you, you were really humble,
actually I I noticed that andfor being the director of these
whole people, uh, working withyou and me on a side, I've kind
of have the motivation to dogood shots.
Um, there's, there was a thingthat we have to miss in terms of
like the clap this this late.

(14:59):
The person from this latedoesn't count on me, but I kind
of have certain shots that theysupposed to be on the the same
slate.
That I didn't.
I used to record by my own andI have pretty good b-roll on a
side no, no, you, you did great.

No, your footage was used in the movie it was
amazing.
I have nothing hey, we workedway many more times after that,
so that means it was great work,so I don't want you to.
But yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, after that you were like hey, I love
those, so I don't want you to.
But yeah, go ahead.
Yeah, after that you were like,hey, I love those shots.
I don't know what you did.
I'm like, yeah, but you kind oflike convinced me to work it
out with your gear.
Actually, it wasn't my gear,but I enjoy a lot what my gear
was and it was really excitingand hats off to you.

It's very easy because, to be real, everyone
there had technically workedwith me before, at least in my
department, and everyone, um,you know, knew, uh, you know
what, uh, like me, yeah, knewwhat the gear was, how to
operate it, whatever, and youknow you were coming in blind.
So I'm actually really that'swhy I was impressed because you,
you came in blind.
If I remember, you weren't evenfeeling that well, uh, and to do
, to be able well and to be ableto pick up a camera, to be able
to fight through whatever coldor whatever you were having.

I had a really bad cold.
I remember that.

Yeah, so to fight through that and to get great
shots, which is what matters Atthe end.
We are all trying to createbeautiful images and all my
expectations from you werebecause I'm not, I don't know
your style or anything was that,hey, we can match the cameras,
we can get the angle that wewant, because you know your
camera is important it's gettingthe, the other angle, and you

(16:34):
know that's it, and youobviously far exceeded the
expectation, like you said thankyou you were doing great and
which is why I was like, oh, wegotta, we gotta connect and meet
more, which is why I ended upworking with you.

Yeah, I asked you like hey, can you give me
your number please?
And Manuel Manuel too.

Manuel.
Yeah, Manuel was one of thecameras, Manuel was really funny
.

I was like stop it.
He was literally.
I tried to not laugh when wewere recording.

I was like shut up , man shut up.
See, but we like to have fun,see, but we like to have fun.
And, funny enough, even thoughthat was a very high pressure
shoot, isn't because we had avery limited time, right?
We were filming in the night,and once the daylight comes
we're done Like there's no.

Nothing to work it out later.

No way to put the sun back down.
Anyway, I think everyone didincredible and it's good to hear
that you know you felt welcomeBecause, to be real, you were an
outsider at the time.
So it makes me feel good that Ididn't make you feel certain.
You know, like outside, thatyou're not part of the team,
because that was my goal thatyou are part of the team and,
like I said, at no point did Ifeel like you know you didn't

(17:34):
fit you did great.
Rather, I thought you exceeded,like I said, what was expected
of your role.
So that's awesome, so that'skind of how we met of your role
so so that's awesome, so sothat's kind of how we met.
We did that movie and nowyou've helped me on.
Obviously, the type of work Itypically do is corporate and
commercial work.
How has that been?
and I don't know if you rememberany of the projects that we've
done oh yeah so, uh, I don'tknow how was that, because it's

(17:56):
completely different than themovie, right, because the movie
where corporate is reallyscripted, but this is more
unscripted.
More events, more live morelive, you know right.
So how was that?
A, the contrast, and B, how wasworking those with me, I don't
know, or just in general, andwith the crew and other people?

Well, first of all, I really have to like say
that anytime you plan onsomething, you think about
everything.
Uh, I remember when I get therethe first time for, uh, I
remember it was like a hospitalthing.
I don't remember what it waswhichever one, yeah, but yeah,

(18:36):
it was like a live event.
and I get there, I told you, andthen you say, okay, I have the
cameras already and you everyset, like the settings, and
everything was perfect.
I was like oh, wow, like okay,okay, this is perfect.
And I just moved the cameratowards whatever I needed it and
then I just put the tripod, Ifixed certain shots and you were

(18:58):
like, okay, we're filming inthree, two, one boom.
And you start killing it withthe switcher and you just pump
it out.
You you ask me like hey, areyou ready for?
Because I wanted to switchbetween.
I'm like oh, yeah, yeah, sure,and like that was amazing, and
we have a big screen on thebackground.
That can I can see what, whatI'm doing.

(19:18):
So that's not typical.

That was very so.
I do a ton of live events.
That was the different thing,so it was from me technically
that screen.
Obviously, I partner with athird-party company.

I don't store like a 30-foot LED screen Not
yet, but that's you know, that'sthe yeah, not yet maybe.

But that's a part of the you know production
company.
When the client says, hey, thisis what we need, we need live
screen, I was like, well, yeah,they're like, oh, we also want
to put a 30 foot oh no bigscreen out there I'm like okay,
normally it's fine because wecan get a projector or whatever
that's.
I've done that before butthey're like oh, this is going
to be outside in the sun inflorida I'm like oh you can't

(19:53):
see a projector or told me thatI put a hat on yeah I was like,
uh, okay, well then we can doled screens and they're not
cheap.
They were like I think it waslike five, ten grand, whatever
to get that screen there for acouple hours and, um, and I was
like I'm happy to obviously callaround and get renders and
obviously make that happen.
So that was really cool becausethat was the different part of
the, the, the shoot.

(20:14):
But yeah, so I'm glad you feltthat, because I am, yeah, that
is my personality, I'm like sohyper obsessed with getting
everything right, planningeverything, and even though I've
done like a live stream, likethat, so many times, I'm not
playing around.

No, no, no, you're really serious,
especially during live, thingsgo wrong.

Anything can go wrong.
It will go wrong, so you'drather be prepared.

Yeah, but actually with you, anytime I
work with you, I never have or Inever encounter that I mess
around with the footage orsomething encounter that I mess
around with with the footage orsomething.
I kind of have the, the thumbsup on your side that permit me
to do my job and those, thosekind of things.
I really appreciated from youbecause, as my boss sort of and

(20:58):
friend more friendly.

I don't like to be boss.

Yeah, at the time you were my boss because we
don't met uh like more right.
But now, as a friend, I kind offeel that I am in a safe space
where I can be reallyprofessional and you can respect
my, my skills you know exactly,and no, and that's how it is.

Look, I'm very professional, like you said on
the set, I don't care you're.
You could my you know my wifeor my you know friend or
whatever, like we're working.
But at the same time, I like tohave fun, and that's why I like
to bring people I know, becauseat the end of the day, it's
about having fun and you cannothave fun with people you don't
know or they don't gel with.

And I mean to with, and I mean to the point
we're so good friends now youcame to my home for thanksgiving
.
Yeah, I mean talk about that.
I mean I never try anythinglike that because I'm not from
here.
So I I try everything thatnormally americans do and eat,
and it was really good.

So how was it?
How was an americanthanksgiving for you?

I want to know what was your favorite food
okay, uh, I love the, the turkey, the turkey that you guys gave
me whoa, I don't remember funnyenough, it was slightly dry this
year.

I was yeah, a little bit it went in the oven a
little longer.
It's fine.
I didn't do it, so not on me,but anyway the pumpkin pie.

I never tried it because I felt that it was
kind of weird and looks weird.
But you, let me try it.
You're like, keep going.
I'm like I tried it, it wasgood.

No, it's great, see, I couldn't imagine that so
coming again see Indian beingIndian pumpkin's not a dessert,
like you're right.
You grow up, it's like avegetable, so you eat and I
never liked eating pumpkin andmy mom was like eat pumpkin.
I'm like I don't want thisanyway.
The point is I never grew upever wanting anything to do with
pumpkin.
But in America you know, I'mjust like a when in Rome right

(22:47):
type of guy.
So when I came to America,obviously you got to try
everything.
And when I tried it for thefirst time I was like this thing
is freaking delicious it'snothing like the pumpkin I've
had.
Obviously they put a ton ofsugar in it they can make
anything good here.

But anyway so.

I'm glad you like the traditional American
Thanksgiving.
Was that your first one oryou've had it before Like a
proper Thanksgiving type of meal.

Well, I had a Thanksgiving, but it was Indian
one the last year.

I never told you that.
It was with actually someonefrom the Chamber of Commerce
Indian.

Chamber of Commerce.
Oh, I think Mario told meMother, am I right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so okay I know about it,
obviously, but I have recordedher before.
Oh, really so it's funny youhave Thanksgiving, but I don't
even know what an IndianThanksgiving is.
You guys had like Indian food.

Yeah, we did.
I ate a bunch of rice weir fromthe south and then they mix it
up with something else and theyput turkey on it.

That is so interesting.
I have never had turkey inindia and I'm from india, yeah,
but but india is a huge country.

You know, I believe they already are
americans a little bit yeah, sothey probably made it.

Yeah, yeah, so we I've only had the traditional
american thanksgiving.
You know, obviously, uh, uhevery year, but so that's
incredible, that's what I'msaying.

It was so incredible to have you and mario
over and thank you for invitingus of course you know you guys
are great friends, you'rewelcome, and then you know, plus
my kids love you, so it's likeI don't have a choice yeah, as
soon as they found out you werecoming, they were so excited
because they just want to, justwant to meet you.
They give me something.
I was, I was really nice, waslike you made my day, and I was

(24:23):
like, oh, you're so beautiful,bella.

But my daughters, just you know they love you.

They're beautiful, yes, but they also
know how to make your heart.

But see, they love you, so that was incredible.
Plus, you helped me move.
I mean come on, I mean at thispoint.

This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for
you guys.

Thank you so much.

I kind of you know what it's also that I can
feel that support from you andyou have the same with us,
actually from me and Mario he'snot here, but he will be.
We really appreciate our.
I will say it in Spanish, Idon't know why, amistad, but
it's like friendship in Spanish.

(25:09):
Yeah, we had a really goodfriendship with you, and not
only that.
I really want to do like thedreams that I think that we can
finish and get it done.
Yeah, absolutely To become true.

Yeah, that's been my thing, I'm telling you, and
again, I was like we talkedabout.
It's like, oh, my dream wouldbe one day to have a studio and
have you guys come work with meif you want to, obviously you
made it uh, but I, I don't knowI'm.
This is just a space,eventually, because you know,
again, we travel for work, sothis is more like personal space
.
I would say I just wanted tohave these conversations and

(25:45):
this was a great space to dothat.
But one day I'm just sayingthat would be incredible to have
a real studio.
I just can't justify the ROI ofit as a traveling filmmaker.
You know, I'm like literallyabout to go on a plane in a few
days again.

I know.

So I think I'm going to San Diego or whatever
that's great.
So the point is like I can't um, I I'm not like home, that much
so a studio doesn't make sensewhen you're you know you're
flying and traveling a lot,that's true, um so this was the
best I could do, I mean you saw,what do you think about the
space?

I think I mean , first of all, I met the space
without being in this space so Ican.

You're one of the very few people who has that
perspective.

Yeah, I can tell that this is a huge change.

So yeah, they're literal blood, sweat and tears,
like my handprints, are on thatwall behind you?
Uh, it was julie's idea.
She wanted to hide.
You know, put our handprintsforever there uh, but no like um
, you know anyway like I justwanted to have space.

That's beautiful.

I didn't realize it was going to be so much work,
but now that it's finally doneand, like I said, I can have
these conversations Plus theplace, just hang out.
Like now you guys can comewhenever and we can.

Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you that because
these days I was a little bitdoing some other projects by my
side, by my own, becauserie'snot at home so I was like
figuring out when we met againbecause, yeah, I miss you guys
and no, no, you can, we don'teven live.

What five minutes yeah, we really we live so far
from you exactly.
I'm like you're not like I'vehad people come on this podcast
driving an hour away.
I'm like you, you're, you'reabout five minutes away.
You guys can come whenever Imean hey, plus, you know we're
like friends now, so at thispoint can come whenever I mean
hey, plus, you know we're likefriends now, so at this point,
just come say hi, I mean plus.
Like I said, we got to do moreprojects.
This year.

You know, the funny thing is that I come over
here at nine, exactly the time,and I forget what I brought for
you in my home.
So you say, yeah, go, go get it.
And I'm like yeah, sure.

Because it's five minutes.
Exactly that's what I was like,because I was like she's gotta
go back.
I'm like no, she's she's rightthere.

I uh.
Funny enough, we've throwntrash at your apartment complex
before, but let's, let's notmake that.

Oh yeah, I remember that.
So, yeah, no, you're literallydown the street for me and um
which?

is you can do that and we didn't even know
that.
It's so funny, are you where?

when was it?
I think we were at some chamberman, yeah, yeah, yeah and.
I was dropping you guys off athome and then I'm like this is
exactly where I'm going to buymy house.
So this was before I'd evenclosed on it, and once I showed
you, you were like yeah, weliterally live right down there.

Yeah, and you were like, no way.
I was like, oh, we're going tobe neighbors.

Yeah, so that's incredible.
Like I said, you were niceenough to help me move because
we had too much stuff.

I didn't realize.
You know what.
It was a pleasure, the amountof equipment I have.

Because, you know, I knew I had too much equipment
obviously, but until you startmoving, you realize, oh, and
that's, after most of it, stillin storage unit, still so.
So what I'm saying is out.
Despite that, it took.
So what days to move, I mean.
I mean, we were at least thatday that you helped me, we were
like what 1 am or something?

yeah, we finished really late.

Yeah, yeah, we worked pretty much all day, and
that's what four or five of usdoing it.
So, yeah, and it was what,mario, it was the half of the
half of the stuff that you have.

Okay, he's like what?
And then you tell me like Ihave more stuff and I'm like
what?
The?

fuck, and that's after me getting rid of so much.
I even threw away my coffee.
I was like I'll just buy a newone, and then it was like never
ending.

I'm like come on, yeah when you move, you
realize that you have a crappyshed around that you don't need
and it's like like why I come upwith this.
Because it happens to me twice,because I moved twice and I
have to do it alone.
The first time and the secondone, I had Mario with me, so it
was fine when we moved together.
It was really good because,yeah, having someone to help you

(29:39):
is really good, right.

So you met Mario at Full Sail right.

So, obviously for anyone mario and uh who's
hopefully going to be on thispodcast later.

Uh, some point, but you, you're together.
Obviously did you meet mario atfull sail yeah, I actually.

When I met him , I had a long, long time long
distant relationship oh yeah,mario was the bad boy that made
you break out of the law?

No, he never been bad.

Like it's just me feeling that I have to
continue with my life in hereand I kind of feel that I have
tight my hands tight on Colombiaand I have to.

So he was in all the way in Colombia, the
boyfriend.

Yeah, oh yeah, wow, I never told you that.
Yeah, I didn't know that I'mlike, oh you, so you're holding
on to a relationship which isfine.

I mean again, I don't, I don't know that much
about that relationship, so soyou were in that and then
somehow mario came along, thenone of the nicest guys I know,
he's helping me write my movieby the way.
So somehow, mario was talentedenough to make you go rethink
your long-term relationship.

Well, here's the thing At the beginning.
I met him in the second monthof our master's program.
He was doing the same program,yeah, but it was funny because
in the second, the teacher thattell us to do something
regarding to other students inin the whole entire program they

(31:11):
were like, oh, almost tograduate.
We have like a little time forus to present as um actors, so I
have to be in the audition timefor that and I was there right
and I showed up and I had areally crappy English at that
moment.

(31:31):
I was like really Spanglish sortof.
And yeah, I asked them like,hey, one of his classmates like,
hey, what is this?
And he's like, oh, this movieis about this, this, this, and
you can join this role.
And blah, blah, blah and I waslike, oh, okay, next.
And then I continue.
And then I tried to talk againwith the other guy, but I just
blah, and then Mario gets closeto me and he said, hey, you

(31:55):
speak Spanish.
And I'm like, yeah, okay, andwhere are you from?
Oh, Peru or Colombia.
Oh, okay, cool man, colombia,okay, cool man.
And yeah, yeah, just let meknow.
And I was like, yeah, sure, andyeah, it was really funny,
really chill.
And he was like, yeah, and whatare you doing here?
And I'm like, oh, yeah, I'mfrom Colombia.
And he said, oh, I'm in thesame masters.

(32:16):
And I'm like, fuck, yeah, canyou give me your phone so I can,
you know, copy you or something.

So you ask his number.
Yeah, I always do that becauseyou know I have this masculine
part of me that is not like areally girly so I can like join
my my.

I don't know my side with guys it's just my
other guy side with guys I don'tknow how to explain that, but
yeah so it was really fun and we, we started hanging out and, um
, I was with my boyfriend fromcolombia still, and then I
started realizing that this guyis not going back to like, like
my other ex-boyfriend is likeattached to colombia and he's

(32:54):
going to be there, and blah,blah, and I was like, okay, I
think I have to move on and Ihave to end it up.
And then I I let it be and Ihave to feel from the other
guy's side.

but it's always like when girls are like oh,
this is just a friend in college, you know you're good.
No, but I never do no, no, I'mjust kidding.
That's probably what he thought, yeah.

I mean, when I met him, when I met Mario, I
feel that he's just a friend.
I believe that I always havealways my friends.
Back in Colombia I was livingwith my brother.
I never told you this, but Ilive with my brother in my
parents' house and my house itwas like really big.
So we have other students fromdifferent countries that they

(33:37):
joined my university so they dostudy abroad for six months or
for one year, so they stay in myhouse.

You have a lot of exchange students.

Yeah, exactly, yeah so I learned a little bit
of french, uh, german and alittle bit of japanese, because
I live with people from thosecountries and then we have
really big parties.
If you, if I show you my, myfacebook, you will see that
there are a bunch of frenchpeople.

to me that's crazy .
Yeah, so you were having knowparties and meeting
international people already?

Yeah, and my house was the main place where
they go.
Your parents were okay withthat, yeah because my parents
never lived with us in thatmoment.
In college, they moved toBogota, the main city in
Colombia.

And we just lived together with my brother.
Oh, your house was a partyhouse party house.
Yeah, it was crazy, it was cooland crazy, but I love it like,
it's just like part of that sideof each of us when we were
young, so exactly so, so that'sawesome, so that's cool to know,
so obviously, uh, you met mariothere and, um, you know rest is
history, I guess, yeah, becausethat's how I've known you guys,

(34:40):
since we've been together.
I don't know anything beforethen.
Uh, and, like I said, both ofyou have worked independently
and together.
You guys are great.
You know, as a producer, it canbe a challenge right to to hire
a couple or whatever, becauseit's like, uh, you know, and and
I I worked with my significantother on sets too it can be a
challenge sometimes because, uh,if you had a fight at home or

(35:00):
something you don't want tobring that to set, it's that you
want to have fun and that'swhat I'm saying with you guys.
It's, I've never noticedanything like, whether I work
with you, you and maria,separately or together, you guys
are always fun to hang out withand professional, and so that's
great.
That's, that's just been greaton um to do that um anyway.

So I want to go back to uh I have to ask you,
like I know in relationships interms of job styles and things

(35:40):
like that, when I told you thatI changed from Colombia my side
right, I realized that I neededit for me to grow up and to
expect like a good, not onlyrelationship as a partner, but
also as my other crew member orsomething like that, and it's

(36:03):
difficult but at the same timeit's kind of like a personal
side that you you can like fillit up by your own and when, when
you say, oh, sometimes they canhave problems and everything,
but we don't show it up becausewe are professionals.
We have to find a side on inbetween and recognize that every

(36:25):
aspect of our lives is kind oflike not the same and not
brought in everything into mixedit up or something.

No, you said it right and that's why I don't
judge, because that's somebodywho has, you know, had a job
with somebody you're togetherwith.
People are like you know, oh,that's not allowed, or whatever.
And I've never been like thatbecause my thing is, as long as
you know and, like I said, I'vedone that myself as long as you
guys can show up to set and beprofessional and have fun, it
doesn't matter what happened athome, Because at the end of the

(36:52):
day you understand you're herefor work but at the same time
again, you don't want it to beawkward at work.
You want it to be able to workand, like I said, I haven seen
anything and that's why I'm okaywith it.
It doesn't bother me.
Rather, I love having you bothon set because it's just fun and
it's energetic, and that'sexactly what I like.
I like my set to be fun but, atthe same time, professional.

(37:13):
Right.
We can.
We can work, we can createawesome content but and we can
have a good time doing it.

Why be miserable yeah?

because no need to be, no need to be miserable,
just because you know, know, wewant to be professional, because
there's also thoseprofessionals who are like you
know like I'm too professional,I can't even make a joke or
whatever.

It's too much.

Yeah, that's hard to handle too.

I believe it's because they don't let
themselves to be themselvessometimes and they have this
like certain feeling that theyare not going to be enough or
something like that, because ofpeople, whatever.
But at the end you have to beyourself and if people like it,
it's fine.
If not, you have to check onstuff.

(37:56):
If not or maybe it's not you,it's people or something yeah,
it depends, but I have to saythat when I first met Bintra
Productions, I come up with like, hey, I really want to be part
of this, I want to be someonethat can join these people
around, and when I first met you, it feels like I wanted to do

(38:20):
big things.
You know, not only oh, like, oh, oh yeah, indie films or
something like that.
No, like stuff that we both candream about, like this like
talk about we're still gonna doit.

Yeah, look, this is just the start, right?

yeah, it's just the start and it's
something that I see when I,when you move here and you say I
wanted this, this, andliterally when you said that you
make it it and I wanted to bearound people like this, because
it's really hard when peoplejust follow orders and just feel
that, oh, it has to be likethis or something like that.

(38:54):
I believe that sometimes youhave to do what you wanted and
remember your values in order toget what you're wanting to
achieve, and it's specificallynot only because of the society
say it, or because of yourparents say it, or whatever
other person say it yeah, no,absolutely you.

You know you kind of touch subject that's very
important to me because you haveto make it happen.
It doesn't happen for you.
I'm tired of listening topeople, you know well, I said
tired, I just don't listen tothem.
But you know, people are like,oh, it's't happen for you.
I'm tired of listening topeople, you know well, I said
tired, I just don't listen tothem but you know, people are
like, oh, it's not working forme, or they just make, keep
making plans and I'm doing it.
The truth is, you know, now itdoesn't happen every day.
For two years I was like I wanta space, I want a space, right,

(39:36):
but it wasn't going to happen.
And finally, when it been,failed, we were.

Yeah, failure is something that is regarding
to this successful environment,because people is not allowed to
succeed in terms of failure.

You know, failure is the key for success and
sometimes it's kind of rememberit's not it all, it's only
failure if you stop trying.
And then the the good things,for example here, like you saw,
I'm the type of person that ifI'm saying, I'm going to make it
happen.
So when I finally got the spacewhich was part of the reason of
getting this I was like, oh,this is what I'm going to be.
And then you know, obviously,like you say, it's happened now

(40:14):
that we're here somewhere tostore my gear, you know, and
make these, you know, littlepodcasts or whatever.
But the other crazy thing is itwasn't that easy, because two
months, you know, like I said,it took, or whatever, to make
this happen.

Um, like I said, it wasn't easy I wanted to
ask you that yeah, so a lot ofpeople don't see the challenge
in it, because it's like, oh,nothing can be easy.

It's like, oh, you dream up first, right, like you
.
You say, okay, so I'm gonnamake um, you know, I don't know,
shelves here and this is wherethe equipment is gonna go.
And then you realize, oh, itdoesn't fit or or something.
Uh, you know isn't right, orwhatever the point is.
You have to then figure it out,like here we want to put this
wall.
And then it's like oh, there'san outlet.
And then you call a company andthey're like oh, it's going to
be two thousand dollars to justmove a tiny little outlet.

(40:59):
So you have to kind of go, uh,that doesn't make sense.
But at the same time, what doyou do then?
You have to solve a problem.

Either you the way is, you know you come up
with the money or youtube, oryou do youtube and you're like
how can they be an?

electrician and move this and do in five minutes
, you know.
Anyway, point I'm trying tomake is it wasn't easy.
Every little thing was achallenge and plus, you know,
this isn't like a public space.
So I'm not trying to createlike um, you know, um, you know
space for public.
Then I'm like, oh, I'm gonnahave roi, I'm gonna have people
renting this or whatever this ismy space to hang out with my
friends and video professionals.

Yeah, I have a question for you how you become
the person that you are now?

oh, that's, that's a loaded one.

That's dave, that's fucking dave I don't know
.

I don't know, what am I right now?
I I just know this.
All I knew growing up was I wasdifferent.
Right, I grew up in anenvironment where, you know, I
wasn't I wouldn't call myself anerd but I was a geek as in like
, I loved technology.
I loved internet and the latestand the greatest and everything
and youtube.
Before youtube was huge, like,I was the guy on youtube and you

(42:04):
know anyway, point is like oranything new on facebook when it
right launched.
So I was always at the forefrontof things and I realized people
around me didn't care, right,so they were, like, interested
in other things, which is fine,right.
Like I was in into formula onebefore other people were into
formula.
So, anyway, I I had theseinterests, right.
I was a kid loved video games,which is common but then I love

(42:25):
formula one, I love cameras, Ilove technology and a lot of
people around me didn't, and soat that time and you know, I had
lots of friends and none ofthem had similar interests.
So it's like, uh, well, maybesome had video game interests,
but that's just a side thing,that's not like a major thing
point I'm trying to make is Ifelt that I was different right,

(42:45):
that there was not that manyand I I just wanted to find
fellow creatives or you know,because, like I said, what I
wanted to do collaboration withand the best thing I could do
was at that time is just findother friends and find other
people that wanted to createcontent and just like everyone
has a similar story.
I just found my friends and wewere making short films or

(43:07):
stupid things or you know just,it's just filming things, and
and that was just such a relief,because now you can hang out
with people who care about evenif, let's say, they don't care
about cameras they care aboutmaking a story or telling a
story or doing somethingcreative together certain shots
that we can cover without budget, that's the perfect one.

Yeah, or just in general?

just talking about you know movies that you,
because you know again as amovie buff, because I love
movies what is your favoritemovie?
Oh, that's lord.

I don't know, I don't know, I can't say that,
because here's the thing everymovie have their own stuff yeah
every, every movie have theirown, something that is just from
the moment, from the past, fromthat time when they release it.

There are a bunch of things.
If I had to say, at least onethat definitely was very
influential was Jurassic Park,Because it came out when I was a
kid and then you know, as a kidyou know physically seeing
dinosaurs, I don't know.

That's amazing and the sound is really good.

The soundtrack right, dinosaurs and I don't
know.
That's amazing and the sound ofthe sound is really good.
Soundtrack right, and I canstill watch it now, so many
years later.
Uh, I don't know if that's, Iwould just call it this one
movie, but the things I grew upwatching was, like you know,
harry potter me too um, you know, jurassic park, I mean, that's
that's way, way back.
Uh, point I'm trying to make isthat's the type of movies that
kind of influenced me in thebeginning.
Obviously, titanic is a hugeone.
They came out I was reallyreally young, um, uh anyway.

(44:28):
So I think that is essentiallyit.
And then the biggest thing wasgetting a job so I I started.
Obviously I came to americareality exchange, yeah, and then
you know getting a job and, tobe real, I worked with disney,
which is an incredible, I wouldsay at least, company to work
with, comparatively having nowseen corporate America, you know
but the amount of politics andBS and other things that you

(44:49):
have to go through, and all Iwanted to do was somehow figure
out a way to make money fromthings I enjoy.
Right, because you know, the wayI learned about the American
lifestyle initially was hey, youwork five days, you're butt off
doing things you don't like, soyou can then have a weekend off
and have fun uh, doing thingsyou like.
And I I never could connectwith that concept why would I?

(45:12):
Spend most of my life doingsomething miserable and then try
to adapt because, you know, I,like I said, I'm a ven in rome
type of guy no, and not onlythat, you're from other country.

you had a new perspective in a country that is
not yours, as me Like.
We both have this connectionalso because we're not from here
and sometimes it's dealing withthe society around is driving
us nuts.
Actually, I had depressionbefore here.
You know, yeah, of course,because I kind of step out of my
origins from Colombia to adapthere.

(45:48):
But at the end I realized thatno way I can adapt, but I have
to be myself still.
I have to connect with myorigins as well.

Yeah, no, and mental health you talk about is
very important, and that'sexactly what made me switch.
So what I was going through wasI would call mental health as
in like.
Basically I was going through.
Finally, I would call mentalhealth as in like, basically I
was going to.
Finally, you know, I got alittle older and I had money,
right, but as a decent job.
And then I was like, well, I'mmaking good living, but what
does it mean?

(46:16):
You know, like I love video butI'm miserable.
I can't do video, because whenI come home now I'm tired, right
and then the projects I'mworking on are indie projects,
that point is.
And then I try to fulfill itwith stupid things.
I bought like, oh, I can buy arolex, let me buy fancy uh, you
know shoes, the yeezys, and thena supreme you know what I mean.
Like you start to buy mercedes,you know, you buy physical

(46:38):
things, thinking oh, I can, Ican be happier and as soon as I
bought all that things, I waslike I'm still empty right, and
then the best thing for me wasto just leave everything behind,
like start fresh with the uh,starting this production company
.
And it changed my lifeovernight to be real because
there was a lot of forces aroundme to rely oh, you can't see,

(46:58):
this isn't gonna work becauseyou know, I wanted to charge a
premium.
Obviously I didn't want to makeindie movie rates right, because
then I wouldn't be a full-time,because I wanted to replace my
jobs, money plus more, and I hada very good uh, I would say
decent paying jobs, because Ihad commissions and everything
too.
So anyway, that that'sbasically I think so, to keep to

(47:18):
answer your short now finallywhat keeps me, me, I think now
is just never wanting to go backto the life I wake up every day
, uh, doing, or wanting to dowhat I love.
So, as long as I can keep makingmoney, just doing this would be
would be what keeps me happy.
Right, I can do this.
Spend time with my family, is,and never go back to working for

(47:40):
someone else.
Uh, is is quite literally whatkeeps me.
I think me now, at this point,had I never worked for someone
else, I don't think I would havethis strong of a happiness.
So I'm glad I went on thisjourney, even though you know,
when somebody would ask me likewhat would you tell your old
self?
I'm like I I would not tell myold self to pick this path
immediately, even though mybrain goes, oh yeah, how huge

(48:01):
would my production company be?
Because, instead of working forother people that I just
immediately started.
You know my production company.
But then I don't think I wouldbe this happy because you know
I'd just be chasing more money.
Now I'm not chasing more money,I'm just chasing better gigs
because that makes me happier.
Now it comes with more money,I'll take it oh yeah, sure, but
that's not the goal.

Right, yeah, but we're not.

I'm not trying to chase money.

I'm trying to chase better fun, more projects
and and money can follow youafter that, because that's,
that's the whole point.
People.

People don't think about this, but I realized that
when I, when I first got here,I never told you that I was
working in a restaurant when Iwas a student here oh, I think
mario told me, because I went toeat a restaurant in this area
and I was telling him it's likeoh, you know, nat used to work
here, unless it's a differentrestaurant, I don't know.
But anyway, he was like, ohyeah, nat used to work there, or
whatever, and I was like, oh,that's interesting, I didn't

(48:53):
know that.

But yeah, yeah , I have to.
That's why I and the personthat I become here I believe
people that succeed has tosuffer sort of, and it's part of
that professionalism and it'spart of that person that they
become.
I kind of have that path fornow that those scenarios I stand

(49:19):
in make me more humble of whatI am in terms of uh
relationships, in terms of uhprofessionalism, also in
education.
I never told you that I am alsodoing um classes for for people
in photography oh really yeah,wow, you're versatile, you're

(49:41):
yeah yesterday oh no, it wastoday, sorry, it's today that I
had a couple of 60 year old uh,a couple that they wanted to
have classes with me becausethey had a trip in in february
to africa and they were like Ineed to find them uh, because I
had a my pro, I create a profilein a in a place called

(50:02):
superprofcom.

Oh.

Yeah, there, you can check it out, I can send
it to you.

Oh, I want to see it now.
So that's pretty interesting.

So you're doing you know quite a few
things.
I'm looking around.

But it's good you're trying to find your.
You know, I don't guess yourway.

Yeah, I'm trying to find what I wanted to
be in a certain way that Iwanted.
Not following anyone else'spath is just like like putting
my base on my own path, as youdid.
But you know, you, you I don'tknow, you're a little bit older
than me, but it's kind of likemy question regarding what you
are, what the person you are now, because I think you just have

(50:38):
to go on your journey.

That's what makes you a person, because you know
we can all say oh yeah, like wecould have gone 15, 18 years.
Oh no, I say 15 10 yearswhatever.
Whenever bitcoin was popular, Iwas literally talking about
bitcoin with everyone and then Iwas silly enough to say who's
gonna pay for this and now wecan all say oh, I should have
bought bitcoin because it's likeover 100 grand or whatever
right now, like, but that's justhypothetical right, we can all

(50:59):
say, like I said, I talked allday about bitcoin doesn't mean I
bought it and you know, and Ican't be miserable, not saying,
oh, I could have bought it forpennies or whatever it was.
Uh, you know back in the day,yeah that, but but to be real,
it isn't.
It is very important to carveyour path but at the same time.
It wasn't easy.
I don't want anyone to thinkwhat makes it easy at at least

(51:22):
for me, is I'd rather work 60hour weeks, 70 hour weeks,
working for myself, because itdoesn't feel like work.
So you work really hard but itdoesn't feel like work.
It feels like I'm justfollowing my passion Versus.
If you do work someone elseeven 40 hours feels like too
much.
You're like, oh right, that isthe transition.

(51:43):
You actually work more.
I don't want anyone to thinklike, uh, by working for
yourself, you'll work less.
You know you'll work more, butit just that wouldn't feel like
work if you're passionate aboutit.
I don't know.
I think that's what I'm sayingfind your passion and obviously,
hopefully, if people arelistening to this, they actually
like video production orsomething relative to it, like,
like they want to be a DP or agaffer or a grip or whatever,

(52:07):
then it won't be work.

Exactly because you're enjoying it and
at the end it's kind of like oh,you're having a hobby right now
, but here's the thing when youare starting things that you
love, sometimes you don't knowhow to do it, and before that,
when you're in a job, like anine to five sort of cause, I

(52:29):
did uh I start thinking, okay,they pay me my bills and
everything.
I'm feeling good, but at thesame time, I feel like shit
because, um, this, this place,is not like.
Make me, make me feel that Ican grow in different ways,
right, and me feel that I cangrow in different ways, right.
And you also feel this.
I'm not only me.

(52:49):
Like everyone, I have thisfeeling that I need to get told
what I have to do because.

And then they'll say you didn't can't get a
promotion because you didn'tinitiate, you weren't initiative
enough to do something.
It's like uh yeah, it'scounterproductive.
But it's like, hey, you need tohave a degree to have this job.
I'm sorry, a five-yearexperience to have this job and
then they're like uh, they can'tgive you a job.
So it's like how am I supposedto have this experience?
You can only get an entry-leveljob with experience.

It's your catch-22 of it, anyway the crazy
thing is that I I was a teacherin the National Library in
Orlando here.
To me to get that job wasreally hard because I kind of
have to step a little bit upregarding everything that I did

(53:39):
in Colombia and put it in herein that interview and they
selected me if, which is awesomeby the way, congratulations, I
know you did that but thatliterally brings me to the other
thing I want to talk about asyou, notice you.

It's a rarity to be a film, a female in the film
industry or in just corporateindustry.
I want to say I'm not in theyou know real film industry.
But in this, in this videobusiness, um that we do um,
because again in this podcastyou'll see a lot of the people I
have like the buddies, you knowthey're just guys, you know

(54:14):
right, yeah, yeah, and it's notby choice like I will hire
anyone who's good right or atleast work or go work for them.
Who's good?
So?

we are diverse here.

Yeah, I mean hey sort of yeah, I mean like I, I
don't choose to be real that's aI don't know if you're, if
you're doing good your job, yeah, that's what matters.
I don't care who you are, whatyou are, as long as you do good,
you know we can work togetheror you're fine and plus you're
having fun, hang out, hang out.
But anyway, from yourperspective, is that harder to

(54:45):
find jobs because you're afemale, or what have you noticed
?
Because it is less people whoare females working in this
industry, right?

Well, here's the thing, it's not.
Well, it's the industry, butyou know that there are
different like steps in theindustry and regarding to the
department as well, because I'vebeen seeing that a bunch of
girls that are producers, uh,they have to deal with a bunch
of things too, but also forfirst ADs, that they are also

(55:13):
females and they are really goodat those kind of things.
But I'd never like, uh, well,not never, but I encountered
that there are not too manywomen into camera department.
So it's kind of interestingbecause maybe it's not something
that they are interested in.
And when I've been working withother men, I noticed that they

(55:36):
feel a little bit uncomfortablewith me because I kind of know
stuff that they probably knowtoo, but they are like, huh, I
did it in a different way andI'm like, oh, okay, yeah, sure.
So I try to not like step intheir things, because I noticed
that feeling of, oh, you aretrying to do my job or something
like that, and I'm like, no,but it's okay.

(55:58):
And I encountered those kinds ofscenarios that I felt a little
bit threatened in terms of don'ttouch my camera on, don't touch
this, because blah, blah, blah.
And I'm like, oh, okay, okay,but that's why I want to work
with you at the moment.
I met you because you were like, yeah, go ahead.
I'm like yeah, and I know howto work with your gear, because
I already work with other gear,like an Arri Alexa Mini or Arri

(56:19):
LF or you know.
Those are way more expensivethan whatever other Sony that I
actually use, a Sony that youbrought and it was expensive.

What was it?
Fx6?
Fx6, yeah that one.

So, yeah, it's kind of like those sense of
yeah, I'm being in that step oftechnicalities and I don't see
any woman doing that too muchand I really encourage them to
do that because if you do thatand you want to do whatever,
starting for yourself to do Idon't know content creation or

(56:52):
whatever you already haveeverything that you need and you
don't need from anyone else todo it for you.

So I don't see why .
Yeah, I don't want to be one ofthe people who's like I don't
see gender.
You know that's just silly, butthe thing is I don't want to be
one of the people who's like Idon't see gender.
You know that's just silly, butthe thing is I don't understand
.
Maybe again, and I don't know,the- psyche.
It looks silly a little bit,yeah, I don't know if women are
just not interested in the fieldor what, but I'm like, even
when you meetups or whatever,there's very few, maybe one or

(57:20):
two females, it's just mostlyguys.
There's very few, maybe one ortwo females, it's just mostly
guys.
So I'm like I don't know whatit is why there's not women?
Because, again, the capabilityis not an issue.
I've seen you obviously work,so you know it can be done.
There's nothing to it.
It's a technical and a creativejob, right.
And technical is freaking,pressing buttons, and the

(57:45):
creative is, you know, beingcreative.
I don't know what that has todo with gender, this job that we
do, but it is something I'venoticed and it's not that hard
to notice because you go to anyfilmmaking, networking, you know
, especially like a second tothe type of work I do,
commercial and corporate work.
Uh, you will, I will find, likeI said, very few females and,
um, and you are obviouslybreaking the, the stereotype
here and, uh, you know.

(58:06):
So thanks for a second comingand doing this, but um, um, and
then you're.

Obviously it's not nice that you've
encountered those things,because yeah, but I, I get, I
mean, I, I know it, I I'm kindof like I get it, you know yeah,
but at the same time you haveto work harder, right?
Yeah, so you're getting thesame day rate uh.

So you're getting the same day rate and hopefully
you're getting the same day rate.

Yeah.

And then you have to now go.
I know with me.
Hey, I paid you this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great, that's great
.
There's no gender pay gap here.
Thank you, man.

Thank you, but assuming other people are.
So not only you're getting aday rate, hopefully the same day
rate, but then you have to alsowork harder because, like you
said, you have to not proveyourself, because they're
already like doubting you makesit harder, especially older guys
, older guys are really like oh,because I have working well, my
job right now is like basicallyDIT or a company for well, it's

(59:01):
podcasts for b2b.

So I am, I have to like set every camera,
every lighting there and alsohave to deal with the footage
and the audio and put it back towhere I need it and and all of
that, and they really respect meand that's something yeah,
that's something that I I waslike, bro, I need this job Not

(59:25):
because, I need it, it's becauseI feel really comfortable
Because you feel welcome, right,and that's what I was going to
ask you.

So compare me the world of freelance to now having
a job and what's the contrastto it.
But it seems like also, it's agood job because you're fully in
charge.
Seems like.
But anyway what have younoticed a difference in having a
job, but in a job in a fieldthat you like, versus freelance
work or some other jobs thatyou've had?

Here's the thing.

This job is also.
I'm a freelance contractor inthat job.
Well, that's how most jobs are,right, yeah, but it's good
because.

Natalia Gonzalez (01:00:00):
I have my own space for my own projects as
well, and that's something thatI'm never going to feel the same
.
I mean, I never have that.
In the last job that I had, itwas the library one.
I have to ask for a few hoursfor vacations, I have to check
on my PTL or CP whatever thing,and it was really hard and I

(01:00:25):
kind of feel like I have to workSaturdays because libraries
have to work Saturdays, andactually I didn't notice that I
was also like a governmentemployee as well, because people
pay their taxes here and theypay for our job here, right, and
I felt a little bit unsatisfied.

(01:00:47):
But here's the thing they alsohave good things there, like
they have a film festival, andthat's something that I wanted
to ask you to.
If you wanted to do that we cando like a film festival or
something I mean, I don't know,I don't know, I'll let other
people do that.

Vipul Bindra (01:01:02):
I mean, mario just did one with the.

Yeah, he did it maybe it's because I'm a
woman and I wanted to do it forwomen too.

I think you should do it, I'll support you, I'll
come be whatever you want me todo, but no, I think the reason I
say that is I want to take mymovie to a film festival oh yeah
, okay, fair, and then I'llbring mine to yours, yeah, yeah,
yeah, I'm not gonna say thatwe're friends, I'm not just
kidding.
Don't tell people that, no uh,but um no, that's awesome.

(01:01:30):
Like I said, you're, you'rebreaking gender stereotypes.
You're doing great work.
And now that you're a podcastpodcast expert, I wanted to ask
you to judge my this thrown uppodcast set up quite literally
what happened when I startedthis.
Like I said, after years ofsaying it, I literally took
everything in my camera cart inthe in 10 minutes and made this
happen.
So it's not my best work, buthey, it doesn't matter.

This isn't a visual thing, I think, I think
either way, what?

what would you rate this podcast set up?

well, here's the thing.
You.
You're kind of like saying uhthoughts.
That makes me feel that you'reoverwhelming too much on the set
that you work on, and I thinkthat is pretty good based on
everything that we did firstwhen we got here.

Yeah.

And I think that you had a pretty good job
here and I feel really honoredto be here and thank you for
inviting me.

But you think I did a good job on lighting and
everything.
I believe, I truly believe,yeah.

I truly believe that I like that, that
that the tree.
Yeah, I love the tree.
I don't know where you get it,but it's beautiful, I don't know
.
Julie found it and you know Ilike this environment darky and
a little bit of wood is reallygood.
I love the wood.

Is that what you would do?
Oh, yeah, definitely.
Okay, well, from somebody youtold me that.

So somebody who's getting paid to make
podcasts, I really feel goodthat you like this, yeah because
I actually have to setdifferent sets on my job too,
and they fill it up with otherobjects.
That is too much, and sometimesyou can get distracted, because
the space is really big andsometimes people just need to
see this conversation yeah, it'sa little bit more cozy.

(01:03:08):
I feel that it's.
It's kind of like theenvironment that you were
looking for is not like only thebig studio.
You just want your own studioat home, chilling yeah no, and I
, to be honest I wanted to havereal conversations, and that's
what that is awesome.

No, and I think that's exactly what I I tried to
accomplish was just a realconversation and I'm glad, uh,
you know you like it uh, butobviously we'll change it for
season two and I'll get yourinput on it um, but let's see.
I mean, let's see if peoplewant to listen to it.
I would have loved to.
This is exactly what I wanted tolisten to when I was starting

(01:03:43):
up, or at least even knew when.
I'm like you know, when youstart a video freelancing, you
go how do I scale it up, how doI market myself, or what do I do
differently?
And this is where we've beencovering especially the other
episodes, like exactly what todo, how to run ads or how to
sell, and I'm like that would beso knowledgeable.
Or just how to find your pathor whatever Right, and so,

(01:04:05):
anyway, that's the goal, likethat would be so knowledgeable,
um, or just how to find yourpath, or whatever right, and so,
anyway, that's, that's the goaland I'm learning already.
So much because I didn't know.
We've known each other for awhile and I didn't know some
things about you.
This is already worth it.

Yeah.

Yeah, you didn't know how I met mario, yeah
exactly, but because I don'tknow that doesn't come up on set
right anyway.

So um, I actually have to say that that
when you mentioned about ads andall of that, in my job we have
different podcasts that we runout basically for B2B companies
in terms of a specific marketing.
I will probably send yousomething and you will check it

(01:04:44):
out.
Look at that marketing um I willprobably send you something and
you will check it out and youlet me know if the the lighting
that I did for them and thecolor corrections that I did is
good, because I did the colorcorrection forward to it.
Yes, please send me anything.

Yeah, uh no, this is like I said, this is
incredible.
Um so, um.
Anyway, I want to go back.
So, uh, so there's three typesof content I think you helped me
with.
So, um, obviously we talkedabout the movie, which is, you
know, like an indie movie.
Feel, obviously we're going allnight.
And then live streaming, whichis you're just cam-opping.
Now here comes my bread andbutter.

(01:05:14):
What we do typically is, youknow, talking Head and B-roll,
and you did one of those with memultiple days where we were
literally like go to the office,set up quickly, get b-roll, get
interviews, then get in the car, go to the next location,
unpack, set up record, go to thenext one.
Right, and we're doing thatover and over again and that's

(01:05:36):
just part of I've done thatsometimes 18 of those in a day
it gets, it gets wild.
So you got to become efficiencyis key, right.
Uh, because you know you have aschedule.
You got to become efficiency iskey right, because you know you
have a schedule.
You got to keep up and some ofthese people have limited
availability because you knowthey're business owners or
whatever.
They're their clients.
Which is even worse because nowyou're not only representing
your company, you'rerepresenting the company that

(01:05:57):
hired you, so you have to do,you know good, anyway, you can't
be late, or whatever.
That's not only harming yourrelationship with those people,
but also the company that you'regoing for.
Anyway, point is, you did that,which is to me, the wild stuff
that you do, but that's kind ofwhat we do.
Compare that to the other twoand what you thought about it.

And which of the three is kind of your style
or that you like better?
That's a hard question, becauseI'm kind of like style or that
you like better?
That's a hard question because,um, I'm kind of like everything
we do and I I just wanted touse the camera for whatever
filming and the.
The thing that I love actuallywas when we were uh, hearing
people's experiences for theinterviews.
That's kind of like somethingthat I loved, and also the way

(01:06:42):
that we ask them some questionsthat are really into emotional
parts.
Uh, I remember in the villagesthere are people that, well,
there are, there are a bunch ofpeople that they talk about
their husband when they die andthings like that.

And I'm like Whoa this is really deep yeah.

And those kinds of things are kind of more
intense for me.
Um, but to hear more, yeah, uh,because I enjoy what I'm doing
and and respectfully, uh,learning from others, uh, like
experiencing their own lives andknowing that what I have so far
and everything that I amachieving is really healthier,

(01:07:23):
that's awesome, so that's a verygood thing, and it happens with
me every interview you learnsomebody's story.

Uh, but on the filmmaking side, oh you're doing
so much more right because nownot only because, like, for
example, like the live streamingwe talked about, you're
operating the camera.
That's your task, right.
But here, not only are youdriving, right, you're, you're
unpacking, you're unloading andthen you're also, you know,
setting up now your camera,because I think you were third

(01:07:49):
camera, or whatever right againso you're now operating a
handheld, you know?
I love handheld and then youhave to pack up, you know, load
up and rinse and repeat over andover again as a filmmaker.
Obviously it's hard.

It's hard, you know it's hard because I know I
have to have a bunch of energyso, um, how, how did you find
that?

I'm saying like in , in, uh, the filmmaking side of
it, uh, anyway, how was thatexperience?
And do you enjoy that?
Um, or I don't know how could Imake it better?
I mean stuff like that.
I want you to talk like more onthat side, like, uh, how was
that experience?
Doing it over and over again?
well, first and problem solvingbecause we went to different

(01:08:28):
places right and every place wehave 30 minutes to set up and
it's like you know they'vesomeplace, there's no location,
so you have to make a locationor somewhere.
I think we had a sun issue, sowe're all trying to.
We don't have time to set up aframe, and that's what people
don't realize.
You cannot judge filmmakingbecause if you're giving 30
minutes to set up everything, Idon't have time or energy.

You know like to go set up for the golfing
experience?

yeah, it was a goal, yeah, and then there was a
golf course behind and it'sbright and so we had to find the
best way to just mask the sunanyway.
So like you're problem solvingright.
So I'm saying on the spot youdon't have much time.

It's not like we have 30 minutes to figure it
out, we have like five minutesto figure out the problems
here's the thing I I believethat when you're a filmmaker in
these scenarios with when youhave to be really on life and
wild and all of that yourecognize that you just need to
remember the outside andremember that you have to change

(01:09:24):
certain things in order to getthe better quality in terms of
lighting exposure, and thosekinds of things are really
important while you're thinkingin all of the things together.
So it's something that youexperience doing it and you have
that experience so you can workit out better in controlled

(01:09:45):
environments.
Something else with the filtersthat I need for a brightness or
shadows or you know darker areain the same day, or I don't

(01:10:11):
know.
You never control the light,sunlight, so it's kind of hard
because you have to deal withthat and some cloud is going on
and you have everything set inthe last minute.
You have to change ISO, shutterspeed.
Well, shutter speed not becauseI'm using it more for
photography, but just for filmis really hard because when
you're filming you have to keepgoing with the 24 frames per

(01:10:32):
second and you can't moveanything else.
You just barely move the ISOand if you do that too much, you
will crap it out the entirepicture, because we need like a
little bit of time yeah, becauseanything to work it out with
that footage.

So you know you're yeah the noise, and then it
also doesn't match the noise onthe other camera or whatever.
So, like you say, it's hugechallenging and that's why I
find it funny when people go uhwith me.
Anyway, and they're like whatsettings I'm like settings are
set.
I already decided the f-stopthe shutter the.

ISO Anyway you have to control lighting.

What I'm saying is now, obviously that scenario is
different because we couldn'tcontrol the sun.
You know, if we had time, surewe could have controlled the sun
and put more lights.

Yeah, but what I'm saying is Sometimes when
I'm moving and we need like amoving shot sometimes to save
batteries on the gimbal, Iturned it off but we needed it
now, so it takes a while to turnon.
So you're like oh, my god,exactly.

You're always chasing and that's what those
are, the type of scenarios whereyou're just chasing.
You know the shot and then alsoum, you know, most of the
settings are set, so your youronly thing you can change is
lighting.
You know what I mean.
Like, because that's what Iwanted.
Now, obviously, I do give myoperators freedom, like you said
, if you have to change iso alittle bit yeah, but not too
much, yeah, yeah because,because you have to get a
properly exposed shot you can'tjust sacrifice that but an idea.

(01:11:54):
But what I'm saying is typicallyall you can change is lighting.

You have to make it work, because we already
decided on everything based onI I'm saying on my end at least
for my shoots like this is thelook right, yeah, so the look is
the look right, yeah I rememberwhen you said, for example, you
pointed up different shots forone purpose in terms of one live
event and you create like theseshots between so you have the

(01:12:22):
wide shot, you have the close,really stream, close up, and
stuff like that.
So me, as a camera operator fora wider angle, I have to like be
a steady, so that job is chill,but at the same time, if I have
to do something else with atighter one, that I have to
catch hands and things like that, uh, it's something that I have

(01:12:42):
to prioritize, right.
So those kind of things make mefeel that I need to be more
creative, because you needB-roll, you need more than just
the face of the person talkingand that's it.
And that's making thedifference.
That Bindra production is thatyou have a new value of the

(01:13:03):
content that you did.
You have a new value of thecontent that you did.
So in order to get what theclient need, but in order that
go a little bit farther of whatthey want.

So that extra structure is really good.
You know the creativity youstill add as a camera operator.
Like you said, I can, only Ican say hey, here's the third
angle.
But I'm not just wanting, likeyou said, their face.
You know, we want the hands, wethe dog the detail, the dog.

They have dogs , yeah, yeah, why?

not whatever.
It is right.
And it's the detail that makesthe makes your shots amazing
right and it's not just thesettings, like you said.
So that's incredible that youyou're saying that because that
does, you know, matter andthat's ultimately because in the
edit we want to have moreoptions to pick from to build,
you know, whatever the storythat we're trying to tell, and

(01:13:51):
that video came out incredible.
But yeah, you saw, you've seenit, yeah, and I remember.

I actually have to say that sometimes we
only on a site that we knoweverything in terms of gear and
cameras and all of that.
We have to be a little bit of aproduction designers as well,
because any environment that wehave to fill up something behind
the person object of whateverwe're filming, it has to be

(01:14:17):
beautiful or it has to look incertain way that we had a
foreground in, in between, abackground or something, in
order to have that shallow depthof field or that type of
sharpen on the person, butaround a little bit of that
bokeh and things like that,right.
So those things are moreprofessional in terms of
filmmaking.
And that's the differencebetween broadcasting, because

(01:14:40):
when I work with broadcastingpeople they are like oh no, no,
let's go, keep going andeverything is in focus and
that's it.
And I'm like no, we're filmingin 50, over 50 shutter speed and
I don't know like.
I remember the last time it waslike 30 or 30 frames per second
or something like that.

For what?

For broadcasting or 50.

Yeah, yeah, it's 30.

I use 29.97 when it so they were like it's
kind of different and they don'tappreciate it as the way.
Uh, filmmaking is forstorytelling, I'm telling you.

That's what was my reason to come to america, and
you know my dream job was, youknow, journalism like well
camera and department and then,as soon as I showed up, to the
news channels like uh this isnot creativity at all.
This is this is not what I wantat all so yeah, no, no, that's
what I'm like.
I get it completely, get it,it's, it's and I mean they have

(01:15:36):
a to be real.
They have a different ass wayof you know what they're doing.
No, but I'm saying it's theirtime to tell a story right, but
but their story is Reallystandard news, or?
Whatever, it's not creativitythat they're being judged on.
So point is I, and I'm totally,you know happy for good

(01:15:56):
journalists.

But yeah, I couldn't do it.

I'm very much like you said, creative I want to
choose the depth of field.

I want to choose what's in the foreground
and the background.

And then the biggest thing for me, like I
said, because I had to let go ofsome of this, because I have to
bring in creative people likeyou to handle the camera, so I
can now step back and I can lookat the overall picture and go,
okay, how can I tell the storyright?
And every camera angle, everysound bite that they're giving,

(01:16:27):
every lighting or whatever, orthe dog, like you said things
you know they're part of thestory and to me that's
incredible because I'm standingthere plus the editing.
Obviously I don't want to takeout the edit part of it, but
we're deciding the story.
We could have built that video500 million ways right, like it
would have been a slightlydifferent story each time, and

(01:16:49):
so I don't know.
I find that incredible thepower of we control the
narrative, we build a story andat the end of the day, it's the
client who now gets to sharewith their clients, uh, and they
get to make more revenue andmore money and get their roi
back from it and all we wantedto hear was the client was like.

This video is incredible, like you never
expect this exactly, and that'swhat you want to hear.

And then now you feel proud because we put
hundreds of hours into it, rightbetween traveling there,
shooting, editing right and uhand collaborating together and
that part, that part.

Uh, I noticed that after I finished my
bachelor's degree in socialcommunication and journalism.
We're not having a a crew, youknow, like a person and another
like group around a teamwork.
We don't have that too much.
It's more like corporate andthings like that, that this
environment is a little bit wild.

(01:17:43):
But when we are filmingsomething in a professional way,
that we're storytellingsomething that is more into
emotional sites and also forrevenue, working together is
really key.
It's a key and that's somethingthat inspires me a lot too, not
only because I like photographyor cameras or filming.

(01:18:06):
It's more like also the waythat I collaborate with people
that are able to collaborate,and that's also something that I
really love for filmmaking.

No, absolutely.
This is the what 14, 15 yearsI've been, I've been get
physically getting paid, uh, tomake videos, and years before I
did it for free with friends,right, but what I'm saying is
that they're and I'm stillsaying like I couldn't do this
by myself yeah true, a lot ofpeople, funny enough, have asked
that question, you know.
And then they met me like why,uh, you know, corporate video,

(01:18:37):
especially like you making avideo for a company, why even
bring a crew when one person cando it?
And my whole thing is, yes, canone person do it, absolutely,
but then so can your, thebusiness owner, pick up a phone
and say, hi, this is my business, right, you don't even need
then a crew.
So obviously you can do it withone person and obviously that
one person can go make acreative video.

(01:18:58):
I'm not discounting that yeahbut when you bring like like
that video that we were justtalking about, by us bringing,
and which to me, still a smallcrew, it was just what, four or
five of us right.
Either way, I believe that's areally good like size for
corporate, yeah, but then wewere able to do things that one
person could never do right.
And then the stories that we'reable to tell is is better for

(01:19:20):
the brand, because a theircontent matches the like, I
think, the video we were makingwas going to be played in an
event, a million dollar eventright, that they're spending a
million dollars on two nights orwhatever the event was half a
million dollars yeah, but whatI'm trying to say is the video
cannot be shot by one person,because I don't care who you are

(01:19:42):
right?

No, you need a team.

How much experience you have.
You cannot make a video goodenough by yourself.
Yeah, you know, good enough.
It's a collaborative.
I don't care, like I said, howgood you are, you have to.
The reason my video is thatvideo was great was because it
was in my video, it was ourvideo.
It was all of us, all the wayfrom pre-production to editing
to shooting, uh, us working and,and every like I said we've

(01:20:05):
seen, we're like, okay, so nowwe have this challenge how do we
fix it right?
And it was all collaboratingtogether plus, again, a single
person.
I didn't even know how you setup and take down by yourself.
Yeah, that many number of times,right, and because you only
have limited number of shootdays, limited number of time
anyway, the point I'm trying tomake is that it's a
collaborative art form.
Could you do it alone,absolutely, um, but you know,

(01:20:28):
the budget obviously matters too, but at the end of the day, you
can do better together.
There is no one out there thatcan do better alone than we can
do better together, right, yeah,and one out there that can do
better alone than we can dobetter together, right, yeah,
and it's kind of like a familybecause you feel that not only
as a job or like a normal job,isn't, it's more than that.

it's like oh man, I want to, I want to be in
this shot, so let me film here.
So we, we cut and you, you letthis person go right because,
because you don't want to ruintheir shot as well, like it's
kind of like in live events also, there are a lot of things
happening and one person can notlike cover the whole thing,

(01:21:08):
right?
And that's something that isregarding to the way that each
person is a world.
So anytime you look at,whatever thing you have in front
is not going to be the sameangle as yours or anyone else,
right?
So that's also the point thatis really important for me to

(01:21:28):
work with a bunch of otherpeople in terms of filming,
because, also, you see it infilms.
You, you finish a film and yougo.
People don't do this, normalpeople don't do this but you
check on the whole numbers andthe whole minutes after the
movie, the credits.
They have a bunch of peoplethat oh, the people that just

(01:21:50):
serves coffee, what the fuck.
But yeah, they work too.

And they help make it, because if you didn't have
coffee, nobody's working, yeah,and the director can be pissed
and also didn't sleep, and ifthey don't have their coffee
made, they're not going to do abetter job.
Yeah, and that's the thing, andthat's why I'm hoping some
people listen to this andunderstand then, especially in
the corporate world, like sure,you don't need hundreds of

(01:22:15):
people, but every single personis important and that that
coffee that you bring for yourcrew is as important.
And you have to do that rolebecause guess what?
Some people think, oh, wewouldn't need that.
Well, technically, somebody isbringing coffee, and if you're
not, then your crew is buyingtheir own coffee, regardless.
Most people drink coffee andthat or red bull or whatever.
They need something to start theday and be productive,

(01:22:35):
otherwise you'll have a bunch of.

I remember the first time we were going to the
villages you say, okay, let'sdrink something.
What do you want to drink?
I'm like, I'm not a coffeeperson, even though I'm from
colombia.
That's weird, uh.
But yeah, I realized that I,you go, we go to some coffee at
starbucks?
Yeah, starbucks or something,yeah and I, and I pick up the
dragon fluff, whatever mango andI was like, yeah, yeah, go for

(01:23:01):
it.

And that thing made me go to the bathroom
multiple times, but it's okayand I don't even know if, like,
it helped you with the wake-uppart, which is why we drink
coffee or whatever, becausehere's the thing you know.
Um, what we do again is veryfun and we love it, but it's not
easy again.
It's and also it's very mentallytaxing because again you're
being creative, technical, uhplus physical to moving all that

(01:23:24):
equipment and um, you know itneeds energy and uh, you know,
and some people maybe don't needit.
Obviously you're naturallyenergetic, but at least for most
people that I work with wantcoffee they need to love the job
yeah, and, and so that's partof the job.
What I'm saying is somebody'sgoing to have to buy the coffee
or bring the coffee.
Somebody's going to have to buyfood.
Somebody's going to, like Isaid, set light.

(01:23:44):
Somebody's going to set,whether that's one person,
whether that's two people,that's three, four people.
You know that job is important,right?

And also thinking about everything that
can happen yeah in a film.
That's something that I lovealso for from filmmaking, you
have to think about everythingthat you probably never think
that can come up with, orsomething like that.
You have to be prepared.
For example, last time we werefilming a future film with mario

(01:24:13):
and for a friend and she waslike, hey, hey, let's go to
these um forest.
And I was like what the fuck?
Like?
I mean I like forests, I'm not,don't get me wrong, I love it.
But here's the thing a forestin the middle of July in Orlando
, that's really, really hard.

I.

I have to try.

I want to travel.
I want to know where is theforest in the middle of orlando
well, it's kind of like a forest.
You mean like the woods, but Imean I get you what you mean
yeah, she wanted to go in themiddle of the woods.
Yeah, in orlando in july.
That would be like a nightmarescenario because it was five
days of pain, but I finally, wefinally ended up, uh, really
well and everything, but it wasreally hard.

And if thinking, about everything.

Aspect bites uh like a bunch of bugs, weird
Florida man.
You know who.
You don't know who you're gonnaencounter.

Oh my goodness , I mean that's yeah, yeah, but
it was normal because he shehave permission for a lot of
things, so it was good.
But sometimes water uh, we runout of the water stuff and it
was really yeah, that was yeah,yeah, and sometimes we don't
sleep, we have to film at nightor we have to film all the night
and it was really hard and, um,yeah, it was low budget thing,

(01:25:29):
but we were having fun becausehe's a friend.
So we want to make sure thatwe're, uh, make it done or get
it done for whatever.
We're, at the end, proud ofwhat we did right.
But those kind of things makeme think about everything, make
me think about, like multi-toolsthat I never have to think

(01:25:49):
about as a normal person.
If I don't have experience in afilm, I don't never have to buy
anything like that, you know,or a bunch of gaffer tape.
I love gaffer tape.
I never want to live withoutafter tape.
I, I believe that's that'samazing.

That's a filmmaker's duct tape, right?
Yeah, we use it on freakingeverything.

Yeah that's the the better problem solver
ever this is in colombia.
Well, in in lat Latin Americapeople say the oldest.
It's kind of like la viejaconfiable, it's kind of like
something that you always need,and this is like millions of

(01:26:28):
millions of years that people dothat I have like 20, 30
freaking rolls of tape.

I can never have enough, but they run out so fast
too man Right yeah you shouldinvest in a gaffer tape company
anyway.
No, not investment advice.

But you know what I mean.

The amount of gaffer tape I buy is kind of
ridiculous.

I need to buy some little parts of a company
like that for real, yeah.

But you know that's a, like you said,
essential tool.
Uh, yeah, but no, you know,that's my main thing.
I want people to make money, um, have fun doing this and um, be
able to um, you know, make acareer out of it.
And I'm also tired of listeningabout you know so many people
who are passionate about itleaving this because they
couldn't find a way to makeenough money.

(01:27:17):
And, and I'm like, there's somany companies out there,
there's so many people who needa video made that there's so
much work that you can.
You know, there's no reasonanyone should not be making a
good living out of this.
So now, obviously, you went theother path, which is
interesting, but hey, path is apath you got to.
But the other path, which isinteresting, but hey, path is a
path you found yourself afantastic job that is in the

(01:27:40):
field, that's paying well andyou're happy.
Obviously sounds like right.
So that is another way itdoesn't have to be, because you
don't have to run out and juststart a production company
immediately.
Right, you can go work forsomeone else and, like you said,
it sounds like it's reallyincredible because they're
giving you enough time to doyour own freelance project, so

(01:28:02):
you can help me or anyone elsewho wants to hire you as a cam
op or dp or whatever, right,yeah, so

that's an incredible path that you you
know you took, and I'm so happyfor you thank you, and actually,
you know, um, the here's thething I'm not doing my own
company yet because I need tolearn a lot.
I don't feel comfortable yet todo it, and I believe that it's
good to have a mentor, it's goodto invest on learning, because

(01:28:33):
that's a really huge step interms of whatever you wanted to
achieve.
That's a really huge step interms of whatever you wanted to
achieve, and I'm not the I mean,I'm not the the person that
have a successful, uh, I don'tknow uh, company or something,
but I believe that for get thereto be to be there.

Uh, you must travel, shoot a lot stuff that
you don't know and another pathfor you is you don't even have
to start a company if you sinceyou're a good camera operator dp
, you could just make a living,you know being a camera operator
dp.
You don't even have to start aproduction company if it doesn't
encourage you because you know,half of the thing I have to do
is, uh, not the things I enjoy,like you know.

(01:29:13):
I don't know accounting hotelbooking, I don't know flight
booking.
You know there's there's a lotmore to it than just planning
yeah, a lot of planning that.
That's more than just you knowfilmmaking, I wish it was most
of it and then a lot of times Idon't even get to be on set.
Like I've talked about peoplewhere, like I've hired people
and sent them on set and thenI'm on a different project so

(01:29:35):
I'm not even on those sets.
You know so.
So it's a different thing thanyou know dp or cam op or or just
, uh, the job.
So how, what?
How do you see your future, doyou?
Are you happy where you are?
Um, what do you?
What are you looking to do next?

well, I believe that I want to start
making more films regardinghere's the thing um I for when I
first got here thinking aboutfilmmaking and all of that,
everyone thinks that they wantedto be director.
I have that path in my minddirector dp right, that's what I

(01:30:09):
hear before, before director ofphotography, I was thinking
about director only because Iwas like, yeah, I have good,
have good ideas, but then I Ifind out that I'm not like a
person for, uh, dealing withactors.
I can't.
But I believe that I wanted toachieve what the directors want,

(01:30:30):
you know.
So, uh, that is more um, in myway of thinking it is is really
better for me because it's morecreative, it's more like the
sense of what this person needsfor the film and I can achieve
it in the way that everyone canbe usual, visualizing it Right,

(01:30:51):
and also for different aspects,such as, uh, lighting things and
making this uh style thatthey're looking for right.
So that's the magic that Iwanted to perceive in the future
.
I really wanted to do a reallygood color correction for
certain things before it getsdone in post-production already.

(01:31:15):
It gets done in post-productionalready.
So, to encounter thatexperience and also I know we
have to use a lot while we'refilming because we need to use
the raw file right, but in thesense of this environment, to
make it easier for the colorist,or something that's what I want
, that's what I am looking forand that's my path.

(01:31:37):
I believe that that's what Iwant, that's what I am looking
for and that's my path.
I believe that that's what Iwant to be a good DP for
whatever a director they wantedto achieve, whatever story or
genre that they're looking for,or something that's awesome.

I think you're already mostly there, right?
You just need to.
I mean, at least for me is whenI'm directing, because you know
, I'm also dp myself, and I'mworking with other people, but
at least I have no issue.
You know you bringing you on, soyou're obviously you're doing
great work, um, but no, that'sawesome, though, at least what I
love is that you have a clear.
You know where you want to be,what you want to do, and you're

(01:32:15):
obviously on the path to getthere and, um, no, that's
incredible.
And so what type of like areyou?
You want to do indie movies ordo you want to do corporate dp?
What type of dp do you want tobe?

well, to become a really good dp, you
have to do everything.
So you learn from it, becauseyou have more experience and you
get prepared.
Because I did um music videos.
Uh, I remember the last musicvideo that I did was in a studio
with led walls in thebackground, and this is this.
This changed my way of lookingat the the gear, because

(01:32:53):
normally we change, uh, the thelenses all the time To make
different sense of whatever weneed and stuff like that.
Right, but in this environmentyou have a 3D space in the LED
wall that can fit with whateverangle you have on the camera and
you don't have to deal with anyof the lenses, you don't even

(01:33:17):
have to change the lens.

I love virtual production.
That was amazing.

I was like no way, I can't believe this.
And the guy says, yeah, I canscroll a little bit and put it
blurry if you want, or I canmake it further enough for you
to have the object separatedfrom the background.
I'm like what?
So I mean, this is incredible,because normally back in the
days and also I'm not that old,but I I am younger, but uh also

(01:33:44):
older to notice that thedifference in you have changed
in terms of the environment.
You never changed theenvironment at that moment.
And now you can have the chanceso you don't have to deal with
lenses as well.
But that's, that's somethingthat uh loses a little bit of
the magic on filmmaking, right?

(01:34:06):
Because I like when I say, okay,let's change it to 35, or let's
change it to 20, 24, becausethat wider is better than 25,
you know.
Or or go for 85, because Ireally want this, or let's do
this insert, because this insertis more into 1000 or no, not

(01:34:27):
100 or 400 millimeter lens, sothose kinds of things.
But at the end it's not becauseof, oh, I'm bougie, I want to
change the lens, no, it'sbecause more like into what the
story is about, what the purposeof it and those things.
I noticed that youngerfilmmakers don't have that.
You know, when they make a filmthey are like, oh no, I want to

(01:34:49):
use it because I remember thatsomeone else is using it in this
film.
But they don't realize that thefilm, the story, the
storytelling, the purpose of itis not any.
It doesn't make sense with thelighting or something else, you
know yeah.

No, I don't know why people are uh like yeah or
motivation, the lighting exactlyyeah people do that a lot with
like lenses and stuff.
Like you have to pick it basedon the storytelling.
You don't just pick a lensbecause some youtuber told you
you like it or whatever, right,it's a same thing like depth of
field.
Um, people get hyper about likeit has to be, like extremely
buried behind, and I'm like no,you if, obviously, if you're in

(01:35:26):
a crappy office, I get it, butthe point I'm trying to make is
like yeah you know, you, youlens is a storytelling tool, so
is um, um, so is uh you knowyour settings and your your
f-stop and everything.
You pick that as something.
I usually pick the f-stopbefore I even ever arrive on set
, because I know that's the typeof story you're yeah, that I

(01:35:47):
encounter when I use your gear,yeah exactly.
I'm like I've already picked.
This is what the, the, the lookis right and that's what you
want to do, as you know it's asa DP or director or whatever.
I mean, I guess, more DP, butbecause you're building the look
and that's where the lensescome in.
Different lenses have differentcharacter.
So if I'm ever picking lensesthat are based on the character

(01:36:07):
that I want, you don't pick thelens because you just like it.

I don't know I don't know.

I guess it has to match with the story.

Exactly.

And that's what the art of dp is.
You know, you're, you're incharge of camera and lighting
and then uh, the other thing isunderstanding lighting.
How many dps I've met who haveno idea how to do, at least in
the corporate field againlighting and I'm like you're in
charge of lightings and they'relike that's not my department.
I'm like no, it is, it is waitwhat?

where are you coming from?

Yeah, now I get it Like.
You don't have to like, knowevery fixture and know how to
set up everything.
Obviously, you're human, butyou got to know what looks good
and the look that you're goingfor, lighting ratios.
You know, again, basic stuff,but again it's like nowadays
there's so much greatinformation on YouTube but there
are also not enough Like onYouTube.

(01:36:58):
But they're also not enoughlike or maybe too much noise,
that people aren't going throughbecause they need to know be
able to know what they need toknow.
And it's not just camera, andcamera is a very small part of
what a DP does, right, becauseotherwise you're just a camera
operator.
But no, you say that that it'sincredible.
So what would you tell somebodywho's just starting out, who
wants to be a dp, wants to, youknow, be a cinematographer?
Um, and they obviously maybedon't have that eye yet, right,

(01:37:22):
how do they?
Because that's the creativepart of it, right?
I can teach anyone how tooperate a camera.

It's not that hard yeah um, that eye for, for
making the image look good,right, is what makes you a good
dp um so how do they develop itlike what would you say well,
first of all, knowing the story,knowing what you're doing, like
sometimes having that specificthinking of, okay, what I'm

(01:37:49):
doing is, uh, regarding I don'tknow drama or something more
corporate, so those fields, howyou can encounter as, like, a
little standard point of view,to work it out from the
beginning, to increase what yoursense of that thing is and then

(01:38:11):
put yourself and yourcreativity on it, but not only,
as you is just more like intolighting, into the people that
is around you.
Also, how you can achievecertain looks and, for example,
if you need to do, like, aninterview for a person that uh,

(01:38:32):
have something regarding I don'tknow, cancer or something like
that, you know normally they dosomething really sad, or maybe
you don't want to do that, butyou want it to show more like I
don't know this sensitiveenvironment, right?
So you find certain shots thatare a little bit close-ups or
you have to find the sizes, youhave to find the lighting, you

(01:38:55):
have to find the person'scharacteristics that you're
filming on and kind of likelooking to glow it up with
things that they have, and notonly them, just the people
around.
That is helping you with the Idon't know the color around in
the background or the thingsthat are around.

(01:39:15):
You can work it out withdifferent shots and angles, so
it can be a little bit up ordown, so it makes different
senses.
And, for example, the cowboysthing that you look at the guy
from downside, you put this shotfrom the lower, a little bit
lower, and looking up, and youfeel that this is a cowboy guy,

(01:39:39):
intense, and he have the controlof everything and you know,
those kind of things are part ofthat uh, sense of this dp sort
of, but not only that.
I realize that nowadays thereare a bunch of dps, new dps,
that are working with littlethings in macro lenses and
things like that, that can workit out with the the more

(01:40:02):
intimacy on the characters, whatthey're thinking and things
that you're never going to hear,but you will see it and the
character is not going to tellyou, but it's also there, it's,
it's so good, those kind ofthings too.
So I really wanted to encouragepeople to realize that when you

(01:40:23):
visualize something and you canthink in different perspectives,
in points of view and usingdifferent techniques, and
breaking rules are reallyimportant as well.
I remember that in some films,such as the Fight Club one, they
build the entire set in acertain way that they can use

(01:40:45):
the camera to work it out, withdoors that are opening, like
three doors around, and thingsthat you are, like not able to
think about when you're justwatching them, right.
So those kind of scenarios, asdp, are really important because
, um, you have this sense ofwhat the people is going to feel

(01:41:09):
in that shot, in that camera.
Movement also.
Not only the, not only thesteady shots are important, also
the movements, and sometimesthat's something else.

Yeah, in corporate video at least, it's so
overused, like the gimbal,because the thing is, the
movement needs to be motivated.
There has to be a reason forthe camera to move.
These are the things I expect aDP to think about, not the
talent or whatever.
Because you're just moving thecamera, just to move it, because
you can, because it's on agimbal, I mean, uh, which is why

(01:41:41):
I'm like that gimbal is anincredible tool, but it's become
so overused because people arejust doing movements, just to do
movements, and you have to beum, you know it has to be more
creative, yeah, and it has to bemotivated by something.
There has to be a reason whyyou're going in, out whatever,
uh, or fake dolly shot, or jibshot or whatever you're trying
to achieve.
And then the other thing I Iwould tell anyone, it's just the

(01:42:05):
the best thing a dp knows islighting funny enough because
that makes your camera imagelook better.
And the best way to learnlighting is just wake up in the
morning, open your window, openyour blinds, open your curtain,
whatever.
Let the sunlight come in.
The best light in this world isthe sunlight right and you'd be
amazed the type of things youwould see.
Watch it like I don't know.

(01:42:25):
Create shadows, um, create, um,you know the reflections.
That's a good one because andnow you want to do that
artificially because the issuewith that is, you know, 10
minutes later those will movebecause sun is moving and we, we
, you're prepared, yeah, and I'mlike no, but we don't want it
to move because, again in aninterview, again my context,

(01:42:46):
what I'm doing I want thelighting to be exactly the same.
I can't.
If I could, obviously the bestlighting would be we could
capture the sun and just put itwhere we like it, uh.
But we can't do that obviously.

Uh, you know so and he's also good for the
budget.

Yeah, I can't imagine the budget where you can
just hold the sun uh, but yeahbut that's what I'm saying,
which is why I'm like just aslong as you see it, it's one
thing to create it, but if youdon't know what you're creating,
I hope that makes sense.
As a dp, you need to first openyour eyes and see.
Look around the world, you look.
Turn off those House lights,open the windows, open the

(01:43:23):
curtains.
Look on a cloudy day, look on asunny day, look just how the
light looks.
And and the shadows?
And the shadows look Exactly.
Look at that man, anyway.

I never think about it.
Thank you, that's a really goodone.
I'm glad, but I never thinkabout it.

Thank you, that's a really good one, but you know
what I mean.
That's how you look and thenwhat you do then once you've
done it.
Now you go on a real set.
Now you're I don't know 2 pm.
There's obviously no sun.
If it is, it's harsh.
Now you take your I don't know1200, whatever light you want to
use.
Now you put it through would belike now I know what I'm

(01:44:03):
looking for.
Let me move this lamp, or letme have my gaffer, or whoever is
in charge or hollywood it yeah,exactly right, move it.
Until I'm looking and I'm like,oh, this is realistic, this is
what I want, right?
My thing is you have to firstknow what you want, right before
you can do it because otherwiseit's just happy accidents and
sure you can get lucky once youcan't get lucky yeah, yeah

(01:44:26):
sometimes you do get lucky.
Obviously if you do 50 gimbalshots I'm sure one will come out
great.
But that's just luck.
That's not your talent.
You know, if you're talentedyou gotta.

You gotta first know what you're doing and
then this around you that oneis really yeah, that's the best,
the best way to say it yeah butanyway, I'm just saying like
it's all around you.

It's free, you don't need to buy any lighting
course.
Just just open the window, openthe blind, just look the world
around you and then just try topractice to recreate it.
But as soon as I think youlearn good lighting, your images
will just start to look great.
And then, if you want to workin my field indie movies are
good already, but if you're not,we want to do corporate now you

(01:45:08):
learn how you can do that in 30minutes right 20 minutes.

That's the, that's the challenge, right?
Yeah?

uh, which is hard to be real.
Sometimes it's hard because, um, you have to make compromises.
I'm not a fan of that, but youknow, sometimes you only have
like hey, the ceo is going tocome in 10 minutes, like that's
what you have.
Or, the worst case, you go intoa building for, for a company
or whatever, and then all theyhave is boring offices because
you know, it is the, the, theentire environment is just

(01:45:36):
office after office after office.
And all of them are ugly.
They're brown colors you know,so now you have to make it look
good or whatever, because youdon't have time.
And even if you did have time,at that point you're like I can
only do limited things becauseactively working you know
there's customers coming in.
The point I'm trying to make isit becomes harder, becomes

(01:45:57):
harder, right yeah, to make itlook good, and then that's where
your creativity comes in.
What?
In the gear and the gear too isimportant.

Yeah for example, when when you motivate
lighting right those things arereally important.
When you well, here's the thingyou say mention something
regarding the new filmmakers,that will gonna be the, the
piece or something.
And yeah, lighting is alsoanother field that I wanted to
talk, more, as you see, of thesun.
Thank you for that.

(01:46:24):
Actually, when you take someshots in an office, especially
in offices, that is really hardto maintain that uh boring style
to out of a little bit, youknow.
So we find out that we can workwith a backlight, that is, it
has to be motivated at the sametime with the whatever lamp they

(01:46:45):
have around, because if youjust put a bunch of lighting
from no reason, without anymotivation, from whatever source
, it's kind of empty, it's kindof like banal.
So those kind of things, too,like, are really important.

To figure out.
The other thing is that theyhave this nasty tube or whatever
lights.
They make people look ugly.
I don't know what lightingthey're putting in offices.
I don't know if you've noticedthat.

It's like figure out if you can turn it
off.

I mean just doing that would obviously light up
yourself.
Turn it off, I mean just doingthat would autumn and obviously
light up yourself.
But what I'm saying is just byturning off lights, you know
you're making the shot so muchbetter because I don't know what
green hue or whatever crap, andyou can never deem it down or
something whatever, yeah, theyhave, but well, yeah, what I'm
saying is it's, uh, the qualityon those lights is so low.

(01:47:35):
I mean throw, not that it'snecessary.
If you put a color meter atthem, it's.
The quality on those lights isso low.
I mean throw, not that it'snecessary.
If you put a color meter atthem, it's, they're ugly yeah,
anyway, yeah so the best thingyou can do is just turn off
those lights and then light ityourself that by itself is
already going to be so muchbetter, uh, but no, they're.
They're making our job harder incorporate world purposefully
putting ugly, lighting uglyrooms, ugly everything.

(01:47:57):
And then I've had conferencescovered.
Man, these hotel conferencerooms, they're so ugly, they're
the colors that they pick.
I'm like who is?
In charge of making theseconference rooms, because it's
like if purposefully pick theugliest and the nastiest colors
to make these happen and I'mlike deep reds and deep browns
that are like I don't knowAnyway.

(01:48:19):
and then our job is to obviouslycome in and make it look pretty
, or at least the best we can orchange the white balance.

No, just kidding.

Oh yeah, you can do it.
Getting a good white balance isso hard, that's crazy.

That's crazy too because you don't want the
skin tone to be fucked up.
But it is Guess what you don'twant the skin tone to fucked up,
but it is because guess whatall of this is reflecting back.

So the skin tone is a freaking mural of red and
brown and all the bs colors andyou're like I don't, I don't
know any white balance yeah,yeah, that's true bring out the
natural skin tone in them, butit is what it is and then, their
projectors, at least you knowagain conferences they've
projected, that's freaking halfbeaming on their face and you
know.
Anyway it is what it is.
And then their projectors.
At least you know againconferences, their projector,
that's freaking hot, beaming ontheir face.
And you know anyway it is whatit is.

(01:49:01):
We just have to do the best inthat scenario.

And you know when you have like a shot that
you want the chiaroscuro.
That's really hard too, becauseyou don't… A what?
Chiaroscuro.

What is that?

It's like the lighter part against the dark
part.
It makes it more interestingand more professional.
So those kind of shots are alsodifferent to achieve, because
if you don't have a goodnegative space on it.
It's not going to be a sexierimage as it could be.

And see, that's the evolution of a filmmaker.
Right, you start start withfirst no lights.
Then you get better and youstart to add lights.
Right, you light up the set.
The third is you start to takeaway like yeah literally the
evolution filmmakers.
Like when you get really good,you start to take lights away
because they're like no, I needa negative here.
I need a negative there.
That's mostly what you're doing, and then the final.

(01:49:59):
I think the new form is you gotto add reflective lighting.
You start adding freaking panelseverywhere to to reflect light,
to give it that those shadowsthat I'm talking about with the
sun, um, and and you know, makeit look that that that type of
image that you would see in thereal world but anyway or
something, yeah anyway the.
So the other thing very curiousabout is because obviously you

(01:50:21):
do, you're a camera operator,you're a dp, but on the other
side, uh, you're also dabblingin photography, and to me those
are again, even though you'retouching the camera, for both
very different art forms,because you know, um, as a
photographer, you're trying tostop the motion, right, you're?
trying to capture the um, uh,you know, as a photographer,
you're trying to stop the motion, right, you're trying to
capture the, you know, a frameof the movement Versus in video.

(01:50:44):
We're trying to capture themotion.
We're not, you know, stoppingthe motion.
So similar but very, verydifferent object.
You know your final goal isvery different.
So how do you manage that andhow do you?
You keep your brain separatedfrom each other and getting the
right right.
You know result at the end.

I believe, is practicing Um, because if you
don't drop, yeah, I mean I I putmyself, like you know what, I'm
going to figure it out too,because I did it in Colombia
when I was doing journalism.
I had to do photography forthat and I learned from it.
And before I think aboutfilmmaking, I was thinking about

(01:51:28):
war and things like that that Iwanted to capture pictures for.
You know, in Colombia we hadguerrilla and other criminal
groups that are involved indifferent parts of Colombia and
they are really dangerous andsometimes they kill people and

(01:51:49):
all of that.
And as a journalist, I wantedto, you know, film that or take
pictures of those scenarios,back in the days when I was
thinking that, but I realizedthat I wanted to leave.
So I was like you know, filmthat or take pictures of those
scenarios, back in the days whenI was thinking that, but I
realized that I wanted to leave.
So I was like you know what?
Let's do filming, becausefilming is chill and I can do
and do the same thing, but in asafe space, right?
So from that side, I startthinking about the way that I

(01:52:14):
can capture images and thinkabout shutter speed as a main
thing for effects, and infilming is really different
because you can't move those interms of what you're looking for
.
Well, if you're using certainshots, that you need certain
movements is fine, but in termsof taking pictures is totally

(01:52:38):
different.
And not only that, as filmingwe have different lights that
are constantly on and keep going, but in terms of flashlights is
really different, and how youunderstand the ISO and how you
dim down certain things withf-stop and all of those things

(01:53:00):
is making you a goodphotographer as well, and those
parts are really similar interms of what are you achieving.
But not only that is the styleof the photography that you're
looking for.
For example, headshots arecertain way and certain colors
and skin tones and backgroundsand things like that.

(01:53:22):
And how you can direct people.
That's another field, becausewhen you take pictures of people
, you have to direct them, youhave to make them feel
comfortable, and those thingsare really interesting because
you're in your.
When you're in a film is it'skind of the same, but just for a
specific person to work it outwith the characters in a film or

(01:53:43):
the cast members, right?
But in a term that aphotographer is, it is that you
have to manage that, and yourcamera as well, right?
So you have to find the properside of the person and you have
also to ask them, because theyknow themselves more than you do

(01:54:03):
.
Right, and after that, you canencounter people that they like
I don't know landscapingpictures or macro photography.
I really love macro photography.

I love it so I didn't know that.

Yeah I have to show you yeah, I would love to
see some of your photography,because we all yeah, I didn't
show you that, yeah but here'sthe thing, uh, when you start
looking at little things, youencounter that there's a huge
environment inside of a littleleaf or inside of a next to a
tree.
You know, I have to use a macrolens for a client that I had

(01:54:43):
because I helped someone withher Gerard Lee photography,
gerard Lee company and I also doher logo and things like that
for her, and I have to takepictures of the, the, the
accessories that she uh brought,and it is really interesting
that type of photography as well.

(01:55:04):
I love it, I enjoy it.
It's more like into, uh, howyou can do effects on certain
objects, and those kinds ofthings make me, uh, use the
macro photography in flowers andalso with little bugs too, and
things that I never think that Ican take pictures of.
You know, so those kind ofscenarios as well, and not even

(01:55:27):
using a flashlight, because youcan use the sun in those
scenarios you have a pretty goodlight and you can just have to
raise the shutter speed or lowerthe shutter speed.
Well, in terms of lighting,here's the thing.
For photography outside, youhave to make sure that you can

(01:55:49):
work it out with shutter speedbefore you use ISO, because ISO
can crop your image, and thequality is really important in
an image, in an image Also, theway that you use a full-frame
camera between an APS one isthat an APS one is not allowing
you to print a big screen thing,or for a building also.

Oh, my goodness, I'm already starting controversy
about APS-C versus full-framehere.
Okay, okay, but no, I see whatyou're saying, but it's more
like into printing styles, right?

Not because of video production, because in
video production is another way,right?
If you're just filming forYouTube, it's understandable to
use an APS-C right.
But if you're using somethingfor a big screen like an IMAX, I
understand that you're usinglike a 50, 70 millimeter full
frame one, right, I understandthat.
But in terms of photography aswell, we encounter those kind of

(01:56:43):
elements, and the way that youprint the image is really
important as well.
And actually, back in the lastjob that I had, I was working
with a guy that he's like 60, 30, 63 or something years old and
he's from Puerto Rico, his hisname is Pedro and he's really

(01:57:05):
nice and he was doingphotography back in the days
with the negatives and all ofthat, and he's really good at it
and I'm like, oh whoa, I wantedto learn a little bit, because
this is really interesting.
That's the the key of when itstarted, right.
Also, for film, because filmstarted with photography as well
and we just put motion blur andsorry motion and those

(01:57:29):
scenarios for different stylesare making me think that both
are kind of similar but arereally different, and that's why
I kind of love different typesof photography.
That's that makes me, thatallows me, or permit me, to work
in different fields, not onlyone specific photography, but
all of them look at you natputting us to a school of

(01:57:52):
difference between photographyand video.

No, that's incredible.
I'm glad you spoke on it.
Also, I want people to gopractice something kind of you
touched on there Learn how tolight different people with
different skin tones, becauseeven all white people don't come
.
It's not the same skin tone,right?
There are different shades oflighter skin tones, there's
different shades of darker skintones and as a DP, you have to

(01:58:15):
be able to or a cinematographerand you know, gaffer, whatever
you got to be able to light uppeople of different skin tones
and make them all look great,because people come in all sorts
of shapes and sizes and colors,and so I would highly recommend
you know if somebody's startingout, you know and practice on
different people and make sureyou learn, like, how to light

(01:58:39):
differently, because at the endof the day, our job is to make
everyone look good and if youdon't know how to do that, then
you know you're going to notfind too much success Cause,
like I said, everyone'sdifferent skin tone.

But anyway, and not only that, they are,
they have their ownpersonalities.

Yeah.

And if you can't control stuff from your
personality to work it out withsomeone that is really hard to
work with in terms ofphotography wise and directing
them, that's crazy, because younever achieve what you need.
And sometimes they're reallyshy and sometimes they're really
like unsecure when they'retaking pictures.
Because here's the thing in myjob, my actual job I have media

(01:59:20):
days that we work for the wholeentire production and they are
speaking and blah, blah, blah.
They have their interviews andall of that, and we have a
middle part before break that Ihave to take pictures of them
for thumbnails and stuff likethat.
Right, so I become aphotographer in that moment, so
they pay me different, so that'sgood, whatever.

(01:59:43):
And I encountered that one ofthem the last one, it was a
bunch of women that they arereally experienced in different
fields, and one of them was apsychologist and she worked with
different people and she had toreceive a bunch of information

(02:00:07):
and feelings from others and shehad to handle that.
And when I had to take herpicture, she was feeling really
sad, like oh no, I need tochange my hair, and she started
feeling weird about herself,like no, I can't do this, and
I'm like this was reallyinteresting for me, looking at
someone that is helping peopleto travel, shooting as well from

(02:00:29):
different things, that she hadto work it out for herself and
me as a photographer, knowingthat she don't want to show her
hair because of whatever she'sthinking.
Uh, it was really hard for meand I have to be a little bit
picky with her and I realizedthat you have, if you, in order

(02:00:49):
to have a good like um photo forfor you to have a good like um
reputation, uh, you have to be alittle bit picky with your
client and sometimes I've beenencountering some photographers
with models that they treat themlike shit and that's something

(02:01:12):
that is also ethical that wehave to involve in as
photographers.
Uh, I believe that day I justtried to be really respectful
with her and I permit her totake your hair in a ponytail
ponytail, yeah.
And then I tell her okay, I'mgonna take a picture of you like

(02:01:33):
this, but can you also take offyour ponytail and show me your
beautiful hair and be yourself,because you're pretty, don't
forget that look at that.

And then so you first complied and I love the
way you you solve the problem.
You let her feel comfortablefirst, right, and you let her
take a picture about making aponytail, whatever, because that
was.
And then you knew obviouslythat was her own self, you know
self that was causing that issue.
And then you made hercomfortable enough and trust you

(02:02:05):
enough and then you were ableto let her get her hair down so
you could take the picture thatyou really wanted to or that
would make her look the picturewas really good after that look
at that, did she love it?

yeah, and actually I encountered that.
I hate to put the noise when Iclick to catch the image,
because they don't notice thatwhen I take the picture.
So I love it.
I realize that I work it outbetter like this.

They don't even know you're doing, I've done
that.
Okay, I know we're approachingthe end, but I do want to tell
the story I've done that, wheresome people are not confident,
I'll turn off the tally lightson the camera for a video.
And they're like I'm you know,they're nervous, they're not
used to being on camera.
I'm like, oh, that's okay, wewon't roll for a few minutes,
let's practice, and then I'll,either myself or whoever's

(02:02:51):
interviewing them, I'll let themgo ask a few questions.
We're like we're justpracticing and they have no idea
and they'll go.
Okay, when are we starting this?
We're like we're already.
We're already doing it we'realready rolling because you know
we just turn off the tallylights and anyway.
But you have and that's okay.
You know it's, people are not.
I mean, I am, I'm doing videoall day.
I'm not used to being in frontof camera, but at the, at the
end of the day you have to.
You know that's our job to makethem comfortable.

I actually feel a little bit uncomfortable
here because I'm on the sidethat I never think that I'm the
same.
Same for me, hey, it's the same.

But no, having done a few of these, I'm telling
you I'm loving it because I'velearned so much already from you
and other conversations andthese, these are incredible and
funny enough.
Like I said, I can tell a bunchof people we're already having
these conversations anyway.
Might as well record them,because how many times have you
stood and talked about businessand strategy, or or just
cinematography in general, whichis what we ended up talking

(02:03:46):
about today?

you, know we never talk about audio oh yes, I
know because filmmakers don'tcare about audio.
They don't care about audio.

I have talked about another with other people
the audio is extremely important.
It's lighting and audio thatmakes the video.
Unfortunately, like I said, I'ma camera guy, but that's just
what the truth me too, you knowthe truth is audio and and
cinematography.
Lighting is what's actuallymaking good video at the end of
that, but no, no, audio is moreimportant.

Let's not that , that's another field.
Yeah, yeah, uh, but no thanksthanks, net, for coming.

I mean taking us to school.
At one point I think uh, you'rean incredible person first of
all.
You're a great friend andyou're a great camera operator
and I love having you on set andthank you for taking your time
out.
I know, um, you were outactually visiting col and came
here, so I really appreciate youand, again, you're welcome back

(02:04:41):
anytime.
Before we go, is there anythingelse you want to say or add?
You know, tell people, or atleast tell them your Instagram
where they can go, follow you,or something.

Yeah, first of all, thank you to let me join
you here and in your path, asnow that you have successfully
achieved what you wanted and I'mreally proud of, uh, you and
actually, if you want to mentorme, that would be great.
Anytime, anytime.

You know my phone's available any day, okay
I mean, I already feel honoredthat you, you want me to be your
mentor.
I mean, come on, uh, but yes,no, I'm available, call me, and
that would look really fiveminutes away you don't know you
just show up as long as I'm home, I can't guarantee but you know
I'm traveling so much, but yes,as long as I'm home.

(02:05:28):
Now that we have this space, youcan, we can just come and chat.
We don't have to even record it.
Yeah, um, but you know,technically we can even record
it, yeah, yeah, we can do that Inever know, I never know, I'm
just kidding but also uh, topermit me to meet your family.

Um, I really feel really comfortable here and
I kind of have like a little uhfamily around that I can talk
with and feel comfortable with,and um, thank you for that.
Um also thank you forappreciate my talent and for
being so humble with me, andsometimes it's good to have

(02:06:06):
someone that respects yourskills and respects your
professionalism, and thank youfor that.
And I just wanted to say thankyou and be grateful because this
is something really interesting, anyway, but no, I really
appreciate you.

Like I said, I didn't do that.
I don't do that with justanyone, you know.
I don't just invite everyone inmy home, you know, for
Thanksgiving and stuff like that.
You guys really do meaneverything, because you guys are
so great, like I said, it's notlike we've known each other for
that long.
You guys are so great, like Isaid it, it's not like we've
known each other for that long,but ever since we did, I knew
you guys were honest and uh andhumble and um and great people

(02:06:43):
you, and both you and mario,like I said, you know he's here,
he's going to say the samething I said I can't wait to
have him um, because he'svisiting family too everyone's I
admire him a lot.

That's why I kind of fall in love on him,
because he's really talented andhe's a really solid person with
his values, and that'ssomething that I really
appreciate in someone.

No, and I found that very common between the
three of us, which is why weconnected and worked so much
because you don't have to um,you know when you're talented
yeah, you don't have to fake it,you don't have to like you know
you don't need.
Uh, what do you call?
Uh?
Somebody just compliment youall the time.
Right, you just do it andyou're good at it and you guys
are so humble about it makes iteasier to work with you right,

(02:07:33):
so anyway like I said, I thankyou again and oh, instagram
please where can people followyou, or whatever.

I have two instagrams, yeah, the first one
is ng inesthetic, because I'mnever stopping, that's why yeah.
And the other that's theartistic one.
I used to do body painting incolombia, so you can check it
out.
And the other one is, uh, natgongard dot down.

No, sorry, oh, my god, I totally forget that one
oh, that's okay, just send it tome, I'll put it in the
description, or whatever.

Guys, yeah, because that one is the
professional one hey, that'svery unprofessional no, it's
fine, look, I don't even post onsocial media.

No need to follow me because I'm so busy actually
working.
But no, I'm going to try andget better at it.
But I really appreciate you.
Like I said coming, you'rewelcome back anytime, literally
just to hang out too, and Iappreciate you and thank you
again.

Thank you very much, nice to see you again.

I know this is weird.
Anyway, yeah, no.

Yeah, we normally hug each other.

It's hard to do in this setup.
Yeah, it's okay, but thank youagain, nat.

Thank you so much for everything.

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