Meet Jason Adler | Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Adler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
The end goal for me as a cinematographer is to be shooting narrative films. I love story more than anything else and the ideal place for me to produce visual stories is in the scripted narrative space. Up until this point, the bulk of my career has been short form (short films, commercials, music videos) and docs. I’ve loved every second of it, but the end goal is 100% to be shooting feature films. Even when I’m shooting stills on the streets of wherever I am, I’m always thinking about what the story is of that person, place, or object I am photographing. It’s something that is innate in me and that I find incredible fulfillment from. To be able to expand on that would be ideal for me and my career. If all things work out, I will hopefully be shooting my first feature at the end of the year. But until then, I will keep grinding.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Like I mentioned before, I am all about the story.

As a kid it was building big worlds in my room and playing with action figures. Then I grew up (a little) and got really into animation. However, once I discovered photography, everything started to click for me. I was immediately connected to telling story through image. The vehicle in which I tell a story has evolved over the years, but the constant has been storytelling.

After film school, I spent many years working my way through the camera department. For me, that was my graduate school. I was able to work with some of the top visual storytellers in the business on some amazing projects. I was always shooting on the side and knew my end goal was to eventually quit that world to focus full time on being a cinematographer. But as an assistant, I was able to sit back and learn from the best artists (Directors, Production Designers, Colorists, VFX, fellow Cinematographers, etc.), absorbing everything and anything that could help me become my own best visual storyteller. That was huge for me.

As a cinematographer though, I am not a singular artist or voice. I work with many different creative people to tell one story. Everyone from the Director to the Production Designer brings their own ideas to the table. It’s something I really cherish about what I do. I love collaboration and when it comes to storytelling, I think that’s a very unique thing about making any kind of film. It’s ultimately the Director’s vision, but like everyone involved, I bring my own artistic taste and sensibilities to the project. Whether it be lighting, framing ideas, or camera movement, I try to do me, while honoring the story and vision of the film. In my mind, if you’re not honoring the story, you’re not doing the project justice.

Stepping out to full time DP has not been easy, there have been many hills to climb, and there continue to be many challenges, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. And if there is anything I have learned along the way it’s be nice to everyone, you never know who you could work with next

.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Really depends on who is visiting, but we’d grab a coffee at Menotti’s on the way to a morning hike in the Santa Monica Mountains (probably Mandeville Canyon or Los Leones). We’d grab some lunch at La Fiesta Brava in Venice and then pop on over to one of my all time favorites, Hinanos, for a beer.

If we are doing a Eastside hang, I’d take them to Huntington Library or the backside of Griffith for a hike. Maybe grab shrimp tacos at Mariscos Jalisco or some food at Spoke. Then grab a beer at Black Cat before a movie at the Vista (I hope it reopens soon).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow thats tough! I have learned so much from so many people over the years. The amount of people that have shaped me is vast, but more than anyone it has to be my parents. My Dad gave me my first 35mm stills camera and my Mom allowed me to explore my creativity. Both of them are big art lovers and being exposed to that from a young age was huge for me. They have always been incredibly supportive of everything I have done, and I don’t think I would be on this journey if it wasn’t for them. So shoutout to my folks!

Website: jasonadler.tv

Instagram: @thejadler

Other: https://vimeo.com/user4328137

Image Credits
Chris Greer Meryl Vedros Jason Adler