Meet Alex Pollini | Cinematographer

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

Hi Alex, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Photography and filmmaking play a powerful role in the way people perceive and understand the world around them. We often move through life accepting reality as it’s presented, rarely questioning or looking for alternative perspectives. At an early age I discovered I could make an emotional connection with my audience, and encourage viewers to re-examine their perceptions of their surroundings. Over the last decade, I’ve captured stories both locally and globally with the intention of inspiring viewers to expand their knowledge of their reality. A recent documentary I worked on, “Not Going Quietly,” follows an individual struggling with ALS and his fight to expand universal health care in the United States. While the film started small in scale, it eventually garnered the attention of the United States Congress and the 2020 Democratic Presidential Nominees. The film inspired viewers (and our government leaders) to re-evaluate their understanding of health care in our country as well as provide an insight to a disease that still lacks a cure.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Despite working on a plethora of documentaries, I also enjoy music videos, commercials, and scripted narrative films – hence I like to think of myself as a cross-genre cinematographer. I try to blend styles and techniques between different mediums. For example, I’ll incorporate techniques used in commercials and narrative films in the documentary format. Or a weave a “cinema-verite” style often found in documentaries in commercials and narrative films.

Alternatively, music videos tend to become a platform for experimentation and creative exploration. Many ideas developed on music videos find their way into my documentaries and narrative films. I enjoy inspiring the audience to re-examine their world and mixing techniques between genres enables me to present stories through new perspectives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Venice, so my “go-to” itinerary for friends new to Los Angeles, involves a bike-ride down the Venice boardwalk to the Santa Monica pier. I’m also an outdoor enthusiast and taking them on a tour of the Santa Monica Mountains provides a unique way to experience the area. There are a lot of great hikes with stunning views of the city. Lastly, a trip to Los Angeles isn’t complete without some classic street tacos.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I appreciate your question because in this country we have been engrained with the notion of “The American Dream”, and the idea of that we solely can “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.” Often, we overlook our achievements in life can be attributed to individuals and influences that provide us with mentorship, guidance, and opportunity. While not discounting hard work as playing a role in one’s success, it is important to recognize that our accomplishments aren’t entirely our own.

As a freelance cinematographer in Los Angeles, making a successful film relies on the hard work of a collective group of people. There are numerous individuals I’m grateful for on a daily basis, such as my crew of camera assistants, grips, and gaffers. Without their help I couldn’t perform my work and make the director’s vision manifest. There are also countless producers and directors that have hired me, and in turn, provided opportunities for growth.

On a more personal level, my parents have played a vital role in my career. As a child, they enabled me to pursue my interests and passions. They maintained high expectations for me, which now I carry for myself. My mom deserves a lot of credit since she was the family videographer and bought me my first camera as a kid.

My early photography mentors, John Wilson and Tony Rowell, also influenced my interest in the photographic medium. As I reflect on it, I now realize how they fueled my passion. They enabled my creative interests and offered an environment to grow as a photographer.

Website: www.alexpollini.com

Instagram: @alexpollini

Image Credits
Ethan Sigmon