Meet Andrés Solórzano | Cinematographer

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

Hi Andrés, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’m a cinematographer so for me risk taking translates to risk managing. In order for me to take risks on set I do need to have a plan. So any risk becomes manageable.

For example, if we are doing a stunt scene on set, I try to gather all the information needed. Talk to the stunt supervisor and listen to their concerns about the stunt. After gathering all the information I can elaborate a plan to shoot this scene the best way possible minimizing it the risk.

I believe cinematography is about planning and then being ready on set to throw those plans out the window. If you have a solid plan from the get go, you can manage the risk of going off course and improvising a little. Moments of improvisation is often where you find magic happening in front of the camera.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

The movie theater has been my safe place since I was a child. Every Sunday my mom took me to the theater in Mexico City in order to see whatever was available and age permitting. That was the break we took from the regular chores of school or work. Even to this days I go to the theater seeking the comfort of darkness and a story that fills my heart. That is where my love for movies comes from. I didn’t knew as a child but that was the beginning of my path to the film industry.

I’m a cinematographer or director of photography. (Or cameraman in some dark realms) My work is to tell a story through images. I craft these images based on the story and the images need to be able to tell you the story with out dialogue ideally. Show don’t tell.

What sets me apart from other cinematographers is my background. I grew up in Mexico City and because of that I have some sort of resourcefulness can succeed in a controlled chaos environment. I love color, flowers, camera movement and lighting.

I think one the proudest moments of my career was when I took my mother to the movie theater in Glendale in order to see my first narrative feature film “Behemoth” as director of photography during it’s theater run in LA. It was one of those full circle moments. As a kid my mom used to read the subtitles for me in the movie theater. She always tried to whisper close to my ear so she didn’t disturbed the other persons at the theater. This time, I was trying to whisper to her ears a translation of the movie. I was so proud.

Other exiting professional moments for me has been to see my work on a Hulu Original show like “Your Attention Please” where I was able to DP on two different Episodes: S3E1 & S3E4. Or to see my credit as DP on the narrative feature “Love and Baseball” when it premiered streaming on HBO Max, I was on my own in my apartment watching it, but still screamed when I saw my credit. Or the time the campaign we shot for Hennessy USA “Hennessy Lunar New Year Celebration” won a Golden Telly award. For me as a kid who grew up in Mexico City, feels pretty unbelievable to be part of this industry.

It’s hard to trace and exact path on how I become a cinematographer working on the Film Industry in LA. But for me, some key moments have been my first documentary feature film “Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians” which showed me I was able to shoot a movie and people could engage with what resonated with me. Another milestone was my formation as a professional DP at AFI, where I learned the true essence of what being a cinematographer means: Story above else or how to tell a story with a movie camera.

This journey has not been easy. The most difficult part for me has always been to have my family far from me, back in Mexico. But when times get sad it always helps me to look back into my journey and try to enjoy the little victories along the way, those happy moments or fun experiences. This usually translates to watching a bunch of music videos, shorts, commercials or shows I shot. I know it sounds weird, but I can see the evolution of my work trough the years and how people interact with it. That makes me feel proud, and I can see the progress in my craft.

The biggest lessons I have learned along this journey is to be a nice person to collaborate with. On movie sets or during pre-production is common to find yourself under high stress environments. Plans change, there is never enough time or money. So it’s important to be able to be work under pressure and still be kind to every person in the process. This will take you far in this industry.

As a cinematographer my interest is to portrait stories close to my community and upbringing, but also I feel a natural inclination to tell the stories of minorities, to show all those heroes we don’t really pay attention on regular basis in our society. I love crafting a look with every possible element that modern cinematography has available. It’s an amazing time to be a DP. We can get to choose from a multiplicity of lenses all with their own character and personality. Lighting has evolved to a place were we can control movie lights with an iPad and change the look on set on real time. We can shoot world that don’t exist on a LED wall inside a studio. I love experimenting with new technology mixed with more traditional approach or older film tech, creating a syncretism between new and old filmmaking.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If one of my friends from Mexico City was visiting and we only have a few hours to meet I will take them to one place for sure… Quarters Korean BBQ! I love food, and it’s always a fun experience to take someone to Korean BBQ, especially if they have never tried it before. The food quality at Quarters is always amazing, drinks are strong and the Wagyu brisket is out of this world.

If we have a few days together I will probably try to do one day at Universal Studios – it is a tourist attraction, but I love the studio tour. It’s one of my most cherished moments as a kid, seeing how they make movies, and I still get butterflies in my tummy every time I see those iconic lots were they have shot movies that are part of film history.

I also love to go to Catalina Island if time and budget permits. That is one of the most fun things to do in my opinion. First of all you get to take the ferry to get there – crossing trough the mist in a ferry is always a magical experience. Then you have a bunch of options once you get there: hiking, restaurants, escape rooms, spas, casino, scuba diving. You can do it all.

Last, if my friends are into art, I will take them to The Broad. They always have new exhibits and the Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room is always an extraordinary experience, worthy of a good Instagram post if you are into that. Every time I go to The Broad, I walk to the Grand Central market to get some food. There is a lobster roll place there that is the perfect way to wrap the day. Also when walking from The Broad to Gran Central Market you can take the Angels Flight a wooden rail road that takes you up and down Bunker Hill.

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?

My shoutout will be first to my parents and aunt Angie who have always supported me through the journey of becoming a filmmaker. But also to all my mentors at AFI, especially Stephen Lighthill, Bill Dill, Sandra Valde and Tal lazar who taught me what it really means to be a cinematographer and what is the craft of telling stories trough moving images.

Website: https://www.andresolorzano.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andres_solorzano_dp/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josé-andrés-solórzano-becerra-72164a31/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndresSolorzanoPhotography/

Image Credits
Not available