Meet Ali Ivosevich | Director of Photography & Camera Operator (IATSE Local 600)

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

Hi Ali, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
There are so many factors in success, I feel like sometimes ‘success’ isn’t something I’ve even attained because I have such bigger goals and higher bars for myself than the ant hill I’ve scaled this far; but looking back it’s easier to see how far I’ve come and gives me hope that continuing on this trajectory, success will be inevitable.
I had great role models growing up, my father and mother simply instilled in me the value of hard work. My dad would often repeat the phrase “the harder I work, the luckier I get” and it stuck with me as I’ve have seen first hand how hard work pays off. They were the first to encourage me to chase my dreams, coming from blue collar jobs and working insanely hard to give us the life they didn’t have. I’ve definitely worked hard to get this far, but I attribute most of my success to luck and a simply being surrounded by wonderful people who gave me a chance and continued to support me and gave me a hand up when they didn’t have to go out of their way to help at all. I only hope I can pay them back with more success and really be able to thank them someday by returning the favor when I’m in the same position.
Discipline would be the second habit I would give credit to for my career. Hard work and discipline are the best creators of luck. I feel like the luckiest human on the planet to live this life.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Every path to Cinematographer and Camera Operator is different. There’s no clear cut ladder to climb to get there and in some ways it’s really freeing, and in others can feel limiting. If you’ve never seen someone personally come from where you’ve come from and make a name for themselves it can be really hard to know if you’re on the right path. As long as the end goal is the same I think you will eventually get there. I feel like my career has taken so many wild turns that I got here a little slower than others.

The most condensed story I can tell is this: I moved to LA pretty young and didn’t know anyone in the industry and honestly didn’t know much about filmmaking. I started ACing on Craigslist jobs cause I thought I knew cameras and that would be my foot in. I learned quickly that the cheap broadcast cameras I was used to using were much different than real Cinema cameras, so I started working in a rental house to learn the gear better while still ACing. I started in shipping and would help clean filters and would sit in the lens room and learn all I could about lenses. I fell in love with Cinema Lenses and began to really mix my love of still camera repair with Lens Repair. A lot of the mechanics were the same. (I worked at camera repair stores in high school cause I was self taught in taking cameras apart and putting them back together, even buying broken cameras and fixing them and flipping them for extra cash.) I later got formal training in Cinema Lens Repair from some of the best lens techs in the world and now jumping a few years was hired into Panavision as a Lens Repair Tech. Panavision was so good to me in so many ways. They encouraged my desire to be a DP while lending me camera packages on the weekends to shoot my own stuff and often letting me step away briefly to AC and Cam Op while still working there. ( I probably shouldn’t be saying that cause I don’t know what their rules are now).

That takes us to about now where I have 10 years of lens tech-ing behind me and about 6 years of solely freelance DPing and Camera Operating. Without Panavision’s instrumental hand in letting me find my footling and visual style as a DP and Camera Operator while still working for them, I would never have had the skills or ability to step out and solely make a living as such. I’m grateful for all the things I learned along the way on my weird path to becoming a DP/Camera Operator and even more grateful for all the incredible people I’ve met in the process.

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.
Obviously would have to take them by Panavision Hollywood if they were fellow camera nerds, but I currently live in East LA and previously lived downtown LA for a long time. Most of my favorite spots are still downtown and I frequent them often. Little Tokyo has the best coffee spot- Cafe Dulce, and you have to try the Roti (pastry). Obviously the best ramen too is in Little Tokyo, Daikokuya. You have to go if you haven’t been yet. Me and my husband also love bars with good lighting, Crane’s Bar Downtown and the most photogenic bar, La Cita. It’s hard to not have a good time downtown.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s so many people who I owe my career to! I couldn’t have gotten here at all without my high school teacher who taught me what Cinematography was and showed me it was something I could actually do for a living, John Jones. My boss at Panavision, Guy McVicker who was the most encouraging, kind, and patient human, still the best boss I’ve ever had. I also owe Dan Hammond a big thank you for always happily lending a hand even when it was inconvenient.

I’ve had so many mentors in cinematography, I feel like the industry changed for the better by the time I started, that I would be remised to not mention the people and particularly females who forged a path for the rest of us in film. One of them being my personal mentor, Quyen Tran, ASC, and Valentina Caniglia who is a huge proponent of lifting up others and I strive to be more like them every day.

There’s so many others who were instrumental in my career and some of the best advocates of me and other females include all the cinematographers at NFL Films. Mostly thankful for Hannah Epstein, Ferdinand leGrange, Kevin Simkins, Phil Gushue, who all personally gave me opportunities when they were not obligated to help, and I’m so grateful for their guidance and leadership.

Michael Grugal also champions others to a degree I hope to do when I’m in his position. He is one of the kindest humans on the planet and genuinely roots for his friends’ success. His mentorship and friendship has made a huge impact on my career. I owe so much of my career to my gaffer as well, Mario Hurtado, who is the reason I know Michael. Mario always actively attempting to make me look better in lighting and always coming up with the best ideas and takes little credit for his work. His encouragement and support has gone further than he’ll ever know.

Through all the years on this crazy ride, there’s been nothing like the support of my husband, Ralph. His reassurance and unconditional support in my drive to succeed as a cinematographer and camera operator has meant the world to me. He has always championed me and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Through countless rides to the airport, last minute inspirational texts when I need some motivation, and just being there in the hardest of times, I cannot thank him enough for being the rock amidst all the ups and downs that this career has brought. Thankful he has continually encouraged me to push through and be my best self while chasing my dreams.

Website: Http://www.ali-ivosevich.com

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/aliivosevich

Image Credits
Andres Garcia, Marvin Villa, MJ Kampe, Wyatt House, Ely Meza, Demi Ratchford