Meet Amritha Mary. M | Director of Photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amritha Mary. M and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amritha, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from Chennai, India – The land of Kollywood (or Tamil cinema). Films have always been a huge part of our culture. Watching movies in theaters is a communal experience for us where we cheer for the actors and dance along to the song sequences. Blockbuster movies are often released on our festive days adding to the holiday traditions. Trying to catch the first-day first-show screenings of these movies is one of those that I follow as well. All of this without a doubt created my passion for this art form. I pursued filmmaking as a hobby through the years and learned that I was specifically drawn to its visual elements but not really knowing how to make a career out of it, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and studied Computer Science Engineering. This eventually made me stumble upon Cinematography and I quickly realized how it was the perfect fusion of art and technology – an amalgamation of both my interests to say the least. I always describe that moment of clarity as equivalent to that of finding your soulmate!

I communicate my thoughts and feelings best by referencing movies. There was this one class I took in undergrad involving Turing machines that for the life of me I could not understand. When I talked to my professor about it (Shoutout to Sharmila Ma’am!), she recommended I watch ‘The Imitation Game’, which to this day is one of my favorite movies and also helped me get good grades in that class because of my new found respect for Alan Turing. This made me realize the impact films can have in conveying messages while being entertaining which really solidified my decision to pursue it as a career.

I think having that engineering side to my brain makes me constantly curious and embrace the evolving technologies popping up in the camera department while having an upbringing that was surrounded by the vibrant world of Indian films and culture gives me a unique perspective on storytelling, which I get to showcase through my lens.

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.
My journey has been a wild but fun ride. Back when I first started looking into pursuing filmmaking as a career, I didn’t have any resources to help guide me or anyone to say, “ok here’s what you need to know and do”. I didn’t know anyone who worked in film other than the famous actors I saw on screen so maybe I should start acting? Didn’t take long to learn I was bad at that. Googled every single role that showed up in the credits. It was a lot of figuring things out on my own, putting myself out there, taking risks, and failing too many times. As hard as that is, I also love that there’s no specific roadmap to follow, it’s welcoming to anyone passionate enough to keep creating against all odds. A reason why I am a huge advocate for accessibility in this field.

When there aren’t many people in the room who look like you, proving your skills becomes significantly more challenging. I’ve had men question my physical strength, my creative and technical decisions, I’ve even had men direct me to the hair & makeup room because they couldn’t believe I’m the DP – the list goes on but learning how to deal with that is a part of the job ultimately. I am short & petite so it added to my imposter syndrome for a long time but thinking about it now, who wouldn’t want to hire a DP that can crawl into nooks to get the shot? I look up to so many talented female Cinematographers who’ve faced worse and paved a path that helps me every day, and I hope to play a part in leveling out the playing field further.

There is also a certain depth of loneliness that gets added on top of all this as someone living abroad alone. An invisible cultural barrier that always exists, making you feel like a perpetual outsider. But it’s also made me realize the power of films in bridging those gaps, in expressing the emotions and unfamiliar experiences that are otherwise hard to articulate which is exactly why I want to use this medium to help tell more diverse stories.

I’m still grappling with all of this, but I’ve come to realize that our stories are what sets us creatives apart. It’s what makes our art so personal and authentic, you know? I feel it every time as an audience watching them being told on screen. That’s what I love about my job, the stories are endless and I have the best view behind the camera capturing them in time!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let me preface this by saying I still have a whole lot of this city left to discover so this might be basic. There has to be a separate day just for hikes and exploring the coast but for a more relaxed day, I’d get breakfast at one of the many cafes along Echo Park and Silver Lake, then spend the day walking around museums like the Broad, LACMA and the Academy Museum, grab lunch at The Grand Central Market or The Orginal Farmers Market and maybe hang out at The Grove while we’re there, and finally catch the sunset at the Santa Monica pier – though I love Venice beach more!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for the people who saw potential in me and recommended me for my next opportunity, I am extremely grateful to the Cinematography community here in Los Angeles for that and I wouldn’t be doing this at all if it weren’t for the support of my parents and the strong foundation for all the knowledge I now hold thanks to my professors – Pete Biagi, John O’Shaughnessy and Dana Kupper!

Instagram: @amrithamary

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/amrithamary

Image Credits
Lorelei Rubik