Meet J. Søren Viuf | Film/TV Director & Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with J. Søren Viuf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J. Søren, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My dad came up in a lower middle-classed family, became the first to go to college, and became an entrepreneur who built a small construction empire, which supported our family practically, but also facilitated me and my siblings to pursue our dreams, such as they were.

He instilled in us the virtues of hard work, independence, and self-reliance. That by working for someone else, generally, all of your value is extracted from you.

Our small ownership group has mostly been freelance contractors, working for other people, so we’ve started our small independent media production company, located in Los Angeles and Georgia, simply as a way to control the content we make and retain the value that we produce.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I first moved from Oklahoma (I attended Chapman University 2003-2007) to go to film school, I was just so fascinated with the creative and technical processes behind film-making. I was enraptured with the art and science behind photography and film emulsion and projecting with light.

Almost unknowingly, I got sucked into cinematography. I loved the idea of crafting a visual reality and using that medium to influence people’s emotions, as manipulative as that sounds.

But as I matured, I felt, in a weird way, that though my life experience had been broad, it was not deep. So I took a hiatus, served in the U.S. Navy for a while, got my MBA from Pepperdine University, and worked a variety of menial construction jobs.

I’ve been back in LA for a couple of years now – and hopefully hopefully better equipped to tell emotionally authentic stories, while still bringing a visual resonance commensurate to the story.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a former Navy man, I always enjoy going down to Long Beach to soak in the sights and smells of the yards and piers, and of course the Battleship USS Iowa. I think this is one incredible museum that many Angelenos and visitors don’t realize or appreciate as much as we should!

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?
The Chapman University Alumni network…. though still small, we’re very tight-knit and supportive. Much if not most of my work and support has come through having a strong network of people to call for guidance, support, work, or just some old fashioned friendship.

Website: www.jsv-film.com

Instagram: @jsv_film

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsviuf/

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