Meet Kiki Zamost | Filmmaker

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

Hi Kiki, why did you pursue a creative career?
My passion to pursue a creative career can be expressed through the intersection between the two forefronts of my life: filmmaking and rowing. For the last 11 years the core of my identity has been rowing competitively. Pursuing both film and rowing over these past years allowed me to realize how much the outlets intertwine and serve each other.
Like filmmaking, each crew race produces and represents its own story, from starting line to finish, its own beginning, middle, and end. For example, in a typical boat, each of eight rowers occupy a unique seat in the boat, however, they share a need for synchronicity in order to achieve the objective. Over the years, I discovered that storytelling in the form of film served as the artistic counterpart to crew. By that I mean, the writer, director, producer, cinematographer, actors, etc., all work in harmony while expressing their unique and individual roles in the production. When successful, the result of that artistic composition is a tale from the imagination. The more screenplays I wrote, the more I appreciated how the intangible stories of film complemented the physical stories of rowing. I love everything resembling science fiction, psychological thrillers, and dark comedies. I take great pleasure in creating an entertaining story, and experiencing the many elements of the filmmaking process: writing, directing, editing, scoring. Don’t tell my coach, but sometimes ideas come to me during practice while I’m in the boat. Luckily, typing a screenplay causes fewer callouses than pulling an oar.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The art of filmmaking is an adventure in storytelling. The goal is to tell a story worth telling. To do that, the filmmaker must achieve clarity of purpose. What sets me apart as a filmmaker is my perspective. Every human being walks through his/her life in unique shoes. In that sense, each one of us has an individual story to tell. No other person has the ability to view the human condition from the eyes of another unless, of course, that person shares the images of his/her lens. My lens is in the form of a motion picture camera with an audience. I began my passion for filmmaking as a preteen with cellphone in hand, creating visual stories to entertain me and my friends. I honed my craft in a high school movie-making class. My teacher entered one of my films, “Courting Clare,” into the annual Ramapo College film festival contest. When my film won the contest’s best cinematography award, I was determined to seek acceptance into LMU’s film & television production school, which is ultimately where I enrolled. At LMU, I have honed my filmmaking skills, thanks to my immensely talented professors and peers in the film department. At LMU, I was able to write and direct two films, my junior thesis: “Ghost Light,” and my senior thesis: “Odd Favorite.” I am currently in the process of submitting “Odd Favorite” to the festival circuit. The most important lesson that I have learned is that the universe is patient and that incremental success will build upon itself, much like a good story needs time to unfold and absorb into the mind to be effective. My brand of story comes across like an amusement ride. It invites the audience for a leisurely and predictable trip around a carousel, building layer upon layer with each rotation, culminating in an unforeseeable but uniquely satisfying finale.

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.
LA’s list of fun activities is a long one. First on my list would be a visit to Manhattan/Hermosa Beach. I would take my friend for a delicious brunch at Martha’s. Afterward, we would walk the sunny Strand, followed by an episode of sunbathing. The next activity would include some shopping because the shops are wonderful there. With purchases in hand, we would grab sushi for dinner at Fusion and complete the evening with ice cream from Van Leeuwen’s. Another exciting day would include a PCH cruise to Malibu Country Mart for a sunny jaunt around its terrific shops and a partaking of its delicious restaurants. There’s a theme here: shopping and dining.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
That’s an easy question. My parents have been my lifelong role models. My loudest shoutout goes to Mom and Dad. My mom instilled in me the idea that nothing is beyond my reach. She was a musical theater singer/dancer, raised in Texas, who embarked to New York City, as a young performer entirely on her own and created her own successful career on the stage in both America and Europe. My dad, a trial attorney, taught me how to write creatively and how to think outside of the proverbial box. I am also indebted to my amazing friends: Claire, Chloe, Rachel, Zoe, Ava, Clare, Sydney, Cameron, Ana, Rachel and Saşa. I know that it’s cliché. But, my family and friends have fueled both my quest to make a difference in my professional life as well as in my community.

Instagram: kikizamost

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ karolena-zamost-5b265a1ba

Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user105163332

Image Credits
Cary Qian Crewdadpix