Meet Modak Ks | Cinematographer

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

Hi Modak, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I decided to pursue cinematography towards the end of my undergraduate course. I was an economics major, and I was apprehensive about the decision throughout my time at college because I liked economics very much. But I decided after I handed in my most significant, most extensive economic paper. I realised then that I couldn’t picture myself working on projects like that every day for the rest of my life. More importantly, I realised that I didn’t enjoy the disconnect and abstraction of the economic world from our immediate societal reality.
In comparison, I felt that communicating the experience of people through images was a far more universal language and could reach more people than any economic paper that I might have produced, which would have been only accessible to a few people with the ability to comprehend the language in them. Images, on the other hand, can create a far more direct and visceral emotion in a person. Hence, I wanted to pursue a career where I could produce synthetic images that help people feel.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What fascinates me the most is that every story is different. Usually, the difference comes not from the story itself but from the personality of the person behind the film. I generally see how to craft an image that fits the personality of my collaborators so that they can push their vision to the furthest limit.

I love researching the craft, and I’m very inspired by film theorists and cinematographers who are chameleons. The minute I fall into a pattern with my images, I get bored and have to try something new. I try to develop a unique style and grammar for each film I shoot that I derive from the story itself, so I feel like I start from zero for each project. This process helps me go off on new tangents to learn more and further the range of my images and techniques. If there’s one thing I want the world to know, it would be that if they decide to work with me, they’re going to get a hundred and ten per cent of my effort and my researcher’s mindset for the project. I love questioning everything and having long conversations about every aspect of the project, not just the images.

There have certainly been multiple challenges along the way, but in hindsight, each one has taught me something valuable, so their difficulty doesn’t seem significant anymore. Some of the biggest takeaways have been creating a trusting, collaborative and fun environment. Trusting people enough to let them make decisions lets them add their creativity to a project because, at the end of the day, many are artists themselves. Allowing space for people to make mistakes so they can learn from them and we can grow as a unit is essential to me. I always try to keep communication channels open to anyone because, as DP, you never really have all the answers, so I always appreciate any help or advice, irrespective of where it comes from.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, since I haven’t been in the LA area for too long, I don’t have a perfect itinerary yet, but my favourite restaurant is this little place called Woon in old Filipino town. It’s nothing fancy, just simple food, but their Udon beef noodles and homemade chilli oil are to die for. The other great experience I’ve had is driving on the PCH through the big Sur area. I wouldn’t want a friend to come out here and miss that.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To name one particular person or organisation would discredit the thousands of moments of support, encouragement and advice my teachers and friends have offered along the way. I learnt everything from them, so they hold a special place for all the times they fought alongside me to help me create the things I wanted. However, my parents, of course, would take the top spot for me because, without their hard work, I would never have been able to pursue any of the things I dreamed of doing.

Website: https://vimeo.com/user80512883

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modak.ks/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/modak-ks-dp

Image Credits
Nic Càceres
Erika Dunn
Chris Luu