Meet Oli Cohen: Cinematographer

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

Hi Oli, what makes you happy? Why?

Small acts of kindness mean a lot to me. There’s a humbling beauty in it. Hearing positive news, being able to help others and seeing others be successful all make me happy. I get more out of giving than receiving these days. It’s important to be able to add value even if only in a small way. It provides some kind of meaning and purpose. It’s similar with being creative and putting yourself into projects. Taking pride in doing something well in the best way that you possibly can and then to be appreciated for it is perhaps the most satisfying reward we can have. This is connected to happiness but it’s much more than that.

Life is full of tragedy and suffering. I find having creative projects that I can really sink my teeth into a great distraction and antidote to this. For me that’s filmmaking and photography. Collaborating with others and creating something that’s more than what you can do on your own is significant. It’s a fundamental reminder of our need for connection. It’s similar to when you watch a movie and you feel so connected to the characters on the screen that you empathise with them.

Being connected with others through our relationships is key to happiness. Sharing food, drinks, laughter and appreciating things together at the same time is fundamental to our wellbeing I’d suggest. At the same time having separateness is also important especially for introverts like me.

A certain amount of solitude makes me happy. I often feel a need to recharge. Having a tidy environment at home helps me do that. But I love being outside in nature. I particularly love forests and mountains. I’m a keen skier and hiker. I like going to new places, meeting new people, tasting new things and experiencing different cultures whilst always carrying a camera with me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I work as a cinematographer. My background is mostly in documentaries, commercials and brand content. Before moving to LA I was often travelling around the world, much of the time filming for charities in quite remote places. I’ve been to over a hundred countries now. Doing that kind of work is something I’m proud of for sure. These days I’m mostly busy working on short films and docs. What I’m most excited about now is doing my first narrative feature film as a cinematographer.

I come from a music, photography, philosophy and social science background. The music drew me towards the audio side of filmmaking, the photography drew me towards the camera and I’m always driven by a curiosity in people, in interesting ideas and society at large. Trying to help others to see and feel things from other people’s point of view is perhaps the main reason I do what I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In many ways I feel that there’s so much of LA I’m yet to discover partly because of the pandemic when everything was closed. For hanging out in LA I’m a fan of Silver Lake and Los Feliz. Bolt Cafe in Hollywood is a regular spot and I typically bump into friends there. The tennis courts in Griffith Park are a real treat so if they were a tennis player we’d go there for sure. I enjoy walking around in the Hollywood Hills, Malibu and Topanga. But perhaps my favourite thing about LA is the easy access to the mountains. Living in London for many years this is something I longed for. Lake Tahoe, Big Bear, Mammoth, Shaver Lake and Yosemite are all very accessible. If they wanted the best time ever I’d say let’s party in LA and then go skiing in the High Sierras.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Throughout my career my parents have never seemed to understand quite what it is that I do yet their love, support and encouragement is something that I don’t take for granted at all. Similarly my wife Maz has always encouraged me to aim high and to pursue my dreams. I’m indebted to my friends from the UK and Europe who all encouraged me to seize the opportunity of coming over to LA to go to the American Film Institute.

My new LA friends have been so incredibly supportive to me as I’ve been dealing with a personal family tragedy. I’m immeasurably grateful to them.

There’s one book that comes to mind that I read over twenty years that I’ll mention called Endurance by Alfred Lansing. It’s stayed with me all this time. It’s an ultimate adventure story but it’s also a story about collaboration and the incredible resilience of the human spirit. It’s a true account of the two-year struggle for survival endured by the twenty eight men on a failed trans-antarctic expedition let by Ernest Shackleton. The book is a reminder of what we’re capable of as humans in facing the greatest adversities.

Website: www.olicohen.com

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