Hi Laisa, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. You recently wrapped your first film in Spanish, is that correct? What can you tell us about it?
Yes, we filmed “No me Abandones” last year in Los Angeles and it was my first time working with the Venezuelan director, Juan Pedro Soto.
The story is about a man that had his whole life changed after his wife’s death. He sees himself in a situation in which he is consumed by drugs but also has a daughter that needs him.
It’s not a traditional format story, we see flashbacks, current moments of weakness and how he is lost in his own mind. Was a very fun project to shoot and even more special that it was in Spanish.
What were the most challenging aspects of shooting “No Me Abandones”?
The whole film was shot in black and white and that was the idea since the first creative meetings with the director. Having that high contrast between light and darkness was my starting point to create the mood of the cinematography.
The flashbacks also had a specific visual aesthetic to it. It needed to be in a different aspect ratio, feel homemade and also showcase the grains in the image to create one more texture to the film.
Playing with textures and layers was also something to keep in mind for every scene we had to do.
Would you say this film made you want to collaborate even more with international filmmakers?
I already do! I love working with people from all around the world. I feel that each different background and experiences make a production even better and more successful. Being from Brazil and a foreigner Cinematographer in Los Angeles always made me a very open minded and curious person.
This was my first time working with a Spanish script but I have worked on projects where Portuguese and Japanese were the main languages. I would love to get to know even more great professionals from around the Globe.