We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elisabetta Fox Piantoni. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elisabetta Fox below.
Elisabetta Fox, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
There is no doubt that I picked the job I love doing but, sometimes, second guessing is normal. Especially in those days where things are hard on set – perhaps for the project itself or maybe the team isn’t as cohesive as it should or there are miscommunications. Or even when there’s work that comes up last minute and you have to cancel your plans, maybe with friends or family, and wonder what your life would look like if you had a regular office job or even one with a recurring schedule in order for you to plan your life a little better. Nonetheless, this job allows you to have such a dynamic and unique lifestyle – days are never the same, you never know what to expect. I certainly like it but I understand it’s not for everyone.
Elisabetta Fox, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I always loved making videos while growing up. Whether it was of my family on vacation or my dog running around. However, I never thought of it as a possible career – not because I didn’t like it, but because it simply wasn’t seen as a real job in my small Italian town. So when the time came to choose my undergraduate degree, business administration was sort of my safe plan – I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to do but I thought it could open up the most amount of possibilities. I first studied in Chicago and then moved to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. I really enjoyed my classes but it wasn’t until I graduated and moved to Los Angeles for a summer course in film production that I finally understood what being passionate about something feels like.
I remember sitting in the classroom the very first day of the program and something hit – I felt like I was in the right place, finally doing what I loved and it felt like nothing before.
From that point onwards, I started working as a freelance filmmaker and photographer and then proceeded to graduate from a film production program focusing on cinematography at the University of Southern California (USC). I now work as a director of photography specializing in narrative with a documentary approach. I love using natural lighting and utilizing elements that already exist by empathizing them. I love telling true stories and not only entertaining but striving to provide knowledge, communicate facts, and initiate conversations among the audience, especially regarding minorities topics.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I not only want to entertain but I wish to ignite conversations among the people who watch my work. I want people to learn about underrepresented communities, about local and far away cultures. As a cinematographer, I strive to focus on works that spread and deepen the discovery of different stories and cultures and, ultimately, making an impact both visually and socially. I am a lover of narrative documentaries, that narrate true stories and entertain while also educating the viewers with images that hopefully ignite conversations and change. Additionally, my love for the outdoors also pushes me to aim at shooting movies that make use of natural landscapes by shaping, chasing, and enhancing light and working around nature’s cycles.
Additionally, with my background in business, I want to combine knowledge with my creative vision to narrate stories about unrepresented communities, especially those related to the LGBTQ+ community.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having the opportunity to create together with other people. You start with an idea and in your mind you have all of these thoughts on how you want to make it but then you collaborate with other people and share ideas and suddenly, the initial project turns into something bigger and better. It’s the coming together of people and thoughts and experiences that bring out incredible opportunities of working altogether and combining different ways of approaching a single project. Different ideas and skills all in a creative and safe environment – it’s such a stimulating and compelling feeling that I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.foxsbackpack.com
- Instagram: foxsdarkside
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabettapiantoni
- Other: https://vimeo.com/796077344/eea7690de3
Image Credits
Elisabetta Fox Piantoni