Today we’d like to introduce you to Arthur Woo
Hi Arthur, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in a working class environment – family, peers, friends, etc. led me to thinking practically about the financial situation I was in. Although I had an interest in illustrating and music at an early age, I didn’t have a mentor or role model who would guide me on this particular path. When it came time to select a career, I went with the suggested advice of picking something that would be financially stable, and do hobbies of music, art, etc. on the side.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. The practical side of thinking about finances, income, etc. shaped my thought processes and is what I actually credit to helping me start to working full-time as a cinematographer and director. I had purchased a camera as a hobby, posting small videos on Vimeo, Facebook, etc., and eventually my friends and colleagues who owned small businesses wanted me to start shooting little promos for them. They wanted to pay me too, which shocked me – who knew I could get paid and have fun?
As the years went by and my network grew, I was eventually able to make what was once a hobby into a career.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Each project represents an opportunity to learn and grow. For smaller / simpler projects, I often go back to my roots and look for ways to brush up my basic skills – organizing, packing, communicating with clients – because there are less technical things to focus on. For larger projects, it’s an opportunity to practice communicating with a range of individuals, as well as practice delegating tasks to other talented individuals since I am a department head within a production. That’s something I am trying to get better at as I came up doing everything myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work as a cinematographer and director in film and video production. Since the start of my career I was focused on fashion and beauty as those ads in magazines I read growing up were a big inspiration for me, and I wanted to work in that arena when I decided to work in production.
The first several years I was focused primarily on image-making, but the last couple of years I started to become really interested in storytelling, which has led me to take up an interest in narrative films.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the fact that in NYC, a lot of people are down to jump into something when they’ve decided they want to do it. People are here for the opportunities and to hustle to make things happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arthurwoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurwoodotcom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/arthurwoo
Image Credits
Christian Frederick Stevenson
Daniel Huang