We were lucky to catch up with Aldo Widjaya recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Aldo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I believe that nothing good in life comes without risks, and I’ve learned to embrace that truth. Like most people, failure scares me, but I’m still willing to take risks in pursuit of my goals. One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was moving from my hometown of Jakarta to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. At first, the idea of uprooting myself and jumping into a completely new world seemed crazy. But the excitement of working in film outweighed my fear of failure. While the journey hasn’t been easy, every challenge has been worth it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Aldo, 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’ve never had a single film or moment that sparked my desire to pursue film, particularly cinematography, but I’ve always had a deep love for a good story. I truly believe film is one of the most powerful mediums to tell stories. My journey into cinematography started when I was young, playing with my dad’s camcorder during family trips. I would film anything and everything, and looking back, that’s where my passion for cinematography began.

Like many in this field, I started with photography, but I quickly realized that it felt limiting. Cinematography offered a much more liberating way to tell stories, and once I realized I could make a career out of it, I jumped on the opportunity and haven’t looked back since.

My style and perspective are deeply influenced by my upbringing in a Chinese-Indonesian household in Jakarta. The city, despite all its chaos, also has an undeniable beauty and charm underneath it. And that ability to look through something at a surface level and uncover the story and beauty underneath is something that I really pride myself in. Every project I take on is a chance for me to bring the story to life through the lens, to capture the nuances and emotions that make it unique.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What I find most rewarding from being a creative, and working in the film industry in particular, is the level of collaboration that comes with the job. I think what makes film stand out from other creative fields is how it brings together so many different perspectives and talents to work towards a common goal. When everyone brings their unique vision and contributions, that’s when the magic truly happens. It’s in those moments of collaboration that I feel the most fulfilled, and whatever we end up creating always feels incredibly rewarding.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I owe a lot of who I am today to the place I grew up in. And for how creative, diverse, and vibrant the people are in Indonesia, the film industry is unfortunately one area where I feel like things have gone stagnant for too long. While there are definitely newer filmmakers who are willing to take risks and create something original, I still feel like there’s a lot of potential yet to be harnessed and stories to tell. My goal is to one day return to Indonesia with all the skills and experiences I’ve garnered from working here and to hopefully bring a new perspective to the film industry there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aldowidjaya.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sebastianaldo16/