We were lucky to catch up with Golnar Fakhrai recently and have shared our conversation below.

Golnar, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

This summer I’m a Teaching Artist with Media Arts Center San Diego, in partnership with Level Up San Diego, San Diego Foundation and San Diego Unified School District. For five weeks, we’re teaching middle school kids (ages 9-13) who have had very limited access to the arts all about filmmaking. As school budgets are slashed and arts programs disappear, it’s imperative that underserved and at-risk communities have the opportunity to explore their creativity and learn from those who have come before them. Some of these kids have never held a camera before, even on a cell phone, and haven’t had the chance to develop and share the stories that live within them. They haven’t had the time, space, materials or guidance to grow their imaginations. Taking the time to help them navigate the art of storytelling, from writing all the way through to film production and editing a final piece, will hopefully plant a seed that will grow in each of them, so they can continue to share their vibrant stories, that deserve to be told. My friends at Fujifilm North America kindly donated Instax mini cameras and film to my classroom, and seeing the joy it’s brought to my students has been a highlight of the summer, and a reminder that we should teach the next generation about the tactile, analog experiences that still exist in the world.

Golnar, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Born and raised in San Diego, I grew up watching movies with my dad on the weekends, and fell in love with the power of visual storytelling. I went into undergrad with the intention of studying to become a director, but found I also have a deep love for holding a camera and creating an image. I received my MFA in Cinematography from American Film Institute Conservatory, and pursued a career as a cinematographer, but the itch to direct, to shape the structure of the story as well, never went away.

I’ve been deeply fortunate to maintain both specialties within my craft, and currently work as a director and cinematographer. There are times when I’m sent on assignment by myself to execute both roles, which has it’s own benefits, but I find I thrive on projects when there are other collaborators who are equally passionate about storytelling, and we not only learn from each other, but elevate each other and the project we’re on.

I love a good challenge, and in filmmaking, we are never short of those. Being able to adapt while still keeping sight of the goal is something I enjoy navigating, My work reflects my love of dynamic lighting in narrative, but my greatest passion is connecting with the people I come across, whether it be on the crew or in the town we’re filming in. Everyone has a story to tell, and I love listening.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

People respect a leader who respects them in return, and being open to hearing the ideas of your team is so important for morale. Being open to everyone’s ideas makes them more engaged, and the more engaged your team is, the likelihood of a great finished project increases. There will be times you’ll need to have hard conversations, and it’s important to remember that everyone started somewhere, including you. Approaching the hard moments with kindness, looking to help them grow and improve, will lead to a stronger team who will want to do their best for you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

A few years ago, I became a mother. At first, I felt like my career in the film industry was over. I couldn’t imagine being on set and away from my daughter for so many hours at a time. This industry isn’t exactly family friendly, but I am fortunate enough to have a partner and a group of colleagues who believe in me enough that they didn’t let me walk away. When I came back from a two year maternity leave, I felt rusty, and like I was a shell of the former filmmaker I used to be, but realized that the adversity it takes to raise a decent human in today’s society has actually made me a better filmmaker and storyteller. I have a bigger capacity for patience and putting out unexpected fires, and the desire to make every hour I spend away from my daughter worth it, so I try even harder than I did before. I want her to see that her mom loves being her mom, but is also an individual outside of that role, someone with hopes, dreams, and passions of her own. Telling visual stories is a medium in which I thrive, and I’m so glad that I still get to do so.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://golnarfakhrai.com

Image Credits

Kevin Israel Castro
Wes Stewart