We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kshitij Kapil a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kshitij, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I learned a lot when I first moved here. My Bachelor was very much focused on history and learning different kinds of art forms with an ephasis on film, but even then, it was more so catered to writing and directing, and I always was more technical and cinematography-focused. When I moved out to LA, I got the amazing opportunity to work on a big-budget feature called Devotion, all thanks to JD, the director, who took a chance on me. That was my first big exposure to how films are really made. I decided to learn more and pursue my Master’s in cinematography here in Burbank at the New York Film Academy, and since then, I have worked on numerous projects as a DP, Cam op, and 1st AC. Devotion was the catalyst for all my growth, though.
Kshitij, 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?
I am a cinematographer based in LA right now. I got my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts at Syracuse and am about to graduate with my Master’s in Fine Arts from New York Film Academy. I got interested in making films while I was in high school, and the rest is history. I have made numerous short films, of which multiple have been selected and screened at festivals. I have worked as everything from producer, writer, DP, Cam op, 1st AC, Gaffer, Key Grip, and even PA on every type of project. I love being a part of productions and doing what I enjoy doing the most. Recently my goal has been set to grow as a Cinematographer and work on indie films, but I still am open to working on everything. I think one of the best parts of working on films is the collaboration between people and departments, and I have spent a lot of time getting to know people from all fields to have my own team I can rely on for any given project.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I don’t have just one goal in mind. Films are currently one of the biggest ways of connecting with people regardless of where they are from and who they are, and I want to create work that people can watch and connect with. I learned pretty early on that I could spend my life trying to DP that one perfect movie, but either I wouldn’t see it as so, or the audience wouldn’t. I changed perspectives there a bit and decided to focus on whatever I enjoyed. As I continue to grow as a person and an artist, I realize that working on projects that I enjoy brings the best out of me, and those are the ones that people relate to or resonate the most with. Exposure to other styles of visual arts also opened my view to the idea that just as we grow, the way we consume art changes over time, too. So I just focused on working and being a part of different projects, and I learned that I can also express myself and my ideas that way. My main goal is to keep working on things as long as I can and let that be a way to show the world through my eyes while, at the same time, seeing how that work allows me to connect with people.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I think seeing the reaction of people after they see your work is the best. You never know when something you have done could completely change someone. I know there are films I have seen that have completely altered my opinions or thought process. I also think that inspiration can come from things that you don’t like. I have seen films, paintings, and pictures that maybe I didn’t like before, but over time or going through a certain experience makes me remember it, and then I draw inspiration from the very thing I didn’t like before. I think any kind of response from people consuming your work is rewarding.
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Image Credits
Sharath Yerra and Kushagra Jain