We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Luigi Ventura. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Luigi below.
Luigi, appreciate you joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
In todays lightning fast changing world you have to stay on your toes as a creative / business person. Specially with how rapid technology and software is evolving. What I do differently is offer my clients competitive pricing and multi media services. Essentially I am a one stop shop Photographer (Creative). I can go from staffing a short film to Independent narratives, music videos, interviews, vertical dramas, social media campaigns all the way to shooting your headshots, corporate work and fashion catalogues. I don’t just offer one kind of photography or style. I can do them all. Normally classically trained professionals stick to one thing ie; a Headshot Photographer only does headshots or a Fashion photographer only shoots fashion. Social media and E-commerce changed that for me but also naturally I’m the kind of person that can’t be tied to one thing. I like broadening my horizons. If you were a small clothing company that just started and wanted photos of your products but also launch a campaign video, normally you would have to employ separate crews. One photography crew that does the catalogue and the video crew that films the campaign video. This can be stressful and also a-lot of money for a starting micro-business. I can do both of these services with an elite small crew. Because of my background in filmmaking I have crews at my disposal depending on your budget. I facilitate the proper crew members, locations and can even offer post production services. This level of comfort is what makes me a unique creative that breaks the norms of the “Industry standard”. I don’t know anyone else that can walk with the client every step of the way, at least not at the small micro business level.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Luigi Ventura I’m a fellow Angeleno and native to Los Angeles. I work as a Creative Filmmaker, Cinematographer and Photographer. Currently I cater to different multi media formats such as Narratives, TV , Social Media campaigns, Vertical dramas, E-Commerce, Music videos and have a small business in photographic services, Fashion, Portraiture, Headshots, Product Photography etc. Ive been doing this for a while now. I went to USC and a school / program called Inner City Filmmakers. I got my start from ICF interning at a prestigious camera rental house called Otto Nemenz which at the time was on Vine Street in Hollywood. I worked in the service dept with famed Joel Melman which was the head of engineer and repair services. This was the start of my analogue 35mm motion picture training. I learned to dismantle, put together and load motion picture cameras, big heavy ones too. Anything from a Arri 2c, Aaton’s, Moviecams, Arri BL2&3’s and Arri LT / ST’s. I remember I would learn these cameras so fast that Joel eventually told me to load film into every camera he had blindfolded. Which I did. It’s one of the most fun and treasured memories I have starting out. I’ve always had a passion for photography and film which I discovered in High School. I believe It’s my destiny and calling in life. Every time I put my hands on a camera I can feel my spirit getting lifted. After Otto Nemenz I got a camera internship on a TV show called Heroes at sunset Gower Studios. This was the biggest production I had ever seen in my life at the time. Being around such talented camera crew made me gain so much knowledge of cameras and the department itself. My training would later take me to work as a Camera assistant / Loader on AFI student films. I spent years doing Independent projects and eventually with the birth of Digital Cinema and Focus technologies I became a 1st Assistant Camera which is a Focus Puller. I pulled focus for many years on various independent feature films, music videos , commercials and various projects that would take me abroad. Eventually I joined the Local 600 which is the Hollywood union for Cinematographers and Camera Assistants. This propelled me to work on the most elite Hollywood crews and projects of my lifetime. Fun Fact, while I was doing all the film work I simultaneously got my start as a Photo Journalist shooting documentaries and photos on Skid Row in Downtown LA for magazines like LA Weekly, LA Yoga and LA Times. I published my first story at 19 0r 20 years of age. I’m currently a published photo journalist.
In 2020 I decided to take a brave and scary career leap. I told myself I wanted to focus more on me and my creativity and further experiment with my craft as a Cinematographer / Photographer. This meant I had to pause my decorative job as a Hollywood Camera Assistant and go all in, in starting a new business catered to social media, independent artists and micro businesses seeking media solutions. Granted the world at the time was going through a Covid 19 Pandemic (I know Im crazy right?). I had no idea other than a drive to commit to this plan. Of course many people including my inner self didn’t approve as this new endeavor would essentially mean starting from the ground up again with a loose flow of income (yikes). It has not been an easy journey by any means. Truthfully with hick-ups along the way there were moments of doubt but Ive persevered. It’s probably been one of the hardest decisions of my career period. But this is what being a creative or artist is about. You have to take risks and be able to challenge yourself otherwise you might not know or unlock your true potential! Since the launch of the new business I have acquired a tight group of clients and continue to attract more. My business is still small but growing steadily. With the current trend is social media platforms and E-Commerce I do the best to stand out to my clients by being creatively versatile, making competitive budget proposals and offering turn key solutions from Pre-Productiuon to Post Production.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Oh man I love this question. I think the most rewarding aspect of being an Artist is the infinite amount of doors you can open! The variety of people you talk to day in and day out. Not to mention the places you can visit or travel to as an Artist. I don’t think, there’s no place on earth an Artist can’t go haha. There’s even weird and funny places Art takes you, sometimes those are the best ones. I like the weird or random experiences, they build great character. The aspect of your environment constantly changing or things not being the same is a unique attribute to Artists. To me Art is a super power (It really is) we have the ability to look at the world or people differently because we draw from Imagination, feelings, experiences, dreams, connections, or sometimes tap into divine energy. These elements allow us to create unique and beautiful things. The biggest reward as an Artist at least for me. Is when I put on my Magician hat as a Cinematographer and I’m able to bring to life the world or vision the Director had in His/Her mind and to witness them jumping up & down ecstatic with a smile. Similarly taking someones photograph and having them see themselves in a new way and the shock value and laughter that comes with it. To me these are experiences I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Not gonna lie, given the current state how things are with Hollywood and LA with the recent Fires and IASTE strikes, theres a bit of a mission from a businessman perspective to make up for time lost but also to innovate and build on expanding my business and business services. Am I a storefront? No, but maybe I can be?. I believe God gave me a gift, which I’m extremely grateful for. My goal in life ever since I knew I wanted to be a Cinematographer, Photographer is to be one of the best like the current Cinematographers I look up to. Im a nerd for cameras and lights. I work very hard, I do a-lot of research and put in a-lot of time and dedication. Im always experimenting with new lighting techniques. Obviously I’m still growing as an Artist and have so much to learn. The ultimate goal is, well to win an academy award for Cinematography haha. I think that would be nice. Or as a Photographer shoot for big fashion brands and have billboards on Sunset. But the main goal is to one day give back and provide for places, people, communities across the world through my art. The real fire that drives me is my parents. They Immigrated to the US from Latin America. I’m first generation American. Naturally they dropped their life in their country to give me a better opportunity. Im eternally grateful. Thats the kind of drive thats unshakeable and look forward to the journey ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.luigiventuraphotography.com/
- Instagram: Luigiimagery
- Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2749001/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1