We recently connected with Tarek Hefny and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, TAREK thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I mostly learned by doing. Although this is a departure from the academic process, I learned to appreciate its benefits. I consider myself a multi-disciplinary artist in the sense that I get to express my thoughts through different formats. Having multiple experiences in the image-making world helped me learn different visual languages and pull from a diverse pool of references. I studied oil painting. Then, shortly before graduating, I started my commercial photography business. A few years later I transitioned into cinematography and branched into post production and color grading. I believe this path helped me understand how to shape light, visually tell a story and communicate a desired message far more than if had studied mass-communication or filmmaking in school.

Having an open mind and a flexible mentality allowed me to build on the commonality of everything that I learn instead of focusing on how each medium is different from the other.

Recently what I’ve been trying to do is gain more knowledge and experiences that have nothing to do with the craft of filmmaking. Like reading about philosophy, practicing embroidery or learning how to cook. As of yet, I’d give my cooking skills a solid 2/10, so I have a lot to learn there!

TAREK, 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 an image-maker who studied painting and is currently work as a cinematographer.

I would say that, at the core, my work revolves around communication. It could be visually communicating a message or emotion to the viewer. Or communicating what I need from my team on set. Or even helping directors translate and communicate their vision in a way that works for the project, it all comes down to having good communication skills. In the filmmaking world cinematographers are responsible for the visual style of a film. By choosing the cameras, lenses, lighting, camera movement .. etc. cinematographers help directors communicate their message to the viewers. It is a job that is both very technical and highly artistic. This all happens within the constraints of a limited budget and high ambitions, so making the right decisions is crucial.

Having a vast arsenal of techniques and knowing how to tackle a problem in different ways makes you stand out in this position. Personally I gained a lot from coming from a photography background. I was used to doing everything with my own hands and working on minuscule budgets compared to the jobs I work on now, so I got used to solving many problems on my own. I believe that this made me appreciate the power of having a whole team of like-minded problem-solvers working around me.

Working with people from around the world and exchanging experiences is what makes this such a blast for me. Lately I have been working on shoots in the US, North Africa, Europe and the Arabian gulf.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For me, the word resilience will forever be associated with 2020. The Covid pandemic hit us all hard and New York was no exception. I was working in an equipment rental house at the time and freelancing as a colorist on the side. They laid off everyone and closed shop and the productions that were shooting had to come to a halt. This is when I figured I had to pivot fast and rely on color work to keep me afloat. I invested in some better equipment, and although I had no confirmed jobs coming in, I pitched my work to a broader network and landed some gigs. I maintained a steady flow of jobs coming in and out without meeting anyone or going out of my house. It was all remote work.

I stayed locked in a tiny one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn for a whole year, just working remotely. Although it may sounds a bit harsh, I enjoyed it, and I still cherish this period in my career. Had I not expanded my knowledge to a different skillset in the image making world, I wouldn’t have made it through that year.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I get high on working with people. When you get to head the right crew or get the right director on a job it kind of feels like you’re flying or like you weigh less. There is something magical about having the right people on a job and it differs from one film to another. Since my job is all about interacting with people, this makes a world of difference to me.

One of the jobs that I’m most proud of is the TV commercial that I shot for Magdy Yacoub Foundation in Ramadan 2022.

A bit of context, Magdy Yacoub is a world renowned pediatric heart surgeon who based his research facility in Luxor, Egypt, some 20 years ago. In 2022 they were opening a new hospital and a research facility in Cairo to make it easier for patients around the world to travel to. The agency pitched a short film idea to the client instead of the jingle-type of ad that usually comes out in Ramadan’s season. The client was a bit hesitant at first but after seeing the director, Mohamed Zayat’s treatment, they bought the idea and were willing to take that risk.

The treatment was very insightful and subtle in its approach and gave me a ton of space to shape the image to hit the right tone for this commercial. This project ended up “breaking the internet” in the MENA region. For me it was like the stars aligned to let me produce an expressive look for an excellent treatment and all of that for a cause that I feel deeply about. I don’t think any of that would’ve happened if the agency did not fight for the Zayat to spearhead this project or if he didn’t ask me to shoot it. It was the magic of the team that made this project memorable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tarekhefny.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3otared/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarek-hefny-79983123/