We were lucky to catch up with Vicky Rattanavipapong recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Vicky thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?
Absolutely, I think something people don’t understand about being a cinematographer is how much of the work happens before you even get on set. I do as much as prep work I can before we shoot because I feel like I’m more prepared for something unexpected. I love storyboarding because I can see the entire movie visualized and give ideas form.
Storyboarding helps me plan for camera movement, lighting, composition in a stress free environment. It also helps when trying to get on the same page with a director. We can troubleshoot problems together before they actually happen. The storyboard can be a blueprint for all other department heads to follow. My effort helps people do their job better, then the ideas they have inspire me further. It’s pure collaboration. Alfred Hitchcock talked about enjoying pre-production more than production because he had felt like he had already shot the movie. I’m coming to understand that mindset because all the discovery and creativity happen in prep, when you do it right. I actually have started to take drawing classes so that I can make my storyboards look even better and have more control in the process.
The pictures I have attached is the storyboard I created in preproduction and the results of what we shot.
It’s not just storyboarding either. I’m very particular about location scouting. Finding the right fit with your location will save you a lot of work. I want to know how big the space is, where the sun is coming from, what backgrounds we are facing. How we can develop unique aesthetics from the location we have. How we are designing the day to allow for the most room for creativity. Getting on shotdeck and looking up references. The more work you can do before you turn on the camera makes the less work for when you’re actually shooting. And then you can have fun on set.
Vicky, 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’m from Bangkok, Thailand, the land of smiles. I moved to the United States for high school and graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts major in Film Production. I worked as cinematographer on numerous narrative and commercial works such as “Instant Noodle” (Best Female Artists award winner at Burbank Film Festival, Emerging Artist award winner at CAAMFest) and “Code of Family” (Jury Prize award winner at Canadian Screen Award Qualifying USA Film Festival and Annapolis Film Festival). Now I live in Los Angeles, freelancing anything camera related (Cinematographer, camera operator, camera assistant and prep technician).
My love for movies was ignited during my senior year of high school when I took a film class with Mr. David Herold. Mr. Herold was the first person to show me classic American films like “Citizen Kane,” “North by Northwest,” and “The Graduate.” Throughout the school year, Mr. Herold assigned us to make short films with various topics. I made my first short film using my parent’s camera and edited on my MacBook. Mr. Herold was really funny and enthusiastic, but he also crushed everyone’s films. He didn’t care that we were in high school as he held us to a very high standard. I really responded well to that and challenged myself to make films that reached his standard. Because of him, I’ve learned that I love making images. I love capturing moments. I love when an image tells a story without words.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Making art will always test your resilience, especially filmmaking. As there are so many practical measures you have to take on set, you may run into obstacles and have to be ready to find a away around them.
Recently, I finished shooting a project called “The Treehouse.” We had an elaborate oner planned to capture the ending of the film. It was a really cool shot where the character races home in a car, gets out and sprints to the door to check on his family. We had a car stunt and a very precise camera blocking all worked out; It seemed like a great idea on paper, but it had so many moving pieces and just didn’t work when we executed on set. The lead actor even injured his hand on one attempt. The mood on set was tense. It felt like things were going the wrong way. Pressured from falling behind schedule, we had another location to get to next. Together, the director and I developed a brand new, more simplified shooting plan to keep the day moving.
For me, resilience on a movie set is crucial. There will be days when it doesn’t feel like anything is working. Even after all your planning, film ultimately comes down to feeling, and sometimes it doesn’t feel right. The blocking doesn’t feel right, the lighting doesn’t feel right, you’re going to slow and have to cut shots you love to make the day. You just keep your head up, adapt to whatever the obstacle of the day is, and take things one shot at a time. Do not let one accident or failure crush your spirit. Ultimately, you will appreciate the journey after you finish the film and learn challenges as breakthroughs.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Throughout my career, I really had to unlearn that filmmaking is 100% about art. Learning how to thrive in an environment that isn’t totally about art is integral to your success. I’ve really had to learn to be patient and understand that filmmaking is a team effort. The artistic idea that you have in your mind just can’t be done sometimes, and then everyone just has to adapt.
Now, I realize filmmaking is an intersection where art meets reality. It is more about emotional intelligence than artistic craft. To be able to break ground on an idea, plan it, shoot it, and finish it, you have to be able to work with people with different mindsets, all from different culture and at different places in their career.
At the end of the day, making it through a project is more about creating an environment that all your collaborators can succeed in, rather than how artistic your idea is. Success for me is now about repeat business. I’m going to get rehired based on how well I work in a team.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vicky-rattan.com
Image Credits
Storyboard credit to Nhan Le