We recently connected with Yash Bhatnagar and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Yash thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Growing up, I always harbored the desire for what I perceived as a ‘normal’ career. The idea of pursuing a stable and conventional path was deeply ingrained in my mindset. I envisioned a profession that aligned with societal expectations and provided a sense of security. As I progressed through my education, I naturally chose a path that was influenced by prevailing norms and I did my undergraduate in Computer Engineering. However, over time, I began to realize that my definition of ‘traditional’ was rooted more in external expectations than in my true personal interests. I started to question whether the pursuit of societal approval was truly fulfilling for me. I yearned for a life that would not only provide financial security but also resonate with my passions and bring a sense of satisfaction — and this is where my lifelong love for photography and fascination for storytelling joined forces and evolved together.
My journey in engineering has been both rewarding and fulfilling, but over time I discovered a passion for storytelling and visual communication that led me to explore cinematography. While working with technology, I found myself increasingly drawn to the creative aspects of my projects. As I delved deeper into this interest, I learned that cinematography offers a unique blend of technology and artistry. It allows me to leverage my technical background while embracing my creative side through visual media. Having made up my mind, and with my family’s unconditional support, I decided to switch. To facilitate this transition would be what I would call my ‘life-changing risk’. After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering from India, I made an active decision to pursue my Masters in Film Production with Cinematography Emphasis from Dodge College of Film & Media Arts, Chapman University, based in Orange County, California. The realization that embracing my true passions might lead to a more fulfilling and authentic life prompted me to reassess my goals.
Yash, 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?
My journey into cinematography is an evolution that stems from a combination of curiosity, a love for storytelling, and a genuine fascination with the visual medium. Initially, my career path seemed set in a different direction into engineering, perhaps more aligned with conventional expectations. However, as life unfolded, I found myself increasingly drawn to the world of filmmaking. The day I picked up my dad’s old SLR camera, my fascination with cameras evolved from a mere hobby to an obsession for visual arts.
Driven by this passion, I decided to pursue formal education in cinematography, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. I spent time gaining proficiency in industry-standard equipment and actively sought opportunities to work on independent projects. Each project became a stepping stone, allowing me to refine my skills, learn from challenges, and collaborate with talented individuals who shared my passion. My background in technology brings me a unique and valuable perspective on cinematography. The industry is known for its rapid evolution, and having a strong fascination with technology inspires me to keep up with the modern filmmaking landscape. Understanding cutting-edge tools in cinematography is a skillset I strive to hone to enhance the quality of my work. I discovered that cinematography is not just a profession but a form of artistic expression that allows me to blend technical expertise with creative storytelling. The more I immersed myself in the craft, the more I feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Looking ahead, my goal is to continue refining my craft, exploring new techniques, and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved through the visual medium. I aspire to be a part of projects that not only entertain but also leave a lasting emotional impact, and resonate with audiences on a profound level.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
The journey of being a creative is often more misunderstood because of its emotional motivations, which non-creatives may find confusing. My creativity strives in an environment of chaos and uncertainty. The process of creation is perhaps more important than the destination, and this is especially strange to folks who seek predictability. I like to divide my creative process into two steps. The first is an emotional one, and the latter is more iterative. Creative work is deeply personal to all artists. The highs of inspiration and lows of creative block can be emotionally taxing, which non-creatives may struggle to relate to. This emotional roller coaster gives birth to what I call a product that needs refinement. Non-creatives will have to understand that us creative professionals may revisit our work numerous times, often to the extent of obsession. This is intrinsic to our creative journey as we strive to produce something tangible that had initially just sparked as a creative idea.
Cinematography in my opinion demands a lot more than just creativity. Hence it is important to me that I find the balance between artistic passions and practical demands. Having to deal with the logistics and schedule of film production, constantly challenges me to choose between creative fulfillment and realities of working in the business. Thus, in the end, it is important that non-creatives understand that most of us define success differently. While standard metrics of success like clear milestones do apply to us, perhaps a bigger goal of ours is to impact our audiences through our creative expression. Failure hence is not an endpoint but a catalyst for growth and innovation.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Working in film, I think I can only comment on how I feel about creatives who work as filmmakers. Supporting creatives and fostering their artistic expression is essential to the healthy evolution of this industry. Every filmmaker starts with working on independent projects, hence it is important that we as an audience engage more in such stories and cultivate a watch culture that promote independent and diverse voices. Including such films also creates an incentive for the business to invest in platforms that distribute and monetize such independent films. Such projects do not rely on traditional audience reception for business and are often more experimental, and hence their reach is relevant to the evolution of the filmmaking industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yashvb2000.wixsite.com/yashbhatnagar
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yashbhatnagar_/?hl=en
Image Credits
All rights to me.