Check Out Oli Cohen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Oli Cohen.

Hi Oli, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My background is in music, sound, photography, philosophy and social sciences. Growing up I was so inspired by my dad’s black-and-white photography and all his photography books, particularly The Family of Man. I always loved National Geographic magazine and the reportage photography in the Sunday newspapers. TV was very much limited in my household but that made me appreciate it even more. Watching TV and going to the cinema has always been a form of escape that I’ve craved. From a young age I was trained as a classical musician. This made me very aware of the dedication needed to master one’s craft. The music background led me towards music production and sound design. The social science and the enthusiasm for photography led me towards documentary. For a while I worked as a documentary sound recordist and then onto documentary camera work. From there I became a cinematographer.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Coming from the midlands in the UK and not knowing anyone in the industry was definitely an obstacle early on as were the expectations from my parents and my school. Getting into the film and television industry simply wasn’t on the radar and it somehow seemed like a radical, almost rebellious thing to do. Not feeling creatively satisfied and being my own biggest critic is perhaps a blessing and a curse. So no, it hasn’t exactly been a smooth road. I don’t expect it ever to be actually. Stepping outside of your comfort zone isn’t easy. I like to remind myself that it’s the things that are the hardest that come with the biggest reward.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve now filmed all around the world on documentaries, short films, and commercials, as well as on projects for NGOs, such as UNHCR and Save the Children. My documentary work has been broadcast on TV channels such as ARTE and the BBC and my narrative projects have been screened at festivals internationally. In 2019 I went back to film school and completed an MFA in Cinematography at the American Film Institute and was then welcomed into the BAFTA Newcomers Program supporting international rising stars.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Simply staying in touch with people and meeting people face to face is what I’d recommend. As an introvert I sometimes have to force myself to go to social events. It’s exhausting but it’s worth it. I like that quote about eighty percent of success is just showing up. It’s also good to be interested in others, to add value if you can and do your best to help others grow. It’s enormously rewarding. I think it’s so useful to really identify what it is that you want and the direction you’re going in and to just keep going. That makes it easier for others to help you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.olicohen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olicohen/

Image Credits
Sean McGuire
Andrew Cordero
Oli Cohen