Today we’d like to introduce you to Alvaro J. Manrique.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born on the Island of Tenerife but moved to Santander, a Northern city of the Peninsula of Spain at the age of three. Raised surrounded by the deep blue ocean and healthy green mountains, I learned to appreciate nature very early on. I started doing roller skating with my older sister when I was four but quickly became quite fond of it. As a result, I eventually was chosen to represent the National Team for numerous years. This turned out to be my first exposure with some form of art and storytelling, as this discipline involved both technical and artistic skills.
The choreographies and music awoke interest in the visual art, but it was the cinema experience that somehow managed to captivate my eye and soul. I think I was 13 when I realized how movies had the potential to influence the viewer’s opinion, or at least, to bring more serious issues to a level of consciousness on a big scale. I had the dream of becoming part of a team that made that possible. I started practicing surfing, skating, and other adrenaline sports on the side trying on my own to learn how to capture my experiences through photographs and video. This gave me some basic knowledge about cameras and early non-linear ways of telling stories.
However, working in the film industry required the training or mentorship unavailable in my city. It was also unaffordable to pursue elsewhere because I was 18. I realized that maybe going away was something I wasn’t ready for either. So, I put aside the dream of making movies for a while and went to school to become a Physical Therapist, which at the moment, seemed a very good way of helping people improve their lives.
But even that was not enough, so after working as a PT for six months after graduation to fund my trip, I left to pursue my dream with the support of my parents. In 2013 I moved to Los Angeles in order to focus on my film education and professional experience. I went to El Camino College for Film Production and crewed as much as I could for other schools. Eventually, I climbed the ladder and start working on professional sets as Set Lighting Technician while trying to transition to the role of Director of Photography.
Ultimately, I went to Chapman University to get my M.F.A in Film Production in Cinematography, learning under the mentorship of Bill Dill A.S.C and Johnny E. Jensen A.S.C.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Leaving my comfortable life in search of training and experience as a Director of Photography was a huge challenge. The language barrier was rough but I was lucky to meet friends who were patient and helped me to get better while also making me feel like home.
Another big challenge was pulling the trigger with Graduate School. I was at a good point getting enough work as a Gaffer and I was starting to feel comfortable in my shoes, but it felt like a compromise. I didn’t come to America to settle, I wanted to become a Cinematographer. Returning to life as a student and stopping working on gigs seemed to be a dangerous decision, but it turned out to be the best for me. I not only acquired the technical skills but also found inspiration from mentors, peers, and some very talented professors.
And of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an exceptional challenge for everyone. For a long time, it was really complicated to assess how much work I could take on. A lot of sets weren’t following the testing recommendations and putting us at risk, so I had to pick safety overwork. I also had to shoot my thesis project under extremely strict Covid guidelines that turned our short film ‘Gamin’ into the biggest logistical nightmare for myself and my close collaborator, Ryan Murtha of our young careers. Pulling off a bank heist/action film with a total of 16 people on set was an epic feat for us to overcame and did.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The Director of Photography is the department head of both Camera and Lighting. We are responsible for the photographic element of telling the story of the film, responsible for everything that passes through the lens. We are the ultimate gatekeeper of the image. Therefore, we play the role of an artist, a manager, and a technician all at once.
What makes me different from other cinematographers is my personality and style.
I am a very caring individual and incredibly passionate about my work. I push myself 1,000 percent on everything I do. I am able to stay in control and focused on the goal even when under pressure and this gets me the respect from my peers. I see myself as a resourceful person when it comes to problem-solving, which I believe to be one of the valuable skills to have in this business.
Most of my body of work is focused on Narrative Films, but I want to work more on Narrative Music Videos because music is a big part of my life since I was a kid. I am proud of all the projects I’ve been involved until now, but I am specially proud of the last two, ‘On A Tuesday’ and ‘Gamin’.
With ‘Gamin’, I finally was able to put in practice something I wanted to try for a long time: operating the camera while roller skating. Since the last piece involved running sequences and high-speed chases, it seemed the perfect time to try and I believe we all are really pleased of the result.
I’m proud of being able to bring a part of my past to the work I’m doing now, but above all, I am proudest about my team’s commitment and quality of work. As a collaborative medium, there wouldn’t be a film without the entire crew’s hard work and they aren’t always given the recognition they deserve.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
To me, what makes an artist truly successful is the love and care we put into our work, and since filmmaking is a collaborative process, that care needs to extend into the relationships of those we work with on set. I’m not talking only about the crew in the department we lead but to every person, we interact with on a daily basis. Eventually, we all find people we click with, and those become our closest collaborators. But sometimes, we are brought into jobs where we encounter people we clash with for various reasons. It’s up to us to figure out a way to be respectful and manage to finish the job, avoiding incidents and not giving into the stress that this beautiful job we perform carries.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.alvaromanrique.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alvarojcine
- Other: www.imdb.com/name/nm9467431/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2
Image Credits:
Stills from ‘Gamin’ directed by Ryan Murtha and starring Jawoine Hawkins, Billy Breed and Michael Martinez.
