Life & Work with Yoni Coen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yoni Coen.

Hi Yoni, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Filmmaking has always been a passion of mine. I was born and raised in LA and moved to Vancouver, BC in 2007 with my family. It was there that my passion for film really blossomed, and it was actually sitting watching my dad edit a video for my upcoming Bar Mitzvah. I began to edit my own videos, cutting together hockey highlight clips or pictures and videos from road trips. Whenever I had the opportunity in school to turn in a video instead of an essay, I’d jump on the chance to make another movie. After moving back to LA and finishing high school – all the while churning out various videos – I toured a few local film schools but decided to put that on hold to move to Israel for a few years, where I volunteered for the Israeli Red Cross as well as the IDF. Over the course of my time there, my passion for film stayed strong as I continued to make various short videos. I came back to LA and enrolled in LA Film School, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BSc in Cinematography. Throughout my experience at film school, I met many incredible filmmakers who I still work with to this day. I’ve been working on sets – mainly in the lighting department for almost five years, and I’ve been running my own independent production company for about eight years. Over my career, I’ve had the privilege to work with brands and companies such as Lifetime TV, Heineken, and Tubi 60 – along with talents such as Diana Ross, Wayne Gretzky, and many others.

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?
It’s been a roller coaster ride for sure, filled with ups and downs. For the longest time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go with my career. After coming back to LA, I struggled with finding ways to fill my time. I didn’t want to go the traditional route, get stuck in a 9-5 doing mindless work day in and day out. I thought back to when I had toured film schools when I was fresh out of high school. I thought, “Why not?” I enjoyed making my own short films so much, and I had to start somewhere and take the first step. Turns out it was a step in the right direction. Through my career working on set and with various clients, I experienced a lot of self-doubt and I didn’t value myself and my work, and as a result I was undervalued and taken advantage of. But I knew that this industry was cutthroat, and I didn’t let that discourage me. As I grew and learned with those around me, it taught me the importance of seeing your own value and talent before anything. I’ve also dealt with filmmakers working above me having absolutely zero respect for those working for them, namely myself and my team, and those have been huge learning opportunities for me. I’ve had the opportunity to plan and shoot a short film that had a significant budget, and we faced a ton of obstacles, not only in preproduction but also in production AND post.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a cinematographer, gaffer, and key grip. Basically, anything lighting and camera is my bread and butter. Making movies is what makes me tick I love being on set, getting my hands dirty, and working hard to make the images on screen come to life. I also run my own independent production company, where I produce and shoot anything from bar mitzvahs and weddings to corporate training videos and commercials.

I have a few accomplishments in the last year that I’m extremely proud of, but my biggest accomplishment is probably “Sunnyville”, written and directed by Rony Michel – a 50’s sci-fi short film I was cinematographer on, which we managed to shoot during Covid in 2020. It was an absolutely amazing experience, enhanced by the wonderful cast and crew. I had the incredible opportunity to work with the Super Baltar Vintage Lenses, the same used on films like “The Godfather”, “Star Wars”, and “Rush”.

I always strive to give 110% to any project I’m on, doesn’t matter if I’m a grip or the cinematographer. I always try to stay one step ahead and lend my creative knowledge and style to whatever I’m shooting. I try to keep it real, and I like to do whatever I’m planning on doing in-camera, not rely on fixing it in post.

Contact Info:

• Website: imdb.me/yonicoendp
• Instagram: yowzaman
• Other: Vimeo.com/yonicoen

Image Credits:
Daniel Tansley Andre Sia Ilana Gindi