Life & Work with Farisai Kambarami

Today we’d like to introduce you to Farisai Kambarami.

Hi Farisai, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe where my love for the film first began. In undergrad, I studied Radio, TV and film at Rowan University and furthered my education at Chapman University in California with an MFA in cinematography.

I worked for three years at Keslow Camera in several positions before joining the local 600 unions as a Digital Loader in 2016.

I’ve worked as a 2nd AC since 2020 on union film and tv productions such as Top Gun Maverick and Kenan Season 2 to name a few.

I’ve also worked as a cinematographer on commercial productions including such vendors as Nike.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have been fortunate in my journey to have had really supportive mentors along the way who have helped me develop in my field and overcome the many small obstacles one finds along the way. The financial challenges of living in a metropolis like Los Angeles were tough early in but joining the local 600 union guaranteed me a certain wage which helped me cope with my financial demands.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work as a cinematographer on independent and commercial film productions. I’ve recently worked on the Ekin commercial campaign for Nike.

This project allowed me to showcase my experience in lighting—both for the products and models. It also allowed me to incorporate camera movement which gives the work a more dynamic feel.

I pride myself in having a safe, collaborative and empowering work environment. A core tenant for me as an artist is understanding that the best work comes when the needs of both the project and the collaborators are acknowledged, understood and met to the best of one’s ability.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
During the covid-19 crisis, I learned the value of connection with like-minded people. Once work began again, under strict covid-19 requirements, I understood the collaborative nature of working on set was important and beneficial to my mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.farisai.com