Today we’d like to introduce you to Camila Rodriguez.
Camila, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m an Uruguayan architect that moved to LA to attend the Production Design Master’s Degree at the American Film Institute. As for many people, the pandemic was a big element that helped me decide to apply, even though investing in my passion for storytelling had been a goal of mine for a long time. I discovered Production Design while still in University for architecture, and to me, it always felt like a next step in my design career rather than a change of path. After all, Production Design can be easily seen as Architecture for cinema. I had some experience in the Art Department of small indie films back home, as well as some indie theater, and during the lockdown months, I focused on personal projects to build my portfolio. It was a hard decision to make – being a 14-hour flight away from home isn’t easy – but in the last 2 years I’ve had the opportunity to be on set and design a whole lot, as well as meet amazing people with whom to enter this crazy industry. It’s daunting, but I couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the main struggle with this kind of work is balance. It’s very demanding and it’s easy to let it consume every aspect of your life, which can rapidly lead to burnout. For me, it’s definitely been a learning experience to try and figure out how to keep that balance. It’s been the hardest part, with lots of stopping to re-evaluate and trying different things, as well as leaning on the people around me. I don’t always succeed, but I definitely now have a better grasp on what’s important for me to keep, even during the busiest of times.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Production Designer with a special interest in Set Design. As a Production Designer, we are in charge of handling the physical spaces in which stories take place, as well as creating the atmosphere that best supports those stories and their characters. We work closely with Directors and Cinematographers, as well as other professionals in the Art Department to bring sets to life, both on location or on a soundstage. The Set Designer specifically handles the drafting of all elements needed to build a set or set decoration element or prop. I have a lot of experience in drafting and I enjoy the creative process of figuring out the spaces for the needs of the story and the director’s ideas, as well as the logistical needs of a film crew. As a Production Designer, I’ve worked on several student films as well as independent shorts and music videos, and there’s something absolutely incredible about working as a team with other creatives – the product is always better than any of you could have thought of on their own, and it’s a product that could only have been created by the specific people involved. I love the collaboration and I think that’s a strength that I try to bring to all of my projects.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Make sure to pay attention to the people around you in every job. Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the work so much that you forget that the people you meet are a big part of what you get out of many jobs, other than the work experience and the portfolio material. Talk to people that you like the energy of, let them know you in a genuine way, talk about your interests, and be easy to be around. Your biggest strength is having people want and like to work with you because when an opportunity comes up, they’ll have your name into account. Ask questions and show interest to the people that do the job that you’d like to have. Show that you’re willing to work and improve. Mentorship relationships usually happen organically but you can help yourself by being proactive and actually asking for the help you’re looking for. Being specific helps – ask for guidance on something specific (say, advice on an application you’re working on, or a specific software you’re trying to figure out), rather than general broad questions about the whole industry or the entire journey of a career.
Contact Info:
- Website: cbrodriguez.com
- Instagram: @camilabrg
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbrodriguezdesign/
Image Credits
Jasmine Karcey (DoP) Luisa Dale (DoP) Audrey Biche (DoP)
