Today we’d like to introduce you to Masha Egorova.
Hi Masha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! Since elementary school I had prepared myself for a career in music and never considered film industry as a career path . I used to play bass guitar and tried to write songs. But when it was time to choose my future track in the ninth grade I chickened out, thinking I wasn’t talented enough to really achieve sorting in a music field. So, I withdraw to my room and spent two days in the dark thinking what to do next. I knew I wanted to work in a creative field, I liked leading roles and working with other people. And I my light bulb turned on: I can be a director of photography.
Before that I’d never had any interest in films, filmmaking or photography, so I started to consume everything I could about the field. Nothing at that moment could satisfy my curiosity and I realized that if I wanted to learn something about cinematography I had to get into VGIK( All-Russian institute of Cinematography named after S. A Gerasimov) in Moscow, Russia.
Despite desperate competition, I was lucky enough to join VGIK, the cinematography faculty workshop of V. V. Alisov, a director of photography that worked on many iconic USSR films. And that’s where my journey started.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was anything, but a smooth road. When I started studying cinematography and working on sets, I understood that it was nothing like what I expected. Most of my classmates were more experienced than I, so I had to to catch up on plenty of things: physics, history of film, photography. I overestimated myself obviously in many ways. And in 2019 right before the COVID-19 pandemic I was in a big downfall. However, the lockdown gave me a break, really helped me to calm down and after that I’ve started to tackle everything more precisely.
But hey, every film that you work on gives you a new challenge. Throughout the years in Russia I shot during cold winter nights in a remote village(-20 degrees)))))))), I was locked in a car’s trunk for a shot and tried to navigate stubborn cows in a field for perfect composition. That’s one of the greatest parts of this job, in my opinion.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Well, mostly I shoot films as a director of photography. Last year I worked in collaboration with Jazmyne Black on a film «Godhead» which was premiered this summer on FilmLand film Festival in Arkansas. Working on this film, I tried to find inspiration in Southern horrors and that was a lot of fun.
I also produce films. Right now I’m working on two films as a producer. One of them is a short fiction piece, and another one is a feature length documentary. As for the fiction film my main inspiration were fashion commercials, which became one of my biggest crash last year. The plot revolves around an artist couple and explores the dynamic of their relationship. As for documentary, me and my collaborators want to shoot a film about Golden Triangle territory, which I find fascinating.
Currently, I’m trying to explore a reverse-perspective effect in film. I went to Amsterdam to make test with the only original lens and. Creating an attachment for lenses that recreates the effect and using it in film, is one of my main goals this year.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I believe in hard work, time management, passion and collaboration. I’m positive that making small steps everyday can ensure effective results. In fact, that’s what discipline is.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mashaegorovadp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/egorova.jpeg?igsh=MWUwM2htd3lqcHU1aQ==
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariia-egorova-46ab07354?trk=contact-info
Image Credits
Photos by Matthew Moore
