Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana M Amortegui.
Ana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story is very different and in many ways a bit crazy. I was born in Medellin, Colombia. I studied Electrical Engineer since I was very young, I never thought I could be anything but an Engineer, but when I was in high school I had started dancing in a big dance company so by the time I went to university I was doing both at the same time, and between shows, field visits, tons of calculus, math and more, no sleep, exams, and more shows I was able to finished my career.
Through dancing, I got a job as a dance teacher in a very famous reality show for one of the most important networks in my country, and after the reality show was done, the network hired me to choreograph a soap opera, and right there, my life changed, and the only thing I did close to Engineering was my thesis.
I moved to the capital, Bogota and started working as a dancer, choreographer and a coach for actors. I needed to choreograph for TV, which is very different than when you choreograph for an audience, so I started sitting next to the Director of Photography and I started learning about camera angles, shot sizes, about lighting. I fell in love with cinematography right there, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do, not long after I got to work in a movie that came from the United States to my country and got the chance to work with an American crew, as I expressed my love for cinematography, everyone on the crew said the same, “where are the movies made? in America, so that’s where you have to go” and that is what I did. I came to the U.S to go to filmmaking school, and like most of the immigrants, I had 4, 5 jobs while going full time to school, I had no family and at first friends. I didn’t have a car for like two years of me being in LA, but I was so passionate and I had it in my heart that that was what I wanted to do, that I took many risks to stay here and be the cinematographer that I am today.
In LA, I started, in addition to the many jobs: waitress, selling apples at the farmers market, math tutor, cleaning houses and more, I started as a PA in sets and finally, I ended working at a rental house for grip and lighting, I loaded and I unloaded trucks, started driving the trucks became a grip, that’s how my life as a movie person started in the lighting department which I honor and love. Then I was selected to be part of a very prestigious program from Film Independent, Project: Involve, which gave me a mentor, I always say an angel, I got Xavier Grobet, ASC as my mentor and friend, he right away took me under his wing and introduced me to the camera side of cinematography. I moved up from being a film loader to camera operator to Director of photography and even though many years have passed, I can’t but feel so blessed I am living my passion. I have found many more angels in my way, they have supported me, encouraged me to help me in my process.
It wasn’t always easy and still it is not some days, but after being in LA for 11 years, I am so in love with my life, I have a profession that I love, my work has been seen in networks, like Hulu, BET, Netflix, TV one, Sundace and some more, I have now my own beautiful family, my husband, and my biggest blessing my daughter, I have a beautiful community of friends. I am so lucky I get to be part of this “make believe” filmmaking world, that when you come from a third world country, not having started young, immigrant, minority and more, you think is only possible in the movies we make.
I am is very passionate about what I love, what I do, who I am, and what I want to become. LA feels home to me, this is where I belong now, I am so grateful I get to do what I love every day. I can proudly say I am a Director of Photography.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t bee a smooth road, just being an immigrant has some challenges and to that, you add you are a female, minority in a very male-dominated field makes it even more challenging. Many days you want to give up, I remember when I first came to LA, in those first days, I took a bus, I didn’t know where it was taking me, I didn’t have a smartphone back then but when I left the bus I found myself in front of the Santa Monica Pier, almost at sunset time, I sat down in this bench looking to the sea, the sunset was so gorgeous, I started crying because I didn’t know how I was going to make it, I had no job, no money, no family, no car, but right there I prayed to be guided, I just knew I was going to find my way, and 11 years after I can say I did it. I am the most grateful to LA for giving me a home and a place where I was able to pursue my dream.
As a cinematographer, it hasn’t been smooth at all neither, but I feel so blessed, it has been such beautiful road, and all the hardships and hard moments are now experienced I carry in my heart. Starting in lighting makes it very hard for females, I would get home and cry my eyes off because of how “the boys” treated me, you are not supposed to be as strong as the men, if you show a bit of doubt that’s is it for you, is all men and you the only girl so it is hard to make it, you are constantly with the pressure of having to proof yourself to the others when it shouldn’t be that way, but if you are confident in what you know, you do your job, and you work hard nothing will stop you.
Nowadays, the challenges are different but again I feel all these experiences become wisdom and help you with whatever comes your way. When I got pregnant, all these job opportunities were coming to me, the ones I had been dreaming off, big opportunities to me and I couldn’t say anything because, first, because my dreams were becoming true, I was going to be a mom, and second, all these amazing projects were happening to me. I was so scared that the production companies were not going to hire me because I represented a liability to them. I was able to hide my pregnancy for six months, in those six months I shot three features out of town, and since I didn’t say I was pregnant, there was no “I feel I want to throw up” I would have to find a lab, Drs in other cities to keep my daughter safe, I was dressing in big clothes to hide the bum, it was so crazy but I knew that I could do it, by the time I was eight months pregnant, another mentor of mine, amazing Director of Photography, Tim Bellen knowing that I was very pregnant hired me to operate in a TV show, I worked until I was 40 weeks pregnant, I left the show and the next week, my daughter was born.
More than obstacles, you have challenges but I also have to say that if the road is not smooth but you have friends and family around you, you are good. I have so many mentors, co-workers, friends, my agent, my family, that have been there for me when I wanted to give up when things didn’t go the way I wished when things go great but also when I have my disappointments, these people have made me value my process, count my blessings, see the opportunities where I can’t, they have helped me I understand that where I am is where I am supposed to be.
We, women, diversity, minorities are getting more chances to interview and have access to jobs we were not considered before for, but we could use more, we could use the concept that we are all the same, that everybody deserves the same opportunities, that there is plenty for all of us, that we need to support each other to go further.
If there are moments of hesitation and struggle embrace them, go through them but don’t stay in them, remember that everything is within you, that life won’t stretch you more than you can stretch, that love will always be the way. A career, money, a job is not happiness, happiness is a decision, one that you can make everyday so don’t wait for the things to come for you to be happy, be happy and things will come your way, be present in the now, cause the past is gone and we can’t do anything about it, and the future is not here yet, so you have today to be you, to be the best version you can be of yourself! It might be difficult to understand the process or how everything is happening but know for sure that there is a purpose in every step along the way and that one day you’ll understand it.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
A cinematographer is a creative leader that’s is in charge of bringing the director’s vision of a story to life. We make part of a production, from beginning to end, putting everything together, from the creative aspect to equipment and crew so the esthetics of the film can be created.
Together with the director, the cinematographer works on finding the tone of the film, the color palette, we look for inspiration that can help us convey the message in the story, and other elements that are needed so visually a story that begins with pages of written words can come to life.
As a cinematographer, you are in charge of everything that affects what the camera is able to capture, that is, shot composition, exposure, lighting, camera movement. We are the head of the camera and lighting departments on set. The list can go on but I think the cinematographer has to be very importantly a leader with great communication skills to be able to work with his/her crew, develop a good relationship with everybody on set so what’s needed to be achieved can done. A cinematographer has to be somebody that is a storyteller through shots, with an eye for beautiful and meaningful images, because it understands camera and lighting but somebody with a heart to be able execute them so those images can affect emotions.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
This is the best part, to give thanks and recognize all those who believed in you and gave you a hand because they saw something in you. I am so blessed because I have had so many people be there for me. From family to friends, to teachers, to my colleagues, coworkers, everybody along your way makes your journey a unique one. I don’t even know where to start because my list is too long, but they are so special thanks for letting me share it with the world. Starting with my family, I lost my mom when I was seven years old, so my dad and two brothers have been my all and through life, in one way or another, they have cheered me up through all my decisions.
My mom in heaven who I know walks my path with me day and night guiding me along the way. My teachers Yves Martin and David Shreiber. My friends Ric Halpern, Hector Moreno, Carrie Zvietz. My mentors Xavier Grobet, ASC, Tim Bellen, Peter Kowalski. Friend and coworkers that are angels in my life. Erik Emerson, Steve Bellen, Dave Hirschmann, Chris Haifley, Jim Nygren, Jessica Ramos, Jennifer Stuart, Michael Alvarez, Bud Kremp, Christopher Gallo, Peter Chrimes, Federico Verardi, Kenneth Guevara, Celine Diano, Bob Low, Vanessa Reyes, Sebastian Fernandez, Tyler Manning, Concept lighting with Robert, Alden and Pedro. My Agency WPA and My agent Brian Goldberg and Panavision and Otto Nemenz these two camera houses have always supported me in my career.
The list is huge and I know there are many many other people that I didn’t mention, but that for sure they know that I am the most grateful and that I appreciate all their support and love. The last and one of the most important people that deserve all the credit is my husband and my daughter, they have been so unconditional and supportive. My husband helps me so much with my daughter and he is always encouraging me to keep going, to aim high and live my passion and my daughter, even though she is only two years old, she is so loving and always waits for her “Mamita” even if many hours or days have passed…She is the light of my life, my inspiration and in many ways my reason to all, I want her to know that her mom lived by her dreams and passions and was able to do it, that she can dream whatever and that she has everything to go after it and be whoever she wants to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anamamortegui.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @mile9
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.amortegui.5/
- Other: https://wp-a.com
Image Credit:
Alex Leonzi, Erik Emerson
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