Meet Cami J Fatat

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cami J Fatat.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in a small town of Colombia, named Tulua. I moved to the U.S six years ago with the sole purpose of learning English. A year passed by and I was given the opportunity to start my college career here, so even though I was only 17, on my own, and kinda scared, I told myself I had to give it a try and see what happens. So I moved to California, to the Bay Area where I started college. As time went by, I started to feel more comfortable and happy here. Three years passed in the Bay Area and I knew I had to take the next step. So I applied for film school at Cal State LA. Moving to Los Angeles was a dream I had from the first moment I came to visit. I remember thinking to myself, I now know what my call in life is: I have to move to Los Angeles and make movies!

So here I am, two years in this city and the experience could not have been better. I had to force myself to step out of my comfort zone many times to be where I’m at right now. Networking with people, reaching out to people, and saying YES to different opportunities have taken me so far. Four years have passed by and I completed one of my biggest goals which was graduating from Film school this past May with a bachelors in Film and Television. I feel blessed and happy to be able to do what I love the most as my “Job”. I enjoy collaborating with people and creating new things every day.

Has it been a smooth road?
Nothing in life comes easy… I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to follow my dreams and aspirations, but all of this has come with an emotional price too. Moving at the age of 17, I had to grow up in a different country, with a different language, culture, and system really unknown for me and try to “fit in” while still trying to figure myself out. I had my entire family rooting for me and pushing me in the distance, 3500 miles away from me. There were times that weren’t so easy. I’m lucky to have a strong relationship with my family and they have been a crucial part of my story.

With their support and unconditional love, I’ve been able to push harder in those moments of doubt and loneliness. Because… it gets lonely when you’re here. Specially when you first move to a new city like Los Angeles. But like always, I pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone and go out and meet new people, and that is how I started to get more opportunities working and meeting people in the industry who liked my work and energy, and I’ve been able to work through those hard times. I think life is a matter of balance and you need those alone moments when you feel like you’re no one, to get yourself out there and BE someone.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
So I have been working as a freelance videographer and photographer since I moved here and it has changed my life tremendously. It all started with school and getting familiar with being on set and learning how films are made. I just loved seeing the process behind a movie. One of my favorite things to capture is behind the scenes content. So suddenly, it all clicked and I started getting more work making BTS videos for short films, music videos or anything really. I started developing my own style of shooting and editing for my videos and people liked them, so it showed me I was doing something right. I think what makes my work different is the passion and love I have and put into my craft. I love using cinematography as my way of storytelling and capturing meaningful, important moments to evoke emotion on my videos. I love creating high-quality content that will make you feel something and touch your heart.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love how diverse and inclusive this city can be. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I was impressed by the amount of artists and people willing to collaborate and create together. This gave me the opportunity to learn from others and grow more as an artist.

Coming from a small city where everything is so close, moving to big Los Angeles was a very different experience for me. I’m still not used to being stuck in traffic and everything being so far away, but I honestly can’t complain when I get to enjoy those California sunsets while I drive around the city.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camijfatat/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CamiJfatat/
• Other: https://camijara009.wixsite.com/camijfatat

Image Credit:
J Sebas Ruiz, Jack Snyder, Michael Escobedo

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