Today we’d like to introduce you to Herlangga Janottama.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Herlangga. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My love of filmmaking begins in my home country, Indonesia. I was in the middle school when I hold my first camera. I remember it was sitting on my dad’s shelves, it was just there watching me from the distance. One day, I got curious. I picked it up and started to take some pictures. From that moment, I knew that this will be my life, a bit early for a 12 year old to think like that but I always knew about it. I just listened to what my heart said.
Photography has been the basis of my life, my relationship with photography changed when I received a school assignment to make a short documentary about the city I lived in. That moment changed the course of my life again. I’m a filmmaker now. I fell in love with the process, the passion, and the sense of ownership from the people around me…
I decided to continue learning my craft in Hollywood . I flew there when I was 18, straight from the high school without anybody that I knew there. I was alone. My passion was the only thing that kept me going. Over the years I made a lot of friends. The best part of that was, I got to work with my best friends whom I love dearly. LA had always been a joy to me. Best part of my life so far. Education that I got from the school and especially from The ASC is priceless. I won’t be the person that I am today without guidance from theese people, masters of cinematography.
Now days I’m working on a feature that I’m producing. The first gig that I got in my home country, also my first time working as a producer. It has been an experience!
Has it been a smooth road?
For me personally, It’s not that hard. Struggles has always been there but I don’t think it’s fair compared to my friends journey. My family has always been a great support for me. Financially and emotionally. Both of my parents always belives in me. They kew that I could be somebody someday. I just had to be patient.
The biggest obstacles for me right now is being a producer. I had to step up to one when the production went south. I haven’t been a producer until now. I’m a Cinematographer and will always be one.
I had to learned to be one of them in order to save the shoot, it’s been a new experience for me.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cinematographer story. Tell us more about the business.
I’m a cinematographer, I’ve always been one and will continue to be one. What I’m really proud of myself is that I got a chance to visit and lived in multiple places around the world. Knowing the culture and languages is a great help and inspiration.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
I would love to be able to continue working back to back from LA to Jakarta (my home town). To be able to still working in Hollywood yet also help the industry in the place that I was born. Help the people around me and the economy.
Contact Info:
- Website: herlanggaj.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cine_lang/
Image Credit:
Buddy Production
Herlangga Janottama
Bedik Bedikian
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