Meet Kyle Safieh of Cinesthesia Pictures in North East Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Safieh.

Kyle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved to Los Angeles about 12 years ago from Texas looking to work and tell stories using cameras as my medium. My path has developed me into a camera operator and story producer shooting such shows as Deadliest Catch, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Ghost Hunters, Twin Turbos, and Sacred Steel to name some of my favorites. While working my way up the ranks on television camera teams, I honed in my directing and producing skills on my downtime directing around 28 music videos, shooting album covers and fashion photography.

Has it been a smooth road?
Physically and mentally, my job can be very demanding. My standard day filming is 12 hours but like many people in the entertainment industry, there are horror stories and moments of bliss.

My worst stretch of working was 23 days straight with one stretch shooting for 28 hours then sleeping for two hours only to be woken up and going another 16 hours. My average sleep was four-five hours/day, that whole time I was a zombie at the end.

The long-term struggle is…. will I have a job or not in six months? There is always something out of your control whether it’s a network or a label or the money guy/gal to where your whole life is up in the air for that one phone call.

Injury wise, I’ve been very lucky whereas a lot of my colleagues weren’t. Some jobs can be very dangerous filming in hostile situations. I take it with great seriousness and you have to have your head on a swivel.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I really enjoy producing, shooting and developing shows in the Docu-series world now. Especially now that more audiences will sit and get into a 1-hour episode or even binge watch a whole series. Having the opportunity travel the world capturing and tell those stories is a dream come true.

Working in music is very stimulating fulfilling for me. Some artists I’ve worked with on multiple projects which makes it fun to see how a collaboration evolves over time. That being said, I make an effort to seek out new up and coming bands and international artists.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Los Angeles is one of a few cities where opportunity can happen any day of the week at any time of the day or night. The best opportunities I’ve gotten in my career have been from friends I’ve worked with or met here in LA and word of mouth helps.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kylesafieh.com
• Instagram: @cinesaf

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