Rising Stars: Meet Nicola De Prato of West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicola De Prato

Hi Nicola, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My passion for images comes from curiosity about the world around me and the desire to capture it and tell it through images. Since I was a child I have been lucky enough to live in several countries, such as India, Pakistan, and China, as well as traveling to many others, including Italy of course. These experiences enriched my perspective, allowing me to come into contact with different cultures and realities and to develop a broader vision of the world from an early age.

American culture has played an important role in my education: immersing myself in the films of directors such as Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Ridley Scott, David Fincher and many others has always fascinated me. Each of them, with the ability to tell unique microcosms, has fueled my imagination and my desire to tell visual stories. This led me to initially experiment with short films, and then approach the world of music through the creation of video clips.

Coming from a small town in northeastern Italy, the idea of ​​exploring and telling stories far from me, especially those set in urban contexts, pushed me to look beyond my borders.

After an intense experience as a filmmaker in Italy, I decided to specialize as a director of photography in Los Angeles, attending a year of studies at UCLA. This path allowed me to immerse myself in the American working method, creating images that up until then I had only dreamed of and collaborating with directors and creatives of extraordinary talent. Los Angeles is a unique place, a crossroads of creative minds that pushes you to constantly reevaluate your work and give it your all, challenging and inspiring you every day.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path has never been free of obstacles. There has been no shortage of difficulties and I know I will encounter many more in the future. But this is precisely what makes the journey significant. A career without moments of crisis does not allow you to truly grow; it is the challenges, often the toughest, that teach you the most important lessons and push you toward decisive choices.

Growing, both professionally and personally, means pushing boundaries, facing your doubts, and finding creative solutions even when it feels like you’re stuck. It is a continuous process of transformation, made up of falls, restarts, and small steps forward. What matters is maintaining determination, always looking beyond the obstacles, and never stopping believing in your potential.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a cinematographer specializing in narrative, with a particular passion for projects that take us outside of contemporary reality. I love immersing myself in visually rich stories, where costumes, set design, and settings – such as vintage cars and distant worlds – transport us to eras or situations we have never experienced. For me, cinema is a means of dreaming, a journey that allows us to explore new dimensions while remaining comfortably seated on our couches. The genres I prefer are sci-fi and thriller because they offer the possibility of telling original and fantastic stories but also of being brutal and raw.

The creative process, for me, is deeply collaborative. I consider myself a chameleon, always ready to adapt to the aesthetic vision of each project even if my style leads me to make different decisions than others. I love building relationships with new collaborators, sharing ideas, and creating a unique visual language together. My goal is to translate the director’s energy and vision into images that tell a story, putting my sensitivity and style at the service of the idea that you want to realize.

When I read a screenplay, my first attention goes to the emotions of the characters. This is where my creative process starts: I explore the historical context, the shapes, the color palettes, and the details that define the narrative world. Every choice – from lighting to framing, from movement to the “personality” of the camera – arises from these emotions and from the collaboration with the director.
I firmly believe that, in addition to technique, personal experience plays a crucial role in this profession. Our culture, experiences, influences, and research shape the way we see the world and, consequently, transform it into images. It is precisely through our personal baggage that creativity emerges, allowing us to create something authentic and special.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicoladeprato.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoladeprato
• Other: https://vimeo.com/nicoladeprato