Story & Lesson Highlights with Wara Pornkulwat

We recently had the chance to connect with Wara Pornkulwat and have shared our conversation below.

Wara, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I always have a goal in mind, but I’m also okay with taking a rest or exploring the surroundings along the way. I feel so strongly that I’ll reach my goal, and I also believe that the way to get there is as crucial as the goal itself. I wouldn’t want to reach my goal alone or make enemies along the way.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, my name is Wara Pornkulwat. I’m a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. I’ve been pursuing this for 13 years since I started shooting a short film back in 2012. It was a Thesis for my senior year friend at my university in Thailand, I was only a sophomore. That film got selected by many film festivals around the world. After graduating, I shot many commercials and music videos in Thailand, for domestic and international clients, such as Johnnie Walker, Toyota, Pepsi, UNIQLO, Shiseido, etc.

Before I moved here, I shot a Thai Netflix anthology series “Terror Tuesday Extreme” episode 4 “The Vow” with my friend Abhichoke Chandrasen, a USC alumnus. That film gave me a chance to reconnect with my love of narrative filmmaking.

Therefore, I applied for the Cinematography Discipline at the American Film Institute (AFI) to hone my craft in this aspect. It feels like a reunion with your old friends; everything that makes me want to have a career in film starts with narrative filmmaking. And now here I am in Los Angeles chasing my ultimate goal of shooting narrative for a living.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
It happened right after I finished my thesis. We had wrapped up so late, and I barely slept before having to wake up early. I must have dozed off while driving, because when I opened my eyes, my car was drifting into the opposite lane of the interprovincial highway. Luckily, it hit a tree in the median instead of another vehicle. Death missed me by just a car length — and after that, my perspective on life completely changed.

Since then, I’ve lived without regret for trying new things and without wasting time on what doesn’t matter. Having faced how fragile life truly is, I now try to cherish every moment I have.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself that it’s going to be okay, and life has a lot more to explore.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
I believe in Karma. If people did something good for you, you should do something for them in return.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I don’t believe that I was born to do only one thing; I think people change all the time. It’s just that, at this moment, I can do this and enjoy doing this so much. And that keeps me sane. If this thing does not last forever for me, I believe that I will find a way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wara-dp.com
• Instagram: @wara_dp