This week’s Q&A is a teaser for an upcoming feature on my good friend and Director of Photography, Vanessa Viera. Vanessa is one bad chick who is killing as a flick chick in a primarily male-dominated industry, and her story is one for the books.
I caught up with Vanessa recently and asked her,
Where in the film industry is it LEAST common to see women?
“In respect to the different departments involved in the film industry, it may be normal to see a woman in, let’s say, wardrobe or hair and makeup. However, it is unlikely to see a female take on being a Director of Photography, Camera Operator or Camera Assistant.
The common challenge that arises for women is the physicality of it, and this causes women may shy away from this profession. You must be able to lift heavy equipment, be knowledgeable of the latest cameras and know how to troubleshoot on the fly. In a nutshell, you must be the female McGuyver. On top of all of that, there is a sense of having to know more and be better than your male counterparts in order to be considered for a job.
Despite the challenges, NOW is the time to create a path for a new generation of women filmmakers. This is the best time to seize the opportunity to expand and break old barriers in the film industry.”
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Vanessa Viera is currently working on Netflix’s original series “House of Cards” as a Local 600 camera assistant. She’s also an entrepreneur and Director of Photography for Kickstand Productions, LLC.
Links:
www.kickstandproduction.com
www.facebook.com/Kickstandprod
Twitter – @kickstandprod
Instagram – @kickstandprod
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