Mexican filmmaker Michelle Castro is one of those people who, after hearing about his journey as a director and cinematographer, leads us to wonder whether he is some kind of super human creative force. The amount of success he has achieved in the international entertainment industry over the last decade is startling.
From directing music videos including Gloria Trevi’s ‘El favor de la soledad,’ which has received over 26 million views on YouTube, and the film “When Negatives Collide,” which was chosen as Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival Court Metrage earlier this year, to working as a leading cinematographer carefully crafting the visual language of films the include “Safe and Sound,” “Chypre” and many more, Castro is clearly a filmmaking genius whose diverse talents have brought him international recognition.
Castro’s passion for filmmaking stems from the fact that it allows him to inhabit the lives of other people through each new project, a unique benefit that he believes is only possible through the process of bringing stories to life on screen and the in depth understanding of the characters that is required to achieve such a monumental task.
While his creative artistry drives him to develop captivating stories on the screen for the audience’s enjoyment, his skill in the field has led him to be tapped as a director and producer on countless commercials since 2003 including those for global companies including Lysol, Nescafe, Tresemme, Linotex and others.
Earlier this year Castro led the camera departments of multiple productions as the cinematographer on the highly anticipated films “Los Titeres Del Belial,” “Serena,” “Waltz” and the documentary “The Destroyer,” all of which are currently in post-production and are expected to be released next year.
To find out more about Michelle Castro’s work as a director and cinematographer, and how these two incredibly competitive roles in the industry have come to complement one another and have ultimately made him one of Mexico’s best all around filmmakers, make sure to check out our interview below!
Where are you from?
MC: I’m from Mexico City.
When did you first realize you were interested in becoming a filmmaker?
MC: It was a very long time ago. Pretty much ever since I remember. All my family works in the entertainment industry. I used to go watch my mom work in front of the cameras and I remember thinking I could never be an actor but I was really interested in what was happening behind the cameras.
What came first for you, working as a director or cinematographer?
MC: Directing came first.
How did one lead to the other?
MC: It’s kind of weird actually. I always had the dream of becoming a director and nothing else. I started working with my uncle who gave me the opportunity to assist the script supervisor on a really complicated soap opera. Then I opened a production company later on with some friends and produced our first short. So there was a bit of a different route before I actually directed something. \
My passion for cinematography came later on. I consider myself a very visual director and really that kind of gave me the push in order to really study and pursue cinematography. I often work as a cinematographer these days and I feel really fortunate to help other directors bring their projects to life.
What do you think makes good cinema?
MC: Good scripts, good actors and a good crew. But most of it is the drive to actually make it happen. Immersing yourself within the story while shooting, and of course understanding the characters.
How has working as a cinematographer and director helped you become a successful filmmaker in general?
MC: I think both roles are equally beneficial. You become more technical in knowing what you can actually do and also create a picture in your mind of how the final outcome is going to turn out. Cinematography has led me to question myself way more in regards to certain shots I want to do– I guess now I pay more attention to detail when I direct.
It all really depends on the project, and what you’re going for though. I’ve used the Red Epic Dragon in a few narrative projects that required mostly handheld shooting and I was really happy with the performance. It’s not a heavy camera and the resolution and sensitivity are impressing. But at the end of the day the camera doesn’t really give you the great images but how you use it, and how you light the shot. I’m pretty sure Elswit can get better images with an iphone than a random guy with an Alexa.
Can you tell me a little bit about the projects you’ve done as a cinematographer?
MC: Most of the stuff that I’ve shot so far have been narrative films and they vary in genre. I’ve also shot documentaries, and music videos. I usually choose the format and look depending on each project.
“Serena” is a dramatic film directed by Omar Said and it was a very interesting film to shoot because of its content. We felt that the story visually needed to have very high contrasts in terms of location and lighting. We were lucky enough to work with the talented and beautiful actress Kelly Packard (“Baywatch”). Shooting in the warmth of a home to a gritty strip club, this project was very vibrant and raw. This film is now starting the festival route.
“A punch in the stomach” directed by Louisa Grams is a very beautiful lighthearted dramedy about falling in love for the first time. We had the cutest and most professional kid actors on set. Louisa really made it very easy to shoot. The talent would take direction and once the blocking was done we would light it in a very specific approach. A really big portion of the film was natural light and another part of the movie was shot in practical locations. All decisions were really carefully planned and I think the final product is stunning in every possible way.
“The Destroyer” was a very exciting documentary that Ruperto Luis Sanchez directed. The story is about the path of MMA fighter Sean Loaffler and his preparation for an upcoming fight that is crucial for his career. Sean suffered a freak accident on the day of his debut on the UFC. The story follows him after the accident until the fight comeback, which if he wins, will give him another shot at the UFC. We shot this with DSLRs because of the mobility that they provide. Also when he was either training or fighting you are very close to the action and you really need to be able to move away if they are throwing punches at each other. This is actually the first documentary feature that I shot and it was really exciting and thrilling seeing somebody preparing for a fight combined with struggling moments of personal situations.
“Safe and Sound” is a very witty and powerful story directed by Alejandro Ibarra. It has very funny moments in the story but also grabs you emotionally. This was a very personal film for Alejandro and I really wanted to treat it with the greatest respect. If you get to watch the film you’ll see that is very dynamic. There are a lot of specific camera movements through out the story. Alejandro and I had a very clear vision of where we wanted to go. Another thing that we did in this project was shooting a specific scene with two cameras. It was very important for Alejandro to shoot that scene with as much genuine reactions as possible. It’s a very chaotic scene and we didn’t have that location for too long. We really needed to pace it up because a lot of dialogue and actions were going on at the same time. So Sam the protagonist invites his family to dinner in order to tell them some life-changing news. When Sam and his boyfriend Daniel are about to break the news to his family, his sister and brother-in-law assume they are announcing their engagement; but Sam corrects them, and informs them that he has cancer. Maggie, Sam’s mother, blames Daniel for everything.
“Los Titeres del Belial” is a very interesting experimental feature directed by Omar Monge. I met Monge when his film was really close to be finished. The concept was to shoot different moments in time in different cities (France, Japan, Mexico and US among others). Monge really wanted each vignette to have it’s own style and look. I got to shoot the last scene of the movie, which was very naturalistic. Monge wanted the movie to be shot in different formats to give the sense of time passing. The part of the movie that I shot was in LA in a small apartment, it kind of makes you feel trapped and that’s what we wanted to go for. We really wanted to shoot this part on digital because chronologically it was the last part of the story, when digital first became available. Playing with different formats completely made sense in the story’s timeline. Using film before the 80’s and digital after felt just natural.
What made you choose to participate in these projects?
MC: A lot of it comes from reading the script. But sometimes it’s more about the energy and passion that the director shows in our first meetings. If I’m not falling in love with a script that comes my way then it’s just not my cup of tea. Sometimes you have to be objective and really evaluate if what you’re doing is worth exploring or telling.
Can you tell me about some of the projects that you’ve directed?
MC: In 2009 I directed the music video for Gloria Trevi’s song ‘El favor de la soledad.’
Gloria Trevi is one of the most recognized singers in Mexico. This video was made with a very small budget but garnered a really good reception and response with the audience generating 26 million views up until today. Netflix is currently airing the movie “Gloria” about Gloria Trevi’s life and scandals.
In 2014 I directed the film “When Negatives Collide,” a dramatic narrative with nominations and awards that include being chosen as an Official selection of the 2015 Cannes Short Film Corner, and the LA Shorts Fest, and the winner of the Best Short Award at the 2015 Los Angeles Spotlight Film Festival. The film was also chosen as an Official Selection of the 2015 International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts IFFCA, Studio City Film Festival and the Sun and Sand Film Festival, and received the Award of Merit from IndieFest 2015.
I also directed the dramatic narrative film “Succubus” in 2013, which earned an Honorable Mention Award at the 2014 Los Angeles Movie Awards, 2nd Place at the 2014 Sunset Film Festival and was chosen as an Official Selection of the 2014 Studio City Film Festival.
In 2009 I directed the music video for Cristian Castro’s song ‘No me digas,’ with the video generating 730,000 views, as well as the music video for Veronica Castro’s ‘Resurreccion.’ Veronica Castro is a Mexican icon and her vast and prolific career has made her famous worldwide.
In 2008 I directed the music video for Jessy Bulbo’s ‘Munequita Sintetica,’ and in 2009 I directed the music video for ‘Vas o Vienes’ by the popular Mexican rock band Ventilader.
What has been your most memorable film festival experience?
MC: Honestly all the festivals that I’ve been invited to screen as a director or DP always have a strong impact on me. When your film starts projecting there’s always this recurrent thought in my mind of how it is like a miracle that everything came together, that one idea became so tangible and real. It’s always exciting and I always get nervous.
What has been your favorite project or projects as a cinematographer?
MC: “Chypre” is one of the projects that I hold close to my heart for multiple reasons. It was one of my first projects and the most challenging so far. From train stations to mock up trains this was an exciting film to shoot. Anish Dedhia, the director, is a good friend and did an amazing job writing the script. Another reason that I’m grateful for this project is because I got to work with Svetla Georgieva, which marked our third collaboration. I consider her to be one of the best actresses I’ve ever worked with.
What has been your most challenging project as a cinematographer?
MC: “Bloodline” directed by Saud Mog. This film was challenging because I hadn’t shot a lot of VFX in those days so it was a little bit of an unknown path. It also had a lot of stunts and Saud’s vision of the film included a wide shot where we actually see the fighting without cheating the angles for the punches and kicks. We also had a couple of very long shots moving around the fights so lighting was also a bit tricky to figure out.
What separates your overall visual style from other cinematographers?
MC: For every project there’s always a different approach in terms of style. I don’t like to always shoot the same way but if I had to categorize myself I would say I feel more like a naturalistic and voyeuristic DP. I love handheld because you use your instincts to control the pace and the intensity of the scene, decisions made on the fly that feel right in that moment. I often try not to lock myself into very rigid blocking because I think it makes it harder for the actors and I really like when they are a bit more free, which often comes out more organic.
What projects do you have coming up?
MC: I do have several upcoming projects but right now they are in a stage where we can’t really talk about and I’ve actually signed confidentiality agreements. I can just say that I’ve signed on to do 3 projects as a DP and 1 feature as a director.
Why are you passionate about working as a director and cinematographer?
MC: You know it is not about the money, the awards or the recognition– it all comes down to the actual life of a filmmaker. For me, filmmaking is the only thing that really allows me to get into the shoes of someone else. Once you are already working you have to immerse yourself in the characters, how they think, how they move, what drives them. And then seeing all that come to life on set is very profound. One day you can be inside of a kid’s classroom while the next day you’re shooting in an S&M Club. What other job gives you this excitement, contrasts and craziness besides filmmaking?
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