Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Cella.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Tifton, Georgia alongside a family of storytellers. My grandparents owned an antique store and they had the entire back catalog of National Geographic magazines. As a child, I would spend entire days sitting on the floor, pouring over the pages. That’s where the dream started. I wanted to photograph the places I was seeing and meet people from entirely different backgrounds. Eventually, I learned that is the job of photojournalists and documentary filmmakers.
Growing up, I started to pay more attention to the films I was watching. I had a Hi8 video camera and editing software. I began to experiment with different filmmaking techniques. There was no formal education until I later attended film school, but basically, I was learning about rhythm and composition intrinsically.
After high school, I attended Full Sail University. This exposed me to the various roles on film sets. Naturally, I was attracted to the role of the cinematographer. Instantly I loved blending lighting and camerawork to achieve a certain aesthetic. After graduating, I wanted to merge my passion for nonfiction storytelling and the technical expertise of a narrative cinematographer.
I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career. During the early days, I worked as a Production Assistant in unscripted television. Fetching coffee, picking up trash, just trying to do anything I could to make an impression as a hard worker. Eventually, I worked my way into the camera department. From Camera PA to 2nd AC. 1st AC to Operator. During this time, I was also pursuing documentary work.
Eventually, I was hired by a production company that subcontracted with National Geographic. Through them, I was able to achieve a lifelong goal of having my name in the credits of multiple National Geographic films. We traveled to South America, Africa, India and Nepal. This gave me the confidence to start making my own documentaries. Over time, I grew into the role of a Director & DP.
After living in Los Angeles for five years, an opportunity took me to Phuket, Thailand for two years. I filmed with Olympic Athletes, Formula One Drivers, Adventure Racers, Triathletes and their sponsors. It was great to be able to blend documentary aesthetics and commercial production in such a beautiful location.
After spending 2 years in Thailand, I moved to Atlanta and became the Director, Video for Dagger. At the time, Dagger was a startup creative agency. It presented a unique opportunity to build a production discipline at a young and hungry agency. I spent the next 6.5 years there, building a team and ultimately helping to grow Dagger into one of the top agencies in the Southeast. Recently I have gone independent again. It’s exciting to have time to dedicate myself to documentary projects and more diverse client opportunities.
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?
This career has never felt easy. Money has often been a challenge, particularly when I was living in Los Angeles. I went from living with a ton of roommates to living by myself, quite isolated in a bad neighborhood. I learned to get creative with my caloric intake. Taste and nutrition was so secondary to just getting enough food in my system to get by.
As an introvert, I was never at the right parties to make helpful connections. It took me a decade or more to shake the self-doubt and start advocating for myself. It’s frankly still a challenge, but I am much better at it than I used to be. I actually enjoy networking now, but it required a lot of social failures to get to this point.
Now that I am back in the freelance world, the same old challenges are present but I feel much better equipped to navigate the choppy waters.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a commercial Director / DP and documentary filmmaker. My goal is to make audiences feel something, whether it’s a documentary about amputees or a dog food commercial. That may sound ridiculous but I truly pour my entire self into both challenges. I try to make my documentary subjects or commercial actors feel 100% comfortable in expressing who they are on camera. I make no judgments and I don’t take myself too seriously. I’ll often be the first to break down my emotional walls so it allows them the space to do the same.
My pride comes from sustaining a lasting career. I have been fortunate to win some awards, but the best reward is always the next opportunity. Being able to continually work and collaborate with talented people is the most exciting part of my job.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Love makes me happy. The love of my friends, family, dogs and of course, my fiancée. I am incredibly grateful for all of these sources of energy in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cellacinema.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cellacinema/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chris-cella/
