UpCast Radio – Elle Schneider
We had the pleasure to talk with award winning Director of Photography, independent filmmaker and veteran feminist – Elle Schneider – about launching a filmmaking career and the current push for women in the industry. A blooming storyteller with radiating enthusiasm for her craft, Elle’s stories are consistently compelling – whether it’s a fashion film or narrative short.
Elle’s reflections on filmmaking reveal not just the rewarding nature of seeing your vision come to life, but an even deeper motivating force for cinematographers: to move an audience. According to Elle, audiences hope to experience a range of emotions. It makes sense that her self-taught style behind the lens is rooted in true storytelling because it gives her the privileged understanding that evoking emotion in an audience is usually achieved at the expense of the character undergoing significant personal growth.
Having graduated from USC with a degree in Screenwriting, Elle has a unique approach to the visual side of the same coin. She creates for concepts over slick scenes and costly
By prioritizing the artistic aspects of a film – as opposed to the technical – Elle sets an admirable example for what it means to be a successful DP: working from a place of honesty to tell a story that makes people look at the world from a new perspective.
“You’re not going to convince anyone with your film if you’re not passionate about it. If you’re not making something that you want to see, or feel like you’re the person that needs to tell it, then other people can’t respond to your work.”
Her advice for engaging an audience and establishing a personal brand extend beyond camera work. If you have something to say, Elle urges you to come up with a game plan because the democratization of the industry means you don’t need anyone’s approval to get your work seen.
While she’s got some projects in the works, they’re still mostly under wraps. I hope you enjoy our chat, follow her on social media and pass along her articulate insight!