We had the good fortune of connecting with Aditya Gupta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aditya, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
I started my career in filmmaking when I was in ninth grade which was six years ago. Since then I have worked on over 50 films as a cinematographer in my career and each project taught me a different skill. However, there was one thing that I learnt after working on these many projects was being humble. No matter how expert one is in their craft, having the ability to listen and incorporate those ideas is more important than anything in the film business. Making films is a collaborative process and no one person can complete it without the help of others, so understanding each person’s vision and bringing it to one is how a great piece of art is achieved. I remember my first narrative music video where I worked with 5 other people, all very new to the field including myself and still trying to figure out how things should be done. We started with a vision and each one of us had their own ideas of how we could execute it. Having their creative space made them feel good about their roles in the production and how their contribution was a key factor in the making of that music video. This taught me that people can only provide their best work if they are listened to and given their freedom in the project.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a cinematographer born and raised in India. I grew up watching a lot of Bollywood cinema, which helped me understand films from an entertainment perspective and how films can unite so many people influencing their way of living. No one person in my family is from the film business so it always seemed like a big hurdle for me to get into the film industry, but having outgoing parents I was able to meet many people from the industry and talk about their careers to get inspired. Other than learning the art of filmmaking though watching movies and studying it in film schools, I learnt majority of filmmaking/storytelling through meeting new people and directors. Each person has a different way of telling their story and that makes the film industry so versatile. I have been able to learn a lot through my peers while working on many productions and having put into many creative problems I was forced to work harder and bring creative solutions to them. One very important lesson that I have learned from my film professors is that no one is alone in this. If there is a problem then many times talking to the crew and presenting it in front of them helps find solution much quicker and with lesser trouble. Every other person working on the crew has the same goal of making a movie. Trusting your crew and the people you are working with is an essential part of filmmaking.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since me and my friends love roller coasters, I would love to take them to my favorite rollercoaster park, Six Flags Magic Mountain where I am sure all of us would enjoy each and every ride to the fullest. After the park, I would like to show them the hollywood sign and drive them through the Mulholland Drive at late night to show beautiful LA lights. I would also love to take them to Hollywood Museum and the Academy museum which has great artifacts from the classic hollywood movies and get them the oscars experience there. For food, I would love for my friends to try In and Out double double cheese burger with animal fries and chocolate shake. That is my favorite fast food here in LA and I would love to know what they have to say about it. Also, I would like to provide them a great movie experience, so I would take them to Burbank 16 Prime at AMC theatre for a nice action/thriller movie followed by dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Universal Citywalk. These were a few things at the top of my head but I am sure when the time comes I would plan stuff like beach bbq and much more!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest shoutout would be for my parents and sister. They have helped me in each step of my career and understood my career goals and dreams. From enrolling a 15 year old kid to a film program in Bollywood to sending him out of the country to pursue his dreams and learn from the best, my parents went out of their way to help me learn and grow in career as best as I can. I would also like to give shoutout to my first ever film making crew which was made for a narrative music video we made a few years ago. Each one of my crew members worked really hard to make that music video “Aankhon Se” come to life and help me initiate my dream to make films. Also, Shoutout to every single director and filmmaker whom I ever worked with, for trusting me and my vision to help make their story come to screen.