Brazlian-born filmmaker André Sapori is a recent graduate of the BA (Hons) Film Practice course at London College of Communication.
Completing the course at LCC in 2016, we caught up with Andre to find out about his time with us, what his ambitions are for the future, and a recent award-winning project he worked on.
Hi André! How would you describe your practice?
I would describe myself as a filmmaker who specialises in the camera department.
A film you worked on recently won the Rising Star award at the Edinburgh Short Film Festival. Could you tell us a little about that film, how the award came about, and how it felt to have won it?
The film is Duke’s Pursuit, directed by Charlie Edwards and Joe Williams. I was the DP [Director of Photography] for the footage we shot in England, with the main photography for the film shot in Iceland by Ingi Lárusson where I worked as Assistant Camera. It’s a funny thriller that tells the story of Duke, an English man that goes to Iceland seeking revenge for his past.
I wasn’t that involved with entering the festivals (as it’s the directors and the producer Robert Wragg who deal with all that) but I was really happy when I heard the news of the Rising Star award. Everyone worked really hard on the film and it’s very rewarding to know that it led to an award!
And what are you working on at the moment?
I am working as a camera operator on the Keiser Report show on the RT channel. I also recently had a chance to cover the premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as a camera operator for Associated Press and a few other events. I mainly do freelance camera and photography.
What originally interested you about the BA (Hons) Film Practice course at LCC?
I had already done a course at LCC so was familiar with the College even before I’d applied for BA (Hons) Film Practice. I remember just before that first course finished, we had a talk describing the film courses at LCC and, at that time, BA (Hons) Film Practice was a brand new course.
How has the course helped you be where you are today?
In my 2nd year we went out on work placement. I had the opportunity to work as a camera operator with the director Scott Imren on the show Keiser Report on the RT [Russia Today] channel. After the placement, they needed someone to cover one of the cameras so they contacted me to work as a camera operator on the show, which was great. I also had the opportunity to meet the producer who invited me to work on other jobs for Associated Press.
And what is the most important thing you learned while studying on the course?
To become a big filmmaker, you can never stop learning about your craft and practice – so practice a lot.
What 3 words would you use to best describe LCC?
Diversity. Creativity. Opportunity.
What piece of advice would you give to new students?
Meet as many people as you can as they can open a lot of doors for you. This industry is a lot about networking. Also work on as many projects as you can, not only from your course but others too. You learn a lot working with different people.
Where in London do you go when you need a little inspiration?
For inspiration I like to go to the cinema. There is always a scene or a film that inspires ideas for my projects. Also, when sunny, a good walk in the park always brings good ideas.
Name 3 things you couldn't be creative without:
Camera, light and coffee.
What drives you to succeed and what are your future plans and ambitions?
Watching films and thinking how much I would like to be part of those productions and their creative process really drives me to keep making. In terms of future ambitions, I want to be constantly working in various types of productions from advertisements to films.