NMFO: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey to becoming a camera operator?
DZ: Sure. I'm from New Mexico. I grew up here, going back and forth between Gallup and Albuquerque. I went to the University of New Mexico and pursued still photography. After college, I rethought my career path and decided to go into film. So, here I am, 16 years into film and 23 years behind the camera.
NMFO: What sparked your passion for photography and filmmaking?
DZ: I was a gymnast for years, and when I quit, I was always attracted to photography and the camera. I really didn't know what to do with my time, so I just started picking up the still camera and taking photos with it. My father and grandfather owned a newspaper, so I started hanging out with the photographers who worked for them. One thing led to the next, and I just kind of fell in love with it. And then, here I am.
NMFO: What does a camera operator do for those who may not know?
DZ: The camera operator sets up the frame where all the elements are put in front of the camera. I'm working with the cinematographer and the director to achieve their vision. Sometimes I'm moving the camera fast. Sometimes it's very still. It really depends on the project. I'm basically just framing the image for them and working to achieve their vision. Sometimes, they put more weight on my shoulders as far as choosing the frame. Sometimes, they're more particular about it. But really, you're a collaborator with them.
NMFO: What unique skills or qualities does it require to be a camera operator to excel?
DZ: You must listen. It's good to be prepared to give your thoughts and ideas to a situation. But at the same time, you're working for somebody. So, you must listen to what they want. You must stay aware of what the actors are doing and what's going on around you. That's one of the key parts of being a camera operator.
NMFO: Are there any current trends or technological advancements that are exciting for you that may be coming up in the future of filmmaking?
DZ: To me, it's quite interesting to watch some of the remote stabilization systems coming out and be able to put your camera in all sorts of wild places that maybe weren't easy to place it in before. I've also been leaning into going back to shooting some film work. Maybe that's the new future, is doing more film.
NMFO: People are going back to the retro style of visuals, which is interesting. So maybe it's not even like the advancements, but going back to how things got started.
DZ: I think there's a nice quality to sometimes just taking away all the glitz of today's technology, going back to the basics, and forgetting about having 20 monitors on set. Just you and the camera and the director and you trust each other.
NMFO: What advice would you give aspiring camera operators or cinematographers who want to build their careers in New Mexico?
DZ: Patience. Be ready to take any job you can, that's going to give you the experience. You've got to stay humble. New Mexico has been a great place to live and build this career. We don't live in a vacuum, so I've spent considerable time going to other places to get experience and build that reputation with what I can do. It's good to go away and come back and have those skill sets and build those skill sets. I think if somebody really wants to get into it, you will have to make those sacrifices.
NMFO: What has been your experience, getting your skill set in other places and being in New Mexico? What do you think are the pros and cons of being elsewhere or building up your career here in the state?
DZ: I think one of the pros of being here in New Mexico is that there have been times I've been given opportunities where I think people have looked at me and said, “he's pretty good. Let's give him a shot here.” You can get swallowed up in a bigger market and completely overlooked. The benefit of going somewhere else and then returning is that you get to see things in a different capacity than you would see here or work in an environment you don't see every day. You start seeing more things and then you can bring those ideas and those experiences back to New Mexico.
NMFO: What have been some of your favorite projects that you've worked on in and outside of New Mexico?
DZ: Well, we're talking here today because of “Olmo,” and I think that's probably one of my favorite ones to have done. I really loved the creative experience with that and working with Carolina, the cinematographer, on that project. There are various projects that I am interested in for different reasons. Some have been because of big sets and big explosions and some of them have just been because the team has just been wonderful to work with.
NMFO: Speaking of “Olmo,” how did you get involved in that project, and what attracted you to it?
DZ: I first got contacted about it in the Fall or Summer of 2023. I remember at one point Carolina Costa called me. I had done a previous project with her here in New Mexico. She said, “Hey, I'm meeting with this director, and I think I'm coming to New Mexico to shoot this project, and I thought of you.” The first movie we made was called “Icebox” in 2017.
NMFO: We talk a lot on the podcast about networking and how that can build up your resume and get you into the next job and how doing good work will allow people to want to bring you back. Have you found that to be true and successful for you? Obviously, in the case of “Olmo,” but are there any other projects you found networking valuable?
DZ: I think networking and relationships are very important in the industry. You're going to end up meeting people and working with some of these people for years to come. So, it's important to find people you fit with, bond with, and have similar visions with to continue forward. Sometimes, your work speaks for itself, and sometimes, people haven't had an opportunity to work with you, but they'll hear something about you from somebody else. So, it's good to have good relations with people, and even if you don't work with somebody again, they might have somebody else that will connect to you through them.
NMFO: Going back to what you were saying about being in New Mexico because we're still small enough where you can build up your career a little bit quicker than you can these other places. Networking and making those connections can build up your resume and bring you into the next position.
“Olmo” is premiering at the Berlin Film Festival this weekend, which is a huge accomplishment. How does it feel to be a part of a project that's receiving international recognition?
DZ: It feels amazing. You go into projects always hoping that you'll do your best work, and it will have its best showing because of that. I never thought I had to shoot this project because it would go to the Berlin Film Festival or Sundance. You're just in the project trying to do the best you can and be the most creative person you can on that set and that environment.
NMFO: What was it like filming this project in Las Cruces, and how did the locations and environment contribute to the film's aesthetic and story?
DZ: We filmed mostly in October. It was great weather at that time of year. The temperatures had cooled off, and we were filming 10-hour days at max because we were filming with children. Being there in Las Cruces, it's a smaller city, and it was easy to get around to locations. You had a lot of access to locations, and it felt like they wanted us there.
NMFO: One thing about Las Cruces is they're very film friendly. We were just speaking with some producers recently, and they were questioning if there would be problems because of blocked streets. We've gotten feedback that they're excited to see the downtown shutdown because film production is happening, and it's really becoming a hub here in New Mexico.
DZ: You always want to be courteous of the places you're filming, and you hope these people will be your collaborators in this effort. It’s nice when the community becomes your collaborator in a sense.
NMFO: How do you think that Las Cruces and the aesthetic of the town played a part in the story of “Olmo?”
DZ: This movie took place in the late 70s. There were many areas in Las Cruces that weren't the most up-to-date posh areas, which allowed production to move in and utilize these spaces. Having some of that old environment allowed the film to really flourish. Obviously, production designers and set deck do their thing to help things out. But it's good to have that variety. I think the Las Cruces helped that, and the shots have some amazing views. It's incredible when you're able to be up on a hill and look out and see these jagged mountains in the backdrop with the actors. It's impressive.
NMFO: From your perspective, how has the film industry impacted New Mexico's economy and our local communities?
DZ: It's impacted it greatly. It's provided an entire career for me. If it wasn't here, I wouldn't be here earning money, spending money, buying a house and cars, and going to restaurants. If it wasn't here, I'd be somewhere else at this point. I think I could; you could say that for thousands of people that are here that are earning money, spending money, and making this their home.
NMFO: How do you see the film industry here in New Mexico evolving in the future and continuing to grow?
DZ: I think it's going to continue to grow in the sense that I think we're going to see more local people here that live here and make their home here, starting to create and build these projects themselves. That's important because it's great when producers and directors come in with their projects. I think the real future here in New Mexico is building that within our communities so those people that are making the projects are also living here and not just coming in and then going off somewhere else.
NMFO: That's one thing unique to our film incentive as well because no minimum spend is required to qualify for the film tax credit. So, everything from a student film to an independent project to shorts can qualify and continue to build up that ecosystem of our storytellers, screenwriters, camera operators, cinematographers, and directors and build up New Mexico’s workforce.
DZ: It's exciting when people take advantage of the opportunities that they have here. I'm working with a team of people now to develop a feature. Our goal is to shoot it this summer, so we'll see what happens. It'd be great to see that come to fruition, especially since most of us are from or have lived here for a while.
NMFO: Well, we're excited to hear more about that project as it comes to fruition. And, of course, the film office is here to support you and your community in helping get that project off the ground.
To learn more, or to get in touch with Daniel, you can follow him on Instagram or via email DPzollinger@gmail.com .