notes a la carte
Written by Yogi Castor
April 8th, 2025
I spent the afternoon at a quiet café, just me, my notebook, and the soft clatter of mugs and silverware in the background. The sunlight hit my table in a way that made me pause—just enough shadow, just enough warmth. I started thinking about how many scenes are made from moments like this. Simple, still, but charged with feeling. It reminded me why I’m drawn to the camera in the first place.
Growing up, it was never just the story or the characters that stuck with me—it was the way a scene looked. The framing. The way the camera moved. The softness of a backlight or the intensity of a long take. Before I even understood the technical side of things, I knew the visual language of film made me feel something. That emotional connection has stayed with me, and it’s part of what drives my desire to become a Director of Photography.
I’m also deeply interested in the role of the Gaffer, especially because I know great cinematography doesn’t happen in isolation. It starts with light. With teamwork. With the rhythm between departments—the quiet, practiced coordination of the grip and electric teams making something beautiful just... work. I love being hands-on, and there’s something incredibly satisfying about rigging up gear, getting the equipment just right so that the camera can flow freely, unobstructed. It’s like setting the stage for someone else to dance.
What I’ve come to enjoy most so far is watching how everyone on set grows into their roles. There's something powerful about letting each department own their lane, while developing the kind of communication that brings it all together. It’s not just about lights or lenses—it's about trust, timing, and collaboration.
Looking ahead, my goals are starting to take shape in clearer ways.
In three years, I hope to be running my own small business full-time, ideally focused on film production or creative media services. I want that work to come from a foundation I’ve built through freelance projects, personal collaborations, and a growing community. By five years, I see myself contributing to larger productions within an established company. I want to sharpen my skills in lighting and cinematography, and learn from crews with more experience—people I can collaborate with and grow beside. And in ten years, the dream is to be on feature film sets, either as a Director of Photography or in a key lighting role. I want to help craft stories on a bigger scale, blending technical craft with creative vision to shape the visual world of a film. Right now, within this course, I’m focusing on the DP, Gaffer, and Grip roles. Each one teaches me something different, and together they’re helping me understand what it really takes to tell a story visually. I’m learning how to shape light, move gear, work as a team—and to me, that’s where the magic begins.
For now, I’ll keep showing up, one frame at a time. And maybe some of those frames will start at café tables like this one.
