Meet Thomas Blanks | Cinematographer & 1st AC

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

Hi Thomas, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I feel like taking risks is a big part of my career, and I’ve taken plenty. For example, I took a big risk going into freelancing from my normal 9 to 5 job. Having a steady source of income was a really nice thing of course, but I missed out on a lot of projects and opportunities because I had to work. Any new project I do is a risk because there’s always a chance something can go wrong. When I made the jump into working as a 1st Assistant Camera, that was a really big risk for me because I had to learn how to pull focus quickly when the opportunity arose. I knew it was something I couldn’t turn down though. I think it’s important to take risks, especially with filmmaking. It’s easy to get stuck in this career, whether it’s only working on a certain type of project, or not moving up into a role you’re after. It’s always risky doing something new, but it’s necessary.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I would say it hasn’t been easy to get to where I am right now. There have been a lot of challenges to overcome, and honestly a lot of them were just challenges within myself. I spent a lot of time doubting myself and comparing myself to other people in my career. I’d see people online working on a lot of really cool projects and I’d find myself wondering why I’m not there yet? Why am I not working as much as someone else? But you can’t think like that because every journey is different. They’re working on their cool things, and you need to focus on the things you are doing, not them. Everyone has a different path that they took and they all experienced their own challenges along the way. The path I’m on right now actually has some really cool projects in store for me in 2021. I recently purchased a 16mm film camera which has me very excited. Film is something I’ve always wanted to work with and now I’ve got a few things in the works that I can’t wait for.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man, I’m pretty new to the Dallas area and I haven’t really been able to explore all too much since moving here! But there are a few places I really like where I live. There’s a restaurant in Uptown called SkinnyFATS that my roommate and I order to go a lot. So much so that they’ve started recognizing us every time we go. I know before the pandemic I really enjoyed going to the museums and visiting the Bishop Arts District. Right now is a hard time for me to explore more of Dallas with everything that’s been going on this year, but I definitely look forward to finding new things to do in the future.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, there are so too many people to thank for getting me to where I am today. Filmmaking is a huge collaborative effort and you can’t get anywhere by yourself. Every single person I’ve worked with has helped me get to a different level in my career. With that said, I’d have to say my parents get the biggest thanks. They’ve supported me from the very beginning. My parents bought me my first camera as a kid and they helped me build sets and props for all of the little movies I made with my friends growing up. They supported my decision to go to film school, and my decision to leave my 9 to 5 job. Without their them, I would not be where I am today.

Website: thomasblanksdop.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasblanksdop/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasblanksdop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thomas.Blanks.2/
Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6751075/

Image Credits
Tony Casillas Jason Jezek Ashley Gallegos