Meet Kayli Weiss: Cinematographer and Photographer

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

Hi Kayli, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The film industry can get very intense at times with extremely long days, heavy lifting, mental focus, and unpredictable schedules. It’s easy to get caught up in this flow and forget to take care of your body and mind. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that it is crucial to find routine time for self care amidst a demanding work schedule. In order to stay sharp and healthy on set, I’ve learned to prioritize sleep, eat healthy, and incorporate some type of movement or stretching into my day. Working in the camera department can be very physical at times so it is important to take care of your body and fuel it properly. Not only is it essential to take care of your body, but it’s also important to take care of your mind. I try to meditate daily and make sure I schedule days off to relax. As a freelancer, it’s sometimes hard to turn down jobs, but it is important to remember that taking a day off can be healthy, productive, and necessary. 

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.
From growing up near the mountains in Colorado to living in New York City, the people and places around me continue to push my work in new directions. I started as a still photographer mostly focusing on natural landscapes and action sports. As a competitive big mountain skier, I was introduced to the world of ski films and dreamt of being behind the camera. Although I didn’t study arts in school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in film. After graduating college, I did a cinematography intensive where I was introduced to the ins and outs of the film industry and learned from a multitude of industry professionals. I then moved to NYC and jumped right in, taking any job that came my way with a goal of being in the camera department. I currently work as a director, DP, and camera assistant, working on projects that range anywhere from music videos and commercials to documentaries. As I continue to explore and grow, I hope to dive deeper into more narrative content and non-fiction storytelling.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My first shoutout is to my parents and brother for always supporting me through all of my creative endeavors. I also want to shoutout Zach Zamboni, who is a Director of Photography. When I moved to New York to pursue a career in film, he hired me as a camera PA for one of my first jobs. Through that gig, I met so many people who took me in under their wing and almost all of my jobs since then have traced back to that one job.

Website: www.kayliweiss.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayliweiss7/