Marc Guardiola: Find that moment of inspiration from which everything comes out as a waterfall.

Gear used on this film: Sony FS700

Where are you based and how did you first get into this line of work?

I work in the city of Valencia, where I was born. I started as a graphic designer at 20 years old. A bit after I began doing animations for Flash websites, and later I started playing around in After Effects. I never thought I would end making films, but one day the music band where I was playing—I am also a drummer—needed a video clip, so I encouraged myself and bought a Canon 5D and some accessories, and that’s where it all began in 2010.

Marc Guardiola

How did you get the Once Upon An Artist project?

It hasn’t been for work, it is one of the few personal spaces I have. Currently, I work on motion design and brand films, and I have very little time for this series. The first episode was very successful and it got a Staff Picks on Vimeo, so I decided to continue as long as I could.

What gear/cameras did you use and why?

I shoot with a SONY FS700 and an Odyssey 7Q+, with Zeiss Distagon lenses. What I almost always use is a 2-meter long slider to make wider some shots. I also treat in post most of the movements from the slider to create unique senses of movement.

Did you plan out the story structure from the beginning or did it come out in post?

Since it is a documentary, most of the script is given by the artist’s testimony. But the basic structure is always the same. I first shoot the artist doing his/her work, from which the structure is born. Then I do the interview, knowing better how the artist works. And in the end, I make my own metaphorical interpretations from the ideas given by the artist. I try to set a unique environment for him/her.

What do you do differently from other filmmakers?

All creators like to think they’re original. The truth is that we are part of a creative network that is a mixture of resources and references. If I had to mention something that defines me, it is the use of VFX to pose the visual metaphor. I also like the camera being a character, someone who sees what the human eye sometimes does not see.

If you had to go back and do it all again, how would you get a foothold in the business?

I’d probably have started earlier in the audio-visual aspect, without leaving aside the graphic design. Coming from the world of graphic design gives me different qualities and it is something that I must thank my past as a designer.

What’s the one secret tip, go-to trick that you use often that takes your work to the next level?

Each frame is thought through from the editing and the post-production, while it is being shot.

What has been the hardest part of doing what you do?

It is always the script. The start on the blank paper. To find that moment of inspiration from which everything comes out as a waterfall.

What is currently the best part of doing what you do?

I love my work, every new project I approach with a different point of view, as clients always have different needs. This means that we are never fully prepared for what we are about to do, which is the most exciting thing.