Cinematographer Diego Ferres
Diego Ferres is one of those rare souls who seems to have been born to capture the world through the lens of a camera. With a love for cinematography running thick through his blood, Diego spent years in his home country of Uruguay honing his skills in the highly technical field. Blending science and creativity, cinematography sets the visual language of every film and tv series we watch as viewers. Today, Diego is a highly sought after cinematographer who’s seasoned knowledge of his craft is so strong that he is able to create masterpieces through his camera work — something proven by the numerous prestigious awards his projects have won to date.
With a myriad of accomplishments behind him, such as the award winning films “Ipoll,” “Hold” and “Play to Live,” Diego continues to reveal his magic; and, as his cinematic masterpieces continue to unfold, the world is definitely watching.
Lately, Diego has been busy, doing what he’s passionate about, making scenes come to life from his position behind the camera lens. As the cinematographer he is head of his department, an arduous task that not only requires him to ensure the lighting and camera movements for each shot is perfect, but that the stories he captures are in line with the overall vision of the production.
His illustrious reputation for delivering successful projects recently led him to be tapped as the cinematographer on the highly anticipated comedy series “LNL”(“Late Night Latino”) produced by Mano a Mano Films and Endemol Shine. Expected to begin airing by early 2020, Diego will join forced with Uruguayan director and producer Juan Feldman, the producer behind noteworthy movies such as “The Prey,” “After Words,” “Costa Rican Summer,” “Surf School,” and “Death of Supermodels.”
Consisting of ten 30-minute episodes in the first season, with each episode featuring celebrated singers, successful artists, celebrities, and actors who’ll be asked about such things as their love life, work and future endeavors.
“‘LNL’ is a comedy show that will make Latin viewers in the US and other Spanish speaking countries laugh,” Diego explained. “I’m really looking forward to working on it. It’s going to be a big project compared to the others I’ve done so far and this will also give me more big opportunities in the future.”
Diego’s passion was realized at an early age in his hometown in Salto, Uruguay where he would spend hours soaking up the sights, sounds, and smells of the VHS and DVDs on display in the store he frequented.
“It was kind of awkward at some point,” he recalls.
As he began to chase his dream, however, his talents became far from awkward. It became increasingly obvious that Diego Ferres was a natural behind the camera.
Upon his debut into cinematography and editing by way of the film “Ipoll”, Diego’s passion was ignited. Despite the cheap camera he had to use and the corrective touches required by him to correct the blue-ish tint and other flaws, the film, he reflected, was an incredibly successful venture.
“Ipoll” tells the story of five students who set about disproving that a building was haunted. As the tale unfolds, it becomes apparent that the myths they are attempting to debunk may in fact be true. Strange things begin to take place.
Riddled in suspense, the success of the thriller film relied on Diego’s creativity behind the lens to pull off some serious “creepiness” and a vibe of darkness. Diego aced the challenge, and the film went on to earn second place for the Jury Recognition Award at the Argentinian Cortos de Aqui Film Festival.
For Diego, the film birthed an insatiable appetite for more. The skilled natural could not get enough.
“I knew this was definitely the path I was going to follow,” he recalled.
While Diego has proven himself to be a strong creative force as a cinematographer, what makes him such a rare talent in the industry is the sheer breadth of his skills. He’s also a multi-talented editor, writer, videographer, and producer. In fact, he didn’t narrow down his field of interest until he was attending school for film editing. Initially, as a child, Diego had wanted to be an architect, then he was drawn to editing, where he excelled quickly before finally discovering his real passion as a cinematographer.
According to Diego, cinematography satisfies his longing to be a part of the action of the scene while it’s happening, something he achieves, time after time.
Among his favorite projects is a music video he made for Brazilian singer Tiago’s hit song “No More.”
“I like when I get the chance to create something new that I’ve never done before. I really enjoy filming [this music video] because I was able to do a really colorful lighting setup that turned out really well and everybody loved it. I really enjoy when people like it,” explained Diego. “The location was a building that was under construction, so that added an amazing look to the video. That is probably the lighting that I am most proud of for now.”
Diego was also the director, cinematographer and editor on the acclaimed music video for Will Champlain’s “Indigo,” which was selected as a Finalist at The Monthly Film Festival. His mastery of lighting and ability to capture the perfect shots to support the artist’s story shine through clearly once again in the video.
“I directed that video as well apart from doing the cinematography and editing, so I was able to combine everything in my mind to get one result. I wanted to show that adrenaline you feel when you are young and you’re finally free from your parents to go explore the world,” explained Diego. “Will, the singer, starts a journey himself in that old fashion car to feel young and alive. I used images with a lot of movement that give that vibe.”
Last year his creativity and expert cinematography for the film “Hold” earned industry attention when the film took home the Award of Recognition from California’s 2018 IndieFest Film Awards. 2018 proved to be a big year for Diego, as he was also tapped by “The Amazing Race” director Fawn Testa to shoot the horror film “Lost and Found.” Not at all surprising is the fact that, with Diego behind the lens, the film was widely praised and earned the Audience Award and Best Short Film Drama Award at the Silicon Beach Film Festival.
Director Fawn Testa explained, “Diego is such a delight to work with. He is extremely talented and always brings an air of professionalism to set… There are many things that make Diego great at what he does. He is always so positive and professional. He knows a ton about cameras, lighting and composition, but he’s always striving to learn more. I think he truly has a love for his craft and it shows in the quality of his work.”
Recently, his film “Play to Live” was awarded the Best Thriller Short Film award at the Five Continents International Film Festival in Venezuela, as well as an award at the Direct Monthly Film Festival, which resulted in Diego earning a coveted position on the Direct Monthly Online Film Festival board.
With a myriad of accomplishments in his past and many creative endeavors currently in the works, one gets the feeling Diego Ferres won’t be leaving his spot behind the camera anytime soon. It’s clear that he’s found his rightful place in the industry.
