Meet Kerwin Escobar | 1st Assistant Camera & Photographer

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

Hi Kerwin, why did you pursue a creative career?
Growing up watching content from independent creators on Youtube and other platforms, I feel really inspired me into pursuing a creative career where I could just do what I love. My parents helped me out with my first action camera which I started to use for almost every opportunity I had, form High School field trips to family vacations I tried to capture everything, then moved on to a DSLR camera which really helped me finding a passion in photography and video. Having experienced all of this in my High School years created a strong desire for me to continue on a bigger challenge by studying Filmmaking in college, where I once again grew my passion in this art and all its components.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The art of motion pictures comes together with the efforts of many talented people in the cast and crew of each production, most of the time we credit the director and cast to the success of a film, and while they are very important there is also many crew members hired to take care of very specific jobs to make a film as good as it can be.

I work as a 1st Assistant Camera, also known as the Focus Puller, a very critical role in the camera department for the film industry. My main responsibility is to control the focus on the lens and keep the image sharp on the subject or what is trying to be shown on frame. The first AC is also in charge of taking care of other very important technical aspects of camera and building it to its most optimal setup for the job.

To get to where I am now I started out as a Production Assistant as many of us do in the Film Industry, from then it was showing up on set and doing a good job every time, networking with other people from different departments and eventually trying out other positions when given the chance, I decided to focus more on staying in the camera department due to my love for technology and cameras, this is where I perform my best. With every project you may sometimes encounter new problems and this is where I try to find the best solution for it and continue with production.

I have learned that having a positive attitude and being friendly on set is most valuable for people apart from being good at what you do of course. The film industry relies a lot on networking and teamwork.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend was visiting Houston for a couple days I would grab something to eat at The Rice Box for some great Chinese takeout, Banh Mi ETC for Vietnamese Sandwiches and Taco Fuego for some Birria tacos. For drinks I would take them to one of my favorite bars, Monkey’s Tail for a couple Pepino Sours and good food. I would probably try to go to an Astros game for sure and maybe catch a concert at White Oak Music Hall.

I would visit the NASA Johnson Space Center and Kemah Boardwalk when you’re in the area. Also, POST Houston is a nice place with a wide selection of great food and 713 Music Hall right there for concerts.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to thank my parents and family for their immense support in every step of my career, without their help I wouldn’t be where I am now and probably in a whole different profession. I’d like to shout out the directors of photography and producers I’ve worked with that have given me the opportunity to prove myself in the field and build connections that have benefited my career. Can’t mention all of them but I’d like to thank Isaac Yowman, Art Strong, Johnnard Harper, Jessica Law-Davis and Reece Moffett. They have supported me constantly in what I do and know that I enjoy collaborating with them whenever they need me.

Website: https://www.kerwinescobar.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerwin.escobar/

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11136657/

Image Credits
William Escobar Reece Moffett