GABRIELLE PACIOREK CINEMATOGRAPHER

EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT ART STARTED WITH COMIC BOOKS AND JAZZ BAND.

Growing up without cable in a rural New England town will give anyone a distinct personality. A can do, no nonsense attitude along with a fantastical imagination is a must when you’re snowed in and the only reason to go outside is to chop wood. The fact that my father set the artistic bar at Michelangelo and Caravaggio goes beyond quirky. But trying to recreate the Sistine Chapel in crayon at the age of five honed my eyes in a way I definitely don’t regret. Fast forward to the present and I’m still working with my eyes. Does that contrast ratio work? Can that blue light be softer? 85mm or 100mm ... It’s hard for me to decide why I’m so interested in and passionate about film. If I had to pick one thing, it would come down to storytelling. That might be an odd thing for some to hear from a cinematographer. Don’t cinematographers just “make it look pretty?” I don’t deny I like making things look pretty, but in my opinion, a wide variety of things can look pretty. Rust, fields of wheat, icicles, graffiti, blood, fabric, metal, old people are all beautiful. More than focusing on just surface aesthetics, I like to dig deeper into characters and locations. How does what’s on the screen convey not only the story, but the emotion behind it. What am I doing to connect the audience to the story? This is the basis of my process as a cinematographer. From that one question flows all the answers written in light, color, and composition.

Paciorek graduated from San Diego State University, where she double majored in Art (Emphasis in Graphic Design) and Television, Film & New Media (Emphasis in Production). She has worked as the Director of Photography, Gaffer, and Camera Operator on features, commercials, television, and shorts. Her cinematography has been seen at many film festivals, including Cannes (The Cave). Well versed in both film and HD formats, she has executed various lighting, camera, and film techniques, from cross processing to underwater lighting and camera operating.