By Brianna Oppenheimer
Park City, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/30/23 – At Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment’s “Indie Director’s and Creator’s Spotlight” panel, during Sundance 2023, I had some time to pick the artistic brain of Eduardo Ramirez-Gonzalez. He spoke on his panel about painting with light, having been inspired by the sunset hitting the ocean while growing up in Colombia. Eduardo creates all genres of film and is truly an artist, with light as his paint and the camera as his paint brush.
Eduardo is a Colombian Cinematographer Member of the Local 600 International Cinematographer Guild, now based in Los Angeles, California. Raised on the Colombian Pacific Coast, he spent his days between his two passions: the study of the light and scuba diving in the ocean. He is also an Active Member of the ADFC, Colombian Society of Cinematographers, and takes an active part in the Worldwide Collective @Sporas: Artisans for a Change. Eduardo was recently added to the ARRAY Crew community, created by the Director Ava DuVernay, with the intention to expand diversity in Hollywood.
Eduardo attended the Cuban San Antonio de Los Baños Film School and earned his master’s degree Based on Feature Film Cinematography in The Prague Film School, located in Czech Republic.
What brings you to Sundance 2023?
I was invited to be on a panel for Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment’s “Indie Director’s and Creator’s Spotlight.” I was her cinematographer on Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story.
How did you connect with Ericka Malone?
We met through a producer friend, who worked on Ericka’s movie. I shot another movie with producer (Vince Allen) previously. So, we knew each other. My name and work is known because I work very well with black and Latino skin tones, as I am skilled in how to make them look really good. That is why I ended up shooting Remember Me. There was a very specific look required to share the vision of the director. It was an honor to shoot that movie to be honest. Presenting the stories of Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. was an amazing experience.
What are you most excited about at Sundance?
This is my first time at Sundance. But I always said, “if I go to Sundance, it is because I will be invited. I will be coming for a movie, talk, or panel.” So, I made it happen with Ericka’s invitation. I’m really excited for today and the people I’ve met, and the other scheduled events. But I am most excited for Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment’s “Indie Director’s and Creator’s Spotlight” panel. I am focused on the present.
Tell me about yourself?
I am from Colombia, and I moved to Los Angeles eight years ago. I shot season one of a TV show called Narcos, which brought me to the United States. Since then, I’ve been exploring how the industry works. Learning from the good and bad experiences, but always working hard and bringing a different style. I work very hard to open doors and keep it open, I think that diversity is a must and very important to push for more. My work varies from commercials to feature films, but always keep the visual quality top one of my priorities.
The Future for Eduardo Ramirez Gonzalez?
A very important project that I have been shooting is part two of a documentary called Escape from Extinction. Two years ago, we made the first part, which was on the shortlist for the Oscars. This year we are shooting the second part, financed by the American Humane Association and other entities. The movie is about the 6th mass extinction on the planet, as humans and animals are on the path to be extinct. The intention is to help people be conscious of this, to change the world for our generation and the next generation. This is a very important movie. There are a couple of other movies on the horizon, but nothing else I can talk about right now.
Check out the stunning artistry of Eduardo Ramirez-Gonzalez here: https://www.eduardoramirezdop.com/