PART OF OUR FREE SUMMER SERIES: SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS
Four August Saturdays in East Austin! To view full series, click here.
Three working cinematographers get honest about the job behind the frame: how they broke in, how the money actually works (day rates, agencies, commercial vs. narrative), and whether you can really sustain a DP career in Austin.
Expect straight answers on burnout, freelance instability, how to get on set, and the mistakes every beginner makes. We'll close with rapid-fire advice you can actually use. Panel conversation plus audience Q&A.
Featuring:
Emily Basma is a narrative, commercial, and music video cinematographer and camera assistant. Her deep love of cinema drew her to the craft, and her desire to harness light kept her there. At a young age, films such as Suspiria and Daughters of the Dust inspired her to treat her shot designs like visual poetry and her camera movements like dance steps. Emily's preferred medium is film for its tactile workflow, rich history, and because, sometimes, it has a mind of its own. Her work has been showcased at multiple film festivals, including Tribeca, SXSW, and Miami Film Festival, as well as locally in Austin at The Paramount and through the Hyperreal Film Club, where she is also a programmer. · @emilybasma
J. Manzo is a filmmaker and educator dedicated to authentic creative expression through cinema. He holds a BA in Media Arts and has worked as a director, cinematographer, and colorist. For half a decade, Manzo served as a teaching artist while simultaneously writing, directing, shooting, and producing numerous short films. His work has garnered several awards and professional accolades. He is currently an MFA candidate at UT Austin. · @ppcmanzo · jcmanzo.com
MJ Johnston is an Austin-based director of photography and producer who spent two decades working across narrative features, documentaries, and reality television, a range that shaped both their eye and their instincts. That breadth eventually led to founding Salt Production, where the work shifted from executing other people's visions to building their own. They're currently in production on two feature documentaries, one centered on criminal justice reform, one on traumatic brain injury, while continuing to develop brand films in between. · @mjfilms · saltproduction.com
Free workshops don't happen on their own. Our community keeps them that way. Consider adding a small donation below helps us keep the doors open to everyone in East Austin.
This event take place Cinemaker’s Black Box Studio on August 15, 2026 in East Austin at The Canopy Art Complex from 12-3pm.
FREE WITH RSVP ONLY — SPACES LIMITED
PART OF OUR FREE SUMMER SERIES: SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS
Four August Saturdays in East Austin! To view full series, click here.
Three working cinematographers get honest about the job behind the frame: how they broke in, how the money actually works (day rates, agencies, commercial vs. narrative), and whether you can really sustain a DP career in Austin.
Expect straight answers on burnout, freelance instability, how to get on set, and the mistakes every beginner makes. We'll close with rapid-fire advice you can actually use. Panel conversation plus audience Q&A.
Featuring:
Emily Basma is a narrative, commercial, and music video cinematographer and camera assistant. Her deep love of cinema drew her to the craft, and her desire to harness light kept her there. At a young age, films such as Suspiria and Daughters of the Dust inspired her to treat her shot designs like visual poetry and her camera movements like dance steps. Emily's preferred medium is film for its tactile workflow, rich history, and because, sometimes, it has a mind of its own. Her work has been showcased at multiple film festivals, including Tribeca, SXSW, and Miami Film Festival, as well as locally in Austin at The Paramount and through the Hyperreal Film Club, where she is also a programmer. · @emilybasma
J. Manzo is a filmmaker and educator dedicated to authentic creative expression through cinema. He holds a BA in Media Arts and has worked as a director, cinematographer, and colorist. For half a decade, Manzo served as a teaching artist while simultaneously writing, directing, shooting, and producing numerous short films. His work has garnered several awards and professional accolades. He is currently an MFA candidate at UT Austin. · @ppcmanzo · jcmanzo.com
MJ Johnston is an Austin-based director of photography and producer who spent two decades working across narrative features, documentaries, and reality television, a range that shaped both their eye and their instincts. That breadth eventually led to founding Salt Production, where the work shifted from executing other people's visions to building their own. They're currently in production on two feature documentaries, one centered on criminal justice reform, one on traumatic brain injury, while continuing to develop brand films in between. · @mjfilms · saltproduction.com
Free workshops don't happen on their own. Our community keeps them that way. Consider adding a small donation below helps us keep the doors open to everyone in East Austin.
This event take place Cinemaker’s Black Box Studio on August 15, 2026 in East Austin at The Canopy Art Complex from 12-3pm.
FREE WITH RSVP ONLY — SPACES LIMITED
