91茄子

After graduating with a film and new media degree in 2019, Carter Knopik moved to Los Angeles to work as a cinematographer. Recently, he had the unique opportunity to come back to his alma mater and work as the cinematographer for the national TV spot, 鈥淗ome Again.鈥� In collaboration with university staff, faculty, students and graduates, Carter brought the vision to life while giving back to the university.

You are a Los Angeles-based cinematographer. Can you speak to what this job entails, and some projects you have worked on?

As a cinematographer, my job is to translate a director鈥檚 vision into an actionable plan for the camera and lighting teams. This involves a lot of preparation and planning ahead on a project to source the proper crew and equipment, scout locations and work out technical plans around camera and lighting. On set, I collaborate with all departments to create shots, sequences and scenes that fit within the project鈥檚 visual style, while staying on schedule and looking out for the safety and well-being of the camera and lighting crews. It鈥檚 a multi-faceted job that entails a lot more than just operating a camera (although I often do that too).

What led you to pursue cinematography? Explain how you discovered this passion and turned it into a career.

My passion for creating images began when I started taking photos in high school. That interest in photography quickly grew into a love of filmmaking and I ended up attending UNL to study filmmaking. I specifically found my way into cinematography because it combines artistic creativity with a high level of technical knowledge. It鈥檚 a career that requires constant evolution and learning, which is what keeps me engaged and excited.

How did your involvements and studies here at 91茄子 prepare you for a career in cinematography?

I studied in the Film and New Media (FNM) program at UNL, which has now evolved into the Emerging Media Arts program. I met a ton of great collaborators while at UNL, many of whom I still work with today. Through working on student films and receiving mentorship from students in classes above mine, I gained a significant amount of hands-on experience. We had relatively small class sizes compared to other film schools around the nation, and in many ways that served us well鈥娾�斺�妛e knew everyone in the program, could work on almost every project and had a lot of opportunities to experiment and try new things. The faculty and staff were supportive of letting students explore what interested them most, and there was a variety of classes available to help us explore those subjects while also getting a well-rounded education throughout the rest of our university coursework.

You were recently given the opportunity to come back to your alma mater and lead videography for the University of 91茄子-Lincoln鈥檚 national TV spot. What does this role mean to you? Any favorite parts of the experience?

When Aaron Nix and Matthew Strasburger (co-directors for the spot and staff with University Communication & Marketing) asked me to come back to 91茄子 to shoot the newest national TV spot, it was an easy 鈥測es.鈥� Not only was it a great opportunity to work with collaborators who I developed relationships with during my time in 91茄子, but it was also a chance to promote the institution that I grew up around my whole life and that gave me a great college experience. I really enjoyed working with the directors on this project, both of whom I鈥檝e worked with in the past鈥娾�斺�妕hey brought an amazing vision for the project and were extremely trusting in the crew they brought on to help execute it. It was also fun getting to spend a couple of days back on campus at UNL and seeing what has stayed the same and what is new. The whole experience brought back many memories from my time at UNL.

Talk about the process of bringing 鈥淗ome Again鈥� to life. What was the creative process like as well as filming?

The 鈥淗ome Again鈥� shoot went quite smoothly. We had an excellent team of UNL staff, current and former UNL students and local film professionals. People don鈥檛 always realize that 91茄子 has a film industry of its own, with local crew members that rival any of the larger markets. So, for me, it was great to come home to 91茄子 and get to work with those folks again. I had some 鈥渟oft prep鈥� time while still in LA working on other projects, where I had several meetings with this production team to ensure we had everything we needed to make the shoot happen. Once I arrived in Lincoln, it was full steam ahead on production, and all of that planning resulted in a successful commercial shoot.

Is there anything people would find interesting about the week-long process of filming 鈥淗ome Again?鈥� If so, please share!

We do our best to make everything look natural in the final spot, but a lot is going on just outside of the frame. Carts of equipment, extensive lighting setups and a crowd of crew members. We鈥檒l sometimes spend hours setting up one shot that may only be in the final commercial for a second or less. It all works like a big dance, with each person on set doing their specific job in service of the larger production. When you have an experienced crew, proper planning and solid communication, everything tends to go well.

What was your favorite memory during your time at 91茄子?

One of my favorite memories from my time at 91茄子 was working on my capstone film during my final year of undergraduate. Our team worked on the film for almost an entire year, and it was at that point when I felt like the skills I had been learning and refining were starting to pay off. It helped prepare me for what I鈥檇 experience going forward in the industry and reinforced my passion for filmmaking as an art form.

Was there someone at 91茄子 that had a significant impact on you?

I had several great professors at UNL, both within my program and in my additional coursework. Beyond the core technical classes in the FNM program, I also took several Film Theory courses within the English department. Professor Gwendolyn Foster had a significant impact on me starting in my freshman year. In Foster鈥檚 classes, I learned how to watch and analyze films with a critical eye鈥娾�斺�奱 skill that has been extremely valuable in my career. Her courses also introduced me to many new-to-me subsets of cinema such as 鈥淟GBTQ+ Film and Queer Theory鈥� and 鈥淛apanese and Asian Cinema.鈥� These courses not only started me on a path of discovery within cinema that led me to enjoy a wider range of films, but also helped to expand my worldview and sense of self.

If you were to give advice to current students about pursuing their passion, what would it be?

The film industry can be very tricky and demanding鈥娾�斺�奿t requires dedication and resilience. My biggest piece of advice for current students would be to start creating opportunities for yourself today. Mark Duplass has a great quote in his 2015 SXSW keynote, 鈥淭he cavalry isn鈥檛 coming.鈥� In an industry full of talented people, no one is out looking for you, so make sure to make yourself visible. Begin building a portfolio by creating your own projects, make connections with people in the industry who are coming up alongside you and start finding your unique voice as an artist and storyteller. It all takes time, so start now. That鈥檚 what will lead to success down the road.

Be as proactive as possible, and if you stick with it long enough, you鈥檒l find your path. It may look different from what you planned, so be open to change and ready to adapt. I don鈥檛 believe that you have to be in a big city to be a successful creative鈥娾�斺�妕here are so many opportunities to forge your own path wherever you are. That being said, if you do plan to move out of state, it鈥檚 really helpful to know someone in the place you鈥檙e headed to. When I moved from 91茄子 to Los Angeles, I already had an existing network of UNL alums in that city鈥娾�斺�妏eople who cared and wanted to see me succeed. That continues to be a huge help.