Music Videos, Film, and television, Adam Santelli has worked them all and is a DP of all trades. His music video and film experiences culminated in his most recent project, 13: The Musical, which was recently released on Netflix and is a smash hit. With stars like Debra Messing, Josh Peck, and Rhea Perlman, the film follows a 13-year-old with a grand scheme to make his Bar Mitzvah the coolest party ever.
In working on this film Santelli drew from his experience having previously worked on Descendants 3, directed by award-winning filmmaker Kenny Ortega. Beyond the film industry, Santelli has lensed hundreds of music videos, working with high-profile acts like Snoop Dogg, Marilyn Manson, Selena Gomez, Ludacris, and The Ramones. Keep reading to learn more about this Santelli and his vast and impressive skills!
What do you find to be the most fulfilling or your favorite thing about your job?
I love the mix between the creative and the scientific. You have the creative side where you work with composition, lighting, lenses, and all the things that go into the creative process. Then you have the science aspect of the job. When I started, we played with the manipulation of the film – chemicals, development, exposure, force processing, flashing the film, pinhole cameras, things like that. Now, with digital, we play more in the coloring process. We’re still pushing and twisting the image, I think, even more than in the film days.
13: The Musical has a unique focus on the growing pain of growing up, something we all have gone through. How did your experiences growing up influence your decisions on the elements of filming?
Middle schoolers, have a lot of heart but not a lot of perspective or agency yet, so emotions and challenges feel heightened. I wanted the photography to convey that feeling of heart and importance.
Also – not directly related to the decisions made in the film but when I was growing up, MTV had just come online, and I was glued to it. So much so that I remember my mother giving the old “What are you going to do with your life” line. My young self was obsessed with photographing bands and making little videos. It was everything music. These experiences not only pushed me to a career in music videos but, as an adult, have influenced pretty much everything I have done since – so I really like working on movies that tap into middle schoolers' connection to music and photography & music videos.
Making a movie is a huge collaborative process between numerous creatives. How did you work as a team to successfully create the end product of 13: The Musical?
The collaborative process always starts with the director and how she wants to set up her team. Tamra had an open-door approach. From very early days, she would hold zoom calls, and we would talk in very broad strokes about the film and her vision. Anyone could add on, no matter how crazy. It was a very free and open place to discuss ideas. So we all had a common dialogue when I got to Toronto.
One of the more essential things that a DOP needs to understand when shooting a musical is that so much visual storytelling needs to happen within the musical numbers. There needs to be seamless integration between the photography and the choreography to make sure critical story points are visually highlighted. I had worked with Jamal Sims on a previous film and we had a natural comfort level. Jamal, Tamra, and I would go to the locations, work through the choreography, and plan how we would approach the photography for each number.
13: The Musical is an adaptation of a broadway show. How did you approach a project with this special element of stage-to-screen adaptation?
I watched the musical several times online it’s not a straight adaptation, so really wanted to make sure I understood the heart of the musical and had it as a starting point.
What piece of advice do you have for creatives looking to break into Film/TV as a cinematographer?
Never give up. I know that sounds like a cop-out, but it’s true. I’m a cinematographer because I forced my way in. Whenever a door slammed in my face, I found another way in. Of course, there is much more to it than that – but you need to want this. It is not easy, but when you finally get there and look through the viewfinder and see an actor move through your lighting or fall into the most beautifully composed, it’s a fantastic feeling.
Where can we follow you on social media?
Instagram @adamsantelli
