1) All handheld work and steadicam?  Film stock you shot on?  (or video, but it looked like film?) 

The film was all shot handheld in Super-8 Kodachrome (reversal stock).

2) Year you graduated from AFI’s Cinematography program?  Where are you originally from and where did you get the idea to go to AFi? You currently live in LA, correct? 

I graduated from AFI in 2001, but I stayed for another extra year finishing the MOS Cinematography project “A Table Is A Table”. A short film I wrote, directed and shot that won the Howard Surtees Award from the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC).

While studying at AFI I went to as many classes from other disciplines as I could, specially directing.

I grew up in Barcelona, Spain and moved to Portland to work on a film with Isabel Coixet as a clapper loader. Then I came down to LA and worked as an camera assistant for a few years until I saved enough money to go back to school. I chose AFI as the best place to reinvent my career and start shooting and directing.

3) How did AFI Program help you make films thereafter and get into film festivals?

I loved the fact that AFI is a conservatory and that you get to learn and grow from your mistakes, that is the deepest learning apart from watching films and reading stories. My other favourite thing while I was in school were attending the seminars by guests and reading at the library past seminars from filmmakers like David Lynch, Terrence Malick, John Schlesinger, Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock.. So many years of seminars, there is a great treasure at the AFI library.

4) What was the process like being the director and the DP? You were the DP/ Camera Operator ? (or did someone else operate) 

When I shoot and direct I miss the collaboration with someone else, I think the Art of Cinematography nurtures from the spark that is created between several artists, most importantly between the director, the cinematographer and the production designer. 

On the other hand, I think it is natural and necessary for a director to master how to tell a story with images. I felt I had to find my voice first on my own.

I shot the film I Want To Be A Pilot just like I wrote the poem, it was very inmediate and had to experience it directly. The minimal crew was the key in order to capture reality in the slums.

5) What inspired you to make this film? What was the situation? Were you currently working for the organization stated at the beginning of the film? 

While working in The Cosntant Gardener as B camera operator I got to directly experience the dramatic situation in the slums of Nairobi. I felt the need to make a film to raise awareness about poverty and the suffering of many children.

6) What fears did you have before going into the film? Before finding a child to act in the film? 

None, it was complete joy, I was enjoying the process. I wasn’t sure where I was going at first. I started doing interviews and research and from there the writing of the poem came naturally, as well as finding the right kid.

7) What filmmakers inspire you? any documentary ones, in particular, as this film has a hybrid feel.

Films by Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Elio Petri, Bela Tarr, Aki Kaurismaki, Akira Kurosawa, Masahiro Shinoda, Lynne Ramsay.

8) Did you run into conflicts with the community, regarding you filming there, in there homeland? 

Everybody was very helpful and supportive. Having being there shooting for a few weeks with The Constant Gardener made things very easy, I knew a lot of people by then, and they were used to me.

While shooting my right hand was Peter, an amazing local who knew all the tribes and made the shoot a dream. All the Chiefs of the tribes knew I was making a film about orphan children so the community supported us.

9) Details: Did you just see a film in the sky and film it, spontaneously and then fit it into the piece later? or is this stock footage? 

If was on the fly, then did you run into other instances of this in the filming? 

The slums of Kibera are very close to Nairobi Airport so planes would fly over us all the time. Everytime I would see a small plane I would shoot it.

10) What projects do we have to look forward to from you? 

My next film will take place in Mexico, that’s all I can say for now. I am still in the writing process. Thank you.