In its February issue, American Cinematographer magazine spotlights New York Film Academy MFA Cinematography grad Egor Povolotskiy.
Egor Povolotskiy Cinematography reel summer 2017 from Egor Povolotskiy on Vimeo.
The magazine is the official publication of the renowned professional society American Society of Cinematographers, which this year made history with its first female cinematographer nominated in their feature film awards category. Featured in American CInematographer’s Rising Stars of Cinematography featurette, Povolotskiy is placed in an issue that also highlights ASC Steve Yedlin of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and this year’s ASC Award winners. In the piece, American Cinematographer describes Povolotskiy’s journey from Russia to the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles campus, where he completed his MFA in Cinematography.
“When I was choosing a school I was really afraid to go overseas, but my wife supported me, saying that everything was going to be how I wanted,” Povolotksiy told the NYFA Blog. “My parents also gave me big support. My DP friends recommended NYFA as a possible school — hands-on and not that expensive. I was choosing between London, Lodze (in Poland), and NYFA, and I choose NYFA in the end.”
Despite his fears of moving to a new country with no contacts and with his family’s blessing, Povolotskiy completed his studies and found that the NYFA community was helpful when it came time for him to forge his professional path in Los Angeles.
American Cinematographer reported that it was a fellow NYFA alum Mariietta Volynska who hired Povolotskiy for his first film job outside of school on the strength of his thesis film. The magazine also mentions his NYFA instructor and mentor Mike Williamson.
“I still have warm feelings about NYFA and mention it where I can,” says Povolotskiy.
Povolotskiy has kept busy, with eight feature films and over 60 shorts under his belt. His short We Are Enemies snagged three wins at the Rochester International and Voya Film Festivals, with four additional nominations.
“Being a DP is not just framing and lighting,” explains Povolotskiy. “A DP is a storyteller, a head of a department, a set runner and problems solver — that’s became a definition of my job now.”