Marc Spencer Tejada shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Marc Spencer, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Who are you learning from right now?
Having come off a couple of productions that’s been going on and off for a month and half straight, plus traveling in between the work days, I’m in a really big homebody season right now so alot of my lessons are coming from my own reflections of the past year but as for someone I’m learning from; I’ve been really diving deep into podcasts from cinematographers that I look up to. I’ve been on the hunt for every interview from Mika Aberra, Rina Yang, and Olan Collardy. They are such masters at their craft but it’s even more exciting to here how passionately and carefully they speak. I really gravitate to people that have a care for their words and their intentions and that’s exactly what I see in these artists. I love hearing how they hold themselves as people outside of their work and how their experiences shape who they are.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name’s Marc Spencer Tejada, I’m a cinematographer currently residing in the Bay Area. I was born in the Philippines and have moved back and forth between America and the Philippines in my younger years. I take a strong interest in stories that explore the vulnerability of connection so many of the projects that I take on are usually within that scope. It’s only been around a year since I first started freelancing as a cinematographer but it’s been an amazing journey so far and I hope to be able to support more stories in the future.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
It was 1st grade and I was on the blacktop just playing basketball with some friends. It wasn’t really that intense since we were just a bunch of kids trying to shoot the ball but you know, we would guard each other and try to make it difficult for one another. I was guarding my best friend at the time and he was pushing me off and eventually he takes a turn into my face and we both impact one another. That caused a really bad accident. Blood dripping all over the blacktop from my teeth and his forehead. We were both in so much pain and were immediately brought into the nurses office. I mean I look back it now and I laugh because it was just one of those moments when you’re a kid. What I’m trying to say is, shit happens, when you’re having fun, when you’re doing what you can, and when you least expect it.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
There’s this thing called ‘bahay kubo’ in tagalog which means a sort of bamboo house and earlier this year I visited the Philippines after 10+ years and in my parents hometown where they grew up, you would see rice fields across miles of land. My parents had a section with a bahay kubo and I would just sit their all afternoon just feeling the breeze against the sunny pastures. I miss it so much.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I would like to think they would say authenticity. Being an authentic version of yourself or at least being honest to yourself. I think with everything we do, we understand ourselves better than any other person could but sometimes we deal with the outside world swaying our opinions but as long as we can be truthful to where we think our lives should sail towards then that’s the best we can do.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I really hope I’m doing what I was born to do. I’ve been told a couple times I am but you know, I think you have your doubts here and there. I think when I’m on set and I’m chatting with the people around me, it feels right. I love what. I do and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. So I think I am doing what I was born to do. I think with who I am as a person and what I think I can contribute to the world, it lines up well that I’m pursuing cinematography as something long term.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://marcspencertejada.portfoliobox.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tejadamarcs/
Image Credits
Gianpaolo Pabros, Zac Regner, Christina Qian
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