Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carol Colombo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carol, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I believe my resilience began long before I started working in the film industry. From a very young age, I understood that nothing truly meaningful happens without effort, and that if I wanted a life that felt authentically mine, I would have to walk forward with courage, even when the path looked difficult.
When I entered the audiovisual world at 15, working inside some of the largest and most demanding camera rental houses in São Paulo, that understanding became even clearer. I was very young and had to prove every single day that I deserved to be there. I learned discipline, responsibility, precision, and, above all, how not to crumble under pressure. Those early years shaped my character and taught me how to stay calm while everything around me was moving fast.
But it was in my personal life that resilience truly took root. Most of my strength came from my mother. She was my grounding force, the person who taught me how to be strong without losing my sensitivity, how to work hard without losing my humanity, and how to care for the people I love with generosity and presence. When I lost her, it felt like the ground disappeared beneath me, but at the same time, I discovered a strength inside myself that I didn’t know I had.
Today, I keep moving forward also for her. I carry everything she taught me into the way I work, the way I treat people on set, and the way I face challenges. Every accomplishment of mine carries a little piece of her. And every time I choose to continue, even when I’m tired, afraid, or far from home it feels like I’m honoring the love and the values she left within me.
My resilience grew even more when I decided to start over in another country. Arriving in Los Angeles without speaking English, without network, and having to rebuild my career from the ground up required a strength that only existed because life had always prepared me, in some way, not to give up. I learned three languages directly on set, adapted to new standards and cultures, faced uncertainty in both my personal and professional life, and continued anyway.
Today, I understand that resilience is not about being unbreakable. It is about moving forward with dignity even when life pushes you back. It is about falling, learning, standing up again, and keeping your pace. It is about turning pain into purpose and longing into movement.
And that is what guides me now: the discipline I learned in the industry, the courage I gained by changing countries, and the quiet strength I inherited from my mother. It is for her — and for myself — that I continue building each chapter of my story with integrity, passion, and determination.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Today, my professional focus is fully dedicated to cinematography and the camera department. I work as a focus puller, 2nd AC, DIT, and Camera Operator, roles that allow me to combine technique, sensitivity, and precision to help bring a project’s vision to life.
What excites me most about my work is the balance between art and life. I’m passionate about the technical side of image-making: deeply understanding cameras, lenses, sensors, workflows, monitoring, color, and the entire process that takes place long before an image reaches the audience. And organization on set is essential to me. I love adding that feminine touch to the camera cart, keeping everything clean, structured, and ready so the work can flow smoothly.
For a long time, when I was working “only” as a 2nd AC or DIT, I felt like I wasn’t contributing to the artistic part of the process, and that used to frustrate me. But with time and experience, I realized that no set functions without these roles. Even the simplest task is essential. Every focus pull, every lens swap, every workflow decision influences how the story will be felt. Everything is storytelling.
One of the most meaningful parts of my journey is the fact that I started very young, inside the biggest camera rental houses in Brazil. That experience gave me an extremely solid technical foundation, which remains one of my biggest professional strengths. Later, when I decided to move to Los Angeles, I had to rebuild my career from scratch in one of the most competitive film markets in the world. This not only expanded my technical knowledge but allowed me to understand how the industry operates across different cultures, languages, and structures.
Today, I work on a wide range of projects, feature films, short films, documentaries, commercials, international campaigns, and vertical content, always with the same commitment: delivering precision, reliability, and excellence at every step. I’ve also been increasingly involved in more personal and creative narratives, including the development of my own short film, which I am currently writing and creating. It’s a visual and philosophical exploration of memory, trauma, love, and rebirth.
Outside of set life, I am expanding my entrepreneurial side. I am the co-founder of a Brazilian company that produces custom cases for cinema gear, and I’m developing products and personalized solutions for professionals in the industry.
What I want people to know about me and my work is that, beyond all the technical aspects, my main focus is always the pursuit of happiness, building good moments on set with great people, and giving my absolute best in any position to help the project turn out beautifully. I want everyone around me to have a positive experience working with me, even in the natural stress of a film set. My purpose is to collaborate on projects that bring emotion, beauty, and truth to the audience.
I continue studying, evolving, and challenging myself with every job. The industry is constantly changing, and I love keeping up with that evolution through curiosity, dedication, and a deep passion for what I do.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, I believe three things had the biggest impact on my journey: overcoming my shyness, developing resilience, and maintaining discipline.
Losing the fear of speaking up and connecting with people opened many doors for me, while resilience and discipline kept me moving forward even in the most challenging moments.
For those who are just starting out, my advice is simple: practice every day, pay attention to everything around you, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Ask questions, seek knowledge, stay humble to learn and strong enough to keep going. In filmmaking and in life growth comes to those who remain open, dedicated, and willing to improve a little with every project.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was teaching me strength through example. My mother, especially, shaped my character in ways I carry with me every day. She taught me to be resilient without losing my sensitivity, to work hard without losing my humanity, to care for the people around me with generosity and, above all, to trust in God and to follow my dreams, even when the path felt impossible.
Even after losing her, her values remain my compass. Everything I build today is, in some way, a continuation of what she taught me: strength, faith, love, and dignity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/carolinacolombo/projects
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caroliscolombo/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14346807/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Image Credits
Carol Colombo
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