We recently connected with Dalton Pope and have shared our conversation below.
Dalton, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Having optimism is an important aspect in my life. As a filmmaker and husband, optimism is what helps me to stay strong and true to who I am. My grandfather always had a way of finding positivity in any situation, which made me look up to him more. I feel that learning this trait has allowed me to overcome many of life’s obstacles while staying true to myself.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Dalton Pope and I am a filmmaker based in Richmond, Virginia. I run a company called Cinemagine Studios, where we bring your cinematic imaginations to life through film. I have always had a passion for storytelling, whether it was with my friends in our backyard or being on set with A-List celebrities. Film is such an amazing job where you can play make believe and get paid doing it. I focus on cinematography; where the camera and lighting play a crucial role in the storytelling process. Currently, I am a Director of Photography for a non-profit called Next Generation Storytellers, where we bring Hollywood professionals to hometown high schools and gift kids the ability to write and direct their own movies that maybe do not have the funds or resources to do on their own. It is such an honor to work with the future generation to bring their imaginations to life and give them the opportunity that they could never have dreamed possible!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
It is truly hard to narrow down three skills that were impactful in my journey as a filmmaker because each new project will test your limits in different ways. But if I had to narrow it down to three things that made the most impact, I would choose adaptability, persistence, and passion. These qualities allow me to tackle any situation that is laid in front of me and to complete the task to the best of my ability. While these three qualities are important to me, it may be drastically different depending on who you ask. For those who are traversing on the same path; look to the stars, don’t let anyone get you down, and never stop making. Whether it is painting, movies, music, or anything in between, only you have the power to make your path. But while you build your path, make it wide, for you never know who may be behind you or beside you in your journey.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
As a filmmaker, you are met with many challenges that test your limits as an individual and as an artist. Much like exercise, it is important to maintain your skill set in order to get better. Participating in small short film competitions, writing my own films, and researching every behind-the-scenes feature of popular movies are just a few things I do to keep my brain sharp and learn something now to take with me to my next film. Much like any art form, you will get out of it as much as you put in, and each morning I wake up I give my all to be the best filmmaker I can possibly be. If you are ever thinking about just going out and filming something, what is stopping you? It can only help your cause. Don’t be afraid to fail because no one has ever gotten it right their first time!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cinemaginestudios.video
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567119863603
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