Artist Spotlight - Carissa Dorson

Throughout the years we’ve met incredible people within the dance film community. We have decided to do an interview series to spotlight these individuals!

Carissa Dorson is a Director and Cinematographer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Carissa’s film “Alive” was an official selection of our 2020 film fest.

What inspires you as an artist?

I am inspired by vulnerability in art. I always gravitate toward stories that are small and introspective, that explore the quirks and flaws of being human. A lot of humor can be found in that exploration as well! Ultimately, I make art to learn about myself, and I feel compelled to share my discoveries with others. When people relate to my experience, that makes everything worth it.

What draws you to dance filmmaking?

Dance is such a visual art, so naturally, I gravitated to it as a cinematographer. Early on in my filmmaking career, I was inspired by dance films and music videos because they were able to express emotions in ways that couldn't be expressed with words. Laura Marling's "When Brave Bird Saved," was a big inspiration in making my "Alive" dance film. Music was also a big part of my life growing up, so I found it easy to move to music with a camera and feel like a dancer even though I don't have a dance background.

How does the location play a role in your films?

Finding a great location is huge for me. I like it when the location and lighting feel like another character in the piece. It helps when I'm able to draw inspiration from the existing light in a space, and then I can bring in artificial light to enhance what is already there. For dance films, the dancer should obviously have space to move around, but they can also incorporate set pieces into the dance. I love working with my choreographer, Kasmira Buchanan, to find those opportunities.

You can learn more about Carissa at www.carissadorson.com

Instagram @cldorson

Images provided by Carissa Dorson