As one of the first Ambassadors we brought on for One Day in SF, Vanessa will be working on capturing stories about housing, displacement, and the gentrification and change of neighborhoods and communities on April 26th. Please welcome and get to know a little about Vanessa Carr.
The City of No Illusions from Vanessa Carr on Vimeo.
Who are you and what is your profession?
I'm a documentary cinematographer and have lived in San Francisco for almost a decade.
Can you tell us a little about your background and upbringing?
I grew up in a suburb of Boston where people are obsessed with revolutionary war re-enactments. My mom was a feminist and an activist and she's informed a lot of my worldview today.
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I've been in love with documentary films since I was about 12 but never imagined filmmaking could be a viable career path. (I'm still not sure it is.) Instead, I worked in law firms and non profits, took journalism classes at City College, and eventually enrolled at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, intending to pursue magazine writing. While I was there, I fell in love with being behind the camera and have been working as a full-time shooter since.
Who or what do you most admire?
I admire people who stay committed to creativity and social impact in the face of many challenges.
What do you love about SF?
I love the incredibly strong sense of community I have found here, including a pretty robust documentary community. I also love that I can bike some of the most beautiful coastline in America 12 months out of the year.
What do you fear most for SF?
I fear that San Francisco will be a place where only rich people can afford to live. I have trouble seeing my own future here.
What do you hope for SF in the next 20 years?
I hope that San Francisco will find a way for people of many backgrounds and income levels to be able to afford and build a good life, and that it will stay weird.
