Cris is a cinematographer based in NYC. Born in Costa Rica to a Chilean family of actors and creatives, he was drawn early to the visual arts. After studying at a rigorous photography program at South Miami Senior High, he moved to New York to study photography at Pratt Institute, eventually switching his major to film. Following film school he co-founded and was the Technical Director at the Brooklyn Underground Film Festival (2002-2006), highlighting independent cinema.
After nine years of living and working in Los Angeles as a gaffer (Grey’s Anatomy, The Informers 2008) as well as a lighting technician in the film & television industry, music and corporate videos, he returned to Brooklyn in 2013 to re-join the Brooklyn Underground Film team.
Since returning to New York he has focused on his cinematography career, working on numerous short films for clients like The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, the World Health Organization, ESPN, AARP and most notably An Immortal Man (2014, ESPN 30 for 30 series, premiered at TIFF) and the feature documentary film Voyeur (premiered at 2016 NYFF, Netflix).
In his 15 years of professional experience in film and television, he has learned diverse visual sensibilities as well as professional set practices and protocols. In addition to a high level technical knowledge, Cris brings to set a no-nonsense, adaptable and easy going personality, focusing on the needs of the team and embracing the challenges that will arise with each project. Above all, the collaborative process of filmmaking is what drives him creatively, prioritizing the goals and visual direction set forth with the directors to make the best film possible.