Miguel de la Cruz(I)
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
Miguel De la Cruz is a Mexican cinematographer born in Mexico City.
Starting in 2012, he began working in short films, documentaries, commercials and video clips as a director of photography for different production companies. He also worked in successful and award-winning campaigns for brands like Nike (in 2012) in Mexico, and for Volkswagen (in 2012) in Cannes Lions.
In 2014, he was the cinematographer for all 12 episodes of the American series "Fairy Godmother", produced by Michael Mendelsohn, whose credits include: "The Matrix", "Fight Club" and "Sleepy Hollow". The show was directed by Biel Fuster, created by Daniel Delevin and starred Terrence Howard, an Oscar-nominated actor for the film "Hustle and Flow" (2006).
Since 2011 he has photographed and produced several short films, television pilots and a commercial television series with writer and director Javier Solórzano Casarin and producer Camila Fernández. They did the short film "Playing Grown Up" (2012). Winner of the Gold Award for Best Short Film at the International Independent Film Awards in Los Angeles; the Silver Remi Award at the Houston International Film Festival; Best narrative short film at the Harlem International Film Festival in New York and it was in the Official Selection at the Brownfish Short Film Festival in New York City and the Shortz Film Festival in Chico, California. In 2016, he photographed and produced the short film "Between Us", Official selection at the Austin Film Festival and Official selection at the Blow Up International Arthouse Film Festival in Chicago.
In 2018, after working on all these projects with Camila and Javier, they decided to found their own production company called CineMagia in Mexico.
CineMagia's first official project was the suspense and dramatic series "Guardia-García" (2018), produced for the famed Mexican public television network, Canal Once. Miguel was the cinematographer for the entire first season (in its one single unit), and was one of its several producers.
Since the age of 19 he has been in contact with the visual arts, working in the print shop of a close family member, illustrating comic books of massive circulation throughout the country, and in the process of photo mechanics, which was common practice before the digital era. He decided to study graphic design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and focus on visual arts and still photography. He worked as Art Director and Creative Director in some of the most important international advertising agencies in Mexico for twelve years; involved in large film productions for important commercial brands.
In 2007 he decided to retire from advertising and study cinematography in the United States.
He studies at The Work Shops in Rockport, Maine and NYU, studying under the tutelage of Jim Plannette, one of the most important gaffers in Hollywood. Plannette worked in big commercial films such as "The Artist", "Traffic", "Magnolia", "Braveheart", "The Fisher King" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial". He also studied under cinematographer Mark Raker who has received the Teaching Excellence Award at NYU for several years.
In 2009 and 2010 he worked as an assistant camera and camera operator for several Mexican and foreign cinematographers. They were his teachers and mentors in lighting design and creating the film look for great and ambitious projects.
Since 2010 he has been working as a camera operator and cinematographer for the 2nd unit (in some of them), in different television projects, such as: "Capadoccia" (2010) premium series made for HBO in Latin America; the fantasy series titled, "Había Una Vez" (2016) and for the Netflix series, "Ingobernable" in both the first and second seasons, produced back in 2016 and 2017.
Starting in 2012, he began working in short films, documentaries, commercials and video clips as a director of photography for different production companies. He also worked in successful and award-winning campaigns for brands like Nike (in 2012) in Mexico, and for Volkswagen (in 2012) in Cannes Lions.
In 2014, he was the cinematographer for all 12 episodes of the American series "Fairy Godmother", produced by Michael Mendelsohn, whose credits include: "The Matrix", "Fight Club" and "Sleepy Hollow". The show was directed by Biel Fuster, created by Daniel Delevin and starred Terrence Howard, an Oscar-nominated actor for the film "Hustle and Flow" (2006).
Since 2011 he has photographed and produced several short films, television pilots and a commercial television series with writer and director Javier Solórzano Casarin and producer Camila Fernández. They did the short film "Playing Grown Up" (2012). Winner of the Gold Award for Best Short Film at the International Independent Film Awards in Los Angeles; the Silver Remi Award at the Houston International Film Festival; Best narrative short film at the Harlem International Film Festival in New York and it was in the Official Selection at the Brownfish Short Film Festival in New York City and the Shortz Film Festival in Chico, California. In 2016, he photographed and produced the short film "Between Us", Official selection at the Austin Film Festival and Official selection at the Blow Up International Arthouse Film Festival in Chicago.
In 2018, after working on all these projects with Camila and Javier, they decided to found their own production company called CineMagia in Mexico.
CineMagia's first official project was the suspense and dramatic series "Guardia-García" (2018), produced for the famed Mexican public television network, Canal Once. Miguel was the cinematographer for the entire first season (in its one single unit), and was one of its several producers.
Since the age of 19 he has been in contact with the visual arts, working in the print shop of a close family member, illustrating comic books of massive circulation throughout the country, and in the process of photo mechanics, which was common practice before the digital era. He decided to study graphic design at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and focus on visual arts and still photography. He worked as Art Director and Creative Director in some of the most important international advertising agencies in Mexico for twelve years; involved in large film productions for important commercial brands.
In 2007 he decided to retire from advertising and study cinematography in the United States.
He studies at The Work Shops in Rockport, Maine and NYU, studying under the tutelage of Jim Plannette, one of the most important gaffers in Hollywood. Plannette worked in big commercial films such as "The Artist", "Traffic", "Magnolia", "Braveheart", "The Fisher King" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial". He also studied under cinematographer Mark Raker who has received the Teaching Excellence Award at NYU for several years.
In 2009 and 2010 he worked as an assistant camera and camera operator for several Mexican and foreign cinematographers. They were his teachers and mentors in lighting design and creating the film look for great and ambitious projects.
Since 2010 he has been working as a camera operator and cinematographer for the 2nd unit (in some of them), in different television projects, such as: "Capadoccia" (2010) premium series made for HBO in Latin America; the fantasy series titled, "Había Una Vez" (2016) and for the Netflix series, "Ingobernable" in both the first and second seasons, produced back in 2016 and 2017.