1. What/who inspired you as a child/teenager to pursue the creative industry?
I always nagged my father for a camera since I was a pre-teen, when I was fourteen I got my first DSLR and since then I took thousands of photos of every moving thing and made YouTube videos of myself doing all kinds of challenges. I played around and figured it all out as I went. When I was in 11th grade I knew that this was what I wanted to do, and the rest is pretty much history. I recently found out my late grandfather was a photographer, so I’m pretty sure my longing to document is in my blood.
2. You are a wedding videographer, what would you say is the most challenging part about capturing wedding days?
It’s only challenging when you wear the wrong shoes and don’t dress for the weather. After your 50th wedding you know how to handle quite literally every situation with grace, but when you are freezing cold or boiling hot with aching feet because you wore brogues instead of sneakers, ag shame, rest in peace my darling.
3. What do you do when you face a creative block?
I have yet to figure this one out. I struggle with this often. I’m also the queen of procrastination – those two together are a rather lethal combo. Some weeks go by where I did maybe 6 hours of work, the next week all I do is work. I just try and not beat myself up about it.
4. You recently started making Instagram videos, showing your love for thrifting, why thrift?
I started thrifting when I was in high school already. Mostly because I had no money for the clothes I wanted and I really loved fashion. Thrifting gave me access to things I couldn’t normally afford with my nearly non-existing clothing budget. I always say I only spend money on shoes and suit pants, the rest I can thrift. At this point about 95% of my wardrobe consists of second-hand clothing. I even briefly had an online second-hand shop when I was 19, but I quickly realized it was way too much work for way too little money – so that didn’t last too long, shame.
5. What is the key elements that make a photograph/video memorable?
I consider my style very documentary so I love the REAL. I love tears and raw moments, not this “okay now look at the camera and smile” nonsense. Good lighting is also key – soft moody light just tells a much better story than an overexposed image.
6. You also love cooking, If you could cook for three of your heroes who would it be and what would you cook?
I’d love to host Nataniël, Heather Mc Mahan and Iris Apfel .
-I’d make them focaccia or a beautiful cheese platter for chats on my stoep, then a simple alfredo pasta, with LOADS of parmesan and desert will be Woolies triple caramel roomys with a lekker Malva poering.
7. After a hard days work as a creator, what do you do to relax ?
Yoh, I actually relax a little too much to be honest. I love to be lazy and do nothing. Watching Tiktoks for hours on end is my current fave.
8. Is there any other creative fields that you would love to pursue?
I always say that creatives should never limit themselves to just one thing, most people are multitalented. Quite literally every career has an expiry date – I firmly believe you shouldn’t have to stick with one thing your entire life.
Based on that I decided that I’m giving myself roughly 10 years per career. Next up will be something in entertainment and maybe something fashion related.
After that I would love to be a chef.
After that I’d love to be retired and relêks for the rest of my days.
9. Any artist’s that inspire you at the moment & why?
Michael Shellis – he always makes Instagram stories while he’s creating his semi-abstract bodies of work and I am utterly obsessed- it’s like he just allows his hands to move in which ever way and in that he creates magic. It’s completely different to how I work so I think that’s why I find it so refreshing.
10. What would I find inside your Equipment bag on the day of filming a wedding?
Lots of snacks
An energy shot that expired in 2018
Bubblegum
A butter knife to unscrew my mounts
My drone when the weather is well behaved
My Sony A7 III and Sony Sonnar 55mm lens
My backup Canon camera (which I won’t even name because it’s rather pathetic)
My Zoom H6 Microphone
LOADS OF BLEDDIE CABLES
And my Ronin-SC stabilizer
11. What is your favorite restaurant/coffee shop in your hometown?
I’m from Paarl, so I’d probably say La Paris bistro – lekker vibe and fabulous food!
12. Where can readers follow you to keep up?
Instagram is currently the best :@alettafrancina for my personal acc & @alettafrancina_film for work and @stoepsessies for portraits.
Bren
B R E N 