Manylumens
A still photo of a man wearing a red beanie hat, leaning against a bright green staircase, looking up at something off screen.

Season 3: Episode 5

Michael “Cambio” Fernandez

Michael "Cambio" Fernandez

MAY 17, 2023

Maori chats with cinematographer Michael "Cambio" Fernandez. Cambio's credits as a DP include the award-winning projects The Burial of Kojo, directed by Blitz Bazawule; Beyoncé's Black Is King; Walter Thompson-Hernandez's If I Go Will They Miss Me; and most recently, Sing J. Lee's The Accidental Getaway Driver. In this episode Cambio talks about his non-traditional path to working in film, how his spirituality is reflected on set, and what he learned touring with an indie hip-hop collective in the early aughts.
A headshot of Michael Cambio Fernandez, he is wearing a white shirt and a black beanie. He is posed in front of a seafoam green tapestry with yellow and orange flowers.

Michael Cambio Fernandez is from California’s Delta, a rural and agricultural area in the heart of the Central Valley. His love for storytelling and filmmaking began while watching movies with his mother and 5 brothers. Coming from a place where the spiritual and profane intersect, Cambios experience growing up taught him to see the magic in simplicity and the working class.

 

Taking a non-traditional route, Cambio carries a Masters degree in History and served 10 years as a High School Teacher in Northern California. Its during that time he began focusing on his love for filmmaking, community and Cinematography.

 

While simultaneously teaching, Cambio had his first breakout Film “The Burial Of Kojo” directed by Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King, The Color Purple Musical) which was acquired by Ava DuVernay’s Array Now with distribution on Netflix.

 

After its release Cambio was signed to Iconic Talent Agency in 2019 where he has since shot various commercials, music videos and films around the world. He earned his Union Card as a Director of Photography for Local 600 Hollywood, and was recognized by the ASC and its membership as a rising star in 2022.

← Back to Many Lumens

RELATED

A graphic with a headshot photo of Meg Onli. They have a light skin-tone. The sides of their head are shaven and they have long locs tied up into a bun. They are wearing a mutli-patterned button down shirt. Beneath is text that says "Season 3: Episode 4." Above is the Many Lumens logo.
(Season 3)

Meg Onli

Maori talks with LA-based curator and writer Meg Onli, whose work attends to the intricacies of race and the production of space. She is the co-curator of the 2024 Whitney Biennial, previously served as the director and curator of the now-shuttered The Underground Museum in Los Angeles, and was prior to that the Associate Curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. Meg tells Maori about growing up in LA, what exhibits transformed her, the curators that inspire her, and what pop culture she turns to at the end of a long day.
Learn More
A graphic with a headshot photo of D'Lo. He is a queer Tamil-Sri Lankian-American person. He is wearing a hat, a blue blazer, and a red shirt. He has a smirk on his face. Beneath is text that says "Season 3: Episode 3." Above is text that says "Many Lumens".
(Season 3)

D’Lo

In this episode, Maori talks with her friend, D’Lo, a Tamil-Sri Lankan-American actor and writer who uses humor to discuss family, gender, and sexuality. Beyond his stand-up and multi-character solo shows, D’Lo has appeared on popular TV shows like Looking, Mr. Robot, Sense 8, and the new Quantum Leap. Most recently, he appeared in the feature film Bros. D’Lo shares how being trans was his first training in performance, how 1990s hip hop taught him to be outspoken, and why we should talk about what beautiful masculinity can look like.
Learn More
A graphic with a headshot photo of Cherien Dabis. She is a Palestinian woman, she has long black hair, and is looking directly at the camera. There is text beneath with her name, and text about with the Many Lumens logo.
(Season 3)

Cherien Dabis

In this episode, Maori talks with critically-acclaimed director, writer, and actor Cherien Dabis. Cherien is known for directing episodes of Only Murders In the Building, Ozark, and Ramy. In addition to her work in television, Cherien has had a prolific career as an independent filmmaker with her films May in Summer and her groundbreaking 2009 debut feature, Amreeka, which depicted the life of a Palestinian single mother in small-town Indiana. In their discussion, Cherien talks about her directing style, what she learned from the actors she has worked with, and how her experiences as the child of immigrants and an Arab woman lends a much-needed perspective to American popular media.
Learn More
A graphic with a photo of Sterlin Harjo. He is an Indigenous man. He is standing outside, he is wearing a cap and glasses. He is smiling. On the graphic it says "Many Lumens. Season 3: Episode 1. Sterlin Harjo."
(Season 3)

Sterlin Harjo

Maori talks with filmmaker Sterlin Harjo, the brilliant co-creator and showrunner of FX’s breakout hit Reservation Dogs. Filmed in this home state of Oklahoma, the sitcom follows the lives of four Native teenagers living on a reservation who are on a mission to head to California while dealing with the death of their friend. He is also the director of the short films Goodnight, Irene (2005) and Four Sheets to the Wind (2007), which premiered at Sundance. Maori and Sterlin discuss working in Oklahoma, how he runs his sets, and which “Rez Dog” character he most identifies with.
Learn More
About
FestivalPrograms
FestivalPrograms
SupportShop
InstagramFacebookYoutube
SIGN UP FOR BLACKSTAR NEWS,
OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
ContactPressPrivacy PolicyAccessibility
C 2026 Blackstar