Lasmar’s wife Silvia Faraco (an artist and filmmaker in her own right [director of Ecdise]) unwittingly brought him to the project. Jean Paulo states, “My wife was a volunteer at Junior Blind of America, teaching kids with disabilities how to express themselves through painting and sculpture. The amazing stories she told made me interested in their world. One day, I was told by my wife that the school needed someone to take photographs of their event the Junior Blind Olympics. I wanted to be a volunteer and help non-profit institutions like Junior Blind of America. When I spoke to Mrs. Lois Booth (Senior Director of School Aged Services at Junior Blind of America), she asked me if I could shoot something with video instead. During the filming, I was able to capture the atmosphere of the event and many of the athletes. It was a very inspiring situation. I caught myself many times with watery eyes as I witnessed these blind and multi-disable athletes achieve great things.”
“I’ve never made films to win awards. I make them because I believe in the power of cinema and storytelling. I think they can heal, change, transform, and make a world that is better; one which respects diversity and is more equal in terms of opportunities. A safe and healthy place. I make them for a reason, to do something good to someone. I’m fortunate that I love my job and have a career that makes me proud. There are many more films that I want to do. The awards will always be a result of hard work, dedication, passion, and focus, but are never the motivation in making them.” These are the words of the celebrated director of photography (DP) & producer Jean Paulo Lasmar of Brazil. Whether as the driving force behind his own films (such as O Condominio, Um Pé De Chinelo, and most recent Thunderstorm) or as a valued collaborator on productions like: Looking at the Stars and Mosquito: The Bite of Passage, his films have been recognized and screened in Hollywood, Brazil, Italy, Spain, France, Munich, Hong Kong, and virtually every film capitol in the world. The film community is a culture that not only produces entertainment on a global scale but they heed each other’s work on the same massive level. Lasmar is recognized as a progressive contributor to the group. As a filmmaker and artists, Jean Paulo acknowledges the opportunities that his talent provides for him. In addition, he is aware of what his abilities can allow him to do for others. This is what led him to conceive of, and create his film for the Junior Blind Olympics. Artists can choose to use their chosen medium to make themselves feel above society or to create the conversations in society that are in need of being brought to light. Lasmar’s wife Silvia Faraco (an artist and filmmaker in her own right [director of Ecdise]) unwittingly brought him to the project. Jean Paulo states, “My wife was a volunteer at Junior Blind of America, teaching kids with disabilities how to express themselves through painting and sculpture. The amazing stories she told made me interested in their world. One day, I was told by my wife that the school needed someone to take photographs of their event the Junior Blind Olympics. I wanted to be a volunteer and help non-profit institutions like Junior Blind of America. When I spoke to Mrs. Lois Booth (Senior Director of School Aged Services at Junior Blind of America), she asked me if I could shoot something with video instead. During the filming, I was able to capture the atmosphere of the event and many of the athletes. It was a very inspiring situation. I caught myself many times with watery eyes as I witnessed these blind and multi-disable athletes achieve great things.” For Lasmar’s film about the Junior Blind Olympics, he served as director, director of photography, & editor. The production depicts this day of rigorous competition for the blind, visually impaired, and multi-disable athletes who become champions for life. The documentary film produced for Junior Blind of America (a non-profit that helps children, youth, and adults reach their greatest potential) was the winner of an Honorable Mention (Category Wonderful Films) at the 2015 My Hero International Film Festival. Because of the altruistic nature of his involvement, the production was vastly different than the large and well equipped crews with which Lasmar is so often surrounded. No budget meant Jean Paulo would shoot using natural light in HD, alone and using his Canon 5D Mark II, lenses, tripod, and a boom microphone. Lasmar is known for his tendency to simplify things no matter what scope of the project is, which served him well in this situation. His goal is always about telling a good story with the camera; capturing images that will support the story, framing it in the most effective way to convey the emotions of the characters, and making good use of the light. The basics of filmmaking become essential in a production such as this. It took every bit of his creativity and skill to utilize one camera to create compelling scenes that rival what many productions capture with an array of different cameras and effects. As is so often the result for those who attempt to serve in a situation such as this, they are compensated with their spirit becoming elevated. Jean Paulo Lasmar confirms this much with his statement, “In this film, I focused on capturing the event and the heart of what the institution does. I didn’t want to interfere with the athletes, their moments of concentration, or affect the order of their world. These children are very aware and they know when you are close to them. They react to it. That being said, I tried to capture the action as close as I could with long lenses. There is a very palpable reality at this event, one which I am trying to communicate with the cinematic reality; the one that I am framing and capturing to tell a story. During the filming, I was so close to their emotions that I could feel their senses as they ran to the finish line, as they shot an arrow, climbed to the top, or learned how to perform a different sport. Their faces, their smiles, the excitement of everyone involved really affected me…it was so inspirational! There were moments when I cried, laughed, rooted, and felt for them. To me they are all winners. I’ve never seen anything like that before. More than any sport or event I’ve witnessed, it translated the greatness of the human spirit.”
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Dear Jean Paulo we are so proud of you , you have so many talent I wish we lived little closer so we can see Gabriel and both of you and specially when your familycome i miss everybody, our cousin Alex called xmas he was in Lavras with his new wife julina he said all the family ok is your parents still with you , tell them i love them Nohade
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