Willie Berrios(I)
- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Willie Berríos, is one of the most experienced and versatile directors of photography in the film and advertising industries in Puerto Rico. From a very early age he discovered his passion for creative work and images. The first steps with cameras and images took place in the photo development room of Luis Ramos, a photojournalist for the newspaper El Nuevo Día, with whom Berríos spent hours while he worked. This outstanding photographer was his inspiration and he transmitted his love for photography and for this profession.
Berríos studied photography and advertising at the University of Puerto Rico. Later, he obtained a bachelor's degree in Communications from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico. Later, he participated in several cinematography seminars and workshops endorsed by the Film Industry in the United States. He also attended one of the specialized courses on the art of cinematography given by director of photography Enrique Chediak, ASC from New York.
The beginnings of his professional career were forged in the camera and lighting departments of the renowned Puerto Rican production company Paradiso Films. One of the most important film and advertising production companies in Puerto Rico. There he met, around the nineties, the director and photographer Jochi Melero, who became his mentor. By collaborating with him on various projects, as well as with other cinematographers, such as Frank Elías, Sonnel Velázquez, Pedro Juan López, Lalo Martínez Solares, Ammir Mokri, David Stockton and the photographer Omar Cruz; Berríos, was acquiring the experiences and developing the technique that have made him one of the most outstanding directors of contemporary photography on the island. Other sources of inspiration and influence include the work of cinematographers Emmanuel Lubezki, Rodrigo Prieto, Christopher Doyle, James Cameron, Gregg Toland, Roger Deakins, and Harris Savides.
Willie Berríos, has forged his career between the world of cinema, the creation of music videos and advertising. He is a cinematographer who stands out for his photographic sensitivity and for his ability to achieve impressive images guided by his creativity, even in the absence of great lighting resources. As a photographer, he is recognized for his excellent knowledge in lighting and technical instruments. With the use of filters and lights, as well as a great intuition to suggest interesting frames, Berríos has become the most important collaborator of many local and international film directors. The aesthetics of his work enjoys a pictorial character, in which light, rhythm, shape and color always stand out. This style has its origin in his sensibility for plastic arts and the study of various works of classical art and contemporary Puerto Rican painting. It could be said that Berríos is a "philosopher of light" or an artist who creates images with light. His cheerful and humble character, and his extreme respect for his peers on and off the set, add to the virtues of this cinematographer. This makes him one of the most beloved and valued cinematography professionals in Puerto Rico.
As director of photography, he has shot 12 feature films. Some are: Thieves and Liars (2006), by Ricardo Méndez Matta (shared cinematography credit with Jaime Costas); The Escape (2010), from Pasadena Films; América (2011), directed by Sonia Fritz for Isla Films and executive directed by Frances Lausell and Edward James Olmos; Hugo, Paco and Luis and the three girls in pink (2012), from Pasadena Films under the direction of Edmundo Rodríguez. El Chata (2017) under the direction of Gustavo Ramos, Amores que matan (2019) under the direction of Benjamín Lopéz, Mix Tape 2019 by the same Director, A Story to Keep You from Sleeping by Kacho Santiago, Pies en la Arena by Gustavo Ramos, the "Lady of las Camelias" by Paloma Suau, "Ginayei" 2021, a series for Disney channel under the direction of Javier Solart, Raúl García, and "Erase una vez en el Caribe" by Ray Figueroa. In addition, he has filmed an infinity of short films, both documentaries and fiction. Some of them are Julia all in me (2004), (shared cinematography credit with Jochi Melero) from Paradiso Films; Isla Chatarra (2006), winner of an Emmy Award, from ROKA Productions for Doc Tv Latin America; White Bear (2007), Tamgram Films Cuba Film Festival Award; and Finding Yourself (2011), from NB&M Atlanta Productions.
In the field of advertising, he has filmed countless pieces for renowned firms such as Rums of PR, Heineken, Coca Cola, Pepsi, AT&T, Stella Artois, Plaza las Américas, American Airlines, P&G, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, Kia Motors, Puerto Rico Tourism, Centennial, Medalla, Coors Light, Budweiser, Corona, Polar Venezuela, Subway, Bacardi, El Vocero, McDonald's, El Nuevo Día, Popular Bank, Doral Mortgage, Puerto Rico Government, California Beef Counseling, Hydrience, Cerveza Presidente, Listin Diario Dominican Republic, Dewar's, HBO Inc., Dominican Republic Tourism, Santander, Palo Viejo, Universal Music, BMG Latino, Sony Music and Machete Music, Pina Records.
In the competitive music industry, he has contributed with his creativity and ingenuity as director of photography in dozens of music videos, which have added to his career the award of obtaining three Latin Grammy awards, among which the most recent productions of the controversial urban music duo Calle 13: Willie Berríos, won recognition at the Grammy Awards for best Latin video with his video recording Calma Pueblo por Calle 13 for Crema Batida Films. Video La perla de Calle 13 together with Rubén Blades and this was filmed under the production of Rojo Chiringa and in it he shares photography credits with his colleague Sonnel Velázquez, video Latin America of Calle 13 Co-production with Peru, video Death in Hawaii Calle 13, video for the 2006 World Cup in Berlin, Germany, video You forgot for Pablo Montero, video Angelito flies by Don Omar (winner of a Latin Grammy Award), El Abayarde, by Tego Calderón, video Pegao for Wisin and Yandel, video Where they will stay , by Christian Daniel, directed by Emilio Estefan, Robi Draco Rosa Concert at the PR Museum of Art and video Sácala, by Wisin y Yandel, for Sangre Nueva Music. (This last video marked a shift in the style of filming for urban music videos in Latin America and gave credibility to the investment of better budgets for the video industry).
In addition, the Association of Professional Relationists awarded with an Excel Award to the documentary 125th Anniversary of the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital, for which Berríos took the photograph. Similarly, the documentary Isla Chatarra, which Berríos worked on together with the filmmaker Karen Rossi, was awarded an Emmy. At the 2017 Short Film Festival of the prestigious Alianza Francesa firm, Berríos collaborates with the filmmaker Ray Figueroa, obtaining the award for best cinematography for the short film "Desagravio". In addition, the Short Film "Nébula", by Kemel Jamis, wins the People's Choice Awards of that edition. Then he collaborates as a cinematographer in Mundo Breve by Yamara Rodríguez and Omar Camilo, a circuit of short films produced for channel 6 of PR, taking one of these shorts "We are going to Paris", to be awarded at the New York Films Fest, as the best short of the Festival, directed by David Norris.
At present, Willie Berríos is developing innovative and challenging projects that challenge what has been created and that, without a doubt, will become a great photographic legacy in the future.
Berríos studied photography and advertising at the University of Puerto Rico. Later, he obtained a bachelor's degree in Communications from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico. Later, he participated in several cinematography seminars and workshops endorsed by the Film Industry in the United States. He also attended one of the specialized courses on the art of cinematography given by director of photography Enrique Chediak, ASC from New York.
The beginnings of his professional career were forged in the camera and lighting departments of the renowned Puerto Rican production company Paradiso Films. One of the most important film and advertising production companies in Puerto Rico. There he met, around the nineties, the director and photographer Jochi Melero, who became his mentor. By collaborating with him on various projects, as well as with other cinematographers, such as Frank Elías, Sonnel Velázquez, Pedro Juan López, Lalo Martínez Solares, Ammir Mokri, David Stockton and the photographer Omar Cruz; Berríos, was acquiring the experiences and developing the technique that have made him one of the most outstanding directors of contemporary photography on the island. Other sources of inspiration and influence include the work of cinematographers Emmanuel Lubezki, Rodrigo Prieto, Christopher Doyle, James Cameron, Gregg Toland, Roger Deakins, and Harris Savides.
Willie Berríos, has forged his career between the world of cinema, the creation of music videos and advertising. He is a cinematographer who stands out for his photographic sensitivity and for his ability to achieve impressive images guided by his creativity, even in the absence of great lighting resources. As a photographer, he is recognized for his excellent knowledge in lighting and technical instruments. With the use of filters and lights, as well as a great intuition to suggest interesting frames, Berríos has become the most important collaborator of many local and international film directors. The aesthetics of his work enjoys a pictorial character, in which light, rhythm, shape and color always stand out. This style has its origin in his sensibility for plastic arts and the study of various works of classical art and contemporary Puerto Rican painting. It could be said that Berríos is a "philosopher of light" or an artist who creates images with light. His cheerful and humble character, and his extreme respect for his peers on and off the set, add to the virtues of this cinematographer. This makes him one of the most beloved and valued cinematography professionals in Puerto Rico.
As director of photography, he has shot 12 feature films. Some are: Thieves and Liars (2006), by Ricardo Méndez Matta (shared cinematography credit with Jaime Costas); The Escape (2010), from Pasadena Films; América (2011), directed by Sonia Fritz for Isla Films and executive directed by Frances Lausell and Edward James Olmos; Hugo, Paco and Luis and the three girls in pink (2012), from Pasadena Films under the direction of Edmundo Rodríguez. El Chata (2017) under the direction of Gustavo Ramos, Amores que matan (2019) under the direction of Benjamín Lopéz, Mix Tape 2019 by the same Director, A Story to Keep You from Sleeping by Kacho Santiago, Pies en la Arena by Gustavo Ramos, the "Lady of las Camelias" by Paloma Suau, "Ginayei" 2021, a series for Disney channel under the direction of Javier Solart, Raúl García, and "Erase una vez en el Caribe" by Ray Figueroa. In addition, he has filmed an infinity of short films, both documentaries and fiction. Some of them are Julia all in me (2004), (shared cinematography credit with Jochi Melero) from Paradiso Films; Isla Chatarra (2006), winner of an Emmy Award, from ROKA Productions for Doc Tv Latin America; White Bear (2007), Tamgram Films Cuba Film Festival Award; and Finding Yourself (2011), from NB&M Atlanta Productions.
In the field of advertising, he has filmed countless pieces for renowned firms such as Rums of PR, Heineken, Coca Cola, Pepsi, AT&T, Stella Artois, Plaza las Américas, American Airlines, P&G, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, Kia Motors, Puerto Rico Tourism, Centennial, Medalla, Coors Light, Budweiser, Corona, Polar Venezuela, Subway, Bacardi, El Vocero, McDonald's, El Nuevo Día, Popular Bank, Doral Mortgage, Puerto Rico Government, California Beef Counseling, Hydrience, Cerveza Presidente, Listin Diario Dominican Republic, Dewar's, HBO Inc., Dominican Republic Tourism, Santander, Palo Viejo, Universal Music, BMG Latino, Sony Music and Machete Music, Pina Records.
In the competitive music industry, he has contributed with his creativity and ingenuity as director of photography in dozens of music videos, which have added to his career the award of obtaining three Latin Grammy awards, among which the most recent productions of the controversial urban music duo Calle 13: Willie Berríos, won recognition at the Grammy Awards for best Latin video with his video recording Calma Pueblo por Calle 13 for Crema Batida Films. Video La perla de Calle 13 together with Rubén Blades and this was filmed under the production of Rojo Chiringa and in it he shares photography credits with his colleague Sonnel Velázquez, video Latin America of Calle 13 Co-production with Peru, video Death in Hawaii Calle 13, video for the 2006 World Cup in Berlin, Germany, video You forgot for Pablo Montero, video Angelito flies by Don Omar (winner of a Latin Grammy Award), El Abayarde, by Tego Calderón, video Pegao for Wisin and Yandel, video Where they will stay , by Christian Daniel, directed by Emilio Estefan, Robi Draco Rosa Concert at the PR Museum of Art and video Sácala, by Wisin y Yandel, for Sangre Nueva Music. (This last video marked a shift in the style of filming for urban music videos in Latin America and gave credibility to the investment of better budgets for the video industry).
In addition, the Association of Professional Relationists awarded with an Excel Award to the documentary 125th Anniversary of the Auxilio Mutuo Hospital, for which Berríos took the photograph. Similarly, the documentary Isla Chatarra, which Berríos worked on together with the filmmaker Karen Rossi, was awarded an Emmy. At the 2017 Short Film Festival of the prestigious Alianza Francesa firm, Berríos collaborates with the filmmaker Ray Figueroa, obtaining the award for best cinematography for the short film "Desagravio". In addition, the Short Film "Nébula", by Kemel Jamis, wins the People's Choice Awards of that edition. Then he collaborates as a cinematographer in Mundo Breve by Yamara Rodríguez and Omar Camilo, a circuit of short films produced for channel 6 of PR, taking one of these shorts "We are going to Paris", to be awarded at the New York Films Fest, as the best short of the Festival, directed by David Norris.
At present, Willie Berríos is developing innovative and challenging projects that challenge what has been created and that, without a doubt, will become a great photographic legacy in the future.