Joe Provenzano
Cinematic Artist | VFX Specialist | Camera Operator
joepro@mac.com | (310) 488-7707 | Los Angeles, CA
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joepro600 | IMDb: Joe Provenzano
Demo Reel: www.joeprodp.com
Professional Summary
Accomplished Unreal Engine cinematics artist specializing in shot design, lighting, character animation and previsualization. Hollywood camera operator and visual effects specialist with 30+ years of experience across 500+ commercials, music videos, feature films, and TV series. Expert in motion-control systems, performance capture, and motion capture with demonstrated leadership in pipeline management and team collaboration. Proven track record working with A-list directors and ASC cinematographers on major studio productions including Warner Brothers, NBC Universal, and Sony Pictures. Certified by Epic Games in Unreal Engine proficiency.
Core Technical Skills
3D Cinematics and Previsualization
- Unreal Engine 5: Previsualization, cinematics, shot design, lighting, animation
- Lidar and cloud-point photogrammetry and 3D mesh mapping
- Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Premier, and Firefly
- Color correction and editing: DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere
- 3D modeling in Blender (UV, material editing, hard-surface, sculpting)
Camera Systems & Operation
- Lead camera operator and camera department manager
- Performance capture and motion capture systems
- VFX compositing and miniatures camera work
- Motion Control: Flair, Kuper, Techno Dolly systems
- Remote head operation and specialty camera rigs
Production Management
- Tech scouting, Pipeline development, and team leadership
- Technical supervision and mentoring in all areas of camera and graphics
- Multi-camera coordination and setup, pre-pro planning, and trouble-shooting
- Shot design for video game cinematics and feature film previsualization
Professional Experience
Cinematic Artist - Unreal Engine
2020 - Present
"Stormgate" (2025 Frost Giant Studios) - Video Game
Game Director Tim Campbell, Lead Cinematic Director - Chris Culp
- Collaborated directly with game director and cinematic director to build stylized camera, animation and lighting design for the campaign cinematics and cut-scenes
- Designed the shot blocking and lighting for pre-rendered cinematics in Unreal Engine 5
- Completed camera movements and sequencer edits, designed and built stylized lighting, designed character and object animations
"Sol - Shogunate" (2025 Chaos Manufacturing) - Video Game
Creative Director - Guy Costantini, Game Director - Leszek Szczepański
- Completely designed and built cinematics for the opening of the game and pitch decks
- Created all animations, shot design, lighting, edits, renders
- Worked directly with the game director, environment artists, and writer to develop and execute the opening cinematics in Unreal Engine
"The Killer" (2024 Universal Pictures / Peacock Original) - Feature Film
Film director - John Woo, Lead Previs Artist - Fulvio Sestito for RealDream Studios
- Completed several previsualizations for action scenes in Unreal Engine 5
- Cleaned up Lidar/point-cloud mesh and rebuilt the environment to real-world scale
- Created and refined action animation sequences using Metahuman control rig over-rides
- Lit the scenes for time-of-day/year/location accuracy
VFX Camera Specialist | Freelance
2018 - Present
"After the Hunt" (2025) - Feature Film
Dir. Luca Guadagnino, VFX cinematographer AJ Raitano
- Led VFX camera operations for A-list Julia Roberts feature, coordinating complex motion-control sequences and ensuring seamless integration with post-production pipeline
- Collaborated directly with director and VFX team to achieve precise camera movements for CGI plate photography
"Suicide Squad" (2021) - Feature Film, Warner Brothers
Dir. James Gunn, DoP Henry Braham
- Executed precision VFX camera work on $185M superhero blockbuster, capturing clean plates and motion-control passes for extensive digital environments
- Maintained strict technical specifications for dozens of VFX shots while meeting aggressive production deadlines
"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019) - Feature Film, Lifeboat Productions
Dir. Quentin Tarantino, VFX cinematographer Tim Angulo
- Operated specialized miniature and VFX camera systems to recreate 1960s Hollywood environments with period-accurate authenticity
- Collaborated with Academy Award-winning VFX team to capture reference photography and motion-control elements for seamless practical/digital integration
"First Man" (2018) - Feature Film
Dir. Damien Chazelle, VFX cinematographer Tim Angulo
- Pioneered innovative camera techniques for space sequences on Academy Award-winning biographical drama
- Operated and supervised motion-control systems for lunar surface miniatures, contributing to film's groundbreaking practical VFX approach
Camera Operator & 2nd Unit DP | Freelance
2006 - Present
"Shooting Stars" (2023) - Feature Film, NBC Universal
Dir. Chris Robinson, DoP Karsten Gopinath
- Managed 15-person camera department and directed 2nd unit cinematography for biographical sports drama
- Coordinated multi-camera setups for complex basketball sequences, delivering coverage that enhanced narrative flow
- Mentored junior camera operators while maintaining production schedule and budget constraints
- Captured intimate performance scenes requiring precise timing and movement coordination with musical playback
- Collaborated with directors to establish visual continuity across multiple time periods and locations
Music Videos - Various Productions
- Directed 2nd unit cinematography for Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" and "Taste" music videos in 2024, achieving 500M+ combined views
- Managed specialized camera movements and lighting setups for high-concept visual sequences
- Lensed and shot 100+ commercial and music video projects - coordinated with A-list creative teams to execute complex technical shots
Cinematographer | Commercial & Branded Content
2005 - Present
Broadcast Television
- KNBC - Morning News & Weather Team Promos: Designed dynamic lighting and camera movements for 12+ promotional segments, increasing viewer engagement metrics by establishing consistent visual brand identity
- Food Network - "TV Everywhere" Campaign: Created multi-platform visual content maintaining brand consistency across digital and broadcast mediums
National Brand Campaigns
- Smoothie King - "Slim 'n Trim" & "Mango": Developed vibrant, health-focused cinematography that increased brand recognition and drove 15% sales increase during campaign period
- Nationwide Bank - "Savings": Crafted warm, trustworthy visual narrative supporting financial services messaging, heavy in VFX compositing
- Folgers Coffee - "Starting Line" 2014 Sochi Olympics: Delivered cinematic commercial spot during prime Olympic advertising, reaching 30M+ viewers with emotionally resonant storytelling
Industrial & Lifestyle Brands
- TroyBilt - "Working Together" & "This is the Moment": Shot authentic, rugged cinematography showcasing product durability and American craftsmanship values
- Coors Light - "Catch the Train": Created dynamic action sequences requiring precise timing and specialized camera rigging for moving train environment
Camera Assistant & Operator | Various Productions
1995 - 2015
Career Development & Technical Excellence
- Progressed from Camera Assistant to Primary Operator across 300+ productions including commercials, music videos, and feature films
- Mastered advanced camera systems and specialized equipment under mentorship of 8 ASC cinematographers
- Developed expertise in motion-control technology, becoming go-to operator for complex technical sequences requiring precision timing
- Maintained zero equipment failures across 20+ years of high-pressure production environments
- Trained and mentored 25+ junior camera assistants, with 18 advancing to operator roles
- Pioneered early adoption of digital camera systems, helping productions transition smoothly from film to digital workflows
- Established camera department protocols still used by major production companies today
Education & Certifications
Continuous Professional Development
- Certifications from Epic Games Unreal Engine training programs including Unreal Engine Fundamentals and Introduction to Game Design courses.
- Multiple Udemy certifications in Blender and Unreal Engine
- Motion control systems certification (Flair, Kuper, Techno Dolly)
Notable Collaborations
Worked with acclaimed directors and industry professionals including Quentin Tarantino, Taika Waititi, John Dykstra, Cris Blyth, Andy MacDonald, Glenn Darry, David Sanger, Dennis Berardi, and Ian Hunter.
Professional References
Available upon request - Extensive list of industry references from 30+ years of professional relationships
"Team collaboration and pipeline management is the key to any efficient and creative job. I have a true passion for tackling complex cinematic and animation projects that are heavy in 3D modeling and compositing."