At the intersection of new technology and West Coast pop influence, cinematographer Aja Pilapil reflects the diverse and authentic identities shaping the continually transforming Californian cultural landscape. In 2021, Pilapil did camera work for FX’s Pride documentary series directed by Cheryl Dunye. A six-part documentary series chronicling the fight for LGBTQ civil rights in America. In 2022, she had the privilege of filming Ms. Julia Roberts in Season 9, Episode 1 of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. – a series divulging the family trees of various celebrities. Later that year, out of over 200 applicants, she was selected to participate in the American Film Institute’s Cinematography Intensive for Women. In 2023, Pilapil continues to partner with communities and artists who need technical experience in motion pictures and express their stories with style through an empathetic lens.

At the intersection of new technology and Californian pop influence, my work reflects the diverse and authentic identities shaping the continually transforming landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Music video filmmaker Aja Pilapil has been creating films for nearly a decade. This year, she continued to establish herself as a staple in the Bay Area LGBT filmmaking community. She has directed multiple music videos for queer artists pro-bono and continues to collaborate on various creative projects. She has shares her production experience in productions including FLOAT (dir. Sam Berliner) , a transgender and queer experimental short filmed entirely underwater featuring an all transgender and queer cast and crew - and screened at Frameline and Outfest. Currently she was announced to handle assistant camera work on director Shine Louse Houston's upcoming neo-noir film, SNAPSHOT. In 2014, her cinematography work in Crossing Barriers: Culture Clash Queers, was included at the 32nd Center for Asian American Media Film Fest (CAAMFest) - the largest Asian American film fest in North America. In 2013 her music video Lets Start a Clean Slate was deemed Buzzworthy and featured on MTV.com and Alternative Press. In 2012, her music video Caving In was officially selected and she was invited to Guam to screen at the Guam International Film Fest. Caving In by alternative-rock band Seeking Empire includes Paul Thomas from rock band Good Charlotte. Aja’s work in cinematography extends into, Vampariah, a feature length film based on ancient Filipino folklore of the aswang (vampire). Set to release in summer 2016, Vampariah is an action-horror about a skilled female hunter who defends herself from an elite fighting force after she discovers the truth of her own identity. Her video work features a high production pop-music aesthetic which is regularly shared on various blogs and social media outlets. Clients range from artists seeking music video promotion to corporate entities looking for commercial video delivered to their unique audience. Aja was a film student of the Academy of Art University and is a working professional filmmaker living in San Francisco, CA.