New York City-based colorist Juan Salvo, is as exacting with image quality as he is technically savvy, a combination that’s served him well in his chosen profession. His work has been seen on movie and television screens, in web browsers and on mobile devices worldwide. He regularly collaborates with a diverse clientele - acclaimed music video directors, world-renowned artists, advertising creatives, filmmakers and documentarians - to enhance and finish their projects.
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Despite an innate desire to never have any friends and a deep interest in the art of illusion, 11-year old Juan Salvo was, by far, the worst amateur magician his neighborhood had ever seen. It was lucky then that, while marveling at a miracle of light and science projected into space, Juan discovered a different type of illusion that would soon become a driving force in his life. After all, what could make someone sit in the dark for hours on end staring at images – Only a deep passion for the magic of film-making and the craft of story-telling.
Juan got his official start in the business working in television news in South Florida before branching out into promo and commercial work. In early
2002, New York City beckoned and so did world-class documentaries. In that work, Juan began to develop a more holistic, balanced approach to image and color. He found that creating powerful images required a deeper understanding. How was it acquired? What processes did it go through? What's the focus of the shot? What is its purpose in our story? How does its color palette inform us?He developed the belief that any technique in isolation is flawed and instead found that the best results happen when you draw from several disciplines. This discovery has been a central aspect of his philosophy as a colorist – attacking with a diverse set of skills. It’s a big part of the reason he has become an important voice in the post-production community. Market leaders like Sony, Adobe and Blackmagic Design often consult Juan on new or refined products. His perspective and insight offer something that they value. Meanwhile, the first-hand knowledge he gains about cameras and software is consistently applied in his practice.
While in New York, Juan has been post-production supervisor and colorist on several nationally broadcast television series including 'Kimchi Chronicles' and 'Spain... on the Road Again', which was lauded by the industry for the quality of its image. Juan has also used his deep understanding of imaging to help the MoMA restore works by Marina Abramovic for her retrospective. Filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Michael Moore have seen Juan's magic applied to their films. He’s also drawn from his vast experience to get the most out of images for his varied commercial clients.
As Juan continues to work in fields almost as diverse as the disciplines he draws from, he finds his years of experience with editing, vfx, composting, photography, engineering, and graphic design are a constant source of inspiration and illumination. Be it a feature, documentary, commercial, music video or Television; there's nothing Juan loves more than a challenge.
©2013