Meet Andrew Morales | Small Business Owner & Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Morales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
When I was very young, I was exposed to a lot of classic movies and music. The way images and music married together made you feel when they were carefully crafted together was something that stuck with me. Then I turned 10. My dad gave me a camera to capture pictures and videos of an event. I got struck with inspiration and felt like this was a chance for me to make something like what I had grown up seeing and watching. The rest is history.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Through both photography and filmmaking, I have two goals.

First, I try to pull real emotions out of people in my imagery. I always want to make sure people enjoy not just the finished product I’m making, but the process of making it as well. I find that people tend to smile bigger or be more confident or more into something when they’re having fun or enjoying what they’re doing. That hidden side that we keep guarded most of the time is what I want to capture.

Second, I was taught early on that movies are like dreams. They’re meant to do three things: educate, entertain and inspire. The ones that stick with you the most do all three of these very well. I keep this at the front of my scriptwriting process. It seems basic, but I want to make sure that there’s not a moment where I don’t have the audience in the palm of my hand – from the first shot to the last shot. If I can keep you in the dream, then I’ve done my job.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was coming into San Diego, the number one spot I would have to take them would be to the beach. Being anywhere in SoCal practically demands it. Moonlight Beach is always nice. Additional sightseeing stuff would include Mt. Helix, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, SeaWorld, old town San Diego.

Foodwise, the number one on this list would be Miss Kim’s by That Boy Good in Oceanside (best BBQ west of the Mississippi). My taste buds are never disappointed when eating here. If they hadn’t tried SD’s claim to fame of carne asada fries, that would be remedied real fast. As well as hitting up Mama Kat’s in San Marcos for breakfast.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The biggest shoutouts have to go to both sides of my family:

My mom and dad for instilling in me a solid work ethic and pushing me to do my best.

My wife for being my biggest supporter and a fresh set of eyes on my work.

My mother and father-in-law for reminding me not to be hard on myself and to strive for excellence.

Website: https://www.crystalbeaconpictures.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalbeaconpictures/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crystalbeaconpictures

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvqmCjvBbtvtHtMU7dkAbA