SOC Creative Spotlight:
Snowfall

A conversation with Manolo Rojas, SOC & Pauline Edwards, SOC

Hosted by Kristin Petrovich

Snowfall, FX’s crime saga set in Los Angeles against the backdrop of the crack epidemic, weaves together a tapestry of stories from characters whose lives are affected by the drug—whether that’s dealer-turned-kingpin Franklin Saint or CIA operative Teddy McDonald working undercover in Mexican cartels to root out communism in Central America. Snowfall was created by John Singleton, Eric Amado, and Dave Andron and stars Damson Idris, Carter Hudon, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Michael Hyatt, Amin Joseph, Angela Lewis, and Isaiah John.

In this Camera Operator conversation, Manolo Rojas, SOC, and Pauline Edwards, SOC—the camera operating team for Snowfall’s fourth season—talk about their histories in the film business, what led them to their work on Snowfall, and how the diverse crew for this series became its own sort of family that stood out from many of the sets they’ve worked on in the past.

Also highlighted in this conversation is the chemistry and trust that’s required between operator and DP, how distancing protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic ironically brought them closer as an operating team, and what it meant for them to be recognized as the 2022 Camera Operators of the Year for Television.