I could tell you about how many awards Daniela Pinto won in college (four), or how many festivals her thesis film “Priya” has gotten into (four, and they’re still counting), or how many instruments she can play (three). I could tell you about how many positions she can work in the sound field (all of them), or how quickly she found success after graduating (almost immediately). But instead I’m going to tell you about the Dani I know.
Dani loves dogs. She Skypes people using her boom mic. She still plays Pokemon and she built her own computer that glows in neon colours. She loves to cook and make fancy salads, and she’s good at both. She plays a lot of video games and draws inspiration from them. She goes to orchestra concerts and actually enjoys vegetables. She drinks beer. She’s thoughtful and an excellent gift-giver.
Working with Dani is a delight. Her skill and knowledge in her field are a guarantee, but it’s her passionate aura that really makes her a favourite colleague. The way she cares about her work makes you care about yours, too. She solves problems with ease, and never gives anything short of 110%. She’s successful because she puts her heart into everything she does.
And finally, she would kill me if I didn’t include that her favourite film is “Bend It Like Beckham”, which in her words, is ‘the pinnacle of South Asian cinema’.
– Written by Rebekah Terpstra
What ‘hood are you in?
I live in Mississauga right now, but I’m hoping to move to Toronto within the next year or so.
What do you do?
I am a freelancer in the film industry working primarily working in sound. I wear a lot of different hats – I am a location sound mixer, a sound editor, a re-recording mixer, and a composer. I’ve worked on documentaries, commercials, short films, feature films, and even VR projects. I’m a huge nerd and love to learn as much as I can about my craft, and that constant pursuit of knowledge and skill is what drives me forward. I love to write and direct my own projects as well, but I try to save that creative energy for ideas I’m really passionate about, such as my short drama “Priya” which will be screening at Reel Asian this year.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I am mixing a few short films, and will be recording location sound for a few other projects this month. I’ve also been developing an idea for a music video that I want to direct, which I am hoping to shoot some time next year.
Where can we find your work?
My website would be the best place to go for that: www.danielapinto.com. I also actively post about what I’m currently up to on both Twitter and Instagram
My short film Priya will be premiering at Reel Asian International Film Festival (Nov 8-16), Toronto as part of Uprooted shorts program on Nov 14 and Spectrum shorts program on Nov 12.
