Mauro van de Kerkhof | Fire In My Heart
Director of Photography & Color Grading
Fire in My Heart is a dance visual that lives beyond surface-level movement. Mauro van de Kerkhof is an emerging choreographer and director with an exceptional sense for execution. Having grown within CDK and worked closely with Sergio for years, this project marked a moment where he stepped forward with his own vision.
I was responsible for camera and color grading. The approach was fully intuitive. Visually, the goal was not polish but honesty. We intentionally leaned into an amateuristic look, allowing imperfections to exist and even lead. That rawness became essential to the emotional weight of the piece.
Although this was Mauro’s first project of this kind, he knew exactly what he wanted. His experience on set as a dancer and assistant translated into clear direction and confident decision-making. The collaboration was fluid and built on trust from the very start.
There was no doubt or tension on my end, but for Mauro this project carried vulnerability. When the final grade was approved, everything fell into place. Music, choreography, and image spoke to each other seamlessly. This project belongs in my selected work because it shows how a project on a smaller scale, built on trust and intuition, can come together just as powerfully as any large production.