Laura Torlaschi
Laura Torlaschi
Writer / Videographer / Photographer
Gainesville, FL
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I turn my passion for life and other people in visual, performing, and verbal art. ”
I work as an editor and writer for undergraduate and indie magazines, creating print media that resonates with young, diverse audiences. I make videos covering lifestyle content, my experience in publishing, and music. I’m a photographer, dabbling in portrait and fashion photography.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I’ve been writing my whole life. This led me to start working on undergraduate and indie publications, ranging from literary and arts journals to lifestyle and beauty magazines. From there, I fell in love with the way art excites people. I started publishing my writing and branching out into visual arts. I picked up film and digital photography, forayed my videography experimentation into a YouTube channel, and began publicly performing as a musician. It took a lot of changing my major and pushing forward with shaky hands, but I fully developed my skills by surrounding myself with a pure-intentioned arts community.
How do you stand out in your field?
My art is recognizable for touching on topics that aren’t represented enough. I’m a queer, (invisibly) disabled, Latina, and I like bringing those experiences into my projects. I think living in the margins has developed my sense of empathy, and I’m often told my work is sensitive and vulnerable in a way that people trust. I also think that my multifaceted experiences being a “jack of all trades” helps me bring a fresh perspective to any project. I can bring ideas from an art show to a writing project, or a 60 year old poem to a video concept.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I’m working on a few videos, both short and long term. My shorter term projects involve melding my love for visual with my love for music, and recording song covers to put to “video moodboards”. I want to film the way music feels. My long term project is an in-depth look at the idiosyncrasies and lives my of fellow creative friends over the course of 6 months. I’ve been filming little moments, like the way my guitarist friend listens to music like a hound sniffing out blood. I capture amusing dialogue that only an artist would say, like “Starting a haiku with an adverb is like starting a dance by stepping on my foot.” or “They made me put a price on my art but I don’t want to sell it, so I said $10,000.” Otherwise, I’m editing and curating some of my essays for a short zine.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I strive for intimacy and empathy in everything I make. I think the 3 years I studied psychology got to me and I feel like I can understand anyone, which is a lofty claim in such a tense political and social climate. I love aesthetics that represent this, and feel soft and homey. I feel that I’ve mastered this somewhat with my writing, such as a piece I published titled “Oh, Sweet Love”. I’m still working on refining this in my video work, but I feel I’ve captured sparks of it in the following videos:
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I wish I could get back to film photography. I like slowing down every once in a while. There’s a lot of pressure to create for the sake of output, and film photography forces you to consider every frame. I love shooting candid moment between people. There’s something charming about that perfect shot that looks a little worn, like something you found in your parent’s attic.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
One of the hardest parts about being a creative is the upfront investment. I spend money on equipment, software, and website hosting. I wonder if my inability to zero in on one hyper-specific niche is costing me money as a freelancer. I definitely keep putting off designing the “Hire Me” page of my website. I’m very much at a loss for how to market myself when I can do so many things.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
I’d probably hire a camera person for the videos when I’m in front of the camera, just because I’m a stickler for framing. I’d be more inclined to film myself if I wasn’t sweating over the composition of my shots.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I wish I could’ve told myself that being bad at your craft is good. I was always so frustrated at how “awful” my writing was, but that’s just indicative of developing taste and humility. My best work has been picked apart, spat on, and critiqued 17 different ways. I definitely went through a creative dry period because I thought not being a prodigy meant it wasn’t worth trying.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I’d love to learn more about activism, actually. I feel like activism and art go hand in hand, and I wish I had met Kathy Change before her death. She intuitively advanced nonviolent revolution through performance art, and I want to know more about pushing my political passions without being preachy.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I want to work on more video projects, and really refine my skills as a visual artist. Cameras have the power to make you fall in love with the subject through the lens. I’d also love to go back to my roots and pursue more non-fiction writing. I’d like to experiment with copywriting and content creation for blogs.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client would have a strong vision and a positive attitude! I definitely like to have input and brainstorm on the fly, but passion is infectious and a good sense of branding is important to me. Other than that, I value timely communication.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
It depends on the project. My video editing rates are $25/hour. I charge a day rate of $200 for video production. I charge $50/hour for photography sessions. I charge about $1 per word for written work. I’m flexible and am happy to convert day rates to hourly rates and vice versa.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
I’m most easily reached at torlaschi.lau@gmail.com or my Instagram DMs at @vonnegut.jpg. I’m a fan of hearing a vision before a ton of logistics. Your best elevator pitch (or staircase, if you’re not into being concise) is just fine. I like to know who I’m working with and what I’m representing!
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Haiku: I feel the warmth of my belly, after a day of messing around
This member profile was originally published in January 2020.