Shooting the World Premiere of Beast Race (Corrida Dos Bichos)

There are event days, and then there are days like this one.

I had the honor of serving as the official photographer for the world premiere of Beast Race (Corrida Dos Bichos), the new dystopian action film from Fernando Meirelles, Rodrigo Pesavento, and Ernesto Solis. As an Austin film premiere photographer, getting to cover a premiere of this scale right here in my own city was a full-circle moment, and it's exactly the kind of high-energy work I live for.

I was set up in the lead position on the carpet, which meant I had the first look at every single arrival. If you've never worked a red carpet before, the best way I can describe it is controlled chaos with a soundtrack. The second the doors opened and the cast started rolling in, the energy on that carpet turned electric. Flashes going off, crowd noise building, publicists coordinating timing in your ear, and me trying to catch every genuine smile and easy laugh before the next name got called up.

From my spot, I was able to get individual portraits of the entire cast as they came through, including Matheus Abreu, Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Thainá Duarte. I also caught portraits of directors Fernando Meirelles and Rodrigo Pesavento, as they made their way down the line, plus a handful of group shots as different combinations of cast and crew paused together for photos.

Once the carpet wrapped, we moved the party upstairs for a more relaxed round of portraits. That part of the night is honestly one of my favorite shifts as a photographer. The pressure of the carpet eases up, people loosen up a little, and you get to work with better light and a bit more breathing room to get creative with composition.

Shooting a premiere like this is a different animal than a standard event. You're reading body language, anticipating who's arriving next, and making split-second calls on framing, all while staying out of the way of a very tightly run show. It's fast, it's a little bit adrenaline-fueled, and it's one of my favorite reminders of why I love this job.

As an Austin red carpet photographer and Austin event photographer, premieres like Beast Race are the kind of work that keeps me sharp and keeps me showing up ready for anything. If you're planning a premiere, launch, or any high-energy event in Austin and want a photographer who knows how to move fast and still bring home portraits people love, I'd love to talk.