-Who is Paul Brenno?

My story starts in Minot, North Dakota. I was a kid of the 70s and 80s, watching TV shows like Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, and Riptide, soaking up the “Hollywood” feel of the local TV station through my Dad’s work as a salesman, and with my Moms education background, I grew up wanting to learn about “media” as much as I could. I fell in love with film/video as a teen, through still photography. I became known by friends/family as “the photo/video guy,”. After high school, I then served in the US Air Force, meeting legends like Emmy Winning Cinematographer Ken Lamkin (ASC), then going to film school at Montana State University, met my Cinematography hero, Oscar Winning Cinematographer Dean Semler (ASC/ACS) 

My dream was to go to LA and work on camera crews, and work my way up to Cinematographer/Director of Photography. It had to stay a dream, as I wasn’t able to relocate to LA, but found work as a Creative Services Commercial Producer/Editor then progressed to Director/Director of Photography. My first year out of film school, I was shooting/editing videos for a local business, when I did my first national shoot for the Late Show with David Letterman called “Biff Henderson’s America“. I then went on to work for several years in Houston then moved up to a senior position in Denver. When the economic recession happened in 2009, life was put on hold, then personal losses of my Moms sudden passing, then years later, my Father passed, life threw me alot of challenges and personal tragedies that I did my best to get through. 

I then began to freelance, producing videos for local clients. I began to win alot of Cinematography Awards for my work, which was amazing. When the covid lockdown of 2020 happened, I tried to stay working as best I could, then in August 2021, I was working on a documentary in Texas, when I survived a life-threatening case of COVID pneumonia. It sidelined me for several months, but yet, I still felt the need to create. After being diagnosed with Long COVID PTSD/fatigue, my desire to create is still very strong, now producing Ai film-work. I’ve been honored with over 100 festival honors including Best Cinematography to Best Documentary, I feel very honored and very humbled. Most recently in 2024, I began to channel my creative drive into AI filmmaking, and have already completed a short film spy film, “Operation Black Sphere”. This Ai short is in a trilogy, and was just honored as Official Selection at a Fusion Film Fest in London, so I’m very honored. Next is Operation Virus Strike, followed by Operation Red Alert. Remote AI video and film work is a next chapter for me, I’m very excited about this new chapter

-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?

Yes I do, it was the James Bond films I watched growing up, then Superman the Movie (1978). I fell in love with these characters, then years later, in January 1991, I was in the US Air Force, home on leave, when I saw “Dances with Wolves”. Superman and James Bond made me love movies, the fantasy world they created, where-as “Dances with Wolves” made me fall in love with Cinematography and Filmmaking itself. Dean Semler (ASC/ACS), the films Cinematographer, won the Oscar for his work and that film, inspired me to want to be a Cinematographer/Filmmaker, so many thanks to Dean, a true legend and master at his craft. 

-Tell us about your project “Operation: Black Sphere”.

“Operation Black Sphere” was the first AI film I created, and it was such a fun and exciting project to bring to life. The idea began when a friend of mine, who is also passionate about AI, sent me a long action sequence featuring a cargo plane being loaded, mercenaries, and an intense attack scene. I was immediately intrigued by the action and loved the visuals, but I kept asking myself: What’s the story? What is this actually about? As a huge James Bond fan, I began imagining an American take on the classic spy-film concept, and from there, Operation Black Sphere was born. I started working on the film in April 2026 and completed my first cut in August 2026. Along the way, another friend and screenwriter contributed some incredibly creative ideas that helped shape the story and take the project further. I’m incredibly proud of the finished short. It’s my first AI-generated narrative film, created with the help and inspiration of some very talented creative collaborators, and it has been an amazing learning experience. “Operation Black Sphere” was just screened in London, in August 2026, was an Official Selection at the Fusion Film Fest. This is only the beginning. The next film in the series will be Operation: Virus Strike, followed by Operation: Red Alert. I’m hoping these films will open the door to exciting new opportunities and lead to even more creative work in the future.

– Which Director inspires you the most?

Well, so many inspire me, since I’ve always been into the Cinematography side, but Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves), Mel Gibson (Braveheart to Passion of the Christ) to Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), and Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone). I loved the epic stories they’ve told, I hope I can be that good one day, if only in my dreams

-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?

I try to NOT focus on the negative, but what I’ve not been a fan of is news. Seems the focus has always been the negative to get viewers, so I tend to want to be informed, but it’s like now getting the right/correct information is very difficult, due to the bias they report/publish. Seems now, you are either “un-informed” or “mis-informed”, which is troubling. I was a Photojournalist for a few years, mainly to get more experience in telling stories (documentaries), but I’m glad I went through it, but I’d want to change to more positive, more uplifting stories.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

Thats so hard to say, as I’d never imagine watching movies or TV shows on your phone, but I think movies should be seen in a theatre, I love the theatre experience, the sound to the overall experience of being at the movies. Who knows what the future holds, except for shooting huge epic films on your 4K cell phone?

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

I think WILD Filmmaker is great, esp for highlighting and giving those filmmakers who might not have the exposure of LA or NY to give them a chance to show or talk about their work. My dream was to get an Oscar for Best Cinematography or join the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers), those artists that I greatly admire, so when WILD Filmmaker contacted me, it was an incredible honor to be involved and be a part of a great magazine, so my many thanks.