Interview with Morgan Prygrocki, SR. Strategic Development Manager at Adobe. 

– Where were you born?

I’m originally from Los Angeles, and I’ve been in the industry for over 15 years. I attended a university in San Francisco where I was formally trained as a cinematographer, learning on 16mm and 35mm film.

– Is your family of Polish descent because your surname sounds Polish?

Actually, it’s Ukrainian. People often mistake it for Polish, but it’s my husband’s last name.

– Did you have any siblings?

I’m an only child.

– What were your parents’ occupations?

My dad is an inventor who has been developing a water purification system that runs on running water instead of electricity or air pressure. He has been working on this technology for over 30 years. My mom worked for a hotel chain for more than 25 years. I grew up in LA, and my entire family is there. Fortunately, growing up in Los Angeles provided me with the opportunity to pursue a career in entertainment.

– What subjects did you enjoy in school?

I was always drawn to the arts. I worked as a theater technician and stage-managed many live theater productions. I also took Spanish classes because my grandparents spent a lot of time in Mexico, and I had the opportunity to travel there frequently. Learning another language was essential for navigating my experiences.

– Which university did you attend in San Francisco?

I went to San Francisco State University.

– What was your major?

I studied Film Making with an emphasis on Digital Editing and Screenwriting. Additionally, I minored in World Religion.

– Did you rely on student loans, or did your parents cover your university tuition?

I paid for my education. At the time, university tuition was more affordable, and I worked 40 hours a week while attending college. I received some assistance from my grandparents, but the majority was self-funded.

– How did you earn your first income?

I worked as a river rafting guide during the summers. I enjoyed taking people down rapids, and it remains one of my favorite activities. Additionally, I worked as a waiter/waitress in a restaurant throughout college, which helped support my education.

– What was your first career job after university?

I worked in sales, selling independent feature films. Our job was to secure distribution for independent films in theaters. Although it wasn’t the perfect fit for me, it provided valuable experience in dealing with diverse personalities and understanding viewer preferences.

– What did you do next?

I joined RED Digital Cinema, a camera company known for its use in big-budget feature films and shows on platforms like Netflix. It was a fantastic experience. I met many of my closest friends and even my husband through this company. Since it was a relatively new company at the time, I had the freedom and flexibility to collaborate with talented cinematographers and work on exciting projects. We provide comprehensive support, acting as a one-stop-shop for users, assisting with camera operation, compatible accessories, lenses, and exposure tests. This allowed us to develop a strong network within the industry, and many of those connections remain close friends to this day.

Throughout my career, I transitioned from working with professional cinema-line cameras and supporting productions that utilized high-end camera technology to focusing on custom sensor and camera development for specialized applications such as VR, AR, MR, and 3D workflows. Subsequently, I served as the VP and the first US employee for N-cam, a USA-UK-based camera tracking company specializing in green screen and LED-virtual production environments. Our camera tracking technology ensured proper alignment of CG elements and PreViz, enhancing camera placement. After that, I became the General Manager of LEE filters, a branch of Panavision specializing in lighting and camera filtration. Most recently, prior to joining Adobe, I worked with disguise, a company that manages content for large-scale LED environments for productions similar to Mandalorian. This involved coordinating various components, including cinema cameras, LED walls, processors, DMX controlled lighting, and real-time engines like Unreal Engine. I’ve been with Adobe for two years now, working primarily with products like Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Frame.io, which are widely used video tools. My role focuses on ensuring that our long-form editors have the necessary workflows and are up to speed on the best AI tools to enhance their productivity and creative capabilities. Additionally, I collaborate closely with product teams to explore new opportunities for AI tool usage. In essence, my role bridges the gap between customers and product engineering, and I find great satisfaction in this position. We have a brilliant research team, and some of our most successful video features in recent years have been AI-based. The positive response from the creative community has been encouraging, and I believe we are on the verge of a remarkable AI revolution.

– How and why did you transition from filmmaking to the technology side of the industry?

I quickly realized that having a steady paycheck and health insurance was not something every creative professional on set could rely on. Simultaneously, my work provided me with access to the highest-end camera gear, allowing me to pursue my own projects. I gravitated toward the technology side because it’s advancing at a pace that outstrips traditional filmmaking methods. As a problem solver, I enjoy being on the cutting edge, collaborating with creatives to understand their vision and finding technological solutions to bring that vision to life. Without people like us in the industry, many films would never come to fruition. I wouldn’t change my path if given the chance—I’m content with where I’ve ended up.

– What would you consider your main achievements or notable projects in your professional career?

I have several projects that hold significance for different reasons. During a particular period, I built custom camera arrays to support VR headset companies in generating content for their platforms. One notable achievement was developing a massive 16 8K camera array, fulfilling a specific need and driving content development. Additionally, I led the first-ever wireless AR broadcast graphics for the Super Bowl, which was a nerve-wracking experience without a backup plan. I was too anxious to watch the live broadcast, fearing that it wouldn’t work as intended. It was truly a groundbreaking endeavor. Recently, our team has had the privilege of supporting high-end productions in collaboration with Disney, Netflix, Fox and A24, specifically FX. Some of these projects have garnered numerous awards, including the Oscar for Best Editing and Best Picture for “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.” Another show I’ve supported, “The Bear,” also received acclaim and recognition at BAFTA and ACE Eddie (American Cinema Editors Awards). It has become one of my personal favorites. During my time at RED, I had the opportunity to film some of my favorite music artists, including Radiohead, Kascade, Skrillex, and many others.

– How do you envision AI impacting the future of the industry?

We approach AI features with the goal of automating repetitive and mundane tasks that are not inherently creative. For example, resizing videos for different platforms like YouTube and TikTok can be time-consuming and monotonous. By leveraging AI to handle these tasks, we can free up editors to focus on creating more content. I view AI as a creative assistant, a mechanism to expedite the production process. We’ve recently introduced beta applications for generative AI artwork, and I believe AI will accelerate animated projects, traditionally requiring years to complete. Automation will enable creators to work at an increased scale, streamlining processes like storyboarding and concept development.

– How did you meet Mr. Prygrocki?

We met while working at RED. He provided support to cinematographers shooting with RED cameras.

– Thank you for the interview, Morgan!