Hesperia man photographs celebrities

HESPERIA • Quentin Tarantino had his video rental shop. Craig Miller's path to Hollywood started with the cable company.

Ever since he was a high school student, the 35-year-old Hesperia resident rarely went anywhere without a camera. But he had to pay his bills, and worked as a technician at a local cable operator until a friend got him an opportunity to work for rapper Snoop Dogg.

“I started doing film and video for Snoop,” Miller said, shooting product photos for the rapper’s sunglasses company, Serious Pimp.

That turned into opportunities to film music videos, including a recent one for Vanessa Simmons, daughter of Russell Simmons, in Burbank. Then came commercial photography of musicians, including the Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Incubus, Travis Barker, Naz, Damian Marley and Mos Def.

Last year, Miller shot still photography and behind-the-scenes interviews for “Taco Shop,” a comedy starring Tyler Posey of MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” that will be in theaters this summer. The film also features Eric Roberts and a host of comedians.

Later this year, Miller will shoot his first feature film — a romantic comedy currently using the working title “How to Love a Geek” — in Louisiana.

“Ultimately, I would like to become a director and direct films myself,” Miller said. Working on sets and shooting music videos is opening the doors he needs, he said. “It gives me the opportunity to meet (the right) people.”

He doesn’t have a degree from a fancy film school, but he thinks that’s less important than “portfolio, portfolio, portfolio. ... I think, ultimately, it’s all about meeting people and being in the right place at the right time.”

This weekend, he’s filming a music video for a local band. In many ways, Miller says he’s already made it.

“I think that’s ultimately your goal,” he said, “to do something that you love.”

Beau Yarbrough may be reached at (760) 956-7108 or at beau@HesperiaStar.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Hesperia.Star.