Ava Berkofsky Discusses the Evolution of Self and Style in ‘Insecure’

“Merkato [the Ethiopian resteraunt] is their place,” says Ava Berkofsky. “It’s where they go to have their time, and we wanted this moment to be one of coming back together, or joining together. The idea to go through the window came after, but the feeling was right. We wanted to blend the scene with the bigger landscape of LA and the city street.”

Berkofsky joined Insecure as director of photography during the second season, and she’s helped to redefine not only what a half-hour series could look like, but how Los Angeles could be portrayed. She’s not here to shoot a sitcom. She’s here to reveal the city’s forever mutating canvas.

“The idea of Issa’s neighborhood changing,” says Berkofsky, “and South LA gentrifying and what it means to take ownership over your neighborhood that’s been your neighborhood since you were a kid, it’s an important theme of the show. It’s an important theme in our culture now, really. Rents are pushing people out. Not to get dramatic about it, but neighborhoods are changing. I’m always aware of wanting to show off the character that is South LA.”