want young DPs, especially female DPs, to keep moving forward with curiosity and open eyes, to keep fighting for our visibility.
This is truly the most beautiful profession there is.
Judith Kaufmann BVK – Camerimage Golden Frog winner for Late Shift
A GOOD YEAR
If it’s not too late to say it… Happy New Year, and we hope you’re doing well.
At this time on the calendar, we send our congratulations to everyone nominated for their cinematographic achievements in the forthcoming awards season. This year’s movies, along with many others you can see on a screen near you, are entertaining and richly-rewarding visually, and stand in testament to remarkable talents and creative collaborations.
As with last year, when films shot-on-film predominated, it’s particularly encouraging to see a good many of the 2026 contenders having been captured on analogue film as well. It will be interesting to see the outcomes of Oscar, BAFTA, ASC and BSC awards. We’re running our own bets as to the winners, and wouldn’t be surprised if some history were to be made.
One way or another 2025 was quite a year, that began with the devastation of fires engulfing communities and wreaking havoc around LA, only to be rounded-off by the loss of some towering figures and dear friends… Otto, Dedo, Nigel and Joe… who will be sadly missed, but whose influence and deeds will remain.
We extend our thanks to everyone who contributes to and supports Cinematography World, now in our fifth year, and we look forward to 2026 bringing better times for all. Wherever you are, stay safe, and we’ll see you again soon, starting with the BSC Expo. Long live cinematography!
EDITORIAL TEAM
Ron Prince has over three decades of experience in the film, TV, CGI and VFX industries, and has written about cinematography for 20 years. In 2014, he won the ARRI John Alcott Award from the BSC. He also runs the international content marketing and PR communications company Prince PR. Darek Kuźma is a film and TV journalist, translator/interpreter, and a regular collaborator/programmer of the EnergaCamerimage Film Festival. He is an ardent cinephile who has a lifelong romance with the visual language of cinema.
David Wood is a freelance journalist covering film/TV technology and production He was a former technology editor at Televisual, and is a regular contributor to Worldscreen, TVB Europe and Broadcast.
Kirsty Hazlewood has over two decades of editorial experience in print/online publications, including reporting for the IBC and ISE Daily, and is a regular contributor to folk/roots music website Spiral Earth.
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Ron Prince photo by Joe Short www.joeshort.com
Ron Prince Editor in Chief
Official Media Partners
TAKE A MINUTE
MMF founder Andra Milsome recently delivered a powerful speech on the importance of health-and-safety, speaking-up and accountability within the film and TV industry. Here are her words . . .
“I’m Andra Milsome, founder of the Mark Milsome Foundation. Sadly, I’m here to talk to you because my husband, Mark, isn’t.
Mark was a much-loved and well-respected cameraman in both film and TV, working primarily in the UK on shows such as Downton Abbey, Sherlock and Call The Midwife, and films including Quantum Of Solace, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas, The Theory Of Everything and Finding Neverland
He was killed in 2017 on-location in Ghana whilst filming a car stunt, for the BBC/Netflix series Black Earth Rising, which went horrifically wrong.
His death was totally preventable. The risk assessment stated that no cameras in front of the stunt were to be manned. But, Mark, who should have been on a remote head, was placed directly in the danger zone. On one of the sound cards, disclosed after the event, his inexperienced and under-qualified grip was told he had ten seconds to get Mark out of harm’s way should anything go wrong. Why would you even say that if the situation was safe?
It was a very simple stunt. Nothing should have gone wrong. But it did, and Mark wasn’t pulled out of harm’s way. There was no ambulance on standby, and apparently no safety briefing. The risk assessment was outdated by three months.
This was a main unit shoot. There was a full crew. Each and every one of them witnessed Mark’s death, yet there was a wall of silence. No one has ever been held accountable for Mark’s death.
In the years leading up to the inquest, it became very clear there were multiple health-and-safety failures. Accidents and unsafe working conditions are more common than you may think, but often go unreported. When serious or fatal accidents do occur, production is often nowhere to be seen.
There needs to be a cultural shift in the mentality of both production and crew. There needs to be singular and collective responsibility. Until healthand-safety isn’t treated as a box-ticking exercise, nothing will change and the industry will remain unsafe. And until the culture around speaking up changes, nothing will change.
Financially cutting corners and promoting unqualified people cannot continue. Why is a healthand-safety risk assessment not legally binding, and why are its contents not mandatory to implement? No one is ever held accountable, and no recourse is ever taken. Essentially, everything becomes a giant insurance claim.
Reasons for not speaking-up include NDAs that restrict discussing accidents, and fear of being blacklisted in a freelance-heavy industry. This creates a culture of silence that hinders safety improvements. Many at the top, including heads of department, are unaware of the role they should be playing in creating and maintaining safety standards, and in taking responsibility for those under them.
You aren’t being the difficult crew member if you speak-up – you are being the responsible one. Cutting corners to save money and asking crew to step-up when they’re not qualified to do so cannot continue.
Cinematographers need to be held accountable if they feel, or put, their team in danger. Production needs to be held accountable for health-and-safety breaches. UK crews need to know they are not necessarily covered by UK law when shooting overseas.
Crews are disposable. There is always someone who will do it. There are no unions, so there is nowhere for anyone to turn. It’s all very-well making Mark the poster boy, but unless there is change in my lifetime, it’s all futile.
What became clear when trying to make sense of what happened to Mark was the lack of awareness and any kind of standardised education. In response to this, our then chair and director, Kirk Jones, created the Film & TV Online Safety Passport (Level 2 Training) to bridge that gap. We are striving for mandatory uptake of our Level 2 Production Safety Passport for everyone in the industry.
I would like to see standardised, mandatory laws brought into effect. We need to be looking ahead to at least the next five years, thinking about what’s new and fresh to elevate a new chapter. Is that using AI for the higher good and innovation?
I would also like to hear from more creatives, DPs and directors about how they think things could change. We know producers can make eight-hour days work safely and efficiently, yet because the big players are tightening the purse strings, production on-the-ground has to fight for what should be standard. We have a huge stable of contributors in every department we can draw from.
It has recently been brought to my attention that hair-and-make-up have their own distinct challenges. Personally, a sudden traumatic death brings a whole set of challenges you never anticipate.
Training is all very well, but inadvertently the streamers are turning initiatives like the H&S Passport back into box-ticking exercises. It is becoming harder – almost impossible – to get trainees onto productions, making training redundant.
Many crew, in every department, across every area of the industry – film, TV, fashion, video, commercials – are still on their hands-and-knees, working 18-hour days. Young people entering the industry are asking themselves if they’ve entered some kind of twilight zone.
How can the burden of change be placed solely on the shoulders of those who turn-up every day to do a job they love, and hopefully go home safely at the end of the day?
This industry has no memory of what it takes. It keeps moving, reshaping, renewing, always chasing that next great take. So maybe the task here is to learn how to create a new culture, a new work environment, so crew can flow with the tide of change instead of fighting it, and understand that no life is worth chasing that next great take or shot.
When life takes something from you and grief sets in, you can’t reverse it. But maybe it’s time not to dwell on what’s gone, and instead protect what’s still here.
Mark was killed eight years ago. For me, I am only now beginning to not hear that cacophony in my head, and to feel my gratitude to you all for helping keep his legacy alive. I know my personal peace lives quietly, waiting beneath that noise.
My plea to you all is this – be that culture for change. Take a minute for Mark. Film those safety briefings on your phones. Protect your future and that of the industry.”
www.markmilsomefoundation.com
Andra Milsome Founder Mark Milsome Foundation
JUDITH KAUFMANN BVK EARNS GOLDEN FROG FOR LATE SHIFT
German cinematographer
Judith Kaufmann BVK took the Golden Frog for Late Shift at the 2025 edition of EnergaCAMERIMAGE.
Directed by Petra Biondina Volpe, the film follows a dedicated nurse working on an understaffed hospital ward during her troublesome and tiring dawn-til-dusk daily shift.
Accepting the award, Kaufmann said, “There is no greater gift than being honoured for something that means so much to me. With this film, we wanted to pay tribute to all the caregivers, mostly women, who perform this indispensable work every
single day around the world.”
“I especially want to encourage young DPs, female DPs, to keep moving forward with curiosity and open eyes, to keep fighting for our visibility, but also to trust. It is truly the most beautiful profession there is.”
Fabian Gamper won the Silver Frog for Sound Of Falling, which traces the subtle interconnections between four girls from different historical periods during the 1980s and early 21st century. The Bronze Frog went to Michał Sobociński PSC for Chopin, A Sonata In Paris, which explores the life of Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin.
SEAMUS MCGARVEY BSC ISC ASC TAKES BIFA CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD
day-for-night techniques, plus influences from pictorialist photography, to create a haunting and emotionallyintense world.
Seamus McGarvey BSC ISC ASC scooped the Best Cinematography gong at the 2025 British Independent Film Awards for his work on Lynne Ramsay’s film, Die My Love, a psychological drama about motherhood, postpartum depression and psychosis.
McGarvey shot the feature on Kodak Ektachrome film, and the award recognises his use of
CRITICS AWARDS GO TO . . . AUTUMN DURALD
ARKAPAW ASC FOR SINNERS & ADOLPHO VELOSO AIC ABC FOR TRAIN DREAMS
DP Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC was awarded the Best Cinematography award for her work on Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, by the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board Of Review.
Arkapaw made history on the production as the first woman to shoot a feature on large-format
filmstock in 5-perf 65mm and 15-perf IMAX formats, including using Kodak Ektachrome, capturing an immersive, genre-bending story of vampires in the 1930s Deep South, with a focus on rich visuals, emotional depth and the Black experience.
Elsewhere, DP Adolpho Veloso AIC ABC won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Train Dreams, directed by Clint Bentley and shot with the Red Komodo camera, which
depicts the lives of loggers and earned Veloso widespread critical acclaim.
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ROBERT YEOMAN ASC HONOURED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
On 8th March 2026, Robert Yeoman ASC will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award during the American Society Of Cinematographers’ 40th Outstanding Achievement Awards, in recognition of his enduring impact and visionary contributions.
Renowned for his meticulous composition and distinctive use of colour and symmetry, Yeoman has helped to define the visual language of contemporary cinema, on films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise
Kingdom and Asteroid City.
M. David Mullen ASC will be honoured with the Career Achievement In Television Award, celebrating a legacy of excellence across the medium.
Cynthia Pusheck ASC will be presented with the President’s Award for her outstanding leadership and service.
Stephen Pizzello, editor-in-chief of American Cinematographer Magazine, will receive an Award Of Distinction for editorial innovation and influence.
Kodak will be recognised with the Curtis Clark Technology Award, spotlighting its creative excellence and cultural impact.
The 2026 Oscar and ASC nominees for Best Cinematography have been announced, with the line-ups mirroring one another. In the feature film category, the Academy and ASC contenders are: Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC for Sinners; Michael Bauman ICLS for One Battle After Another; Darius Khondji AFC ASC for Marty Supreme; Dan Laustsen DFF ASC for Frankenstein; and Adolpho Veloso AIP ABC for Train Dreams.
The ASC nominees in the society’s additional Outstanding Achievement Award categories have also been revealed. The contenders for half-hour series episodes are: Adam Bricker
OSCAR & ASC 2026 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
ASC for Hacks “I Love LA”; Fraser Brown CSC for Twisted Metal “NUY3ARZ”; Paul Daley for The Righteous Gemstones “Prelude”; Daniel Grant for Murderbot “Escape Velocity Protocol”; Matthew J. Lloyd ASC for Government Cheese “Trial And Error”; and Adam Newport-Berra for The Studio “The Oner”.
In the limited or anthology series or motion picture made for television category, the contenders: are Michael Bauman ICLS for Monster: The Ed Gein Story “Buxum Bird”; Sam Chiplin for The Narrow Road To The Deep North “Episode One”; Pete Konczal ASC
Brent Crockett ACS has been elected as the new Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) national president, taking over the reins from Erika Addis ACS.
Crockett is one of Australia’s most respected cinematographers, recognised for more than four decades of acclaimed work across feature film, television drama and documentary.
On his election Crockett said, “It is an honour to step into the role of national president at a time of opportunity and renewal for the Australian screen industry. I look forward to building upon the remarkable work of Erika, past president Ron Johanson OAM ACS and the many presidents before them, whose collective vision and leadership have shaped the society into the highly-respected organisation it is today.”
for Black Rabbit “Isle of Joy”; Matthew Lewis for Adolescence “Episode Two”; and Igor Martinović for Black Rabbit “Attaf**kinboy”.
The nominees for episode of a one-hour regular series are: Alex Disenhof ASC for Task “Crossings”; Jessica Lee Gagné for Severance “Hello, Ms. Cobel”; Dana Gonzalez ASC for Alien: Earth “Neverland”; Ben Kutchins ASC for The White Lotus “Killer Instincts”; and Christophe Nuyens SBC for Andor “I Have Friends Everywhere”.
In the Spotlight Award category, the nominees are: Steven Breckon for The Plague; Mátyás Erdély HSC ASC for Orphan; and Karl Walter Lindenlaub BVK ASC for Amrum
Accredited by the ACS in 1985 – becoming the youngest cinematographer to receive the honour at the time –Crockett’s career spans an impressive range of screen projects, including the critically-acclaimed car chase sequence in Geoffrey Wright’s feature Metal Skin, the much-loved Halifax F.P. (Forensic Psychologist) telemovies, the hit feature Crackerjack, and award-winning work on the ABC series Bed Of Roses plus SBS’ Bogan Pride.
TOUCH & TRY
13-14 FEB
BFI ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO ITS EXECUTIVE BOARD
The BFI has appointed Rishi Coupland to executive director of the new directorate for Industry Development & Innovation, with deputy CEO Harriet Finney now overseeing Fundraising & Enterprise within a new directorate for Corporate Affairs and Partnerships.
Coupland will oversee teams working across skills and workforce development, audience development, research and innovation, certification and
video games, evaluation and sustainability.
Deputy CEO Harriet Finney will also take on an expanded remit. She continues to lead the BFI’s engagement with government, domestic and international screensector stakeholders and independent filmmaking communities through the National Lottery Filmmaking Funds and the expanded Global Screen Fund. Her new role also strengthens the BFI’s international philanthropic activities, including the recently launched BFI America.
SECOND REEF RELEASES FULL CORAL
With the recent completion of its 120mm, full sets of Coral Anamorphics are now available to rent and buy. The lenses provide filmmakers with a new state-of-the-art large format 1.5x Anamorphic lens set with a 2x look, extreme close-focus and metadata. The first feature to use the lenses was Netflix’s Ballad Of A Small Player, shot by DP James Friend BSC ASC. The set consists of five focal lengths of 35, 50, 75, 90 and 120mm.
Until now, the Bun-G-Ring – an innovative, bungee-cord-based filter mounting system for professional cameras – has only been available as a standard kit of three, which covers front diameters from 80mm to 114mm. For the first time, Bun-G-Rings can now be purchased individually in three sizes.
The BGR-95 (single) contains one colour-coded BGR-95 with accessories and a neoprene sleeve, and is compatible with 400+ cinema lenses, supporting
RANGE & BUN-G-RING SINGLES
front diameters of 80, 87 and 95mm. The BGR-110 (single) contains one colour-coded BGR-110 with accessories and a neoprene sleeve, and is compatible with 200+ cinema lenses, supporting front diameters
104 and 110 mm. The BGR-114 (single) contains one colour-coded BGR-114, plus accessories and a neoprene sleeve, and is compatible with 400+ cinema lenses with the front diameter of 114mm.
BSC ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR 70TH ANNUAL AWARDS
The British Society Of Cinematographers recently revealed the nominations for its 70th Annual Awards, and elected Oliver Stapleton BSC as its new president.
The Feature Film category contenders, sponsored by Sunbelt Rentals (UK) are: Seamus McGarvey BSC ISC ASC for Die My Love; Dan Laustsen DFF ASC for Frankenstein; Darius Khondji AFC ASC for Marty Supreme; Michael Bauman ICLS for One Battle After Another; and Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC for Sinners.
In the Television Drama International/Streaming category, sponsored by MBSE, the nominees are: Matthew Lewis for Adolescence “Episode Two”; Álvaro Gutiérrez AEC for Black Mirror “Eulogy”; Suzie Lavelle ISC BSC for Severance “Goodbye, Mrs. Selvig”; Alex Disenhof ASC for Task “Crossings”; and Adam Newport-Berra for The Studio “The Oner”.
In the Sony-sponsored Television Drama (UK Terrestrial) category the nominees are: Bryan Gavigan for A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story “Episode Two”; Ollie Downey BSC for Reunion
“Episode One”; Laura Bellingham for Towards Zero “Episode Two”; Neus Ollé AEC BSC for What It Feels Like For A Girl “Episode Seven”; and Gavin Finney BSC for Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light “Episode Four”. Sponsored by Aputure, the Music Video contenders are: Jake Gabbay for ‘Chains And Whips’ by Clipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice; Rina Yang BSC for ‘Flood’ by Little Simz; Ziga Zupancic NZCS for ‘Lace’ by Movement; and Rui Jiang Ong for ‘Illusions’.
The BSC Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC. The BSC Short Film recipients will also be awarded – Theo Hughes, Christopher Hudson and Linda Wu.
In other news, Oliver Stapleton BSC has become the 34th DP to be elected BSC president. He is known for his work on over 60 films including the Oscar-winning The Cider House Rules (1999) and Restoration (1995), plus The Grifters (1989) and My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), and is the co-head of cinematography alongside Stuart Harris BSC at the National Film & Television School.
GODOX EXPANDS RANGE WITH LITEWAFER-UP150R & KNOWLED MG4KR
Godox has unveiled two new fixtures aimed at very different production needs, with the ultra-slim LiteWaferUP150R targeting fast-moving shoots and compact set-ups, whilst the Knowled MG4KR brings high-output, full-colour COB performance into demanding film and commercials environments.
The LiteWaferUP150R is designed around portability and speed, delivering up to 20,400 lux at one metre, but maintaining a notably thin profile. Godox achieves this output by pairing efficient LED chips with optical lenses, boosting brightness to as much as four times that
of conventional flat panels. At 5600K, the light is around twice as bright as many fixtures in its class, but still produces soft, even illumination suited to interviews, narrative work and content creation.
The UP150R offers extensive colour control, supporting HSI, RGBW and gel modes, with a wide 1,800K to 10,000K CCT range and 14 built-in effects. High colour accuracy, rated around CRI 97 and TLCI 98, ensures consistent skin tones across mixed lighting conditions. Two units can be joined horizontally or vertically to create a larger source, and can be adjusted together when paired with the optional UP-C300 controller.
At the opposite end of the scale, the Knowled MG4KR is a full-colour COB fixture engineered to deliver output comparable to 4K HMI units. At 5600K with the MGR20 reflector, it reaches 225,100 lux at three metres whilst drawing
3,100W. Colour performance is equally robust, with strong output across red, green and blue channels and coverage of 91% of Rec. 2020 colour space.
The MG4KR offers a 1,800K to 10,000K CCT range, ±100% green–magenta shift and 0.1% dimming precision, alongside smooth and high-speed modes for flicker-free operation at any frame rate. An upgraded cooling system improves heat dissipation by 60%, supporting sustained full output on long shoots. With IP65-rated construction, broad 110-degree
beam coverage, and support for DMX, CRMX, Ethernet, app and on-board control, the MG4KR is positioned as a versatile, high-end tool.
NANLUX EXTENDS LIGHT SHAPING RANGE WITH DOPCHOICE & LAUNCHES PARALLEL BEAM REFLECTORS
Nanlux has announced a series of new light-shaping tools, including a collaboration with DoPchoice on a large-format softbox for NL mount fixtures, alongside the launch of two high-intensity parallel beam reflectors.
Developed jointly by Nanlux and DoPchoice, the new Snapbag Octa 5′ Shallow Soft with NL mount (SB-O5-NL) is purpose-built for NL mount lights such as the Evoke 900C, 1200B, 2400B and 5000B. With a 155cm (5ft) diameter, the softbox is intended to deliver broad, even illumination with smooth, natural fall-off, making it suitable for cinematic key light and large-area soft lighting.
The Octa 5′ Shallow Soft maintains a relatively shallow depth of 65.5cm, allowing it to be used
more easily in confined spaces. A custom inner diffuser combines two materials with different transmission levels to enhance softness and uniformity. The included eggcrate provides additional directional control. Built from durable, production-ready materials, the softbox reflects the emphasis on robustness and reliability shared by both brands. When folded, the softbox packs down compactly into its supplied carrying bag, supporting quick transport and efficient storage on-set.
feature an 8° beam angle that concentrates light into a near-parallel beam, significantly increasing illuminance and extending throw for precise, highintensity output.
Alongside the softbox, Nanlux has introduced the FE30 and BE55 Parallel Beam Reflectors, expanding its advanced lightshaping line-up. The FE30 is designed for FE and FM mount fixtures, whilst the larger BE55 supports BE mount and Bowens mount lights up to 800W. Both reflectors
In use, the FE30 boosts output by approximately 12 times when paired with an Evoke 150C. The BE55 delivers more than 23 times the bare-light output with an Evoke 600C. Lightweight construction supports one-handed handling, and internal grids and integrated snoots help minimise spill. Both reflectors are IP66 rated, with sealed front optical covers to protect against dust, insects and harsh weather.
UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD DEVELOPS CELLULOID FILM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
The University of Salford has unveiled the Salford Celluloid Centre Of Excellence (SCCE), with the aim of preserving the legacy of celluloid filmmaking and advancing its use in contemporary production. The centre will make use of ten in-house free-standing industry film sets and extensive lighting and camera equipment to deliver four new courses from February 2026.
Sam Ingleson, associate dean for enterprise and engagement at the University Of Salford’s School Of Arts, Media & Creative Technology, said, “The Salford Celluloid Centre Of Excellence will act as a beacon for filmmakers by offering expert courses on shooting and managing celluloid production, whilst housing academic research and development. We aim to preserve this knowledge for future generations and
inform contemporary practice.’’
Backed by funding from UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Higher Education Innovation Fund, the centre will position Salford as one of the only universities in the world to provide training in celluloid filmmaking with the ambition to develop the first professional processing film lab in decades.
GARDEN STUDIOS SHARES HOW KATE WINSLET’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT GOODBYE JUNE USED VP
Goodbye June (DP Alwin H Küchler BSC) was recently released in cinemas, marking a major creative milestone for Kate Winslet making her directorial debut with positive reviews.
emotional authenticity.
The film based itself and shot all set scenes and car driving scenes at Garden Studios in North West London.. The central location and supportive team enabled the production to focus on delivering an
Written by her son, Joe Anders, the film follows four estranged siblings brought back together at a critical moment in their lives, delivering an intimate, character-driven story rooted in performance and
emotional story within the detailed interior sets on its Orchid Stage 1 and Virtual Production Stage.
Creating immersive backgrounds digitally instead of using physical locations, saved costs and time, whilst allowing for creative control and supporting Winslet’s
vision for a an intimate and character-focussed film.
Instead of shooting on-location or using traditional greenscreens, Garden Studios’ VP stage displayed real-time digital environments, such as streets and landscapes, onto LED walls behind the actors in the car. This allowed the cast and crew to see the finished environment during filming, providing better lighting and performance cues, and streamlining post-production by eliminating complex keying.
“The experience I had on Goodbye June would not have been possible without the wonderful support of the entire team at Garden Studios,” said Winslet. “Their willingness to accommodate the requirements of our cast and crew was outstanding, especially given the limited budget we had and with so many of us! They simply made it a joy to come to work every single day.”
REMEMBERING FOUR GIANTS OF CINEMATOGRAPHY
Towards the end of 2025, the cinematographic community suffered the loss of four figures whose work, leadership and innovation helped shape modern cinematography: Joe Dunton MBE BSC, Nigel Walters BSC, Dedo Weigert and Otto Nemenz.
Joe Dunton, who passed away aged 80 on December 9th, was a visionary cinematographer, camera innovator and producer, whose influence reached far beyond the set. His early work on Oliver! (1968) saw him collaborate with cinematographer Ossie Morris BSC to devise a pioneering video-assist system, enabling instant playback for director Carol Reed and the choreographers managing the vast musical sequences.
A former television and video engineer, Dunton’s fascination with Anamorphic optics led him to found Joe Dunton Cameras in 1976. From there flowed a succession of practical innovations, including the heated eyepiece, the Ladderpod, Louma crane video assist, Moy Bazooka and Mitchell Vitesse geared head, amongst many others.
Dunton also played a central role in establishing what would become the BSC Expo, helping transform it into a cornerstone event. In a 2010 BAFTA interview, Dunton spoke of his desire to connect future filmmakers with both new technology and the enduring magic of the silver screen. During his illustrious career, he gained an MBE, a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution To
Cinema and the BSC ARRI John Alcott Award. Nigel Walters BSC, who passed away on November 27th aged 84, left an equally lasting mark through both his work and service. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he shot some of the most distinctive television of the 1980s and 1990s, from Around The World in 80 Days with Michael Palin – earning a BAFTA nomination – to the groundbreaking Queer As Folk (1999).
Beyond the camera, Walters was a tireless advocate for cinematographers. He served as a governor of the BSC, and as president of IMAGO from 2008 to 2015, helping the federation to transform from a European into a truly international alliance. Thirteen societies joined during his tenure, widely-regarded as IMAGO’s high-water mark. In recognition of his contribution, he received the BSC John Alcott Award in 2016.
Dedo Weigert, who died in Munich aged 87 on 30th November, was a lighting pioneer who revolutionised film lighting with the Dedolight system. First developed in 1984, its dual-lens design delivered unprecedented control, becoming a mainstay on productions from Harry Potter to American Beauty (1999). A
cinematographer-turned-inventor with a lifelong passion for problem-solving, Weigert’s achievements earned him two Academy Technical Awards, an Emmy and the BSC’s Bert Easey Technical Achievement Award.
On November 1st, the cinematographic community mourned the loss of Otto Nemenz, aged 84, whose vision and technical mastery helped define modern cinematography, and whose warmth and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him.
Born in Austria and trained as an engineer, Nemenz began his career in modest technical roles before founding Otto Nemenz International in LA in 1979. The company became a benchmark for professional camera and lens rental, renowned for its meticulous service, engineering innovation and unwavering commitment to quality. Nemenz received numerous honours during his career, including the ASC Technical Achievement Award and Cine Gear’s Legacy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Joe Dunton, Nigel Walters, Dedo Weigert and Otto Nemenz were the embodiment of the art and craft of cinematography at its best: creative, collaborative and endlessly curious. Their legacies and influence will continue to illuminate screens and the people behind the camera for generations to come.
A NEW CHAPTER
The first time I fell in love with moving pictures, I was sat beside my Nan in a dark cinema in Newport, South Wales, utterly captivated by The Wizard Of Oz (1939, dir. Victor Fleming, DP Harold Rosson ASC). The colour, imagination and magic of that film opened a door to me that, even though I didn’t know it at the time, would shape my life – a fascination with how stories are told through the lens of a camera.
That fascination eventually led me to my first 35mm stills camera given to me by my Dad. Long before I operated a dolly, or even knew what
continuing drama. Back then, I could never have imagined writing these words as President of the Association Of Camera Operators (ACO), and certainly not as the first woman to hold this role in our history.
It’s an incredible honour. When I started, I was just trying to keep-up and learn from those around me. Amazing people who mentored me through my early years. Not just the DPs and other operators but the cast, writers and directors too. Our job as an operator is to capture the story, evoking emotion from the viewer and even in that fast-paced world I learnt that unequivocally. The idea of one
a Technocrane even was, I spent hours framing photographs, exploring how light and composition could transform the everyday into something extraordinary. I was drawn to how a single frame
Great images are never created alone
could hold emotion, mystery and story all at once. Photographers such as Saul Leiter and Gregory Crewdson showed me that images could speak without words – a lesson that has stayed with me throughout my career.
Ironically, I was terrible at maths and physics at school. I never thought they’d have anything to do with my future career. Yet those very subjects now underpin the craft of operating – from calculating angles to anticipating movement and balancing forces. I’ve learned that passion and creativity have a way of turning the impossible into instinct.
Sixteen years ago, I was a young camera operator finding my feet in the fast-paced world of
day leading this remarkable organisation was unimaginable.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most inspiring cinematographers in the industry — including Seamus McGarvey BSC ISC, James Friend BSC ASC and Dale Elena McCready BSC NZCS. They’ve been champions of the operator’s craft, showing through their trust and collaboration that great images are never created alone. The best work, I believe, is always born from teamwork, generosity and mutual respect.
That same spirit of collaboration lies at the heart of the ACO. The association was founded to recognise and advocate for the creative and technical role of camera operators. Built on the belief that behind every frame lies a human eye, a creative human instinct paired with technical skill. A camera can record or film an image, but only an operator can give it meaning. Our intuition – interpreting a director’s vision, capturing the cinematographer’s tone and feeling the rhythm of a performance– is what truly brings a scene to life.
As President, my goal is to champion that artistry and ensure operators are recognised for their creative contributions. I also want to prepare the ACO for the rapidly changing landscape ahead. Remote operation, virtual production and
AI-assisted tools are already transforming how we work. The ACO’s role is to help our members navigate that evolution through training, support and a shared sense of community.
Equally important is ensuring that our membership reflects the diversity of the industry we serve. I’m proud to be the first woman to lead the association, but even prouder of the growing number of women, people of colour and individuals from all backgrounds joining our association. Every new perspective enriches us and strengthens our community.
When I look back to holding my Nan’s hand in the cinema, experimenting with my first 35mm camera from my Dad, struggling through maths homework or nervously rolling my first shot on-set, I could never have imagined the journey I’ve had so far. Since joining the ACO in 2019, I’ve felt the strength of its mentorship, camaraderie and inspiration every step of the way.
To be President of this wonderful association feels like the greatest privilege of my career: a chance to ensure the next generation feels the same pride and belonging that I did and still do, and to honour those who came before us – our founders, past presidents and every operator who made our craft visible.
My goal is to champion artistry and ensure operators are recognised for their creative contributions
The ACO’s history is rich, its present vibrant and its future full of possibility. Here’s to the next chapter – driven by craft, inspired by passion, and captured through the artistry of the operator.
Zoe Goodwin-Stuart ACO Associate BSC SOC GBCT ACO President
HEADS UP
Our regular round up of who is shooting what and where
SCREEN TALENT:
Stuart Brereton is shooting Geek Girl S3 for Netflix in London, with director Declan O’ Dwyer. Adam Sliwinski shot the Karen Read Story for A+E, directed by Linda Lisa Hayter. Andrew Rodger recently wrapped on the horror feature Samodiva for director Giles Alderson at Nu Boyana Film Studios, Bulgaria. Bart Sienkiewicz PSC worked on the UK unit of a US TV documentary series and is currently reading scripts.
CASAROTTO:
James Aspinall BSC has been shooting Unforgotten S6. Julian Court BSC filmed on the upcoming Tomb Raider for Amazon/MGM. Annika Summerson BSC recently wrapped on Netflix’s Age Of Innocence, working with director Shannon Murphy. Wojciech Szepel recently filmed on Sid Gentle Film’s Honey, collaborating with director Toby Macdonald.
LUX ARTISTS:
Christopher Aoun wrapped the feature The Years With You, directed by Caroline Link. Jarin Blaschke continues shooting Werewulf, directed by Robert Eggers. Sebastian Blenkov wrapped on S2 of The Agency Nicolas Bolduc CSC lensed on Le Fantôme De l’Opéra, directed by Alexandre Castagnetti and started prepping for the Netflix series Dans Les Brumes De Capelans. Henry Braham BSC is prepping for Killing Satoshi, directed by Doug Liman. Eigil Bryld has wrapped on Evil Genius, directed by Courtney Cox. Manuel Alberto Claro is prepping the Netflix series Kennedy, helmed by Thomas Vintenberg. Justin Brown BSC filmed a Netflix commercial directed by Show Yanagisawa. Crystel Fournier AFC is shooting A Town In Nova
Scotia, directed by Babak Jalali. Diego Garcia continues shooting Echo Chamber, directed by Andrea Pallaoro. Ula Pontiko, BSC lensed Mango, with Paul Gore directing. Matyas Erdely HCA ASC continues shooting Moulin Mauro Chiarello lensed Squarespace and M&S commercials both directed by Bradley & Pablo, and shot an Infinitart ad with Mau Morgo plus a Coca Cola spot directed by Henry Scholfield. Maceo Bishop has wrapped on the Peacock series Crystal Lake Arnaud Potier AFC lit a Nespresso ad with WAFLA, and a Peroni TVC directed by Fleur Fortune. Wyatt Garfield is prepping for the Netflix series The Body. Rob Hardy BSC ASC recently wrapped Clay Face directed by James Watkins. Jakob Ihre FSF is shooting on the Netflix series Kennedy, directed by Thomas Vintenberg. Arseni Khachaturan is shooting The Chaperones, directed by India Donaldson. Adolpho Veloso AIP ABC lensed a Ford spot with Aoife McArdle. Magnus Joenck wrapped October, directed by Jeremy Saulnier. Benjamin Kračun BSC is prepping Tom Ford’s Cry To Heaven John Lynch ISC shot block four of Rivals S2. Yaron Orbach continues shooting One Night Only, directed by Gluck Will. Ross Giardina ACS shot a Vue campaign directed by Taika Waititi. Ben Fordesman BSC shot an FKA Twigs promo helmed by Jordan Hemingway. Patrick Golan wrapped a Nike x Jacquemus ad directed by Rubberband. Max Pittner lensed an M&S spot also with Rubberband. Nico Poulsson FNF shot a KFC commercial, with Vedran Rupic directing. Adam Newport-Berra is prepping for Apple’s The Studio S2. Rina Yang BSC shot a Hugo Boss commercial with Kiku Ohe. Jasper Wolf NSC wrapped an NDA project directed by Spike Jonze. Jonathan Ricquebourg AFC shot on Sound Of Silence directed by Joyce A. Nashawati. Nanu Segal BSC
continues on Apple’s Slow Horses S7 Ben Seresin BSC ASC continues on Dalton, directed by Ilya Naishuller. Bobby Shore CSC is shooting on Netflix’s The Body Evelin Van Rei NSC is shooting Purgatory, directed Lindsay Lanzillotta. Harry Wheeler filmed on C4’s Major Players series and lensed an Adidas ad with director Mark Molloy. Rik Zang SBC continues shooting season three of The Empress. Mattias Rudh FSF shot a Lufthansa TVC with Marcus Ibanez, an On Running ad directed by Rawtape, and a Samsung spot with Adam Berg. André Chemetoff lensed a W Magazine promo directed by Tyrone Lebon. Kasper Tuxen DFF shot a Bank Of America commercial, helmed by Martin De Thurah. Nicolai Niermann lit an MSC commercial with director Jonas Lindstroem. Łukasz Żal PSC has concluded on Vaterland, directed by Paweł Pawlikowski.
ECHO ARTISTS:
Nicolas Canniccioni recently wrapped a feature in Haiti. Nadim Carlsen DFF is shooting in Taiwan on The Ancient Tree with director Singing Chen. Nadim also shot all episodes of Isabella Eklöf’s series, The Death Of Bunny Munro, based on the novel by Nick Cave, which premiered at the LFF and is now streaming
on Sky and Now. Shane F. Kelly’s work on Blue Moon, with long-standing collaborator Richard Linklater, rolled-out in cinemas after a successful festival circuit. Isabelle Stachtchenko, a recent signing at the agency, worked on Shimmering Shadows with director Nicolas Dufour-Laperrière for Embuscade Films. Federico Cesca ASK ADF is shooting on HBO’s The Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms S2, and Industry S4 will release soon, also shot by Federico for HBO. Andrew Commis ACS has been prepping on Robert Connolly’s feature film, Shiver, shooting in Antarctica. Andrew also recently won the Gold Australian Cinematographers Society Award for his work on Tribeca’s title Inside directed by Charles Williams. Nick Cooke is shooting Ruth Greenberg’s boxing feature Sugar with Wild Swim Films. He also shot and recently graded Paul Wright’s upcoming BBC feature Mission, starring George MacKay, set to be released in April.
Ruben Woodin
Dechamps lensed a documentary covering the sold-out world tour of a popular 90s indie band, which took him to Buenos Aires and São. He has also been shooting commercials and graded Edward Lovelace’s A Life Illuminated David Gallego ADFC recently wrapped on a Netflix series in Colombia. Yunus Roy Imer has wrapped on the popular German Netflix series Doppelhaushälfte S5 and graded Ollie Gardener & Jake Harvey’s State Of Us, produced by Pippa Cross. Jo Jo Lam shot a feature documentary based on The Preppy Murder Case, whilst Stink Studios recently released NewMotion’s
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Foley Artist commercial, shot by Jo Jo and directed by Eoin Glaister. Toby Leary was nominated for Best Cinematography In A Video – Newcomer at the UK Music Video Awards (MVAs) for his work on Marina Satti’s music video ‘Lola’. Toby also shot and directed a short with Milkwhite, inspired by Yorgos Lanthimo’s Bugonia Sean Price Williams lit the music video for Tate McRae’s ‘Nobody’s Girl’ and has been shooting a feature with director Eugene Kotlyarenko. Will Pugh was in Iceland shooting with Raw TV on an HBO documentary series. Korsshan Schlauer framed a project with Rapper Kano and director Aneil Karia, among other music videos. Korsshan also shot the campaign for Chloé’s new Spring 2026 collection by Chemena Kamali, directed by Johnny Dufort and produced by DoBeDo.
Ben Smithard BSC is shooting Florian Zeller’s next feature, Bunker, a psychological thriller starring Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Stephen Graham. Chloë
Thomson BSC recently wrapped on Netflix’s six-part limited series, Pride And Prejudice, and the documentary, Witches, which Chloë shot recently won a Grierson Award for Best Single Documentary - Domestic. Maria von Hausswolff DFF recently wrapped on Annie Baker’s feature Ancient History
LOOP TALENT:
The agency welcomes DP Johanna Coelho, whose credits encompass the Emmy Award-winning
HETV series The Pitt. Johanna is soon to wrap on S2. Paul Mackay shot the feature film Legacy with David Slade directing. Ryan Eddleston recently wrapped on the feature Frank & Percy Denson Baker ACS NZCS graded the feature The Butler and is in prep for another project. Bebe Dierken has wrapped on HETV series The Rapture Ali Asad is in prep for a feature. Jon Muschamp lit the feature Car Park in addition to short form work. Martyna Knitter is shooting a documentary and the feature film Foxtrot One One Bertrand Rocourt is in prep for the feature The Last Moon Oona Menges BSC is prepping for the feature Trenchfoot. The agency
Opposite: Bebe Dierken filming The Rapture; pix of Jo Jo Lam at Sundance Lab and shooting a commercial; and Yunus Roy Imer at the camera on a job in Frankfurt, photo by Niklas Uthe. This page: (clockwise) Nadim Carlsen on The Death Of Bunny Munro; Jo Jo Lam shooting an ad; Arseni Khachaturan filming an Open AI ad; three more shots of Nadim Carlsen on The Death Of Bunny Munro; two shots of Yunus Roy Imer, shooting in Bradford and Frankfurt; plus Nadim and Yunus once again.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
welcomes DP Thomas English to its roster. Nick Bennett, Chris O’Driscoll, Emma Dalesman, Tom Turley, Matt North, Olly Wiggins, Darran Bragg, Natalja Safronova, Arthur Lok and Marti Guiver have been shooting short form. Loop Talent Crew welcomes Camera Operator Toufique Ali to the roster. Steadicam Operators James Anderson ACO and Ben Mitchell ACO
S2 and is now lensing on Dalziel And Pascoe Matt Wicks recently shot The Reluctant Vampire for Boffola Pictures. Phil Wood has concluded on the second block of Quay Street Productions’ The Blame Alex Veitch recently graded his block of Waterloo Road
UNITED AGENTS:
Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC received the BSC
Lifetime Achievement Award. Søren Bay DFF is shooting the second block of Poison Pen/ITV’s The Dark, and has graded The Forsytes S2 for Mammoth Screen. Ricardo De Gracia is a new client. Adam Etherington BSC has graded Apollo Has Fallen for Canal+/Paramount+ with director David Caffrey. Philippe Kress DFF is shooting a TV series in Denmark and has graded The Capture S3. John Lee
have been operating dailies. Ben Eeley ACO SOC is currently working on The Split Up as A-camera/ Steadicam. Sebastien Joly ACO, Gary Kent, David Pulgarin ACO, Grant Sandy-Phillips ACO and Michael Vega have been operating Steadicam in short form. Camera operators Jack T. Smith and Laura Van De Hel have been operating on commercial projects.
BERLIN ASSOCIATES:
Edward Ames has concluded shooting block three of Waterloo Road S18. Sarah Bartles Smith recently finished shooting Tommy & Tuppence with directors Fergus O’Brien and Ellie Heydon for BBC Studios/ Britbox. Andy Clark recently graded Good Ship Murder for Clapperboard Studios, directed by Steven Hughes. Nick Cox recently finished shooting block two of Waterloo Road and is now shooting block five. Annemarie Lean-Vercoe has been lighting block two of The Split Up for Sister Pictures. Frank Madone recently finished shooting Happy Tramp’s Only Child S2. Nick Martin is shooting Number 10 for Hartswood Films. Trevelyan Oliver is lensing Baby Cow Productions’ Bill’s Included Tom Pridham is shooting on Clapperboard Studios The Game S2 in Spain. Pete Rowe recently finished shooting The Chelsea Detective S4 for Expectation Entertainment. Simon Rowling wrapped the sci-fi Life 2.0 and the horror The Caged and has graded them at Film Shed and Lipsync. Alistair Upcraft recently shot on Amandaland
BSC has done the DI on the first block of The Forsytes S2. Mark Nutkins did additional photography for The Dark for Poison Pen/ ITV. Danny Cohen BSC is shooting John Madden’s feature But When We Dance. Matt Lewis has wrapped on A24’s It Gets Worse and has graded Philip Barantini’s latest film, Enola Holmes 3. John Sorapure continues second unit directing on Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Principle photography recently began Sherwood S3 with Simon Tindall at the helm. Ollie Downey BSC lit Aric Avalino’s episodes of the final season of Silo Álvaro Gutiérrez AEC wrapped an A24 presentation project. Frida Wendel FSF lit a four-part mini-series for TV2 Norway/Amazon Prime with director Kenneth Karlstad. Alasdair Boyce is framing a block on Counsels for the BBC. David Rom has returned to shoot on Ted Lasso S4. Laurens de Geyter is shooting on the Agatha Christie adaptation, Tommy & Tuppence for Lookout Point. Si Bell BSC recently wrapped on drama series Maya for C4, written and codirected by Daisy Haggard. Charlotte Bruus Christensen ASC is shooting Double Fault, a feature in Copenhagen. Rachel Clark BSC is a new client. James Friend BSC ASC is in prep on Hera Pictures’ The Return Of Stanley Atwell for Brian Welsh. Anton Mertens SBC
Images: (top) Simon Rowling with the cast & crew of Life 2.0, directed by Michael Dorn; and Xenia on the set 100 Nights.
is shooting Bookish S2 for UKTV. Xenia Patricia is a new client and her latest feature 100 Nights Of Hero arrived in cinemas recently. Ed Rutherford
BSC is shooting a block on Rivals S2 for director Dee Koppang. Anna Valdez Hanks BSC is lighting a block of Silo S4 for AMC Studios and Apple TV+. Ben Wheeler BSC is the opening DP on Black Doves S2 for Sister Pictures and Netflix. Felix Wiedermann is shooting ITV’s Saviour, directed by Leanne Welham. Barry Ackroyd BSC has been busy with commercials, including an Erste Bank spot for directors Daniel and Szymon in Morocco, via Arts & Sciences. Magni Ágústsson wrapped on the upcoming TV series Grown-Ups with director James Griffiths for See-saw Films and Netflix. Alex Barber recently collaborated with director Jordan Hemmingway FKA Twigs music video ‘Hard’, as well as a new branded piece for Gentle Monster Eyewear, through Object & Animal in London. Sam Care BSC shot on Our Fault: London with director Chanya Button, via 42 films for Amazon. Simon Chaudoir was in Bangkok shooting a Pure Leaf campaign with director Amber Grace Johnson through Object & Animal. Catherine Derry BSC recently shot a Warburtons commercial in London, with director Declan Lowney via Merman. Lasse Frank shot in Warsaw for a TK Maxx spot with director Andreas Nilsson, through Biscuit, and on an Old Spice ad with director Mike Warzin for Arts & Sciences, London. Brendan Galvin recently shot in Cape Town on a commercial with director Tarsem at
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Radical Media. Florian Hoffmeister BSC is shooting The Riders with director Edward Berger. Stephen Keith-Roach filmed in Bulgaria with director Saam Farahmand on a HäagenDazs spot via Iconoclast. Ali Little worked with directors Tom Clarkson and Michael J Ferns on commercials in London and Glasgow. Alex Melman shot with director Greg Bell in Qatar for a Visit Qatar spot, via Nice Shirt Films. Diana Olifirova was in Belgrade with Bethan Seller for an Always commercial, through Prodigious. Tristan Oliver BSC recently wrapped the feature Dangerous Romance with director Daisy Jacobs. Neus Ollé AEC BSC lit an Amazon ad with directors
Traktor in Spain via Stink. Oli Russell BSC is shooting the first series of War for HBO. Matthew Woolf was in Milan shooting an Amplifon spot with director
Andrew Lane through Movie Magic, Italy. Marcel Zyskind DFF lit the feature The Seal Woman with the director Tea Lindeburg in the Faroe Islands.
PRINCESTONE:
Of the agency’s directors of photography… Diego Rodriguez lit two projects with Renowned Films under the working titles of Southern Harm and Bad Guru Diego also shot a documentary with 22 Summers/ Netflix with King Charles and Idris Elba looking at the work of The King’s Trust. Of the agency’s camera/Steadicam operators… Simon Baker is shooting the Netflix feature Eloise, directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Ryan Reynolds. Michael Carstensen ACO recently wrapped on the action thriller feature Beekeeper 2 with DP Callan Green ACS NZCS and director Timo Tjahanto. Matt Fisher ACO is shooting on the feature Luther around London with director Jamie Payne and DP Martin Ruhe ASC. Rob Hart ACO recently wrapped on Sister Pictures/ BBC’s The Split Up, with DP Susanne Salavati BSC and director Shamim Sarif, and then went to Slovakia to shoot the next season of Buccaneers for DP Tasha Back BSC. Justin Hawkins is shooting Rivals S2 with DPs John Lynch ISC and Carlos Catalan BSC.
James Layton Associate BSC ACO has been shooting on Silo S4 with DPs Ollie Downey, Anna Valdez-Hanks, and Zac Nicholson for Apple TV+. Dan Nightingale ACO has wrapped up on TipToe, C4’s Russell T. Davies drama starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey, directed by Peter Hoar with Matt Gray BSC the DP. Peter Robertson Associate
Images: (whole page) photos of Steadicam supremo Junior Agyeman-Owusu ACO!
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
BSC ACO has been shooting on Narnia for DP Seamus McGarvey BSC ASC, with Greta Gerwig directing a cast including Daniel Craig and Carey Mulligan. Joe Russell ACO shot on War, an eight-part drama, with DP Oli Russell BSC, starring Dominic West. Joe will next shoot the Frankie Boyle drama Meantime with director Jon S Baird and DP Kate Reid BSC.
WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION AGENCY:
Congratulations to Jake Gabbay on winning the Golden Frog in the Music Video Competition at the EnergaCAMERIMAGE Film Festival for Chains & Whips, working alongside director Gabriel Moses. Baz Irvine ISC BSC continues shooting Paramount+’s Mobland S2 with director Zetna Fuentes. Jamie Cairney
BSC is lensing the new BBC series Legacy Of Spies with director Michael Lennox. Callan Green ACS NZCS recently wrapped on The Beekeeper II with director Timo Tjahjanto. Vanessa Whyte BSC has concluded on Ted Lasso S4 PJ Dillon ISC ASC is prepping on Netflix’s Wednesday S3 with director Tim Burton. Christophe Nuyens SBC shot on the first series of Harry Potter for Warner Brothers and HBO with director Ben Caron. David Ungaro AFC is lighting Netflix’s Dept. Q S2 with director Scott Frank. Maja Zamojda
BSC is shooting Red, White And Royal Wedding for Netflix with director Jamie Babbit. Joel Devlin BSC shot on the final block of BBC’s This City Is Ours S2 with director John Hayes. Anna Patarakina FSF is lensing the BBC’s new series Shy & Lola with director Samuel Donovan, for Clerkenwell Films. Xavier Dolléans AFC is shooting the Paramount+ series Treasure Island alongside director Jeremy Lovering. Ruairí O’Brien ISC BSC is lighting on Peacock’sThe Day Of The Jackal S2 for director Neasa Hardiman. Fabian Wagner BSC ASC recently wrapped This Is How It Goes, the upcoming feature for Gaumont and 22Summers, with Idris Elba directing. Tony Slater-Ling BSC concluded on the first block of The Crow Girl S2 with director Charles Martin. Mattias Nyberg BSC is shooting on the second block with Bex Rycroft at the helm for Paramount+. Bryan Gavigan is lensing C4’s new series Maud with director Lee Haven Jones. Pedro Cardillo ABC recently concluded on BBC’s Ludwig S2 with director Stella Corradi. Pablo Lozano ADF recently wrapped on the feature Pysche, directed by Agustina San Martín for Infinity Hill. Amandine Klee
with Faye Gilbert directing. Tony C. Miller is shooting the upcoming feature His Weakest Creatures with Omar Hilal at the helm. João Padua ABC lit the latest spot for DVLA for Biscuit Filmworks with director Florence Poppy Deary in Serbia. Edward Gibbs wrapped multiple spots for L’Oreal for directors Melody Maker and Vicky Lawton, and went to Dubai to shoot a spot for Huda Beauty. Carl Burke worked with Pete King and SportFive for a collaborative spot between Arsenal FC and TCL. Katie Swain shot commercial spot for Wuthering Heights with director Derek Ambrosi and Nice Shirt Films. Dan Holland shot for Will Clark and Merman on a Chery Tiggo ad and has started prep on a feature film for MBC. Courtney J. Bennett collaborated with Charlie Sarsfield and Untold Studios for Rimmel and Joe & The Juice, and worked on second unit for a Bank Of America spot for director Jazmin Garcia and Somesuch. Joel Honeywell lit spots for Escentric Molecules with director Rodrigo Inada and Dazed Studios, and Tottenham Hotspur FC for Run Deep. Marcus Domleo lit the latest campaign for LV with James Barnes and Kennedy London. Simon Turnbull shot a Standard Life ad for Zak Razvi at Craft. Karol Jurga shot Arlo Parks music promos
City Is Ours S2 with director Saul Dibb, and is now lighting Sherwood S3 with director Jack Casey. Richard Stoddard recently lit on Death Valley 2 with director Simon Hynd for BBC Studios.
INTRINSIC:
In features, James Mather ISC has finished the James Stewart biopic David Liddell shot pick-ups on The Incomer and Malcolm McLean finished operating on Girl Group. In TV Drama, Evan Barry is prepping The Rachel Incident in Dublin and Cork. Tom Hines shot on the Beyond Paradise Christmas Special and on The Rapture, whilst prepping for his return to Silent Witness Nic Lawson is shooting the final episode of Vigil, having finished series two of the revamped Bergerac Simon Vickery operated on The Dark and Blood Of My Blood in Scotland. Gabi Norland operated on Ted Lasso, lit the second series of The Assembly and has been busy on documentaries. Lynda Hall has been busy on documentaries too. Simon Hawken FNF, Martin Roach, Leon Brehony and Gavin White have been shooting commercials and corporate films.
for Molly Burdett via Spindle. Stefan Yap lit PolyAI for Sam McElwee and Bangerz and Nash. Benjamin Cotgrove shot Raye’s latest Live Session for Becky Garner and Aldgate Pictures. Tibor Dingelstad NSC lit a Starbucks spot for director Josh Feder via Nosh Food Films.
MCKINNEY MACARTNEY MANAGEMENT:
INDEPENDENT
TALENT:
SBC shot the feature Four Loves alongside director Jorge Dorado, for Deal Productions. Job Reineke framed on the third block of Fightland with director Colm McCarthy for Starz, and has graded his film Hungry with director James Nunn. Emily Almond Barr shot on Vigil S3
Stuart Biddlecombe has finished filming Outlander: Blood Of My Blood S2 with director Emer Conroy. Ben Butler has been shooting commercials. Wes Cardino recently shot Best Medicine for Fox in New York State and is prepping a pilot in LA. Sergio Delgado BSC AEC has wrapped shooting A Tale Of Two Cities with director Hong Kahou. Gavin Finney BSC recently concluded filming on Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings S5 with director Stefan Schwartz. Jean Philippe Gossart AFC wrapped his latest project, 3 Body Problem, for Netflix in Budapest, with Jeremy Podeswa directing. Andy McDonnell completed principal photography for C4’s A Woman Of Substance with director Richard Senior. Richard Mott recently finished on This
Dan Atherton has recently wrapped shooting episode seven of The Gentlemen S2, directed by Nick Rowland. Chas Bain shot on the second unit on F.A.S.T in Spain. Stuart Bentley has been shooting commercials with directors Ric Cantor, Ben Liam Jones, Freddy Mandy and Bob Harlow, and filmed a short with director Aneil Karia, plus a spot with Reinaldo Marcus Green at The Sweetshop. Eben Bolter BSC ASC recently wrapped on Cape Fear Jordan Buck has been shooting back-to-back ads with directors Forrest Davis, Roman Rutten, Peter Franklyn Banks and Zac Ella. Jermaine Canute Edwards recently received a BIFA nomination for his outstanding work on My Father’s Shadow Chris Clarke has been filming commercials with Jason Schmidt, and shot across multiple locations with director Adam Wells. Oliver Curtis BSC lit block two of War, directed by China Moo-Young. Ben Davis BSC is shooting Jumanji 3 directed by Jake Kasdan. Arni Filippusson lit on block two of This City Is Ours S2. Michael Filocamo recently wrapped on A Good Girls Guide To Murder S3, directed by Tom Vaughn. Catherine Goldschmidt BSC ASC is lighting Three Body Problem with director Miguel Saoichnik. Billy Kendall has continued to shoot commercials and music videos with directors Relta, Oscar H Ryan, Jordan Rossi, Liam S. Gleeson, JR Paces and Blacksocks. Suzie Lavelle has been shooting commercials with Taika Waititi, Hugh Mulhern, Traktor, Adam Smith & Thirty Two. She recently wrapped on Bloomers directed by Will Sharpe. John Mathieson BSC has
This page: Chas Bain on Fast, photo by 1st AD Tom Edmondson; Opposite: Chris Fergusson shooting We Dream In Colour; and Helena Gonzalez at the camera on Full Fat.
been shooting commercials since wrapping on Lincoln In The Bardo with director Duke Johnson. Seamus McGarvey BSC ISC ASC is shooting Narnia with Greta Gerwig, and won the BIFA for his work on Die, My Love. Patrick Meller has been lensing ads with directors US, Guy Manwaring, Noah Harris and Fred Rowson Stephan Pehrsson BSC is shooting Mobland S2 with Guy Ritchie. Carmen Pellon Brussosa shot second unit TV, shorts and commercials with directors Camila Pineda, Liz Unna, Josh Tedeku, Simon Delaney and Edie Amos. Kate Reid BSC has wrapped on Everybody Wants To F*ck Me, directed by Jonathan Schey. James Rhodes lit some exciting, but currently confidential, live music performances, plus a spot for Samaritans with Rogue director Max Fisher. George Richmond BSC shot with regular director Dexter Fletcher, and lit a confidential high-profile promotional film for an upcoming feature Ashley Rowe BSC recently wrapped on Clifftops, directed by Hugo Blick, before starting prep on Mobland S2 with Brady Hood. Martin Ruhe ASC is lighting on Luther 2 with Jamie Payne. Chris Sabogal has graded Mint, directed by Charlotte Regan. Erik Wilson BSC has wrapped Celeb Friends directed by Jason Orley. Tom Wade was on B-cameras / Splinter Unit for Beekeeper 2 directed by Timo Tjahjanto. Donna Wade is shooting Forever Home directed by Paul Gay and Nichole Charles. Linda Wu has been shooting shorts, promos and commercials with directors Lilena Marinou, Lucy Hickling, Sarah Dattani Tucker and Tom Wakeling. Linda recently won the BSC short film award for her work on Flock
VISION ARTISTS:
The agency is celebrating the signing of some new DPs: Simon Plunket, the DP of the recent Shia Labeouf, Toby Kebbel boxing drama Salvable; and Thomas Tyson-Hole, the short form and 2nd unit DP across long form projects, and DP of the post-apocalyptic feature School’s Out Forever Benedict Spence is filming on the A24 / Apple TV series Husbands, based on the popular novel and executive produced by Craig Gillespie. Jonas Mortensen has wrapped Counsels, a Glasgow-set legal drama produced by Brian Kaczynski and directed by Lynsey Miller for BBC. Jonas’ work on Daddy Issues S2 premiered recently,
and he has just begun prep on a feature directed by Catherine Morshead. Kia Fern Little’s BBC short Jealous People Are Ugly People, helmed by Theo James Krekis for The Fold, had its premiere at BFI IMAX. Will Hanke graded the TV series Alice And Steve for Clerkenwell Films, and recently wrapped on the new BBC comedy series Break Clause, directed by Alice Snedden. James Blann’s feature, I Swear, was nominated for an array of BIFA awards, including Best British Film. The Kirk Jonesdirected film stars Rob Aramayo and follows Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson. James also recent wrapped Joe Roberts’ BBC dramedy Ann Droid Jim Jolliffe shot on the new Disney docuseries Pompeii, produced through Little Island and directed by Tom Barbor-Might.
WIZZO & CO:
The agency welcomes Rasmus Arrildt DFF to its roster, whose most recent work includes Disney+’s A Thousand Blows Jan Richter-Friis DFF has wrapped The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which shot on location in Spain. Aaron Reid BSC continues shooting Supacell S2 alongside director Rapman. Nicola Daley BSC ACS is shooting an embargoed Apple+ drama, directed by Tom Shankland. Susanne Salavati BSC is prepping an embargoed Apple+ drama alongside director Josephine Bornebusch. Ryan Kernaghan ISC is now lighting a Rich Peppiatt feature. Luke Bryant is shooting Honey, directed by Michelle Savill. Dmytro Nedria graded the feature Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint, directed by Jack Spring. Maximiliaan Dierickx SBC is shooting a drama on location in Belgium. Gary Shaw is shooting Black Doves S2 alongside director Kieron Hawkes. Felix Cramer is filming in Germany. Steven Ferguson has completed the grade on Dinosaur S2. Scott Coulter has graded Stepping Up, directed by Akaash Meeda. Will Bex continues to shoot a project directed by Scott Lyon. Ashley Barron ACS has graded Rivals S2. Mike McMillin had done the DI on the feature Deepest Darkest Chas Appeti continues on an embargoed project. Dan Stafford-Clark has graded Big Mood S2. Mathias Pilz continues on a Netflix project. Simon Stolland has been shooting short films, including In Between directed by Oliver Bury. Nick Dance BSC is lighting an embargoed drama. Franklin Dow is shooting a narrative feature with director Laura Plancarte. Arran Green lit a pilot directed by Tommy Davis. Hamish Anderson had graded the feature A Rare Breed Shaun Harley Lee SASC is prepping a project around the UK. Tim Sidell BSC shot a documentary project with director Caroline Katz. Chaimuki shot with Willow Hazell. Aman K Sahota shot the short Sister Anna, directed by Emma Morley. Darius Shu lit a short. Charlie Goodger shot with Trevor Robinson. Fede Alfonzo shot with Simon Ratigan, Henry Gill with Miranda May and Joe Douglas shot with The Queen. Murren Tullett collaborated with Jake Scott, and Theo Garland with
Henry Littlechild. Sverre Sørdal FNF is lensing a project in Norway. Ben Magahy worked with Murray Butler, and David Procter BSC with J Marlowe.
SARA PUTT ASSOCIATES:
Aga Szeliga operated on Ink with DP Alwin H Kuchler BSC. Akhilesh Patel worked on Hunting Alice Bell with DP Giulio Biccari. Alastair Rae operated on Goodbye June, Kate Winslet’s directorial debut which aired on Netflix at Christmas. Andrei Austin has been picking up dailies on Fightland and War Andrew Bainbridge picked-up dailies on Ted Lasso, and went on to the Hartswood series Number 10 with DP Nick Martin. Chris Maxwell was A-camera/ Steadicam on Blood Of My Blood with block three DP Ali Walker. Dan Evans picked-up C-camera dailies on the ITV series THE BLAME with DP Phillip Wood. Danny Bishop has been operating on Starfighter with DP Claudio Miranda ASC. Ed Clark has been operating A-camera on Slow Horses with DP Nanu Segal BSC. Ilana Garrard did Steadicam dailies on projects such as Practical Magic 2 with DP Simon Duggan ACS ASC, and Prima Facie with DP Mike Eley BSC. James Frater recently operated The Gentleman S2 for Netflix, with DP Mark Patten BSC. James Leigh operated A-camera/Steadicam on Mammoth Screen’s The Rapture with DP Catherine Derry BSC. Jessica Lopez is working with DP Jonas Mortesen on the eight-part Counsels for BBC Scotland. Julian Morson has been operating on Avengers Doomsday led by the Russo Brothers. Michael EshunMensah worked with Alvaro Gutierrez to shoot a test pilot pitch for A24, and also did some element shots for a week with the TechnoDolly on Rings Of Power Eagle Unit. Rick Woollard operated dallies on Clayface with Rob Hardy BSC, used his AR for Untold Studios at Center Parcs, and also worked on shoots for Fresh Film, Welcome Management, Serene Productions and Arts & Sciences. Tanya Marar wrapped on season two of The Agency and picked-up dailies on Close Personal Friends with Erik Wilson BSC. Tom Walden operated A-camera on Mobland S2 with DPs Stephan Pehrsson BSC and David Katznelson BSC. Vince McGahon is currently on But When We Dance with DP Danny Cohen BSC. Will Lyte operated A-camera/Steadicam on Apollo Has Fallen in Malta, and then did dailies on Fortitude, starring Nicolas Cage. Zoe Goodwin-Stuart operated B-camera on Narnia for Heyday Films/Netflix. Chris Dodds lensed various spots for Sky, Samsung and Comic Relief. Chris Fergusson has been picking up ads along with shooting his recent short We Dream In Colour Giulio Biccari has finished lighting Adultery for ITV. Helena Gonzalez shot her short Full Fat, and has been shadowing Stephan Phersson BSC on Mobland Lorena Pages has finished lighting Death In Benidorm for Clapperboard. Martyna Jakimowska is in prep for her feature film The Crossing. Toby Moore recently finished lighting S15 of Call The Midwife for BBC One.
GREAT GEAR GUIDE• BSC EXPO
IT’S SHOW TIME!
The BSC Expo 2026, taking place at Battersea Evolution on 13th and 14th February, is just the ticket to join with friends and colleagues once more. Here are some of the highlights on the show floor...
APUTURE (209)
Aputure is showcasing some of its most advanced lighting innovations tailored to film and television production professionals, with spotlights on the Storm 700x and the Nova II panels, including the Nova II 2×1, Nova II 1×1, and the specialised Nova II 9°.
The Storm 700x is a high-output tuneable white point-source LED, built around Aputure’s cutting-edge BLAIR light engine, delivering exceptionally
ASTERA (341)
Astera brings a major leap forward in practical lighting to BSC Expo with the new SolaBulb, the first wireless, zoomable, bulb-style Fresnel designed for film, television, live events and broadcast. Compact enough to disappear into lamps,
BLACKMAGIC (352)
Blackmagic Design is putting the spotlight on URSA Cine 17K 65, extending the URSA Cine platform for large format acquisition. The camera features a cinematic 2.2:1 aspect sensor rated at 16-stops of dynamic range and an interchangeable PL, LPL and Hasselblad.
URSA Cine 12K sits alongside as a largeformat counterpart, with interchangeable lens mounts including PL, EF and LPL. Both URSA Cine models feature industry-standard Lemo and Fischer connections, 8TB of built-in high-performance storage and high-speed 10G Ethernet for network connectivity and rapid media offload.
Also at the show will be the PYXIS 12K, featuring the same multi-scale RGBW sensor approach to capture 4K, 8K and 12K at full sensor size, recording up to 40fps at full resolution or up to
accurate cinematic white light with broad green/magenta control and strong output packed into a compact form. Designed for workflows where precision and power are essential, it offers professional control via Sidus Link, DMX/ RDM, CRMX, and wireless options, and boasts rugged IP65 weather resistance, making it suitable for both studio and challenging
lanterns and architectural fixtures, SolaBulb delivers a 50W-equivalent output and an industry-first 15°–50° manual zoom, allowing crews to shift instantly from a crisp, controlled spot to a wide, atmospheric wash without swapping gear.
Powered by Astera’s renowned Titan RGBMA LED Engine, SolaBulb’s integrated Par20 lens offers rich colour rendering, excellent skin-tone accuracy, and a cinematic Fresnel beam. At just 15W, it produces an impressive 5,228 lux at 1m for a truly set-ready punch. Its discreet footprint and IP44 construction
location work.
Alongside the Storm family, Aputure is presenting the Nova II panels, the nextgeneration of LED panels powered by the BLAIR-CG light engine that delivers exceptional spectral quality, wide tuneable colour (over 90 % of Rec.2020) and precise white light from 1,800–20,000K. The Nova II 2×1 serves as the flagship panel with high output and colour fidelity, whilst the 1×1 offers a more compact size. The Nova II 9° variant stands out with its narrow, punchy beam angle for long-throw illumination, ideal when you need concentrated light over distance. www.aputure.com
make it as useful on location as it is in the studio. SolaBulb includes the lightweight SolaSnoot for added spill control, built-in LumenRadio CRMX, Bluetooth, and full AsteraApp integration. Offering the familiar NYX Bulb workflow SolaBulb is compatible with Astera’s PowerStation for external display and portable battery use.
Also showing: the complete Astera LED ecosystem including Titan, Helios and Hyperion Tubes along with the versatile QuikPunch and QuikSpot wireless, zoomable Fresnels. And wait, there’s another Astera lighting innovation that’s so new it won’t be disclosed until the show! www.astera-led.com
In post, the latest DaVinci Resolve Studio highlights AI-assisted tools including IntelliCut, Magic Mask v2 and Dialogue Matcher, aimed at streamlining editorial and finishing workflows. www.blackmagicdesign.com
CINELAB FILM & DIGITAL (034)
Cinelab Film & Digital works closely with cinematographers from early camera and stock tests through to final delivery. As a modern imaging partner it supports projects with a wide range of services that combine photochemical film processes and advanced digital workflows.
As the UK’s only full-service film laboratory and digital dailies facility, the firm provides film processing, digital and film dailies, scanning, colour, archive, restoration and cinema
deliverables. Film sits alongside a full suite of digital services, with modern scanning, colour science and workflow design supporting projects shot on film, digital, or a combination of both. At the show, the team will discuss practical hybrid workflows including DFD (Digital–Film–Digital), and Cinelab’s ‘Fluent’ and ‘Coherence’ solutions that support efficient dailies, colour review and collaboration across productions. The focus is on workflows that give cinematographers clarity and control. www.cinelab.co.uk
CINEO (355)
Cineo Lighting returns to present the Cineo Lynx family of products. At this year’s show, Cineo is highlighting the Cineo Lynx 2 and Lynx 4 LED Light Bars, which feature full-colour pixel-mapping capabilities and a durable IP68 water-resistant design.
CVP (M006 & M007)
Once again, CVP will occupy the Mezzanine bringing a flavour of its renowned support, expertise
DESISTI (258)
De Sisti Lighting is presenting a focussed selection of its current product portfolio, featuring the VariWhite and VW+C ranges in both Fresnel and SoftLED formats, together with the established The Muses Of Light, developed in collaboration with Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC.
A central element of this year’s presentation is the Vari-White range, now based on a custom LED chip developed by De Sisti in collaboration with Bridgelux, one of the world’s leading LED manufacturers. This dedicated solution was engineered to meet precise
DOPCHOICE
and advice. As a premier European reseller, CVP empowers the filmmaking community with cutting-edge cinematography, video and photography equipment, plus the infrastructure to make it work. From creative consultations and financial guidance to technical services and manufacturer-accredited repairs, CVP ensures storytellers have the tools, knowledge and confidence to succeed.
The popular Lens Bar will be the heart of the stand offering an unrivalled selection of lenses to pair and test with leading cinema cameras, along with the opportunity to compare looks, mechanics and creative choices side-by-side in a practical environment.
Angénieux will showcase its celebrated optics, including the Optimo Ultra 12x, Optimo Ultra Compact, Optimo Prime Series, and EZ Series, whilst
performance and spectral requirements, enabling accurate control over output, colour quality and consistency. The result is improved luminous performance, colour rendering, and spectral stability, with particular attention to behaviour at central correlated colour temperatures, a critical area for cinematography and professional studio lighting.
(c/o LCA 133)
See the world premiere of Snap-Rabbit Octa5 Snapbag light modifier, ready for NL Bowens and Aperture A-mounts. Designed to create nuanced illumination output whilst saving set-up time. Its efficient engineering introduces a sleeker Octa “fan-style” soft box along with the first “convertible” Snap-Rabbit mount. It features a new concept Octa5 Snapbag with a super-shallow profile for easy handling and storage.
In addition to the Lynx 2 and 4 LED fixtures, Cineo will also demonstrate a variety of the Lynx power supply and gateway options, as well as accessories that allow for seamless lighting design integration. www.cineolighting.com
Canon presents its cinema range of cameras from the C50, C80 to the C400, alongside hybrid and cinema primes and zooms.
Beyond the stand, CVP will host an exclusive preview at CVP Fitzrovia, offering hands-on access to the latest production technology and time with experts. Make CVP your essential stop! www.cvp.com
The VW+C range complements the offering with an integrated approach to white light and colour, providing a versatile tool for a wide range of production environments. Completing the presentation, The Muses Of Light are showcased as refined and proven luminaires, widely-appreciated by
Inside, white reflective fabric promotes smooth, even lighting. Users can go softer with the included baffle (internal diffuser). Built for travel, the 5’ diameter system packs flat. With one click, it effortlessly fans open. Unfurled, the array secures with two magnetic Snap closures ready to snap it up to its curved shallow dome shape. It is the first product to feature DoPchoice’s
cinematographers for their distinctive quality of light. Developed with Vittorio Storaro, they continue to represent a lighting approach rooted in cinematic aesthetics.
Together, these products reflect De Sisti’s commitment to optical precision, reliability, and lighting solutions shaped by real production practice. www.desisti.it
new Convertible Mount. Users can swap from NL Bowens Mount, to Aputure A-mount, and more coming. DoPchoice’s selftensioning frames and quick-mounting systems have have become favourite accessories for LED lighting. You’ll also see SnapBags, SnapGrids, SnapBoxes, Airglow inflatable softboxes (booklight, panel-frame, Float) and Rabbit family of universal mounts all fulfilling DoPchoice’s lightweight, small footprint set-up-in-a-Snap objective. www.dopchoice.com
GREAT GEAR GUIDE• BSC EXPO 2026 SPECIAL PREVIEW
GREEN VOLTAGE (004 & Outside)
FUJIFILM (121)
FujiFilm has been shaping filmmaking for more than 90 years. Its Fujinon Cine Zoom lenses are trusted by cinematographers worldwide, valued for their clean, accurate rendering and subtly cinematic character that has helped redefine expectations of what zoom lenses can deliver.
In 2025, Fujifilm returned decisively to cinema with the GFX Eterna 55 digital filmmaking camera. Built around a large 55mm-diagonal
Clean. Silent. Power. Green Voltage Ltd is a specialist rental and manufacturing company supplying sustainable battery and hybrid power solutions to the film and TV industry. As a front-runner in clean, silent energy, it combines cutting-edge technology with real-world experience gained on sets, locations and backlots across the UK and internationally.
What sets Green Voltage apart is simple: it builds and supply solutions that genuinely work on the floor. Its systems are designed, tested and refined by engineers and electricians who understand the pressures of production and demanding environments.
The firm will launch the all-new GV Kube 10k. British-built and designed for maximum reliability, the GV Kube 10k delivers full Victron telemetry, remote tracking and complete weatherproofing in a super-
KODAK (205)
The team from Kodak Motion Picture Film and Kodak Film Lab London will be available to discuss all aspects of the film workflow from shooting, processing, transfer, printing and scanning to long-term archiving –promoting 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 65mm production, post and preservation in the UK.
If you are looking to work with film on your next project, or are interested in learning more, from the budgeting, selection and purchasing of the film, to the processing, post-production and preservation of your
LCA – LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION (133)
Along with new kit from DoPchoice (see separate entry), visit LCA and explore the full Creamsource Vortex range, with Hard and Soft fixtures shown side-by-side to highlight their versatility and colour consistency. When productions need serious punch, the Vortex24 delivers 1950W of output, whilst maintaining its IP65 rating, ready for demanding environments. If you’ve not discovered the potential of the Vortex Softs, this is the chance to see their controlled, fullspectrum soft light straight out-of-the-bo – combining impressive output with Creamsource’s robust build quality and smart, on-set design.
4:3 sensor, the tallest available from any manufacturer, it brings together the company’s motion picture film heritage and the advanced imaging technology of the GFX system.
Many of the same engineers behind Fujifilm’s iconic film stocks contributed to refining the camera’s colour profile, marking a significant new chapter in its cinema evolution.
Fujifilm will also showcase its latest premium Fujinon zoom lenses alongside the GFX Eterna 55, and demonstrate its award-winning Duvo
movie, the Kodak team will be available to answer your queries. www.kodak.com/go/motion
lenses integrated with Motion Impossible’s Agito remote platform for fullyremote cinematic capture.
www.fujifilm.com
mobile 130kg package. It is solar-ready, recharges in just 1 hour 30 minutes, and provides seamless monitoring and control wherever you are.
Crucially, Green Voltage provides local access to engineers, expert advice and responsive servicing, ensuring rapid support when it matters most. No guesswork, no compromises, just dependable, sustainable power built by people who know what productions really need.
www.greenvoltage.co.uk
format. Available as LiteTile Spectrum 4 and Spectrum 8 for scalable output on set.
LCA is also showing LiteTile Spectrum, the latest evolution of LiteGear’s flexible soft lighting. With a redesigned light engine, lightweight weather-resistant build, and compatibility with existing LiteGear dimmers, it offers powerful, adaptable lighting in a foldable
Rosco’s reputation for practical on-set innovation continues with a range of smart light-control solutions. WindowCling offers fast, ultra-thin control of window brightness, using static electricity to attach directly to glass with no adhesive, and is available in multiple neutral densities, plus a dedicated day-for-night layer. Designed to stack as exterior conditions change, it provides flexible, repeatable control on location.
to tame problem sources.
Also featured are RoscoGrip Strips, a filter-based solution designed to quickly reduce output from non-dimmable sources such as car headlights, emergency vehicles and LED signage. Using a repositionable, medium-tack adhesive, Grip Strips apply cleanly to flat surfaces and remove without residue, offering a practical way
Experience the power and versatility of the full Nanlux Evoke range. Innovations include the new Double Bracket for the 5000B – pairing two fixtures from a single mounting point for increased output and cleaner rigging. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a lighting enthusiast, the Nanlux Evoke range delivers unparalleled performance and adaptability for any creative project.
Elevate your lighting skills with a trip to LCA! www.lcauk.com
LEITZ (419)
The past year has seen the Leitz Hugo lenses take off! These little powerhouses have been a popular choice for commercials and narrative work alike. The core set of ten Hugo lenses ranges from 18-135mm, all T1.5, including the new 40mm. They are incredibly
BSC EXPO 2026 SPECIAL PREVIEW• GREAT GEAR GUIDE
LEE FILTERS (127)
LEE Filters, a premier manufacturer of high-quality lighting gels, lighting diffusion and lens filtration, and a member of the Panavision group, will showcase its renowned technical, diffusion and colour-effects filters for motion-picture lighting.
Among the lighting solutions on display and available for demonstration will be the recently introduced LEE 599 Nocturnal Blue window gel, which simulates a realistic night-time look in broad daylight, reducing brightness by 8-stops and adding a cool blue tint. LEE 599 Nocturnal Blue provides a streamlined day-for-night solution with a single gel, saving time and reducing waste.
Attendees can speak with LEE Filters representatives to learn more about the company’s complete range of
you have a set that is exciting and reliable. Leitz Hektors are the new tiny lenses on the block, compact and creative, with interchangeable mirrorless mounts and a character-rich image with fall-off and flare inspired by 1950s rangefinder lenses, but with modern
In September 2025, Nanlux launched the Nebula C8 colour light engine, along with two fixtures featuring this engine: Evoke 150C and Evoke 600C. The Nebula C8 is an eight-colour light engine that integrates Deep Red, Red, Amber, Lime, Green, Cyan, Blue and Indigo emitters. Thanks to the addition of deep red, the Nebula C8 achieves the widest CCT range,
OPTICAL SUPPORT (305)
Expect several exciting products to be on-show. The company will have a new complete gimbal for its DragonFly sled, which will also be compatible with other stabiliser sleds. The gimbal is built to the usual high engineering standards, with a precise fine adjustment for quick drop time adjustment and ergonomic design. Also on show will be a
solutions that help cinematographers, gaffers and other image makers precisely realise their creative intent. www.leefilters.com
Try out the new ultra-wide 20mm Thalia 65 lens, the eleventh lens in the set. Going from 20180mm, the Thalia 65 series was the first set of extra-large format lenses supporting digital and analogue 65mm productions that you could own, and it remains one of the
from 1,000K to 20,000K. It also delivers improved skin tone reproduction and a broader colour gamut.
Both the Evoke 150C and Evoke 600C offer excellent colour rendition, an all-in-one design, a compact body with superior illuminance, IP66-rated housing and compatibility with a comprehensive accessory system. Nanlux and Nanlite are constantly introducing new LED lighting innovations, so pop by for a look.
www.nanlux.com / www.nanlite.com
final production version of the OS360 mono upgrade, available now for all AR owners. With the thumb control and app control, you’re now able to customise preprogrammed moves that can
triggered mid-shot.
Finally, have a look at the aptly named, Magic Box, said to be the most accurate and comprehensive on-board recording device for camera and lens data available on the market right now. An invaluable tool for 1st AC’s, DITs and post production. www.opticalsupport.com
GREAT GEAR GUIDE• BSC EXPO 2026 SPECIAL PREVIEW
PANAVISION (222)
Panavision, the world-renowned provider of innovative optics and camera solutions, will highlight the company’s support for filmmakers working in film and digital and across formats including 35mm, 65mm and VistaVision.
On-display will be a selection of optics along with a range of camera systems for film and digital acquisition. The stand will also feature Panavision’s interactive lens comparison system, allowing visitors to view footage from across the company’s range of proprietary
RED (022)
PANALUX (222)
Panalux, a leading rental provider of lighting and power solutions for the motion-picture industry, and part of the Panavision group, will showcase a range of proprietary and third-party products from it extensive rental inventory.
In addition to the renowned Panalux Sonara range of variable-white LED heads – which are available in 4:4, 4:1 and 3:2 form factors
lens series and examine the optical characteristics that distinguish one series from another. Panavision’s wide range of proprietary optics offer filmmakers the creative freedom to select lenses that match their vision and chosen acquisition format.
Additionally, Panavision Grip & Remote Systems will be on-site to demonstrate offerings from their extensive rental inventory. Panavision will exhibit alongside Panalux, the lighting and power rental provider of the Panavision group, and attendees will be able to connect with representatives from both divisions.
www.panavision.com
Attendees visiting Red Digital Cinema, a Nikon company, will see live demonstrations of the firm’s newest innovations and experience the immersive image quality delivered by Red’s advanced camera line-up.
The newly released V-Raptor XE will make its show. V-Raptor XE offers the next level in image quality, I/O and workflow to filmmakers looking to expand on the features of Komodo-X. The 8K VV sensor has over 50% more pixels and overall size when compared to Komodo-X’s 6K S35, resulting in more creative control over depth of field, stabilisation, and detail capture.
Along with a tightly-managed thermal system, V-Raptor XE offers notable lowlight performance and post-latitude when paired with the R3D recording format. The XE will be displayed alongside the V-Raptor [X] and V-Raptor XL [X] at the show, and the team will demonstrate how the recent 2.2 firmware update for the V-Raptor [X] platform provides huge improvements in power performance, boot speed,
media stability, virtual production workflows, RED CineBroadcast and RED Connect integrations. Red will also give visitors the opportunity to get
and have been used extensively on productions including Outlander: Blood Of My Blood – Panalux will spotlight popular lighting solutions from manufacturers including Profoto, LiteGear, Rodlight and Nanlux. Panalux will exhibit alongside Panavision’s camera and optics division, and attendees will be able to connect with representatives from both divisions and the wider Panavision group.
www.panavision. com/lighting
hands on with the
at the show. www.red.com
Komodo-X and the Nikon Z Mount range
GREAT GEAR GUIDE• BSC EXPO 2026 SPECIAL PREVIEW
SECOND REEF
(c/o Sony 247/One Stop 252/Octica 219)
With the recent completion of the 120mm, full sets of Coral Anamorphics are now available to rent and buy. The lenses provide filmmakers with a new state-ofthe-art large format 1.5x Anamorphic lens set with a 2x look, extreme close focus and metadata. The first feature to use the lenses was Ballad Of A Small Player, shot by DP James Friend BSC ASC. The set consists of five focal lengths: 35 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm, 90 mm and 120 mm. See www.second-reef.com for more information.
Also on show, the patent-pending CGA-138 Circular Glass Adapter is a new accessory within the Bun-G-Ring (BGR) system, an innovative means of mounting filters to lenses without matte boxes or tape.
The CGA-138 is designed to easily mount standard 138mm diopters, rota polas, and other round optical elements quickly and securely without taping
SONY (247)
Sony will showcase its extensive and ever-growing range of solutions for digital cinematography, content creation and distribution. Visitors will be offered the opportunity of taking the hotseat in a professional podcast studio, live on the stand.
Sony will exhibit its technology in four distinct areas: CineAlta, Cine Live and Documentary, New Content Creation and Podcasting. Within these zones, the Cinema Line
and when a traditional matte box is either too large or too heavy. It mounts directly onto an existing BGR via the bungee cord mount system and incorporates a robust Spring & Lock Mechanism that creates a safe, rock-solid mounting solution.
Rectangular filters can still be positioned either in front of the of the CGA-138 or between the CGA-138
SUNBELT RENTALS (333 & Outside)
Sunbelt Rentals will be showing the latest in camera, lighting and production technology. Explore its extensive collection of new and vintage lenses covering Full Frame, S35 and Anamorphic
ZEISS (319)
Zeiss will have its latest cinematography lenses on display, plus the CinCraft Scenario camera tracking system. The Zeiss team will be on-hand to show off the technology and also bring something new – making its debut at the expo.
On-show will be the Radiance Zooms, featuring the same T* blue coating as the Supreme Prime Radiance lenses. Designed to deliver controlled, reproducible flares and warmer colour rendition, these zooms offer expressive, high-end optical performance across a versatile focal range.
Also will be Zeiss Nano Primes, lightweight, highspeed T1.5 family purpose-built for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Embodying the Zeiss Supreme look in a small package, the six matched focal lengths offer a compact, consistent toolset for narrative, commercial,
Sunbelt
camera range will be on show, previewing the latest firmware updates including Venice 2 V4.1, Burano V3.0, FX6 V6.0 and FR7 V4.0 – all becoming available in the coming months. Visitors
and the BGR, depending on your magnification needs. If a single +3 diopter is not enough, multiple CGA-138s can be stacked if needed.
The CGA138 is made of the highest quality materials designed for long life and to protect your glass and weighs a mere 40.1g (1.41 oz). The CGA functions only with the Bun-G-Ring. It is not a stand-alone product. www.bun-g-ring.com www.second-reef.com
can experience the Venice Extension System Mini in different configurations, a Crystal LED Verona video wall, the Ocellus camera tracking system, as well as spatial reality display technology.
For the first time at BSC Expo, Sony’s Digital Imaging team will host a podcast studio incorporating audio and video solutions – reflecting the growing demand for professional and affordable filmmaking and broadcast technologies for online content creation.
Workflow tools such as Sony Ci Media Cloud in conjunction with the PDT-FP1 transmitter will feature prominently across all solution areas. Sony will also introduce its new European Film School Accreditation programme at the show, with further details to follow. www.sonycine.com
Cineoa Lynx and Creamsource Vortex 8 & 24, alongside its hybrid lighting genny truck, the e-Scorpion, and 78ft Scorpio for dynamic camera setups the only suppliers of this kit in the UK.
Production solutions don’t stop there, check out Sunbelt Rentals’ powered access platforms and their latest sustainable power solutions, designed to keep shoots efficient and eco-friendly.
Chat with their team of expert technicians, get hands-on with the gear, and discover how Sunbelt Rentals can elevate your next project. www.sunbeltrentals.co.uk/sectors/film-tv/
and documentary workflows. Also on display will be the Supreme Primes, Supreme Prime Radiance, and the CP.3s. Visitors can experience CinCraft Scenario, Zeiss’ real-time camera tracking system for VFX and virtual production. Scenario’s advanced tracking algorithms and lens data integration allow productions to integrate camera tracking seamlessly into virtual and post-production pipelines. www.zeiss.com/cine
– from Master Built Soft Flare, Hawk Class-X Anamorphic, Iron Glass, Lomo Super Speeds, to Hawk
MHX, Voigtländer, Ancient Optics and Fujinon EBCs.
Rentals will feature LED lighting solutions too, such as the Robe iForte LTX WB, Elation SŌL I Blinder, Chauvet Colourado Solo Batten 4,
CONNECTIONS
By Ron Prince
N
Danish DP Kasper Tuxen DFF harnessed 35mm plus 16mm KODAK film to capture director Joachim Trier’s awardwinning and highly-acclaimed, Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), a contemporary tragicomic story about human connection that is laced with resonances from the past.
Set mainly in modern-day Oslo, but also featuring poignant historical flashbacks, sisters Nora and Agnes Borg are forced to confront their estranged father Gustav, a oncefamous but now largelyforgotten film director, when he shows-up unexpectedly at their late mother’s funeral wake in the family home.
Despite having abandoned his daughters when they were children, and still barely able to communicate with them, Gustav offers Nora, a successful stage actress who struggles with stage fright, the lead role in what he hopes will be his comeback movie. And, he wants to shoot in the house where Nora and Agnes grew-up, a place with memories of its own. But, when Nora flatly turns him down, Gustav gives the part to Rachel Kemp, a Hollywood star with the necessary financial resources to make his movie, and the sisters find themselves dealing with complicated emotional wounds from both past and present.
its bittersweet, multi-layered portrayal of fractured family relationships, resentment and reconciliation. It has also been selected as Norway’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Sentimental Value represents the second collaboration between Tuxen and Trier after their work together on the multi-award-winning The Worst Person In The World (2021), which was also shot on 35mm KODAK film.
I loved the story, the natural sincerity between the characters and the emotional arc of the narrative
“Joachim first told me about Sentimental Value in the summer of 2022, and gave me an initial outline about it being a contemporary family story steeped in generational history,” says Tuxen. “As happenstance would have it, I had just started shooting a personal project – a documentary about my own parents, our family home and their lives, shooting on analogue film. So, I found Joachim’s idea particularly inspiring, and we were in-sync right from the start.
actors, the geography of the house was of huge importance from a cinematographic perspective, so as to help the audience understand the hallways and rooms during the different seasons and decades that would be depicted in the story.”
Tuxen reports a lengthy prep of some eight months. During this time, he took the opportunity to bring back the bicycle he had previously bought in Oslo prior to shooting The Worst Person In The World, and tour the chosen locations, including the family house, so as to observe the fluctuations of the natural light.
“I knew from my previous experience in Oslo that continuity was going to be difficult, so it was really important to re-acquaint myself with how the sunlight varies during the day, especially during the summer months, and to understand how I would need to manage the natural illumination coming into the house from multiple windows, as a lot of the movie was going to be shot there.”
During this period, Tuxen says he also watched a lot of films by renowned auteur directors – including Michelangelo Antonioni and Andrei Tarkovski – in order to “enter an emotional space that would be in-tune with the work ahead and the performances of the actors.”
The film, a European co-production including Norway, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden, was co-written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, and stars Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as Nora and Agnes, Stellan Skarsgård as Gustav, alongside Elle Fanning as Rachel Kemp.
It won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, and received widespread praise for
“Just like The Worst Person In The World, I really loved the story, the natural sincerity between the characters and the emotional arc of the narrative. Sentimental Value was not intended as a direct followup or a sequel. Rather, Joachim saw it as more of a genetic echo of the previous film. He wanted to shoot it in a similarly naturalistic style, nothing tricky, but with more handheld and intentionally-cinematic shots on the dolly.”
He also adds, “Along with depicting Oslo, Joachim’s intention was to weave the house itself into the visual fabric of the film, including brief glimpses of its past joys and traumas during the previous century –the 1920s, ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘60s and ‘80s.
“This meant that along with the portraiture of the
Revealing more specific references, he says, “Joachim and I absorbed The Age Of Innocence (1993, dir. Martin Scorsese, DP Michael Ballhaus ASC) for its camera movement and depictions of the passage of time, plus Opening Night (1977, dir. John
Cassavetes, DP Alan Raban) for its visualisation of an actress struggling with a nervous breakdown. We also considered films by Woody Allen, specifically those shot by DP Gordon Willis ASC, as inspirations for the moods in different scenes.”
Principal photography on Sentimental Value commenced in August 2024 and concluded some 63 shooting days later in November. Along with Oslo and the family home, production included a stint in Deauville, France, that coincided with the Deauville American Film Festival, to film the scenes in which Gustav meets Rachel Kemp, plus a week in Sweden to film the interior scenes in Nora’s apartment. To ease the constant need to redress the house according to the different scenes and time periods covered in the film, an exact replica was built at Gateway Studios, in Drammen, an hour’s drive from Oslo, with LED walls being used to provide the appropriate backdrops.
interiors, plus KODAK VISION3 5219 500T for the film’s low-light/night interior and exterior scenes. He also shot bright summertime exterior scenes in Oslo on KODAK VISION3 50D 5203. Film processing, which often involved push-processing to subtly boost the colours, and 2K scans, were done at Cinelab, London.
Faces and portraiture were a big element in this movie
“There was never any doubt that we’d shoot analogue as Joachim loves film, and it was stipulated in his contract anyway,” says Tuxen, who gave the camera a personality of its own for the cast and the crew, by having it emblazoned with the famous psychedelic design that George Harrison used on his Stratocaster guitar.
In keeping with the desire to echo the visual style of The Worst Person In The World, Tuxen went with the same combination of aspect ratio, camera, lenses and filmstocks, but with some key additions. The shooting package was supplied by Storyline Studios in Oslo, where the final grade was also later performed by freelance colourist Julian Alary.
“All of Joachim’s films have been shot in 1.85:1, which is wonderful for portraiture and gives you the ability to reframe the picture in post if necessary,” Tuxen explains. “I chose the ARRICAM LT 35mm camera again, because Joachim and I believe it to be the perfect machine for 35mm filmmaking. For the contemporary part of the film, I went with the Cooke 5/i’s once again, because of the appealing softness they give to the image, especially on close-ups.
“However, to help differentiation in the visual storytelling, I decided to shoot the excerpt from Gustav’s film using vintage Cooke Varotal zooms with bleach bypass on the negative at the lab, and used Super Baltars for the some of the historical flash backs. To delineate things still further I shot the flashbacks set in the 1920s and ‘30s on an ARRIFLEX 416 16mm camera with an old 16mm T1.8 16-40mm zoom.”
As for the filmstocks, Tuxen selected the same combination of KODAK VISION3 5207 250D for most of the day exteriors and brighter day
“Faces and portraiture were a big element in this movie, and Joachim and I both believe that nothing renders skin better than film. Amongst one of Renate’s many qualities is the way her cheeks blush or her eyes redden, and the 250D and 500T captured that just perfectly.
“One of the other great properties of film is the way it deals with highlights – the way they burn-out is just beautiful. With digital it’s almost a forgotten vocabulary to shoot high-key scenes, because the picture can fall apart and you lose definition. But we love how the blooming effect looks on film. During our test period, we compared 2K and 4K scans and decided that the slightly softer look you get with 2K, especially on closeups and skin, looked best on the big screen.”
Tuxen admits to some trepidation prior to filming the house interiors at Gateway Studios using LED walls as backdrops.
“It’s an expensive technology that also requires you to iron-out technical issues like flicker, as well as the colour balance between the LED panels and the on-set lighting. We made the appropriate backdrops for each time period, the ‘20s, ‘40s, ‘60s and ‘80s, and lit the scenes according to the season and time of day. I have to say that shooting LED screens on analogue film works really, really well. Film grain does a whole lot to make the pixels invisible, and the results looked great. So we shot everything on-stage with LED screens, except for
Images: Photos by Mats Høiby, Christian Belgaux and Kasper Tuxen DFF.
the final scene, where we replaced the LED walls with traditional bluescreen.”
Sentimental Value was mainly a singlecamera shoot with Tuxen operating, assisted during the Scandinavian stints by Ola Austad and Robin Grading Ottersen as 1st and 2nd ACs respectively. Pål Ulvik Rokseth and Eirik Holst Aagård variously operated B-camera, with Anders Holck Petersen on Steadicam, and Mats Høiby working as the clapper/loader. The grip team was headed by Christian Scheibe. Levi Gawrock Trøite was the gaffer, supported by best girl Lisa Emilie Øverjordet
During the French leg of the shoot in Deauville, the 1st and 2nd ACs were Vincent Toubel and Adrien LevyCharles, with Loïc Andrieu operating Steadicam, Vincent Le Borgne the gaffer and Lucas Schwartz the best boy.
moments. I fell in love with the Butt Dolly, basically a barstool on wheels, that let me swivel, crab, push or pull myself along, and helped take any grittiness out of the movement.
“My instinct when shooting handheld is always to lock into the actors and respond to their performances with small adjustments to the framing, trying to see faces from a slightly-altered angles, or pushing-in imperceptibly. Being emotionally-attached like that is a joy to me.”
For the long oner at the end of the movie, Tuxen switched to operating on a traditional Peewee dolly, with key grip Christian Scheibe doing the manoeuvres.
Joachim and I believe the ARRICAM LT to be the perfect machine for 35mm filmmaking
“All of my crew were brilliantlyorganised, and took real pride in their work,” Tuxen recalls. “We were rarely at the same location for more than two days in-a-row, and they made things flow smoothly between and during the many different set-ups.
“We used more handheld in this film, especially for the contemporary scenes, but it was never anything frenetic or crazy because of the nature of the emotional
“Christian was a master when it came that final shot, coordinating very complex choreography of doors
opening and closing as the camera moved around the house in-sync with Renata. It was truly classic cinema.”
Lighting exterior night scenes is always a challenge for cinematographers, and Tuxen faced the task of illuminating a wide stretch of the beach at Deauville for the scene between Gustav and Rachel which takes place between dusk, night and early morning.
“It was the largest area I’ve ever had to film,” he remarks. “When you’re striving for authenticity, it’s hard to make something
like that look natural, and it’s even more difficult when you want to infuse it with a certain filmic charm and nostalgia.
“I didn’t want to make this scene look like it was shot in typical Hollywood-style moonlight, but to capture the sense that it was happening during the film festival. So we decided to strengthen the existing background lighting along the boardwalk using Astera AX10 LED spotlights in-camera, and employ an old technique of multiplying sources with tight and precise beams to create pools and wide washes of light.
“To give me enough exposure to shoot on 500T, I used around 40 Astera AX10s along the promenade, and could dim them appropriately up or down so they mixed-in well with the exiting practical lights. We also used Creamsoure Vortex
and Nanlux Evoke 2400B fixtures off-camera to throw illumination on to the sand and create the effect of the light coming from the town. Getting to the right look was a real challenge, and the set-up was pretty hefty, but Joachim and I were really pleased with how it turned out.”
Looking back on his experience of shooting Sentimental Value, Tuxen concludes, “Film combines soul with science, and it was great to shoot analogue again to create different and distinctive looks throughout the movie.
“It was also great to reunite with Joachim. He’s a very kind and considerate person by nature, and he loves people. This was the longest production in my career so far, and if I had ever had the blues about missing my family, he would take time to sit with me and just be my friend. I think that kind of
GOOD TIMES NEVER SEEMED SO STORMY
By Darek Kuźma
Cinematographer Amy Vincent ASC reunited with director Craig Brewer on Song Sung Blue, transforming a Neil Diamond tribute act into an intimate, lived-in portrait of love, light and a filmmaking family.
Song Sung Blue begins in perhaps the most uncinematic place a musical biopic can start: a life that feels too small. Vietnam War veteran Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) and weathered single mother Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson) are stage performers living in a world built on borrowed melodies. They start as just another working-class couple, full of quiet hope, before reinventing themselves as a Neil Diamond tribute act with a catchy name: Lightning & Thunder.
The making of this film mirrored its story
On Hustle & Flow (200), Black Snake Moan (2006) and Footloose (2011) we developed our creative rapport, a shared visual language, and an understanding of how the camera relates to choreography, performance and rhythm. Then we took a break from collaborating, but it turned-out to be a period of real growth for both of us, as humans and filmmakers. This felt like the right project to come back together, building on everything we’d done before as a team,” she recalls.
responds to spaces, and we wanted to give the film a rawness and realism rooted in the actors’ environment. Working in real locations can be challenging, but authenticity mattered more.
“At the production offices, we had rooms next to each other, and he would often come into mine, filled with visual materials and colour palettes, responding to everything. It was a deeply-organic process, one that couldn’t be done remotely.”
The prep, she says, had to be physical and communal, not contained on a laptop.
Whilst the film, inspired by Greg Kohs’ 2008 documentary of the same title, follows their arc from small-town gigs to bigger stages – through the vicissitudes of accidents, depression, financial freefall and the grace of second chances – it never insists on an American Dream-style uplift, nor does it soothe the bruises simply to make the audience feel good.
Gradually, it becomes a story of fulfilment earned through persistence, two people pretending to be someone else in order to afford being themselves, and a filmmaking family that treats that love story as its own.
The documentary served as a jumping-off point, but Song Sung Blue’s creative foundation was Vincent’s long-standing collaboration with director Brewer.
“Thanks to Greg Kohs, we had access to all the research and authentic material: the Sardina’s real home, archival footage, Eddie Vedder performing with Lightning & Thunder, etc.. Craig’s script was remarkably close to what really happened in their lives. At the same time, we were searching for our own truth, a way to make the story fully ours. In a way, the making of the film mirrored its story, and we loved that.”
They shot for 37 days between October and December 2024, entirely at New Jersey locations playing for early1990’s Milwaukee, spending long days scouting in a van, letting the film slowly settle.
“Craig’s a very instinctual filmmaker; he
“We put the entire script up on the wall. Each scene was on a card, everything was colour-coded: musical numbers, story beats, emotional beats. It became a shared, proscenium-like document everyone could refer to at any time. I could stand next to the costume designer and talk through visuals, continuity and tone.”
The Sardinas’ world starts small and slightly cramped, then grows with every gig until the finale feels like stepping inside a fantasy.
“As the venues and concerts grow, the film expands. Hugh and Kate perform the first musical numbers in a tiny apartment, so we turned the living room into a dance floor. The camera sat on a Mini Libra head on a dolly, operated by dolly grip Andy Sweeney, whilst camera operator Dave Thompson
was hidden in a closet. When Hugh and Kate found that back-to-back staging on the piano bench, it was magic you can’t direct,” Vincent recounts.
The same logic scales to the finale, where three cameras, a 50ft Technocrane and a rigged arena work not to overwhelm the performances, but rather to make the camera feel like part of the show. Cranes and remote heads were provided with the assistance of Lee Kazista rental manager at Monster Remotes.
“Thankfully, the final concert came late in the schedule. By then we’d found our rhythm between the camera operators, crane and dolly grips, and the performers. It was a joyful, choreographed collaboration, and I found myself working with a level of freedom I’d never experienced before. The whole movie felt like working with really close friends.”
Lighting the concert sequences was for Vincent a nostalgic return to her roots.
“My origins are in theatre lighting, and working with our theatrical lighting designer Christina See – going back to tools we used 30 years ago, authentic 3200K Tungsten Parcans and CTB gels, embracing colours that have always meant a lot to me – was a glorious experience,” she explains.
For the concert sequences, they leaned into old-school incandescent and Tungsten fixtures and bar-band roughness, especially in smaller venues.
“It was important to photograph the lights lighting the scene. We used footlights, sidelights and spotlights, and our approach grew more refined as the show built toward the finale.”
Curiously, Song Sung Blue was being shot at the same time as the Scott Cooper directed Deliver Me From Nowhere, leading to a friendly rivalry between Vincent and the latter film’s cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi.
“They needed period-correct gear too. It was funny, especially since their production offices were
right across from ours in New Jersey,” she laughs.
The domestic world of the protagonists in Song Sung Blue needed a different kind of care.
“As we were working in the real Sardina home, the sources had to be small and controllable. We used Asteras and LiteGear LiteMats, along with my gaffer Danny McCabe’s custom lighting-control tools. Production designer Clay Griffith’s team treated window light like a gaffer’s tool, pushing overexposure outside to narrate time of day.”
the entire film.
“We laid out our colour-language journey early. We created the LUT with Tom Poole from Company 3, based on the photography of Fred Herzog, Vivian Maier, Garry Winogrand and William Eggleston. After testing Hugh and Kate in different looks, we arrived at one singular LUT for the whole movie. We stuck with it, making colour management and post-production smooth.”
The camera package was simple. “The whole film was shot with the Sony Venice 2,” says Vincent. “I love its compact build. I knew I had the Rialto if I needed it, but we didn’t rely on it too much.” Cameras and lenses were provided by TCS, with suport from Erik and Oliver Scheitinger.
The Venice 2 carried most of the narrative, while broadcast Sony DVW700s, recorded to an Odyssey external recorder, and a Sony DCR-TRV120 Hi8 Handycam provided texture for homevideo moments and archival echoes. Lens-wise, she kept things equally streamlined.
“I originally planned to shoot with Leitz Primes, but they’re big and heavy. After I saw Leitz Hugo Primes on the set of Black Rabbit with my DP friend Pete Konczal, I knew it would be the right combination. We used 18mm to 135mm, with doubles of the focal lengths we knew we’d live in: 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm.
Lighting was provided by McCabe’s company Candela Lighting McCabe’s, with distro, cable and support from Universal.
The whole movie felt like working with really close friends
“Then we had three Fujinon Premista full-frame zooms, 19–45mm, 28–100mm and 80–250mm, and organised the performances so A-camera took the widest, B-camera the mid-range, and C-camera the longer lens. The idea was always to serve the performances first, then the coverage.”
Her relationship with softness was equally disciplined. “I used very little diffusion. Most of the softening happens through a touch of atmosphere on almost every set, and at the light source itself.”
When she did reach for filtration, it was usually Tiffen Black Satin at 1/8, a level of restraint that gives Claire room to change in front of our eyes without the film’s look collapsing.
If the arena scenes were about scale and spectacle, the house was about subtraction, taking light away until all that’s left is Claire, Mike and their children.
Vincent returned to something she has carried since her photochemical days: a single ‘stock’ for
“We could show Kate across an entire spectrum, from a conventional Midwestern mom, through depression and painkillers, to the full glamour of the dream sequence.”
All of that craft funnels into Claire’s defining moment: injured in a car accident, trapped in a body and psyche that won’t let her perform, she sees an impossible light where none should be, crawls toward it, and then imagines herself onstage.
“The reference was Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World. We shot in a tiny bedroom, with the Sony Venice on a short piece of track. Dave Thompson crawled along the floor, pushing the camera next to the bed. It’s a straight, geometric push-in: no pan, no tilt, just closure. The light does the rest: small Asteras and a Fiilex G3 ellipsoidal LED with full colour control,
shaping the slice of light that transitions into the shimmer curtain.”
Song Sung Blue played like a well-rehearsed band leaving room for improvisation, with Vincent creating a framework Brewer riffed on.
“I’ve been able to provide a workspace flexible enough to react to Craig’s instinctual way of working. He’s quite proud that he doesn’t do a shot list, but he gives me everything I need to respond to feeling, emotion and performance.”
At times, chance joined the process. On a key night exterior with Claire, they were halfway through when the weather changed.
“The wide shots were already done. As we moved into coverage, it started snowing. Craig got so excited that he wanted to redo the wides while the snow was happening. We didn’t know how long it would last, but we took the chance, and it was magic.”
Also, one day, while shooting a crucial moment, sound from across the street broke through the emotion on-set.
“A high-school marching band started playing Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. We had to stop, but suddenly the entire crew was standing in the front yard, singing along. That
was the energy on-set.”
Song Sung Blue began its theatrical run in late December 2025, but before that it screened at AFI Fest and as the closing film of the 33rd EnergaCAMERIMAGE Film Festival, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Kate Hudson, a recognition that felt shared by the whole crew.
We wanted to give it rawness and realism
“We’re such a tribe, a family of filmmakers. To be able to support a performance like that with lighting and camera decisions, that’s enough for me. The real gold in this moviemaking endeavour is having that family of collaborators. That’s the award.”
It feels fitting, then, that a film about people who impersonate a superstar for a living was built by artists who are perfectly content to stay in the
Vincent’s images sit quietly at the centre of that balance. Cars crash into houses, bodies crawl across floors, arenas fill with Tungsten and steam, yet the film always returns to the same belief: that it is better when you do it together, as a family, the one you are born into or the one you build on-set, one shot and one
dark. The Sardinas spend their days covering Neil Diamond so crowds can sing along, building a life where art and survival blur.
HOLLYWOOD QUALITY AT 150MPH: GOODWOOD TESTS THE VENICE EXTENSION MINI
The Goodwood Estate is renowned for its landmark motorsport events, with the Festival Of Speed standing as the most iconic. Capturing these moments is the responsibility of the the Goodwood production team, led by lead video producer Jonathan Scrivens, who recently put Sony’s Venice 2 and the new Venice Extension Mini to the test.
For Scrivens, filming live motorsport has always meant compromise. Strict safety regulations often force crews to rely on action cameras for in-car shots, sacrificing image quality for practicality. The VENICE Extension Mini immediately suggested a different future—one where cinema-level quality could exist in the same restricted spaces without changing established safety practices.
The benefit is twofold. First, it allows visual continuity: footage captured inside race cars can
now match the cinematic quality of material shot in the paddock and pit lane. Second, it ensures that historically significant vehicles—many of which may never be filmed in motion again—are documented at the highest possible standard.
“Some of these vehicles may never run again,” Scrivens notes. “Capturing them with the best quality possible really matters.”
Safety remains paramount at Goodwood, where every rig must satisfy drivers, teams and motorsport marshals. Despite its pedigree, the Mini integrated seamlessly into existing rigging workflows. It inspired confidence not by bending rules, but by fitting within them—mounted and tethered much like an action camera, yet delivering far greater results.
That confidence was proven at last year’s Members’ Meeting. The Mini was installed inside an Audi R8 GT3 driven by Ben Mitchell, securely
bolted into the chassis using existing mounting points, even as the car raced at over 150mph. In a very different challenge, it was also mounted to a heritage racing motorcycle, with the sensor on the handlebars and the VENICE body carried in a Tilta backpack worn by the rider. Developed in close collaboration with Sony and the riders, the setup ensured balance and control were never compromised.
“It’s not just the technology,” Scrivens says. “It’s the people behind it who are willing to push what’s possible.”
For a team already using Sony’s BURANO and other cameras, seeing the VENICE 2 sensor in such a flexible form factor has been transformative. The ability to capture extreme, action-style angles while recording X-OCN at cinema quality has expanded what’s creatively and technically achievable.
“It’s a dream,”
Scrivens concludes.
It lets us think bigger, knowing we can deliver Hollywoodlevel quality in places we never could before
TO GRIEVE, TO SEE
By Darek Kuźma
In Hamnet, Polish DP Łukasz Żal PSC walks with the cast through forests, stages and grief, shaping Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean prelude into an intensely emotional film about love, loss, and the cost of creation.
Hamnet is, on the surface, a period drama about a certain house in Stratford, England, a brave little boy, and the parents who do not know they are on their way to becoming history. What lies beneath, however, is a story that is both emotionally harrowing and uplifting, a tale of small misreadings that pull people apart, and of the ways love and art can draw them back together.
Zhao’s film, adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed historical-fiction novel with the author as cowriter, stays close to Agnes – the wild, intuitive woman who lives with one foot in the fields and woods – and to her husband Will, a restless aspiring writer whose
It was a long, heavy shoot, emotionally as much as physically
language has not yet found its final shape.
In time, a family tragedy slowly casts a shadow between them, deepening a distance they thought they understood. The film moves between the dense green of the forest and the wooden geometry of an early London theatre, between the mess of family life and the strict architecture of performance, observing how love endures once grief takes root and refuses to release its hold.
In terms of scale, Hamnet was the biggest project
he had worked on, but Żal never lost the spirit and attitude that brought him to this stage of his career.
“For me, the only way to work on a film is to be super-prepared, to immerse myself completely in the world to be created. Chloé has the same attitude, so we had the whole film shot-listed. We had storyboards, moodboards and visual references – from paintings to photographs – for every scene. I went through the script several times by myself, and several times with Chloé, my gaffer Sol Saihati ICLS, and others,” he recounts.
“We knew the film by heart weeks before we started shooting. Because of that, on-set we could stay open to whatever the day brought: light, weather, the actors’ energy. Sometimes we changed the camera angle, sometimes lit things differently. Small touches, but incredibly important.
“It was a long, heavy shoot, emotionally as much as physically. Following the rule that you plan everything like crazy, and then let good things happen when you
The idea was never to fight the natural light, but to embrace it
let go, was the only way to get through.”
It was evident even during the location scouting. In March 2024, they spent a few days walking through the woods in Lydney Park Estate in Gloucestershire,
UK – a landscape that would become Agnes’s kingdom – only to abandon it once seasonal growth reshaped the chosen spaces.
“We went there with a bunch of lenses and just looked for shots. It was sunny and then rainy, so we scouted in mud, watching the place come back to life after the winter break. The tiny blades of grass are brushstrokes, the branches twisting in every direction create chaos, yet the whole forest has a painterly order, a structure. Just like Agnes’s life,” he recalls.
“We found a beautiful clearing, but when we came back in summer, it was a different world. So, we searched again and found a better one.”
For Żal, capturing that natural structure meant choosing tools that would not interfere with it. He shot on the ARRI Alexa 35 paired with a small set of Zeiss Super Speeds and Standard Speeds (mostly 28mm, 40mm, 65mm).
“I wanted lenses that didn’t add too much or impose a vintage quality. They’re soft, but sharp enough, naturalistic. They don’t bend reality but carry a gentle character. Master Primes were only for night work, to keep things crisp.”
Hamnet is visually built on a clear spatial divide: Agnes’s forest and Will’s theatre, The Globe Theatre in London. Żal’s images make that split tactile. The woods and the fields leading to Stratford and the nearby villages –shot in Herefordshire in the English countryside – feel like the place where Agnes is most herself. The Globe, by contrast, is an act of deliberate estrangement. The team visited the famous theatre on the Southbank in London, but decided against using it.
“It just wasn’t right for us, so production designer Fiona Crombie and her team built our own Globe Theatre on a backlot at Elstree Studios, with a moving roof that we could adjust depending on how much sun we needed.”
structure, but not nature. It still has its merits, but you need to see it differently. Throughout the film we try to let the two spaces slowly align, complementing each other.”
Within these spaces, the core of the film is the contrast between Agnes and Will. Żal and Zhao initially planned to shoot in 4:3 aspect ratio, a format he had pushed for on other projects, but the forest changed his mind.
“We tested 4:3 and I suddenly felt it wasn’t right,” Żal recalls. “I wanted more space on the sides, more room for the branches and all these things that coil around each other. Agnes’s world – the way she senses it rather than the way it looks – needed to be wider, to breathe in its own rhythm.”
The aspect ratio was shifted to 16:9 to let the landscape breathe around her and to sharpen the contrast with Will, whose blooming artistry and attempt to process grief through it she cannot fully comprehend.
“Agnes’s presence is associated with horizon lines, the sky and the unruly flow of plants; Will’s with cramped rooms that almost seem to press-in on him, writing alone at night, as he tries to force-out words that matter. He lives in his mind and tries to release emotion through the only channel he knows. We tried to emphasise this contrast with every tool we had, from light to camera movement.”
Lighting the Globe Theatre was, ironically, an act of returning to nature by artificial means. Instead of building a fully-enclosed box, Crombie’s structure was left open to the sky and covered with a white membrane that could slide on and off, softening or blocking the sun as needed.
They shot the natural part of the film during July and August, and the Globe Theatre scenes in September 2024.
“The theatre was conceived as a temple of dead trees. Symbolically, it’s too late to return to the forest. And at this point in the story we live in architecture: it’s still a
“The main light source was always the sun and the sky, just like in Agnes and Will’s wooden house on the same backlot. We had 18Ks outside, large white frames on cranes, Vortexes and Chimeras to extend the light, but the idea was never to fight the natural light, but to embrace it.”
This approach – large units outside, minimal intervention inside –was developed together with gaffer Sol Saihati ICLS, who Żal calls one of the best gaffers he has ever worked with.
“Sol’s approach fitted me perfectly, and once we found that language, I wanted to apply it everywhere. I
For me, the only way to work is to be superprepared – to immerse myself completely in the world to be created
like to accept the light as it is and extend it, not replace it. When we lost the natural light, the day was done,” Żal says. To keep things real, the same philosophy extended to the physical environment of the set, again under Saihati’s guidance. They worked with natural textiles wherever possible: undyed muslin, cotton and fabrics that felt like they could belong in that era.
“We tried not to use synthetic materials and covered everything: logos, stands, monitors, all the little pieces of information that don’t belong in that world. The idea was to avoid a technical circus and surround the actors with natural materials, so they feel in a real house or theatre, not on a set.”
de La Tour, Żal was never afraid of letting huge portions of the frame fall into black.
light and pairing it with wideopen Master Primes so that flames could carry most of
The same applied to the house’s day interiors, where most of the work relied on large outside sources at T4–T5.6 to preserve the sun and the sky’s tone and intensity, whilst unobtrusive Asteras, Vortexes and Litepanels extended the light inside.
Night interiors belonged to candlelight and a high-
the exposure.
“We tested a lot and the Alexa 35 handled that sensitivity without noise. The candles were the main source, then we added a soft, omnipresent ambient fill, usually from a large surface near the camera or above it, so it has no direction, just a slight polish.”
Inspired by the paintings the French Baroque artist,
“A big part of my job was eliminating candles from the frame. I don’t like fifty candles just because it looks nice. I like it real. They were expensive back then. If someone is sick or dying, then yes, you add more, but otherwise I’d rather have black, empty darkness than a John Lewis Christmas ad.”
Żal’s aversion to excess ornamental light carried into the DI. In prep, he and his team created a LUT with colourist Damien Vandercruyssen, but it pushed contrast and colour separation far harder than what ended up on screen.
“When we started grading with Chloé, she looked at the image and said, ‘It looks different than on-set.’ She wanted it to look the way she remembered it, the way it really was. So, we took a lot of steps in reverse, toward what we called ‘normal’,” Żal explains.
“We wanted the colours to be as natural as possible – green should be green, not blueish green – and for the grading to be invisible, not something where you say, ‘Oh, that’s a look.’”
He still suspects some blue has crept into the greens, a trace of that internal tug-of-war.
“Within me there are two natures. One that avoids all the ‘beautiful’ stuff, and another that was trained as a DP to put everything in backlight, to
ISO setting on the sensor. Żal pushed the Alexa 35’s dual native ISO to around 1600-2160, using real-time noise reduction in low
Georges
separate the subject, to make sure nothing looks like scrambled-egg green. They fight each other all the time.”
Which can also be said of Hamnet, a film about two different worldviews and personalities
that must find common ground to coexist. The story is, in a sense, a speculative portrait of the young Shakespeare, but it refuses to reduce him to a genius in the making. It gives equal attention to Agnes’s untamed femininity and to a masculinity allowed to be fragile, overwhelmed, even lost. And to an unimaginable tragedy that alters everything.
“You can only go into such heavy emotions if you know the people around you will catch you when you fall. I was fortunate I could bring my friends and collaborators on this project: camera operator Staszek Cuske, key grip Tomek Sternicki, 1st AC Radek Kokot, DIT Krzysiek Zawieja, and many more. We’ve been working together for years. They know my weak spots and can fill them with their talent and experience,” Żal says.
“Sometimes they come with a frame and say, ‘We don’t understand why you want to do it this way.’ And we talk. Maybe I change my mind, maybe I don’t, but I take full responsibility. Listening matters. That, to me, is art – a collaboration.”
SHOOTING GALLERY• E nerga CAMERIMAGE 2025 IN PICTURES
We entered the crucible of cinematography for the 22nd time. We saw some great work on films such as Late Shift, Mother, F1: and The Testament Of Ann Lee and A Complete Unknown. We met-up with old friends, made a whole lot of new ones too… and generally had a ball at the 2025 edition of the veritable festival. Thank you to everyone, especially the organisers, for making it such a memorable trip.
Photos and words by Ron Prince.
MAIN COMPETITION
Golden Frog: Judith Kaufmann
BVK for Late Shift, dir. Petra Biondina Volpe
Silver Frog: Fabian Gamper for Sound Of Falling, dir. Mascha Schilinski
Bronze Frog: Michał Sobociński for Chopin, A Sonata In Paris, dir. Michał Kwieciński
AUDIENCE AWARD
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Sentimental Value – DP Kasper Tuxen DFF, dir. Joachim Trier
POLISH FILMS COMPETITION
Golden Frog: Piotr Sobociński Jr. for The Altar Boys, dir. Piotr Domalewski
FILM & ART SCHOOL ETUDES COMPETITION
Golden Tadpole – Laszlo Kovacs Student Award: Nico Schrenk for Skin On Skin, dir. Simon Schneckenburger, from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Silver Tadpole: Henri Nunn for Walud, dirs. Daood Alabdulaa & Louise Zenker, from University Of Television & Film, Munich, Germany
Bronze Tadpole: Francesca Avanzini for Marina, dir. Paoli De Luca from the Centro Sperimentale Di Cinematografia, Italy
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Golden Frog: Benjamin Bryan for Iron Winter, dir. Kasimir Burgess
Golden Frog: Ronnie McQuillan for No Mean City, dir. Ross McClean
CINEMATOGRAPHERS’ DEBUTS
Golden Frog: Adam Suzin for Father, dir. Tereza Nvotova
MUSIC VIDEOS
Golden Frog: Jake Gabbay and dir. Gabriel Moses for ‘Chains & Whips’
TV SERIES
Golden Frog: Corrin Hodgson & Ben Richardson for 1923: A Dream And A Memory, dir. Ben Richardson
SHOOTING GALLERY• E nerga CAMERIMAGE 2025 IN PICTURES
Yours truly with Stephen Brand from Driving Plates
Mia Cioffi Henry, DP & Professor of Cinematography at Tisch School Of The Arts, NY
Focus puller Olga Abramson with the Beaumont VistaVision camera as used on
Ernest Kaczyński, photographer extra-ordinaire!
A teeny-tiny Sony camera, as used on F1: The Movie
E nerga CAMERIMAGE 2025 IN PICTURES
Igor Randjelovic, senior software developer, and Jeff Brink CEO
SHOOTING GALLERY• E
Robert & Robert… with their favourite cinematography magazine. Read it too… or else!
Aputure’s Ballad Of A Small Player lighting seminar with James Friend BSC ASC, gaffer Harlon Haveland ICLS and DIT Peter Marsden, hosted by Jorrit Dijkstra
DP Fred Elmes ASC on-stage before the screening of Father Mother Sister Brother
Attention… work going on above!
Our
Peter Deming ASC, the Duo Cinematographer/Director Award-winner for his 33-year collaboration with the late David Lynch
Alexander Schwarz and Jim Bouchie from Second
favourites!
Andra Milsome at the Mark Milsome Foundation event!
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
By Bartosz Nalazek PSC
Twenty years ago
I applied to the film school in Łódź, Poland, to study cinematography. My dream was simple: become a director of photography, work with cameras, light and actors, and tell stories in the medium I loved.
What I did not imagine was that two decades later I would be talking about “diffusion models”, “latent space” and “prompt engineering” – and asking what happens to our profession when images stop coming through glass and start emerging from probability.
Yet here we are.
I’m writing this as a working cinematographer, not a tech evangelist. I’ve spent the last 15 years inside the most traditional form of our craft: collaborating with directors, standing behind real cameras, lighting real sets, and living inside a culture of authorship that shaped me. That world is still very much alive in me.
But I can also feel that the culture I grew up in is shifting. And pretending generative AI will simply go away isn’t a plan. The real question is: what do we, as cinematographers and filmmakers, want to do with this technology?
A revolution of imitation — but not yet of art
In recent months we’ve all seen the same thing in our feeds: AI-generated video that looks shockingly “cinematic”. Models trained on vast datasets of historical film imagery now spit out short clips that, at first glance, feel like they came from major productions. They’re lit, composed and colour-graded in ways we recognise instantly as “our” language.
And they’re produced at a fraction of the usual time and cost.
At the moment, though, what we’re witnessing is mainly a technological revolution, but not yet an artistic one. These systems are extremely good at mimicking established aesthetics. They can reproduce something that looks like a dolly shot at magic hour, or a stylised neon close-up, or a smoky 1970s crime-film frame.
What they don’t understand is why a shot looks the way it does.
They don’t know what a cinematographer is trying to say when we choose a long lens instead of a wide one, when we underexpose a face into silhouette, when we let a flare swallow half the frame, or when we break continuity on purpose. They have no notion of how those
Right now, AI is an excellent imitator, not yet a collaborator
decisions relate to character, theme or performance.
In other words, generative models can now reproduce finished looks, but they don’t grasp cinematography as an art form. True cinematography is not a collage of pretty frames; it’s a chain of deliberate choices, shot-by-shot, scene-by-scene, designed to carry a story.
Right now, AI is an excellent imitator, not yet a collaborator.
Pretending generative AI will simply go away isn’t a plan
The language of cinematography
Cinematographers speak a very particular language. It’s a dialect that lives somewhere between physics and emotion.
Motion, light, colour and composition all work together to create meaning. We decide whether the camera floats or stumbles, whether the light caresses or punishes, whether the colour palette comforts or disturbs. We compress distance or stretch it, isolate or embed, sharpen or blur. Every one of those choices is a sentence in a visual paragraph.
Great cinematography is not about “beautiful images”. It’s about coherence: the way those images interact over time, how they evolve with the characters, how they create a world that feels emotionally truthful even when it’s completely invented.
This is precisely the layer that generative models don’t touch yet. They can approximate the surface of our language, but not its grammar.
Generative video as a tool that needs guidance
It’s easy to talk about AI as a great global threat. The same anxiety appears in our industry: job loss, creative redundancy, an automated future where machines make movies and we watch from the sidelines. I share those concerns – I’d be lying if I said I don’t feel that existential tension.
But I also think it’s important to look at what the technology actually does today.
Generative video is, first and foremost, a machine learning tool that needs guidance. When you fill it with prompts, it can mimic cinematic outputs remarkably well, but the moment you try to control it like you would a camera crew, you run into very practical problems:
• temporal consistency – keeping faces, light, motion and spatial logic coherent over many shots
• following precise instructions – matching exact blocking, timing, eye-lines, lenses, or continuity of action
• visual style control – maintaining a stable look across a whole sequence or film, rather than shot-by-shot “surprises”
The same system that can surprise you with a stunning ten-second clip starts to fall apart when you ask it to behave like a disciplined camera department over 90 minutes.
That doesn’t mean it’s useless. It means it is not a director of photography. It is a powerful, chaotic, statistics-driven image generator that needs a human hand to shape it.
And that, to me, is where it gets interesting.
Cost, scale and the shifting meaning of “production value”
There’s another side to this story, one that is less philosophical and more brutal: economics.
For big studios, generative video mostly means reducing cost and time on things they already could do. A massive environment that used to take four weeks of VFX work and four million dollars might soon take one week and one million. The access to technology was
Photos by Aleksandra Zaborowska.
never their problem; efficiency is.
For the smallest filmmakers, the impact is very different. Suddenly, tools that emulate “high-profile” cinematic style – wide vistas, complex set-ups, elaborate lighting scenarios – become cheaper and more accessible than ever. People who never had the budget for a crane, a drone shot or a full city street set can now approximate that kind of scale.
On the surface, that sounds like pure democratisation. But there is a catch.
Once you can generate “expensive-looking” imagery cheaply, production value itself becomes less valuable. If everyone can have a polished, slick, “cinematic” frame at low cost, then the currency shifts. What becomes scarce again are things that are much harder to fake:
• authenticity – the feeling that what you’re seeing comes from real curiosity, honesty or risk
• performance — the irreplaceable nuance of an actor’s work, the tiny shifts in rhythm and presence that define a character
• meaningful storytelling – structure and insight, not just spectacle
Paradoxically, I believe that as scope and visual imagination become virtually unlimited, storytelling comes under even greater pressure. If you can show the audience anything, the question “Why this?” becomes sharper. In such a landscape, the best writers and the most truthful performers are not devalued; they are elevated.
Technology makes imitation easier. It makes originality more important than ever.
Inside the frontier: when AI meets a real feature film
All of this becomes much more concrete when you step into a real production that tries to use these tools at scale.
Not long ago I worked on a large, highly-ambitious feature designed from the ground-up to sit at the frontier between traditional filmmaking and generative, AI-driven workflows. The resources were serious, the teams on both sides – film and tech – were talented and committed. The intention was genuinely pioneering.
And yet, behind the shiny stories we see online, the reality of using generative tools on a feature film is still quite rough. We’re basically in an experimental phase. There aren’t many solid workflows, very few examples for performance-driven, full-length films, and a lot of the responsibility for “figuring it out” often lands on the director and DP.
Tech teams may know their models and code very well, but not necessarily how film crews actually work day to day – with scouts, tests, look-development, previs and long conversations that shape the visual language. Without that shared base, people make decisions with incomplete information, support can feel scattered, and no one fully-holds the visual direction.
Under time pressure, it’s easy for key creative voices to be pushed aside in the name of “speed”. That’s exactly when the film’s cohesion, sense of authorship, and the fragile bridge between creative intent and technology are most at risk.
The VFX and AI community, as technically brilliant as it is, is not yet equipped to carry full visual leadership of a feature film.
They can build tools, pipelines and models. But the work of shaping a coherent visual narrative – of deciding what the film should feel like frame-to-frame – still urgently needs a cinematographer’s eye. What diffusion models actually do (and why that matters)
As cinematographers, we’ve always had a technical backbone: understanding exposure, sensors, lenses, emulsions, dynamic range. It’s part of knowing where the limits are and how far we can push them. With generative image models, the underlying mechanism is very different, but it’s worth having at least a rough mental model of what happens.
A diffusion model learns to destroy and then reconstruct images. During training, it takes an image – say, a teddy bear on a table – and repeatedly adds random noise to it until nothing recognisable remains. At each step, it also learns how to go in the opposite direction: how to remove a little bit of noise while nudging the result closer to the original.
It has never been easier to emulate, and it has never been more urgent to be original
It does this millions of times on millions of images, each one tagged with words like “teddy bear”, “apple”, “car at night in the rain”. Over time, it builds an internal representation of how those concepts look under different conditions: what fur looks like in shadow, how highlights behave on wet asphalt, how dusk differs from noon.
When you later type “teddy bear on a red sofa at sunset”, the model starts from pure noise and iteratively denoises while constantly checking: “Does this look more like what people call a teddy bear on a red sofa at sunset?” If not, it adjusts. After many steps, you see a frame.
Crucially, the model doesn’t contain literal stored copies of the training images. It contains something more like a compressed intuition about them. That’s why it can generate infinite variations – and also why it is so unreliable when asked to reproduce the same face, shot-after-shot, with the same degree of nuance.
From a cinematography perspective, two points matter:
• the traditional chain of optical continuity – photon lens sensor/film image – is broken
• the model has never been taught what a “good performance” looks like, or what emotional continuity is. It only knows how to correlate pixels with tags.
We are not replacing a camera. We are adding a new layer of abstraction between our intent and the final image.
Previz, imagination and the first useful frontier
So what do we do with that abstraction?
One immediate and very practical use is previsualization. This is where generative tools already shine in a way that aligns naturally with our work.
We can start with a script and rough storyboards. Feeding those sketches and a carefully written prompt into an image model, we can generate more photographic versions of the frames, explore colour palettes, test bolder lighting ideas, and iterate quickly with the director and production.
For me, this is one of the most promising initial uses: not replacing principal photography, but enhancing the communication phase. Previz has always been about aligning imaginations. Now we can do that on a more refined level, long before we build sets or roll cameras.
From there, we step into hybrid workflows: short generative inserts, stylised environments behind real performances, AI-assisted VFX to extend worlds or add scale. Used intelligently, these tools really can expand our playground. Suddenly we can stage scenes in spaces that would have been logistically or financially impossible.
But again, there is a difference between using AI as an accessory and letting it become the de facto “visual author” of the film. The former expands our freedom; the latter risks undermining what we actually bring.
Visual leadership in an AI-driven
pipeline
We stand, I think, on the brink of evolving our visual storytelling language. The difficult part is building the bridge between human intent and AI comprehension so that we can move towards new cinematic poetry, not just higher-resolution imitation.
All of this brings me back to something I care about deeply: visual leadership.
On large productions, visual responsibility is already fragmented among many departments: principal photography, VFX, virtual production, colour grading,
FUTURE SHOCK - CINEMATOGRAPHERS IN THE AGE OF
second units. Generative AI threatens to fragment it further unless someone holds the centre.
In my view, that “someone” must still be a cinematographer – but a cinematographer whose role has expanded.
This new DP, or generative cinematographer, needs to:
• live comfortably in both worlds: lenses and LUTs, but also prompts, models and hybrid workflows
• define visual strategy from prep through to final colour, including how generative tools are used, on what, and to what extent
• sit at the table when new pipelines are designed, ensuring they respect the logic of film storytelling, rather than treating it as an afterthought
• be the person who can say, with authority, “This supports the film” or “This breaks the language we’ve established”
If we don’t step into that space, someone else will — most likely from the VFX or tech side, and not necessarily with a filmmaker’s sensibility.
Generative AI will not naturally organise itself around our creative needs. We have to design the structures that keep creativity at the centre and let the tools orbit around it.
A new scarcity: meaning
As generative video matures, its real impact won’t be in replacing us with machines, but in redrawing the map of what is easy and what is hard.
Striking visuals, once expensive and logistically demanding, are becoming cheaper and more accessible. The hierarchy of who “gets to” make something that looks like a big movie is shifting. That’s exciting and terrifying at the same time.
We are entering a paradoxical moment: it has never been easier to emulate, and it has never been more urgent to be original.
In this landscape, the rarest commodities are not GPUs or plug-ins; they are:
• the spark of a story well told
• the depth of a performance that lingers after the credits
• the visual choices that feel necessary rather than decorative
We’re basically in an experimental phase
Generative tools will become normal, background infrastructure. Technical wizardry will be assumed. The question that will cut through all of it is: does this mean something?
For that reason, I don’t believe that AI diminishes the value of cinematographers, directors, writers or actors. Quite the opposite. It pushes us to be extremely clear about our contribution.
Our job will be less about proving we can produce a “cinematic look” – the machine can do that — and more about proving we can create cinematic truth.
Image: A ChatGPT interpretation of how the future of cinematography might look.
Bartosz Nalazek PSC is a graduate of The Polish National Film School in Lodz, who honed his craft working under DPs such as Janusz Kaminski on films including War Horse, Lincoln and Bridge Of Spies. He’s based in LA and shoots indie cinema and mainstream films, such as Meg Ryan’s What Happens Later and Robert Salerno’s Here After amongst his many credits. He also lectures on technology, including generative AI.
Choosing our place in this future
So where does that leave us?
Generative AI is not going away. Its current imperfections are not a guarantee of safety. Economically and technologically, its pull is simply too strong. It will seep into every crevice of the industry: development, previz, post, marketing and even audience analysis.
Our choice is not between “accepting” or “rejecting” it. Our real choice is:
• either we engage, learn how it works, define roles like the generative cinematographer, insist on visual leadership and ethics, and use it to expand our artistry
• or we stand aside, comforting ourselves with nostalgia, and watch as others – with very different priorities –define the visual language of the next few decades I know which side I want to be on. Not because I love technology for its own sake. I never really cared about gear as objects. I cared – and still care – about what we can do with them.
Generative tools are simply the latest, most disruptive addition to our toolbox. If we bring our craft, our ethics and our imagination into this space, there is a real chance that the result will still feel like cinema: images that move people, that expand emotional vocabulary, that dare to invent new metaphors for what it means to be human.
If we don’t, we shouldn’t be surprised if we wake up one day and find that “cinema made by machines” happened without us – beautiful, empty, generic, and missing the one thing no model can learn from pixels alone: the fragile, stubborn, irreplaceable human impulse to tell a story that matters.
ON THE RUN
By Ron Prince
Shooting on Kodak film, DP Mike Bauman used VistaVision to thrilling effect for Paul Thomas Anderson’s satirical action comedy One Battle After Another. Praised as a masterpiece by critics worldwide, the film is tipped for success during the 2026 awards season.
Directed and written by Anderson, the 162-minute feature follows Bob Ferguson (Leonardo Di Caprio), a washed-up member of the far-left ‘French 75’ revolutionary group, who lives off-grid in a state of stoned paranoia with his spirited and self-reliant daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti), until the past catches up with him.
When Bob’s nemesis, the white supremacist Colonel Lockjaw (Sean Penn), hunts them to cover-up a past sexual relationship with Willa’s mother, Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), Bob and his old comrades have to reunite to protect Willa in a chaotic and combative fight for survival.
Loosely-based on Thomas Pynchon’s postmodernist novel Vineland (1984), and thought to be the most expensive movie of Anderson’s career, at around $150 million, the film delivers a rollercoaster experience – with shoot-outs, explosions and car chases – and explores themes about activism, identity, injustice, power, love and the counter-culture in
contemporary America.
After its release in September 2025, One Battle After Another appeared on more critics’ annual “bestof” lists than any other film, and received nominations across the wide assortment of categories – including direction, screenplay, performances, editing, sound and cinematography – at all of the major industry awards, including ASC and BSC nods for Bauman.
One Battle After Another represents Bauman’s fifth collaboration with Anderson. He was the gaffer on The Master (2012, DP Mihai Mălaimare Jr.) and Inherent Vice (2014, DP Robert Elswit ASC), was credited as lighting cameraman on Phantom Thread (2017) and then noted as the co-DP with Anderson on Licorice Pizza (2021).
VistaVision is a high-resolution widescreen film format, developed by Paramount Pictures in 1954, to create a higher-quality visual experience to compete against the rising popularity of television and lure audiences back into cinemas. Instead of running the
film vertically through a standard 35mm camera, VistaVision cameras run 35mm horizontally, giving an 8-perf 1.5:1 frame, that has double the surface area of standard 35mm film, resulting in sharp and highlydetailed images with fine grain.
Cinema classics such as Christmas (1954, dir. Michael Curtiz, DP Loyal Griggs ASC), Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1956, DP Loyal Griggs ASC) and Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958, DP Robert Burks ASC), were all shot in VistaVision, although
Paul wanted this production to feel gritty and to have a documentary-like realism
MIKE BAUMAN ICLS• ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Paramount dropped the format in the early 1960s due to refinements in Eastmancolor filmstocks.
However, VistaVision’s high-resolution still made it attractive to filmmakers for VFX sequences in the Star Wars, Batman and Indiana Jones franchises. And in more recent times, VistaVision has made a notable comeback as the main production format on movies such as The Brutalist (2024, dir. Brady Corbett), which won three Academy Awards, including one for its cinematographer Lol Crawley BSC ASC, and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia (DP Robbie Ryan ICS BSC).
“Whilst VistaVision is known for delivering sharp, detailed images, Paul really wanted this production to feel gritty and to have a documentarylike realism along the lines of movies like The French Connection (1971, dir. William Friedkin, DP Owen Roizman ASC) and The Last Detai l (1973, dir. Hal Ashby, DP Michael Chapman ASC). Those both made extensive use of handheld cameras which contributed to their immersive and observational style, and look as though they were made on-the-run,” Bauman explains.
documents a stretch of time during the 1970s when revolutionary underground groups, such as ‘The Weathermen’, dedicated themselves to the violent overthrow of the American government, much like the fictional ‘French 75’ far-left militant group in One Battle After Another
After the best part of a year spent testing, filming took place over 90 shooting days, between January and June 2024, although this period included an eight-week hiatus to wait for actor Benicio Del Toro to become available.
VistaVision was the right format to capture the epic scope, action sequences and different settings
Califorinian locations included urban settings such as downtown Sacramento, along with the diverse landscapes of deserts and natural redwood forests in San Diego County and Humboldt County for the movie’s various action sequences. Some scenes were shot in and around El Paso and the US-Mexico border region, whilst the film’s stomach-churning car chase in was filmed in the arid landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and near Borrego Springs, California.
“Although Paul tested VistaVision for The Master, he went with 65mm in the end, but he always kept it at the back of his mind. So when One Battle After Another came along, he felt VistaVision was the right format to capture the epic scope, action sequences and different settings in the story.”
To gain a greater sense of the subject matter of the film – particularly cultural fragmentation in the face of creeping authoritarianism, and reclusive radicals holed-up in northern California – Bauman says he dipped into Pynchon’s Vineland. He also read Bryan Burrough’s book Days Of Rage: America’s Radical Underground, The FBI & The Forgotten Age Of Revolutionary Violence, which
Bauman shot One Battle After another using a trio of Beaumont VistaVision cameras, fitted with bespoke optics created by Panavision, Woodland Hills. Panavision Millennium XL2 35mm cameras shooting in 4-perf were also used for critical dialogue scenes where the noisier VistaVision cameras weren’t ideal. Bauman estimates that between 75 to 80 percent of the film was shot using the VistaVision cameras, and that the production consumed in the region of 1.4 million feet of 35mm filmstock.
“We would have liked to have used the Wilcam W11 VistaVision camera, as it’s a sync-sound camera that offers quiet operation on-set. But that was before Robbie Ryan had overseen its restoration for Bugonia, and we were uncertain about its level of reliability.
Images: Photos by Merrick Morton / Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
“So we settled on three Beaumont camera bodies – one owned and loving-restored by actor/ cinematographer Giovanni Ribisi, which became our A-camera, plus two additional camera bodies supplied by the Geo Film Group in LA – with the idea of giving us a safety net in case of any breakdowns, as well as a variety of shooting options, especially for the film’s car work. Although we told Giovanni that we’d be using his baby in some extreme conditions in remote locations in California, he was generous and encouraging and told us to go out and make a great movie with it.
As the Beaumonts are all old cameras, 1st AC Sergius Nafa spent several months working with Panavision to get them all battle-ready. This included fabricating parts for modern peripherals, plus upgrading the electronics, video taps and the standard 400-foot magazines to 1,000-foot.
“During production, all of the cameras worked well and without any major issues, and didn’t really need much servicing at all,” Bauman reports.
Prototype lenses were initially developed for One Battle After Another through close collaboration with Dan Sasaki at Panavision. Anderson liked the look of Panavision’s legacy Super Speed lenses, and had used them previously on films such as Phantom Thread
Movies that Gordon Willis ASC had shot with Super Speeds often came up as a point of reference and to achieve a look similar to the Super Speeds, whilst covering the VistaVision format, Panavision’s special optics team built a new set of prototype primes in 12 focal lengths ranging from 14mm to 100mm. After One Battle After Another had wrapped, Robbie Ryan opted to work with those same Panavision Prototypes on Bugonia
Bauman tested and used all four KODAK VISION 3 colour negative 35mm filmstocks – namely the 500T 5219, 200T 5213, 250D 5207 and 50D 5203. Film processing plus 4K scans were done at FotoKem in LA, with DI colourist Gregg Garvin supervising the final DI grade.
“The 500T 5219 and the 250D 5207 were our respective workhorses for the mainstay of the night/ low-light and day scenes, but we also used the 250D 5207 for car interiors and 50D 5203 on some occasions for exterior day work,” recounts Bauman.
“To get the level of grit Paul wanted in the image, we took the opportunity to bend the look and encourage a French Connection type of rawness, by push-processing at the lab, most often by one stop and
sometimes two stops, as we liked the grain structures and the increased colour saturation that yielded, but without the blacks becoming super-rich.”
One luxury that few other filmmakers get to have these days was watching printed film dailies, and Bauman explains. “Most people when they shoot on film review 2K or 4K digital scans from the lab. That’s not how Paul works, he wants to see traditional print dailies, and to make aesthetic judgments based-off those.
“So, we found projectors that we could use to screen the VistaVision and Super 35mm dailies, and the grips designed a moveable projection booth that could be built, usually in the conference room at a nearby hotel at
I was thrilled to have a ringside seat to some outstanding performances
every location, before being torn down, transported and set-up at our next location. That was a lot of work and its own kind of production.”
Along with their cumbersome shape and weight, VistaVision cameras present operators with framing challenges as the eyepiece is mounted on top of the camera with the magazines mounted horizontally underneath. This meant A-camera operator Colin Anderson SOC having to stand on a ladder for shots above waist-height, and prove himself agile when shooting complex dolly moves and camera pans.
Of course, the idea of the camera being on-the-run with the protagonists, required propulsive camera movement, which brought its own challenges and solutions.
“Paul likes doing extended takes and tracking close to the actors with the camera, so we had the cameras on remote stabilised heads on dollies, the ends of jib arms and cranes,” says Bauman.
“When it came to shooting handheld or with Steadicam, we had to find a travelling weight device to prevent the camera from tilting due the change in weight redistribution as the 1,000ft of filmstock moved from one magazine to the other. Handheld shots with the camera on the shoulder were impossible because of the eyepiece location, so we utilised a prototype Mantis rig from BLKBRD with an Easyrig vest.
“We shot single camera as much as possible, especially on the interior scenes, but had two cameras for the car and driving scenes – generally with one on a hostess tray, and the other on the nose of the vehicle.”
The film’s notable rollercoaster car chase in was filmed along a stretch of the 78 Highway nicknamed the ‘River Of Hills’ for its undulating terrain, including the distinct feature known as the ‘Texas Dip’. The production team found the location during scouting trips, noting the unique, compressed perspectives in the landscape. Filming occurred in extremely hot conditions, around 110°F/43°C, the harsh environment adding to the intensity of the sequence.
“During prep, we drove along the River Of Hills, and recorded that trip on our iPhones to get a sense of what it was all about,” recalls Bauman. “When
we came to shoot for real using various specialised camera platforms and equipment from Allan Padelford Camera Cars, we employed a mix of wide lenses to feel the drops and telephoto lenses to compress the hills, or filmed low to the ground to create a dizzying, hallucinatory effect. We also experimented with camera shake by loosening nuts on the camera mount and used focus pulls to enhance the tension.”
Looking back on his shooting experience on the movie and his transition from gaffer to DP, Bauman says, “It was incredibly tough. We had so many challenges – unit-moves and locations, plus some extremely rainy and hot weather conditions – to contend with during the shoot, that the process became one battle after another for the crew. But I had a really great team around me, and am thankful for their skills and determination to see
things through.
“I love working with Paul, and was thrilled to have a ringside seat to some outstanding performances from the cast. I still love lighting and have been blessed by a career path that has involved so many great cinematographers and their different approaches to lighting. If a project came along that was interesting and challenging, I’d be interested in lighting it. But, for now I’m happy working behind the camera.”
CAPTURE EVERY FRAME, CREATE EVERY STORY.
HEADROOM FOR A SAINT
By Darek Kuźma
In Mother, director Teona Strugar Mitevska and cinematographer Virginie Saint-Martin
SBC turned a handful of days in 1948 Kolkata into a quietly forceful study of faith and ambition, through the stubborn independence of low-budget filmmaking.
In the film, we follow an increasingly anxious Mother Teresa (Noomi Rapace) – then the Mother Superior of the Sisters Of Loreto convent in Kolkata – as she awaits The Vatican’s permission to establish a new congregation among the poorest of the poor. The film unfolds over five intensely charged days in August 1948, during which she prepares the convent for her departure, chooses a successor, and watches everything she has built begin to resist her. Whilst the famine and chaos of the city press against the walls, the real battle unfolds in the order’s corridors and
classrooms of the convent – and in Mother Teresa’s own mind.
The film grew out of Mitevska’s earlier documentary Teresa And I, also lensed by Saint-Martin and made in Kolkata with unprecedented access to Mother
It kept the camera small, the energy high, and the scenes honest
Teresa’s early years there, but it does not reproduce that material. Instead, it uses that intimacy as a foundation from which to pull the saint off her pedestal rather than polish her halo. Here, Mother Teresa is an ambitious, almost authoritarian, and at times brutal leader, a complex figure, haunted by a call she can no longer ignore, trying to carve out space for herself within a Church and a world built by men.
“We travelled across Kolkata during the two months whilst working on Teresa And I. We went to every place she built. That helped enormously when prepping Mother, but our Betacam-shot documentary biopic didn’t influence the feature tonally or visually,” recalls Saint-Martin.
“It was during that time that Teona discovered how profoundly Mother Teresa struggled with doubt and felt her faith was failing her. It pushed Teona to read
everything about her and write a script examining those doubts. So, when she told me the film was finally happening, saying ‘Yes’ was easy for me. Actually, there is one other strong connection between the two projects: a lack of money,” she laughs.
Mother was Saint-Martin’s fifth collaboration with Mitevska, and, in many ways, the most demanding. A 29-day shoot, from October to December 2024, was far from sufficient for the film they envisioned, but they rolledup their sleeves and threw themselves into the process.
“With Teona, we always prepare twice as much as we should because prep is free. We are colleagues and friends. We have a great relationship. She isn’t the easiest to work with, but it’s always interesting because she pushes me to try new things and to think differently about the job,” says Saint-Martin.
The schedule was merciless: 19 days in Belgium for interiors, 10 days in Kolkata for the streets, bazaars and rooftops they could never reproduce elsewhere.
“The market where Teresa feeds the poor was a real market with real people. The school and the streets were in Kolkata,” Saint-Martin explains. “Working there on a feature was far crazier than shooting a documentary. On our first day, we had an intense scene with Sister Agnieszka, and it was almost impossible to focus. We’re used to working with 20 crew members; in India there were suddenly two hundred. They were all great, but the chaos, the noise… I remember our last day, sitting on a bridge, saying ‘It’s a wrap!’ We were exhausted.”
The convent interiors, meanwhile, were shot in an abandoned monastery outside Brussels, rebuilt almost from scratch with no money by production designer Vuk Mitevski, right down to a polystyrene window hiding a car park.
“The place had been completely destroyed, so
we could do whatever we wanted,” Saint-Martin remarks. “Low-budget sets can be a blessing in that sense. I’ve shot a lot of documentaries and, on this film, I often felt as if I was shooting one. It was that same freedom, only with the added financial pressure of a feature film.”
I never speak to actors – I always give my ideas to the director
My father was a painter – I’m deeply influenced by painters
Within that reality, the film’s most radical choice is purely formal. Mitevska asked Saint-Martin to frame Mother Teresa tight around the upper torso and face, but with exaggerated headroom, as if something – such as God, doubt or history – were hanging above her.
“For a DP used to more classic handheld compositions, it felt disorienting and unnatural. But after rehearsals with Teona and Noomi, when we found the choreography and mood for each scene, and when this framing became instinctual, I realised we needed viewers to feel it rather than see it.”
If the framing makes the protagonist appear permanently accompanied by something invisible, the camera ensures Mother Theresa remains the film’s constant point of focus. That intimacy is reinforced by the fact that Saint-Martin operated the camera herself.
“I can’t imagine somebody else operating. If I were stuck behind the monitor, I’d go crazy. I never speak to actors or ask them to do this or that. I always give my ideas to the director. My camera is my medium. Once Noomi realised that, she started playing to the camera itself. We danced together. There were no marks on the floor, no taped X’s. I’d rather repeat a take and ask my focus puller, Margot Locatelli, to adjust than tell actors where to stand.”
That instinct was forged over decades of practical
work, as the DP explains. “I was a clapper/loader for a long time, and then an electrician,” she says.
Years spent carrying slates and hanging HMIs left her with a visceral dislike of over-engineered sets. “When you put a stand on the set, the actors don’t go there. It’s not interesting. Nobody should be on the set except people who should be there. We are not in front of the camera. We’re there to serve it.”
Light, for Saint-Martin, is just as instinctive as operating the camera. “We shot first in Belgium, in winter rain, yet it still had to feel like Kolkata in August. We needed to feel the sun, the heat, the tension.”
Yet she refused to flood scenes with artificial light. “I come from the generation of HMI. You always feel this blue on the skin. I hate that. LED can feel the same way, so I prefer working with white reflectors, diffusion or negative fill. It’s like drawing.”
She relied on LED sources for versatility and fast adjustments, including Lightstar Luxed and Aputure Fresnels, plus Nanlux Evoke spotlights, placed mostly outside of the sets. Her approach to interiors mirrors that philosophy: big sources outside, B&W bounce inside, with only a small dash on the desk to catch the eyes. “My father was a painter. I’m deeply influenced by painters. When the sun touches something, you get a reflection.”
Cameras and lenses were the subject to basic
“Noomi ran through the whole building, and I went after her. We shot that by day, like an American night, with a few cost-effective tricks,” says the DP. “We covered the windows with blue curtains to fake nocturnal exteriors, whilst using natural daylight inside. Then we put the nuns on a wheeled platform and pushed down the corridor. It was very technical. I took a risk – maybe too much.”
By contrast, the dreamy room where Teresa confronts Father Friedrich – framed by the cross shape of several tables covered in snowy-white cloth – is almost ascetic and required an optical trick.
“We needed to keep it simple to preserve the balance of a dream the audience wouldn’t realise was a dream for a long time. We used a Lensbaby to throw different areas out of focus. The focus is very strange, because it falls-off everywhere around it.”
Saint-Martin’s approach to post-production was as pragmatic as her lighting. There was no elaborate LUT on set, no reinvention in DI.
“I come from the world of the filmstock and the photochemical process. You never know how much time you will have in grading. You never know how much money you have in the end. So, you do what you can on-set,” she says.
arithmetic. “When you don’t have a lot of money, you make what you can. We couldn’t afford a Sony Venice, so we shot Mother on Sony Burano. It’s almost like going back to Betacam. It’s not a high-end camera and not as performant as the Venice, but very simple, easy-to-handle and great when paired with the right glass.”
She decided on a mix of a Fujinon Cabrio zoom and a Leitz Summicron 15mm lens.
“When you’re moving fast, one piece of glass is better than six. It kept the camera small, the energy high, and the scenes honest. I tried all of them at Next Shot rental in Belgium, who helped us a lot, and these lenses were a perfect match for the Burano, in both weight and character. Would the film be better if we could afford better equipment? It would be different, for sure, but it was shot with what we had, and it stands as it is.”
Mother’s most overtly stylised moments –two dream sequences – were, paradoxically, the ones where independence hurt the most. In the film’s most feverish set-piece, a heavy-metal soundtrack turns the convent into a music video, with Mother Teresa running through corridors and nuns dancing and gliding down the hall.
Post-production took place in Denmark with Edoardo Rebecchi. The main digital work involved erasing modern details in Kolkata and making the night scenes on the bridge more yellow and less blue, to keep them from looking too modern.
“It wasn’t a lot because there was no time. I could’ve used two or three more days to tweak the dream sequences and play more with the colours, but most of the work was done incamera, so it was good.”
In the end, Mother is both as independent as a film can be and a work of many layers and subtle reflections, offering every cinephile something to hold on to. It assumes that a saint can be ambitious and cruel, yet still genuinely called to help the poor. And that a handheld camera, one affordable body and a stubborn zoom can shoulder an entire theology of doubt.
“It was a tough project but I’m glad that I did it, both with Teona and with my crew, the family I bring with me from one project to the next. I’m proud of what the film is, and how it will – hopefully – make people think about Mother Teresa in terms of her legacy and being a complex human being.”
The result is personal, intimate, independent – not stylised in the glossy sense, but full of the tiny imperfections that prove a human hand.
In a story about a future saint, Virginie Saint-Martin makes sure we never forget that there is a mortal body carrying the weight.
Images: Photos courtesy of Virginie Saint-Martin SBC.
SHAKEN & STIRRED
By Ron Prince
Capturing on KODAK 35mm film, DP William Rexer ASC depicted the ecstasy and agony of an 18th century quest to build a utopian society in director Mona Fastvold’s The Testament Of Ann Lee
Directed by Fastvold, and co-written with her creative partner Brady Corbet, with whom she cowrote the multi-Award-winning The Brutalist (2024, DP Lol Crawley BSC ASC), The Testament Of Ann Lee, chronicles the life of Ann Lee (1736-1784), the irrepressible founder and leader of the fundamentalist Shaker movement.
Based on true events during the mid-1700s, and depicted as a musical with choreographed dance routines, the Searchlight Pictures release follows Lee’s difficult childhood and impoverished upbringing in Manchester, England, her spiritual awakening, intensely-profound visions and recognition as the earthly embodiment of Jesus Christ among her followers.
Known as Mother Ann, she flees persecution as a witch along with a small group of devotees and journeys to America to establish a radical utopian community based on the ideals of equality, pacificism, celibacy and rejection of tyrannical rule. Ecstatic worship involves vigorous, trembling dance and song, leading to the movement’s nickname as the ‘Quakers who Shake’ or Shakers. The Testament Of Ann Lee features more than a dozen traditional Shaker hymns, reimagined with rapturous choreography.
Following its premiere at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, where it screened from a 70mm film print, the movie received five-star reviews for Seyfried’s committed performance, along with Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice best actress nominations, plus acclaim for Fastvold’s direction and Rexer’s rich, ravishing and painterly cinematographic work on
We wanted the camera to have the perspective of a reticent watcher who gets drawn-in as an active believer
35mm film.
Rexer had previously worked with Fastvold on multiple episodes of the Apple TV + psychological thriller series, The Crowded Room (2023) and Long Bright River (2024), both starring Seyfried, and remarks, “Mona, Amanda and I were already closeknit before we started on the film, which was very much a positive to take into production.
“Mona first began talking casually to me about it when we were working together on The Crowded Room. Around 12 months later, in January 2024, we shot a teaser for the film with Amanda over the course of two days on 3-perf 35mm Kodak stock, in Upstate New York, to assess its viability and help raise funds, and almost every frame from that short is in the final movie.
“I love music and musicals, and grew-up in that milieu. My father was a vaudeville tap dancer and theatrical producer. My mother ran a theatre company for youth that hosted musicals. My first jobs were running follow-spots for groups such as The
Spinners and Earth, Wind & Fire.
“As a DP, I shot many music videos and collaborated with Baz Luhrmann on all eleven episodes of musical TV series The Get Down (2016). But this wasn’t anything like a regular or traditional musical production. This was emanating from prayer, and was much more about religious and spiritual experiences than it was about spectacle. So it was a really exciting challenge to consider how we would step away from tradition, and consider how this narrative would be told visually.”
Rexer explains that, during early discussions he and Fastvold arrived at the idea of the visual language being that of an inquisitive observer who gradually becomes an active participant in Ann Lee’s story.
“We wanted the camera to start from the perspective of a reticent watcher who gets drawn into the story as an active believer and becomes part of the Shaker experience,” he says. “Mona also wanted to immerse the audience in the reality of the 1700s, with the atmosphere shaped by candlelight, texture and chiaroscuro, while reflecting the mystery surrounding Ann Lee.”
The DP also exclaims, “There was absolutely no question of this production being shot on anything other than 35mm film. Along with Brady, Mona is absolutely committed to film – the primary reasons being that they want a cinematic experience to transport the audience, and for their films to standout from other the material people are watching every day.
“The quickest, easiest way to do that is by shooting on celluloid. Psychologically it takes you to another time and place. When I see something that’s been shot on film, I know deep in my soul that I’m being taken to a somewhere else.”
Rexer’s previous motion picture credits on film include Prime (2005), The Groomsmen (2006), I Think I Love My Wife (2007), Fierce People (2007), Purple Violets (2007) and The Accidental Husband (2008).
“Although I have shot a great many commercials and music videos on film, it had been quite time since I had done a longform narrative on 35mm. But I had absolutely no trepidation at all. It was exciting to me. I love the process – the recognition and respect of how precious film is, the focussed conversations between the actors and the director on-set, the rituals of the slates and communal experience of watching dailies together. Those traditions, when you shoot on film, are like a religion in themselves.”
The DP makes an additional confession, “I knew almost nothing about Shakers and the Shaker Movement, beyond the tradition of simple, utilitarian woodworking and furniture. During pre-production Mona, Sam Bader, the production designer, and I went to the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, about half a dozen times. We also spent many weekends sitting around Mona’s kitchen table together, just reading about Shakers and listening to traditional Shaker hymns. We did so much homework, it was like being in college again.”
Rexer says he and Fastvold drew visual inspiration from a variety of artistic media. Filmic references included the Italian Neorealist The Tree Of Wooden Clogs (1978, dir. & DP Ermanno Olmi), for its atmospheric depiction of the rustic life of peasants. They also considered Baroque religious paintings, especially the work of Caravaggio (1571 – 1610) and his dramatic use of lighting to observe the human state, both physically and emotionally. The subdued portraits and interiors in artworks by Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864 – 1916)
WILLIAM REXER ASC•THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE
helped to inform the production design as well as the cinematographic look.
More modern photographic references also came into the mix as Rexer contemplated the stills of Australian contemporary art photographer Bill Henson, particularly his low-light Rembrandt-esque photographs showing the subtle, private emotions of ballerinas, in which luminous faces glow from darkened backgrounds.
Principal photography on The Testament Of Ann Lee took place over a total of 34 shooting days, starting with physical locations and on sets
I love music and musicals, and grew-up in that milieu
constructed at variety of studios in Hungary, from August to late September 2024.
Two days were then spent in Sweden to shoot the Atlantic crossing scenes, as Mother Ann and her followers head for America. During November production also took place in Upstate NY and Massachusetts for five days, including the Hancock Shaker Village In keeping with a desire for traditional authenticity in the filmmaking style, background plates were hand-painted by matte artist Leigh Took of Mattes & Minatures Visual Effects in London.
To aid what he calls the “brisk” nature of the production, Rexer employed the Artemis directors’
viewfinder app on his iPhone, to pre-visualise every single scene in the film.
“Along with moving sequences, we grabbed stills from the first and last frame of each scene, printed them out and posted them on Mona’s office wall. That way the entire crew knew what we were going to shoot, what weren’t going to shoot, the required set dressings, etc.. On a limited budget, with preciouslittle time, working that way really helped us to channel resources where they would be needed.”
Rexer framed the movie in 2.39:1 aspect ratio, shooting with ARRICAM LT and ST 35mm cameras, plus an ARRIFLEX 435 for slow-mo sequences, all fitted with Sigma Cine and Sigma Classic lenses. The camera package was supplied by Vantage Vision in Hungary and ARRI New York.
“We did around three months of dance rehearsals with choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall in New York before we went to Hungary, but hadn’t finally determined what the aspect ratio was going to be at that point,” he says.
“Using Artemis on my iPhone we tested many different aspect ratios, and found that 2.39:1 bestserved the visual storytelling, with the camera as observational and the active participant, while offering the best perspectives on the dance routines too.”
“As for the lenses, we conducted a blind test of a wide range of glass from different manufacturers – including Cooke, Zeiss, Vantage, Leitz and Sigma. The footage for that included Amanda illuminated by a little booklight in the foreground, plus a wall of candles in the background and an ARRI Sky Panel set at
“We looked at how her face was rendered by different focal length lenses, the separation between foreground and background, the veiling glare, and the authenticity of the bokeh on the candles. And the Sigma Cine and Sigma classics won the battle.”
For the shoot, Rexer went with KODAK VISION3 250D 5207 for the film’s day exterior/interior scenes, and KODAK VISION3 500T 5219 for lowlight/night sequences. Film processing, plus 2K dailies and 4K select scans, were done in the lab at Focus-Fox Studio in Budapest.
“Both of those Kodak stocks gave us the painterly looks and fall-off we wanted in the different lighting environments in which we were filming – where the illumination was motivated either daylight on our exteriors, or by a mix of day, fire and candlelight on our interiors.
“I really like the grain structure of the 250D and stuck with that stock for most of the daylight work. The latitude and the grain structure of the 500T are fantastic, and it worked so well on the many low-light, dark and nighttime scenes.
“There’s something about that 500T that constantly amazes me in a positive way when you are pushing at the edge of exposure, and wonder whether it’s going to work-out. But when you watch dailies, it’s like ‘Oh my God, magic just happened there.’
“I did straight processing at the lab as the movie was destined for release on 70mm print at festivals and premieres around the world. While I like what push-processing does with the grain structure, I knew the number of processes that would be needed to make the 70mm prints would build-up the contrast, and I wanted to help alleviate that.
“So, I only push-processed one sequence, a long slow zoom into Amanda at the first religious meeting, where we were just filming in candlelight. Otherwise, everything was processed straight.”
Apart from the dance sequences, which involved two cameras, The Testament Of Ann Lee was predominantly a single-camera shoot, with Sam Ellison operating for the mainstay of the production, and György Horváth working as the focus puller during the stint in Hungary. To ensure the team kept up with the schedule, Ellison was sometimes deployed to lead second unit
photography directed by Corbet, while Rexer took over the main live-action. During the US leg of production John Larson worked as the 1st AC.
Rexer also wielded the camera for the movie’s more intimate scenes, ensuring a small and unobtrusive crew, remarking, “Mona, Amanda and I discussed everything long before we filmed those scenes, and to keep things comfortable, it was agreed that the room would be cleared to just a very small smaller crew.”
During the movie overall, the camera is constantly with Mother Ann, and the main challenge particularly during the dance sequences, was how to get in-there with her as a reticent observer who wants to join-in.
“The only way to do that was by shooting handheld,” says Rexer. “Sam and I ran through these scenes during many rehearsals in New York, using Artemis to design and time how the camera was going to move. He’s tall and has
The traditions, when you shoot on film, are like a religion in themselves
filmed a lot of dance routines, and was great at working his way around the performers.
“When it came to shooting for real at our locations in Hungary, Sam proved brilliant at articulating what we had planned, working handheld often using a Steadybag over his shoulder to cradle the camera. We also employed a jib arm to crane the camera up-andover the dancers, for a top shot to reveal the how the people at the gatherings became a kind of super-organism.”
Zoltáb Gecco Kristóffy was the gaffer in Hungary, with Jonas Elmqvist taking-over the lighting duties in Sweden, followed by Scott Ramsey during the US leg.
“I lit 90% of the film with old-fashioned Tungsten fixtures, using combinations of 10K and 20K Fresnels, plus 5K and 10K Molebeams,
at around 3,000 Kelvin, to create the feeling sunlight coming in through windows. For bluer and cooler daylight, I added LiteGear LED LiteMats and ARRI SkyPanel X’s between 4000 and 5,000 Kelvin into the mix.
“When I’m grading, I find that the spectrum Tungsten has, especially on film, helps the colours in the set design to be more accurate and give a realistic look to skin tones, and I have a much easier time keeping varying skin tones looking consistent.”
Looking back on his experience, Rexer concludes, “This was a small-budget production with huge ambition. But my team responded exceptionally well. Daniel Bloomberg, our composer, was on-set and played what would become the score to get everyone in the mood and focused. It’s extremely unusual to have the composer on set, but was quite impactful.
“I love working with Mona, she’s like Anne Lee in the way she inspires people to do extraordinary things, and shooting this film for her, on film, is one of the highlights of my career as a cinematographer.”
SOL SAIHATI ICLS
By David Wood
SHINING A LIGHT ON...
Age// Born// Early career// Lives// Hobbies// 42
St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London
Cut my teeth on commercials, music videos and shorts
Russell Square, London
Photography in all forms; cooking, I’m at my happiest in the kitchen; and basketball, I’m a 76ers fan, and often staying up into the wee hours to watch them play!
Selected Filmography:
(as gaffer unless otherwise stated)
VisionQuest (2026)
Hamnet (2025)
Silo (TV series) (2024-25)
Ghosted (2023) (gaffer:UK)
The Son (2022)
The Essex Serpent (2022) (TV mini-series)
Avengers: Endgame (2019) (lighting technician)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) (lighting technician)
The Innocents (2018)
Paddington (2014) (lighting technician)
Captain America (2011) (lighting technician)
Hugo Cabaret (2011) (lighting grip)
How did you get started?
When I was starting off, music videos were still a massive industry and you could make a living doing promos alone. Out of filmschool, I worked on all shapes, sizes and budgets. A typical promo day was around 15-16 hours, so you needed stamina and a strong will.
First big break?
I’m not sure I ever got one! There was one film called Lady Godiva (dir. Vicky Jewson, DP George Stephenson) that I gaffered in 2006, when I was 23, and it was the first time I’d had a contract crew on a decent wage, an 18T Genie and full-time shooting kit. It was a leap forward, managing crew, kit and a schedule for the first time. Halcyon days spent over a long summer, in and around Oxford. DP James Friend, electrician/best boy Genki McClure and focus puller Romain Choay were on the crew, and we’re still great friends to this day.
What inspired you to become a gaffer?
When I was a kid I’d be at Video World in Hillingdon at least a few days a week, totally obsessed with films. The staff were kind and we’d talk about films for hours. They’d let me have old promotional posters and huge cardboard cut outs when they were done with.
Specifically, I remember renting The Shawshank
Redemption (1994, Dir. Frank Darabont, DP Sir Roger Deakins CBE BSC ASC) over and over – I must have been 11 or 12 at the time. I was in awe, but confused by the feeling and story that images could tell. The stark contrast between Red’s imprisonment at Shawshank and his life afterward, to the release of the rolling hills of the countryside is an incredible moment. One sequence stuck in my mind: why, when Red goes to the countryside to unearth the box that Andy left for him, does the landscape and that one tree, look so incredible? So unreal and beautiful?
Gaffers must act as the bridge between the concept and the reality
I remember taking my stills camera to the park and taking photos of trees and wondering why my pictures felt so different. I had never even heard of cinematography or Roger Deakins, but I did know that the power of an image could be totally compelling and transport you to another universe. I just didn’t know how it was done.
How did you learn the trade?
I didn’t have any contacts at all in the film industry, so it was really just a pipe dream. Progression was slow, and I worked as a gaffer and electrician on low-budget films, promos and short films for years.
But I was taking on huge amounts of experience by learning on the job. I learnt how to work in myriad scenarios, locations and with all kinds of different DPs and crews of all ages. I tested-out hundreds of different methods, learning what worked and what didn’t, how to be efficient and fast. All from the ground-up.
I’d also mine any good source of information about film lighting. Monthly magazine American Cinematographer had information, insight and methodology into this hidden art, especially technical descriptions and lighting plans. It was (and still is) a massive resource – the largest compendium of cinematographic knowledge that has ever existed.
The Gaffer’s Handbook by Harry C Box was a companion of mine for years as was New Cinematographers (2004), containing interviews with an amazing set of DPs; Lance Accord ASC, Jean-Yves Escoffier, Darius Khondji AFC ASC, John Mathieson BSC, Seamus McGarvey BSC ASC ISC and Harris Savides ASC. Each chapter had them talking in detail about particular films they had worked on. What a treasure trove.
How do you like to work with DPs?
Gaffers are chameleons. They have to be able to change with their environment. One day you are on a train platform in 1920’s Paris, the next you’re on a spaceship in another universe, or on a fashion runway. Directors, DPs, scripts, sets and locations are always in constant motion. Each project, maybe even each scene has a different set of demands so gaffers have to be flexible, not only with our approach but also our execution.
Likewise, DPs are all different and each situation is unique. Some are artists, working in broad strokes on instinct and feeling. They will talk about how a scene should feel, perhaps with a rough idea of the look, but never going into great detail.
Others will be exceptionally technically proficient and know exactly what kind of equipment they want to deploy, in detail with drawings and extensive notes. The reality is that most projects exist somewhere between. Either way there is a world of conceptual space where a gaffer must work.
The gaffer must act as the bridge between the concept and the reality. A metaphysical translator, making the idea real, whilst being accountable for the resources available to do so. (The latter often being the greatest challenge).
Regular crew?
Gaffers depend on their lighting crew and I owe mine a huge debt of gratitude. It’s vital to be judicious when it comes to choosing them.
My best boy Genki McClure and I have been working together for many years. He’s not only incredibly sharp and organised, but he is also the face of our department, the first point of contact when working with production, the art department, SFX and VFX.
On the floor it is typically the same faces, some for the last few decades. Lighting crew, including Michael Robinson, Greg Lengyel, Joel Devlin and Claire Hanson, have been by my side, taking care of me for the last few years. I’d be very lucky to have, Dom Palgan, Sunny Singh, Seth Crosby, Christian Hayes or Bruno Martins on the floor with me as they are hugely in demand.
Al Brown has been my rigging gaffer and friend for many years. Al, rigging best boy Spike Graham and their crew, have fought through wind, rain, snow, mud and ice to make rigs happen for us and I’m eternally grateful.
Nothing I ever ask for is ever too much and I’m often left speechless by the amount of care and
attention my crew put into the rigs. Our understanding of what is needed has become innate and (outside of the odd madcap idea I come up with) they pretty much know what I’ll ask for before I do.
I’m often left speechless by the care and attention my crew put into the rigs
Rigging desk ops have become a crucial role on any lighting crew. The fixtures and systems we work with are so complex, it needs someone exceptionally organised to manage it all. They will often fold into the drafting department as well, managing or finalising technical drawings for sets and locations. If I am lucky enough to have Tim Shotter or Matt Hickin on a show, along with all the above, then the stars have aligned.
As head of the lighting team, how do you manage them?
I trust my crew explicitly and try not to micro manage them too much (which for a gaffer can be quite difficult). Most gaffers, myself included, often try to control situations and scenarios down to the finest detail. I find people work best when you give them space to work within the sandbox. My crew know that my expectations are high and that I demand the
highest level of crafts. They are afforded a great deal of autonomy, especially on bigger projects.
Most proud of?
Without question, Hamnet (dir. Chloé Zhao, DP Łukasz Żal PSC) is the film I am most proud of. When Lukasz and I started working together in prep, it was clear we were a great match. When it came to the script and the film as a whole, it felt like we were discovering and unearthing a vault of creativity. Our natural approach was aligned from the start.
We considered each scene at length, looking for its meaning for both to us and to the audience.
For Hamnet, our director Chloe demanded a contrarian approach to filmmaking, so our approach was equally atypical to traditional film lighting. We talked for days about themes and how and when we could either match or counter the audience’s expectations.
We would look at many scenes and try to make them feel uncomfortable, steering away from any long-established lighting tropes or ideas. This method can be quite dangerous, risky even.
This lighting language and the choices we made in prep carried into the film seamlessly.
The film looked and felt exactly as we envisioned it, with every cast and crew member in perfect tune. An exceptionally rare experience.
The rise of the desk op?
When LED technology started showing-up on sets, the path became clear. The sheer number of controllable parameters on the average shoot can now easily be in tens of thousands. Sometimes a gaffer can take this on-board but, more often than not, accessing and manipulating a system this complex needs management. It’s simply too much for one person.
A good desk op is like a magician, processing extremely complicated commands and problems sometimes in the heat of battle and under extreme pressure. The job can be incredibly difficult, especially under duress.
A desk op will likely have more dialogue with a gaffer than any other two crew members from any department. It is constant and because of that it’s crucial that you work with someone you are good match with.
With so many choices to make, you have to work together and decide what is the best language to communicate effectively? What’s the path of least resistance when changing levels, colours, focus, direction of light?
Images: BTS shots from Hamnet, Gucci x Kubrick and The Innocents lighting crew – Richard Harrowing, Rory Grierson, Genki McClure & Dom Palgan, courtesy of Sol Saihati ICLS
GAFFERS CAFÉ•SOL SAIHATI ICLS
Finding a desk op
When I was first working on Silo, the industry was incredibly busy, crewing was tricky, but finding a desk op felt like an insurmountable challenge. Everyone I knew was working already. It’s vitally important to get someone that is the right fit.
I’d known Andy Knight for a few years and he knew I was looking for someone. One day he came up to my office and said “I’m ready to do this job for you.” It was one of the best crewing decisions I’ve ever made. He’s been shooting with us ever since.
Advice for anybody wanting to get into the world of film lighting?
Try and speak to a few gaffers or DPs, and try to get a few days on different sets as an
observer. Get a feel for the industry and work out if it’s the right thing for you.
If it is, get the necessary technical qualifications for your region. These will give you a huge stepping stone. Almost all productions in the UK have lighting trainee roles. Fight like hell to get one as there is no better introduction to film lighting, and involve yourself in as many different types of projects as you can.
Learn the equipment, inside and out. New technology can be complex, so get to know it. Turn up on time, every time. Stay alert. Be mindful of your place on each team. Every crew is different. Observe the way they work and adapt.
Absorb as much information as you can from magazine and books. Speak to gaffers and DPs when you can. Understand why they make certain decisions, over others.
Be mindful of the way light works, on a set and away from it. Think about why certain light feels one way, or another. We’ve been lighting films for over a hundred years and there is a mountain of information at the fingertips of anyone interested in it.
Be mindful of the way light works, on a set and off of it
Images: More shots from Hamnet and lighting crew including Greg Lengyel, Ash Clain, Andy Knight, Jim Agnew, Luke Vaughn and Genki McClure, ourtesy of Sol Saihati ICLS
