Camera Operator: Spring 2026 by Society of Camera Operators

staff working in each location; then you add the visitors, and then you add the players. The Venetian, our principal casino, set out like the waters of Venice, is the largest casino and the tenth largest building in the world per square foot. Even by the end I didn’t know my way around it.

Immersed in the Moment

An interview with Erdem Ertal, SOC and Aymae Sulick, SOC By David Daut

An interview with Kenny Niernberg, SOC By David Daut ST. DENIS MEDICAL

We had to film at night when the footfall was at its minimum and the unit’s presence had its smallest impact on the casino. Logistically this impacted Phil and Guy way more than me; they had pre-calls to get the kit loaded in and often the loading bays at the back of the casinos were miles away from where we were shooting. On top of that they had to push Magliners through the warren of corridors and constantly got lost. Either that or they were told one thing and at call time it was apparent the information was incorrect. The local service company was very good at saying one thing and the truth being another, and poor Guy had an entirely Chinese crew with only half of them speaking English. Loading in from 40-degree humid heat, getting soaked in tropical downpours, and then stepping into a casino where the airconditioning was so cold you had to wear a jumper (the range in temperature was mad). All of this before even getting to work, and then your day starts!

Erdem Ertal, SOC on the set of THE PITT. Courtesy of HBO Max

We also shot entirely on location with no studio set builds, which was a first for me. I think when you watch the film this really heightens the realism of Doyle’s world — the heat and grime, the light, the carpets and wall fittings are all real. They exist; they were just heightened by our brilliant designer Jonathan. He took long forgotten casinos that were boarded up and brought them back to life, with new casino tablets and wonderfully dressed.

Exaggerating Reality

An interview with Jacob Pinger and Mande Whitaker, SOC By David Daut

QUEENS OF THE DEAD

Operating to Convey Confidence and Terror

An interview with Tori Wills, SOC By David Daut

BATTLE OF A SMALL PLAYER

Courtesy of ACO in Frame Magazine By Danny Bishop, ACO SOC Assoc BSC

The other thing the location threw at us that was unexpected was Wi-Fi — it absolutely was not a consideration when Phil and I prepped in London. During prep week in Macau, we got our DJI Ronin locally and prepped it with the Chinese grips. The reason we carry a Ronin as well as a Steadicam is because I feel a Steadicam is great when you are on foot and up close to the actors with movement and dialogue. However, whenever you do long tracking shots that are traditionally Garfield mount, Steadicam, and rickshaw, I find the framing is never as exact. With the Ronin hardmounted, by the very nature of it being centred and not off to one side like a Steadicam, it is easier to get faster and more precise tracking, symmetrical-style shots.

The Ronin in prep was hard work — none of the Chinese grips spoke English, and I was having to go through a translator to try to get the thing to work, balance, and not drift. Despite our best efforts, I don’t think we got as close to being ready as I’d have liked. Once we started shooting with the Ronin, we had problems throughout the whole shoot. Essentially there is so much Wi-Fi out there, especially indoors in the casinos, that the Ronin didn’t function the way we liked. It kept dropping out or not having the range to be far enough away for long tracking shots. The other thing we found out was that the lighting desk the local gaffer used had such a high frequency that if it was anywhere near the Ronin, the head stopped working. You can imagine how fraught it got on set, constantly trying to get the shots right with the equipment not working properly. Luckily I knew that Ed was aware the equipment was failing and that it wasn’t my operating, which made it easier in some ways. The other thing is I’ve got so used to using hard stops on the wheels for whip pans in the last few years and the wheels I used didn’t have the function working properly to programme hard stops, so all the whip pans in the movie (there are a lot) are done the old way on a slip head, with me essentially guessing with muscle memory when to stop. I put a message about this on the ACO WhatsApp group and it was interesting to hear everyone’s examples of how they do this whilst on set 8 hours ahead of you all, with everyone giving their best examples of their procedures when trying a whip pan.

by Shannon Madden, courtesy of QOTD Inc

Courtesy of HBO Max

Photo by Attila Szvacsek, courtesy of Prime

Courtesy of NBC

Photos

Letter from the President

Matthew Moriarty SOC President

Greetings SOC members!

The Society is chugging right along with a number of events coming up. Our friends at CineMoves are hosting an SOC Camera Crane Workshop on July 11-12 in Moorpark, CA. Spend time on the wheels, operating the big cranes with stabilized remote heads in a variety of different setups. One week later on July 18th, our friends at Panavision are hosting a Multi-Camera Production Workshop where attendees can build hands-on time with pedestal dollies, shooting studio-style productions.

On the 18th of August, the SOC Inclusion Committee will be hosting simultaneous mixers in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta. Enjoy a summer afternoon with a diverse crowd of fellow camera operators on the SOC!

As always, check out soc.org to stay informed about upcoming events and please have a safe, fun, fulfilling summer!

Fraternally,

Matthew Moriarty

COMMANDO

Society of Camera Operators

Board of Governors

OFFICERS

President Matthew Moriarty

1st Vice President Dave Emmerichs

2nd Vice President Simon Jayes

Secretary Dan Gold

Treasurer John “Buzz” Moyer

Sergeant-at-Arms Gretchen Warthen

BOARD MEMBERS

Shanele Alvarez

George Billinger

Scott Dropkin

Mitch Dubin

David Emmerichs

Dan Gold

Geoffrey Haley

Simon Jayes

Rachael Levine

Sarah Levy

Jim McConkey

Matthew Moriarty

John “Buzz” Moyer

Lisa Sene

Gretchen Warthen

COMMITTEES

Education

Mitch Dubin (Co-chair), Geoff Haley (Co-chair), Jan Ruona (Co-chair), Colin Anderson, Francois Archambault, Craig Bauer, Lukasz Bielan, Deborah Brozina, Dave Chameides, Gilles Corbeil, Don Devine, Sam Ellison, Dave Emmerichs, Ian Fox, Mick Froelich, Chris Haarhoff, Daryl Hartwell, Simon Jayes, Sarah Levy, Megan Masur, Jim McConkey, Larry McConkey, Andrew Mitchell, Matt Moriarty, John "Buzz" Moyer, Jeff Muhlstock, Brian Osmond, Ari Robbins, Peter Rosenfeld, Scott Sakamoto, Paul Sanchez, Dave Thompson, Chris Wittenborn

Inclusion

Shanele Alvarez (Chair), Yves Arispe, Nikku Hearn-Sutton, Allen Ho, Megan Masur, Jack Messitt, Max Miles,Tania Romero, Angelia Sciulli, Jennifer Schnieder, Mahadi Shawon, Michael Sharpe, Lisa Stacilauskas, Paige Thomas, Mande Whitaker, Jen White, Brenda Zuniga

CAMERA OPERATOR MAGAZINE

Publishing & Executive Editor

Kristin Petrovich

Features Writer & Producer

David Daut

Art Director

Stephanie Cameron

Video Editors

Alex Hemingway

Andrew Michel

Studio Liaison & Clearances

Kim Fischer

Social Media Producer

Ashlie Sotelo, Your Voice Social

Editorial Assistant

Madison Matuszewski

Advertising

Kristin Petrovich & Jeff Victor

Finances

Angela Delgado

CONTRIBUTORS

Mande Whitaker, SOC

Tori Wills, SOC

Danny Bishop, ACO SOC Assoc BSC

David Daut

Erdem Ertal, SOC

Mike Klaric

Kenny Niernberg, SOC

Robin J.B. Pabello

Jacob Pinger

Ashlie Sotelo

Aymae Sulick, SOC

PHOTOGRAPHY

Courtesy of HBO Max

Tomer Keysar

Shannon Madden

Courtesy of NBC

Spencer Pazer

Courtesy of Prime

Courtesy of QOTD Inc

Tara Raani

Attila Szvacsek

ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Advertising Membership@SOC.org

Digital Subscriptions SOC.org/co

Newsletters SOC.org

Camera Operator is a quarterly publication of the Society of Camera Operators

Insight

ROBIN J.B. PABELLO

MIKE KLARIC

How long have you been a camera operator?

I’ve been a camera operator for over 14 years and I love bringing my experience in live events, reality TV, behind-the-scenes, and narrative projects to any team. Even as a teenager making skate videos, I've always enjoyed being behind the camera. I am in L600 as a camera operator and also an associate member in the SOC. I’m an avid rollerblader and I love using this skill to capture unique, dynamic shots. It's always exciting when I can bring that creative energy to a production when it calls for it.

What is your most memorable day in the industry?

There are many to choose from, but one memorable job that comes to mind for me is working as one of the camera operators at the Pokémon World Championships in 2025. Pokémon cards are a big obsession of mine, so being able to combine the two was such an epic experience.

What is the job you have yet to do, but most want to do?

The dream for me is to be working as a camera operator more regularly in the narrative production space, either on theatrical features or episodic. I really enjoy the teamwork behind it and the hustle working together with other crew to choreograph shots.

Credits: 2025 Pokémon World Championships, The Vanishing Tour, The Great Food Truck Race, The After Party Season 2 (BTS), Dr. Pimple Popper

What was one of your most challenging shots or challenging days in the industry?

One of my most challenging experiences was on the sci-fi action short film, Alpha Initiative: Zero. We shot two ambitious fight scenes on handheld cameras, overnight, during a torrential downpour. Those two sequences took us 12 hours!

Who is the person who has helped you most in your career?

The humans that have most helped me in my career are Wayne Kennan, who taught me to shoot everything; Michael Pessah, who took me in and helped me progress from AC to operator to DP; Mark Doering-Powell, who helped me improve my visual storytelling within a frame; and Mitch Dubin, SOC, my inspiration from Legion Season 2, who has always graciously shared his knowledge of storytelling, given feedback on my work, and has forever pushed boundaries. Thank you kindly to Dana Gonzales for bringing me on and giving me my first union show!

What is the job you have yet to do, but most want to do?

I would be humbled to DP and operate my very own period piece, action drama TV series—one that incorporates underwater scenes. Also, a big budget musical feature!

Credits: Grown-ish Season 6, Star Wars: The Old Republic (motion capture previz for video game), Howie Mandel: But, Enough About Me, The Orange at the Seder, Toyota (commercial)

Photo by Tomer Keysar

Photo by Tara Raani

The Pitt Immersed in the Moment

An interview with Erdem Ertal, SOC and Aymae Sulick, SOC

By David Daut

In just two seasons, The Pitt has already entrenched itself as something of a cultural institution. Despite airing on the HBO Max streaming service, the series is structured more like an updated take on network medical dramas, with longer seasons, a weekly release schedule, and—at least so far—regular intervals between seasons. The characters of Dr. Robbie, Dr. Langdon, Nurse Dana, and the hospital’s rotating roster of resident and student doctors have captured the zeitgeist in a way that is increasingly uncommon in today’s fractured media environment.

Aymae Sulick, SOC on the set of THE PITT. Courtesy of HBO Max

 WATCH THE TRAILER

Following their SOC Camera Operator of the Year nominations for their work on Season 1, Camera Operator had a chance to sit down with A camera and Steadicam operator Erdem Ertal, SOC and B camera operator Aymae Sulick, SOC to talk about their work on the series; how the style of the show evolved between seasons, working around both intimate performances and elaborate special effects, and adapting to the series’ specific visual language that immerses the viewer in the world of “the Pitt”.

Ten months have passed since the Pitt Fest shooting and the ensuing nightmare in the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical emergency department, and the staff of the ED is still struggling to deal with the aftermath in their own ways. Dr. Robbie is about to leave on a motorcycle sabbatical that he’s cagey about whether he intends to return from, Dr. Langdon is back after his stint in addiction recovery, and Nurse Dana has developed something of a hair trigger in the wake of her attack by a patient. On top of all of that, it is the fourth of July—a notoriously busy day for emergency rooms—and as a wave of cyberattacks cripples other hospitals in the area, the Pitt is forced to take their computer systems offline and go fully analog. The Pitt is created by R. Scott Gemmill and stars Noah Wyle, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez, and Sepideh Moafi.

Courtesy of Erdem Ertal, SOC

Noah Wyle, Ayesha Harris, and Ambar Martinez on the set of THE PITT. Photo by Warrick Page, courtesy of HBO Max

On the set of THE PITT. Photo by Warrick Page, courtesy of HBO Max

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf Into Darkness

An interview with Kenny Niernberg, SOC

By David Daut

Arriving two years after the successful first season of The Terminal List, the prequel series The Terminal List: Dark Wolf trades the more straightforward revenge structure of James Reece’s story for a trip into the shadowy underworld of covert ops and moral ambiguity with Ben Edwards. This darker, grittier corner of the story in turn called for a visual language that was complementary but distinct from the earlier adventure.

On the set of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Photo by Justin Lubin, courtesy of Prime

From the logistics of operating around the series’ gunplay to crafting elaborate, show-stopping oners, Camera Operator spoke with Kenny Niernberg, SOC, series A camera and Steadicam operator, to find out what went into finding the unique look of Dark Wolf separate from The Terminal List. Years before the events of The Terminal List, we meet Ben Edwards as a member of SEAL Team 5, fighting ISIS in Iraq. When a mission goes awry and Edwards executes a highvalue target, he is drummed out of Navy, only to land on the radar of CIA spymaster Jed Haverford. Tantalized by the promise of a path back to his former station and a chance for revenge, Edwards accepts Haverford’s offer, but in this world of spies and double agents, nothing is as it seems and morality is no longer a simple question of good guys and bad guys. The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is created by Jack Carr and David DiGilio, and based on the novel by Carr. It stars Taylor Kitsch, Tom Hopper, and Chris Pratt.

Read the interview here on SOC.org

Courtesy of Kenny Niernberg, SOC

FILMING SCENES FOR THE TERMINAL LIST: DARK WOLF. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRIME

Photo by Attila Szvacsek

Photo by Justin Lubin

READ THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TERMINAL LIST: DARK WOLF.

Photo by Justin Lubin

St. Denis Medical Exaggerating Reality

An

interview with Jacob Pinger and Mande Whitaker, SOC

By David Daut

With a lineage tracing back to The Office, St. Denis Medical is the latest in a series of mockumentary workplace comedies from writer/producer Justin Spitzer, this time trading the setting of an office park or a big box store for an underfunded hospital in small town Oregon. In that way, St. Denis Medical manages to blur the lines between genres, being at once a mockumentary sitcom and a comedic sendup of medical procedurals.

Filming a scene for ST. DENIS MEDICAL. Courtesy of NBC

 WATCH THE TRAILER

Multimedia Feature

For this video feature, Camera Operator got to chat with camera operators Jacob Pinger and Mande Whitaker about what their backgrounds in reality and unscripted television bring to a mockumentary series like this, how the camera operators work with the cast to deliver the show’s humor, and how the operating itself is heightened and exaggerated for comedy, in stark defiance of the traditional axiom that the camera is meant to be invisible.

Despite a paltry budget, and an overworked staff, executive director Joyce Henderson has big plans for St. Denis Regional Medical Center, aiming to make the hospital into something of a destination. Meanwhile, the doctors and nurses are doing their best to get by, dealing with occasionally hostile and often eccentric patients, interpersonal spats, and whatever Joyce’s latest scheme is to put St. Denis Medical on the map. St. Denis Medical is created by Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin and stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper, David Alan Grier, and Kaliko Kauahi.

Courtesy of Jacob Pinger

JACOB PINGER

MANDE WHITAKER, SOC

Photo courtesy of Mande Whitaker, SOC

FILMING SCENES FOR ST. DENIS MEDICAL. COURTESY OF NBC

Queens of the Dead Operating to Convey Confidence and Terror

An interview with Tori Wills, SOC

By David Daut

On the set of

For almost as long as there have been horror movies, there have been horrorcomedies. The peanut butter and chocolate of cinematic genres. From Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein to Shaun of the Dead, filmmakers have long been playing with tension and release to deliver screams of laughter alongside screams of terror, but there’s always room for innovation. Enter Queens of the Dead, a horror-comedy steeped in the vibrant, camp aesthetic of drag performance.

QUEENS OF THE DEAD. Photo by Shannon Madden, courtesy of QOTD Inc

 WATCH THE TRAILER

Camera Operator had the opportunity to speak with Queens of the Dead’s A camera and Steadicam operator Tori Wills, SOC to learn more about what went into combining these different visual languages as well as the challenges and necessary ingenuity of shooting a movie like this with a limited budget on a short timeline.

While Dre, Kelsey, Nico, and Ginsey are finalizing preparations for a huge party and drag show, tensions are running high. Their headlining act has flaked at the last minute, their backup choice, Samoncé, is too nervous to perform, there’s a plumbing disaster at the venue, and on top of all of it, the city is in the early stages of a zombie outbreak. As they navigate this ensuing apocalypse, they must all band together to survive the night and maybe—just maybe—put on a show to die for.

Queens of the Dead is directed by Tina Romero from a screenplay by Romero and Erin Judge. It stars Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Riki Lindhome, Jack Haven, and Cheyenne Jackson.

Read the interview here on SOC.org

Photo courtesy of Tori Wills, SOC

On the set of QUEENS OF THE DEAD. Photo by Spencer Pazer

Scenes from QUEENS OF THE DEAD. Photos by Shannon Madden, courtesy of QOTD Inc

SOC on Social

Presented by SOC Inclusion Committee

Produced

Ashlie Sotelo

Society of Camera Operators celebrated Black History Month, Women's History Month and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month by giving Black, woman-identifying, and AAPI Members a platform to share their work and career through collaborative posts.

Members prepared their features to publish through the months of February, March and May, when they were showered with love from their SOC community, crews, and those aspiring. The 2026 organic social celebrations collectively reached 145,000 and received 24,000 engagements, further advancing SOC Inclusion Committee's efforts in the industry.

Thank you to all Members who were featured this year so far—we continue to celebrate your work.

SOC Members featured included Allen E. Ho, SOC; Badra Haidra, SOC; Bongani Mlambo; Carolyn Pender; Connie Huang; Erin G. Wesley; Hanafi Malik; Heather Grothues; Janice Min, SOC; Kat Kallergis, SOC; Rebecca Arndt, SOC; Rochelle Brown; Sooz Edie; Watcharawit Koon Ya-Inta, SOC and trailblazers James Wong Howe, ASC and Jessie Maple. Check out SOC’s Instagram @SocietyofCameraOperators to see the full series of posts.

Rochelle Brown operating HACKS

Photo by Adam Bricker

Heather Grothues operating Steadicam

Photo by Matt Cooney

Watcharawit “Koon” Ya-inta, SOC, ACO

< Allen E. Ho, SOC operating JESUS REVOLUTION

SOC Inclusion Committee contributing members: Alexxiss Jackson, SOC and Angelia Sciulli (Black History Month); Michael Sharp, SOC , and Megan Masur, SOC (Women's History Month); Allen E. Ho, SOC , Mahadi Shawon, and Shanele Alvarez, SOC (Chair) (Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month).

Photo by Mike Kubeisy

Badra Haidra, SOC operating SOLIDARITY

Photo by Ee Lin Tsen

Sooz Edie operating a Coca Cola commercial

Photo by lan Dooley

Erin G. Wesley operating A RODEO FILM

Photo by Rayana Rasamee

Rebecca Arndt, SOC operating CLUB KID

Photo by Dean Martinez

SOC MEMBERSHIP

CHARTER ACTIVE MEMBERS

Parker Bartlett

Paul Basta

Michael Benson*

Rupert Benson Jr

Bob Bergdahl

David Calloway

Jerry Calloway

Steve Conant

Jim Connell

Rick Cosko

Jack Courtland

Elliot Davis

Sam Drummy

Ron Francis

William Gahret

Ray Gonzales

Jack Green

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Peter Hapke

Jim Hoover

John Huneck

Wayne Kennan

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Steve Lydecker

Brice Mack III

Bob McBride

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Al Myers

Lee Nakahara

Rick Neff

Rik Nervik

Dan Norris

Skip Norton

David Nowell

Wayne Orr

Richard Price

Ernie Reed

Arnold Rich

Randall Robinson*

Sam Rosen

Michael Scott

Bob Seaman

Hal Shiffman

Fred Smith

Roger Smith

Michael St. Hilaire

Ray Stella

Joe Steuben

John Stevens

Carol Sunflower

Joseph Valentine

Ronald Vidor

ACTIVE MEMBERS

Jonathan Abrams

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Rebecca Arndt

Jay Mack Arnette II

Wayne Arnold

Eli Aronoff

Ted Ashton Jr.

Steve Atkin

Sébastien Audinelle

Mark August*

Grayson Austin

Andrei Austin

Armando Avallone

Ruben Avendano

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Blaine Baker

Scott Baker

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George Billinger*

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The Society offers different levels of membership for individuals and manufacturers in the production community – Active, Associate, Educator, Student and Corporate.

SOC MEMBERSHIP

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This small island off the coast of China and Hong Kong has a deep past of Portuguese heritage; a colony until 1999, many signs and much of the language are still Portuguese. It is the Las Vegas of Asia — famous for its massive casinos and luxurious hotels. It earns more gambling revenue than Las Vegas, making it the world’s biggest gaming hub. One night after work I sat and watched men and women on various tables losing upwards of £10k per hand (literally a one-minute gameplay). It was staggering to just watch people bet away their money like that. The city never sleeps: its buzzing streets, neon lights, and old towns are dwarfed by the large, ultra-modern casinos that run vast sums of money through them each day. One is styled like a movie studio, one like Paris, one like London, one like Venice, you get the idea. It’s a melting pot for the mind. And then, just a stone’s throw away, you can walk through old Macau: millions of people condensed into high-rises, living on top of one another, motorbikes everywhere, and the hustle and bustle you would expect from a hot and humid Asian country.

We decided very early on, after much discussion, that we would take the camera kit from the UK. This was largely due to the fact that the local camera kit was expensive to rent, but also when we asked for specific bits it wasn’t obvious what we would actually end up with until we got there, and ultimately that meant it would be too late to find out the problems.

DOP James Friend BSC ASC also wanted to shoot on new lenses called Coral Anamorphic with a 1.5x squeeze. This is largely because he likes the anamorphic squeeze, but the 1.5x nature is closer to spherical, which we had shot exclusively on for the last decade or so. These were prototype lenses, serial nos. 2, 3, and 4 — brand spanking new and untested — and Second Reef gave us a backup set. After deliberating for a while, and under Jonathan Iles from One Stop’s advice, we supplemented the lenses with wide spherical vintage lenses — a 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, and 18mm — and also a wide set of Caldwell Chameleons. A lot of lenses for a single-camera shoot, but it gave us enough wiggle room for any situation, especially the curved nature you get with anamorphic lenses, as we knew we would be doing big tableau wides with the scale of the architecture we would photograph. We wouldn’t be wide enough with a 50mm 1.5x (this being the widest available at the time of production.) James decided to go with One Stop Films as we felt we could work around the clock to get the camera kit ready and prepped so that when we got out there, there would be no surprises.

I had, for my last few jobs, used as my 1st AC the legend that is Phil Smith, but knew that he was stepping up to operating. I called him one late night on the way home from work and said “I’ve got a job coming up and I need a new Phil”, and he said, “the new Phil is Phil Hardy.” I hadn’t heard of Phil, but I called him and said, “if Phil says you’re the man, I’m up for meeting you”. Ed had an advert for Jo Malone with Tom Hardy and he wanted to shoot it on 35mm. So Phil and I got to collaborate prior to going to Macau. It was a tough two-night shoot in London, and I knew instantly that we would get on. His attention to detail and his mind, thinking the same way I do — three steps ahead — meant I knew he

was the new Phil, and of course I loved his banter.

We prepped for two weeks at One Stop Films in East London. It meant sending all the batteries ahead of time as they are dangerous goods and needed to be shipped separately. We prepared two full camera packages knowing there would be a finite amount of 2nd camera days. We also took a spare body knowing we would be far from home and finding a replacement locally could be problematic. In order to move quickly Phil prepped the A camera to be able to go between Studio, Steadicam, Handheld and Ronin with ease. This was essential to me as I know that whilst Ed will always shoot with high expectations, he also likes to get all the shots on his shot list. By the time the camera kit, Steadicam, and carnet were all set up and done, I felt like we were in a good position. My key grip was Guy Bennet, whom I’ve worked with on three jobs prior. Unfortunately for Guy, we couldn’t take the grip kit from the UK as it was too heavy and too much to send, so apart from his personal kit list, the grip kit would be hired locally in Hong Kong, with some servicing coming from China. It didn’t fill us with confidence because we didn’t know what that meant or what we would get, but it was our only option, so we supplied them with a kit list and sent it to them.

My biggest trepidation was leaving my wife and kids for eight weeks for prep and the start of the shoot, but I had the luck of knowing they were going to come and stay with me there for the summer, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. My wife dropped me at the airport, and I never forgot that she said all the way home my seven-year-old daughter cried her eyes out. It’s a part of the industry I sometimes think is not given enough value — how hard it is on men and women to go and do a job they love, and the cost of birthdays and family time they miss. FaceTime has been a huge bonus in the last few years, but as we all know it’s not the same as being there. So off I flew, 1st June 2024, into the unknown. I was still so excited and couldn’t wait to get out there for prep.

Such is Ed and James’ relationship that for the last few jobs, their prep has been meticulous — centred around detailed recces, note-taking, and finding the right locations for the script that they can then build shot lists for. Ballad was no different. By the time I got to Macau, I had a full shot list that referenced each scene in the film. The shot list was blue-tacked to my apartment wall in story order, so accurate to what we would shoot that I used to read it each night prior to the shoot, so I knew what I was doing each day.

Character 1 — The Location

James and I would go out and wander around the hotels, city and locations with Guy and Phil and Caderage on my iPhone. James would take us through Ed’s shot list, thinking about each scene and how we would execute the shots, on what bit of kit, and what exactly we would need. A lot of times Guy and I went alone. I’ve worked with James for such a long time I know roughly what he wants, and I just wanted to make sure that I always had the right bits of kit in the right place — with Guy’s valuable input. Ed has taught me about time-keeping; I know that if we turn up in the morning and there are twenty shots on the shot list, we will get those shots. Most importantly, we will execute each one like it’s the first shot of the day and get it right with the actor. I have to make sure I’m in a position to facilitate him and James and help James buy time so he can light. The 1st AD Benedict Hoermann is also very on it time wise and helps push the shoot at Ed’s speed.

This is where being brought in on prep early is so important for an A Camera Operator. We had about three weeks. I always make a spreadsheet that is numbered to each day of the shoot, referencing all my notes and Ed’s shot list. I make notes that will help either myself, Phil, or Guy out and allow us to work together as a unit to facilitate the shoot. Ultimately I do this for creative reasons — it aims to minimise the time between setups for moving kit around and maximise time to rehearse and get the shots right for Ed.

The thing I hadn’t accounted for was the huge impact Macau would have on the production. The casinos themselves were incredibly large — impossible not to get lost in, surrounded with paranoia and security. They had thousands of

world.” “

We shot entirely on location with no studio set builds, which was a first for me. I think when you watch the film this really heightens the realism of Doyleʼs

Character 2 — Colin Farrell

We first met Colin on the camera test day, in a studio that felt the size of Wembley Stadium — one camera, two bits of track, and more lights than a concert. Colin stood at the end of the track and I went and introduced myself. He is incredibly beautiful and very photogenic. Lisy Christl, our costume designer, had made the most wonderful costumes for him — his suits

were fantastic designs. I hadn’t known which way she was going to take it prior to that day, and I loved how bold she had been. He looked great. I knew instantly I was going to love working with him. He was quiet and reserved and came in and just did his thing. As I’ve heard him promoting the film these past few weeks, he has kept saying in the press that there was a dance between himself, Phil and me... I feel so lucky that he has been saying that, and that he recognises that relationship with the A Camera Operator. Sometimes you don’t click with an actor; with Colin, I felt I did.

So many times Ed said to me, “Danny, just get in there and do your thing — let’s shoot, take one, let’s see what he does and what you do.” Thank God for Phil being on focus. I loved not knowing and reacting — especially in his hotel room when he’s having his downfall and heart attack. A 12mm or 14mm lens, fifteen inches from his face, moving with him — I could feel the heat radiating from him and see the sweat dropping down his temple. Once he stood up, he stayed completely in character, his eyes wide open when I gave him a note, and we went straight into the next take — him going wild on the floor, puking in a wine bucket. We were intricately linked — I had to move the camera with him, and I love that responsibility.

My favourite scenes by far in the movie were Dao Ming’s (Fala Chen) apartment in the north, in the old town. Doyle’s girlfriend/ghost in the movie lived in an apartment block that was run down: a confined, extraordinary environment where generations of lives are piled on top of each other — old electrics, gas pipes, washing, rubbish, furniture — small rooms stacked next to each other that families of six-plus pile themselves into. I knew when we recce-ed it that it would look exceptional on camera — because of the realism, it just looked stunning, and I loved the symmetrical nature of the building.

My favourite shot in the movie: Doyle comes up the stairs, and the camera follows him and Dao Ming to the door. Guy laid the track all the way across the adjacent hallway — about 80ft — and we used our pre-call to set up. It was balmy and damp and we worked with the local crew to dress the shot to camera, to have enough in the foreground that wasn’t too obtrusive and enough in the background to tell the story of this world Doyle was going into. Once I had set the shot and framed it, the timing was all on Guy. One thing he is exceptional at on the dolly is perfect timing, and I trust him to get it right every time. Doyle comes around the corner with Dao Ming and the camera follows them perfectly to her apartment door — centre-framed, one-point perspective, which I love — and stops rock solid with Doyle. It’s a standout shot for me, and I didn’t even operate it, but a lot of love went into the construction, the dressing, and the coordination with the departments to get it right.

On the balcony of the apartments, Ed asked me to shoot the dialogue scenes handheld, which always makes me happy. I come from a documentary background and find the freedom of being on my own two feet liberating. The scene between Doyle and Dao Ming was intense and they were in close proximity. Drip rigs from SFX made it seem so realistic, like we were witnessing them after some sort of crazy thunderstorm. I got to follow the actors inside and out, pan and tilt, and move around to their rhythm, on wide lenses and close to the

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Each time Colin delivered his lines to her on the balcony I could hear the pain in his voice and it resonated — I cherished being that close to him and feeling it with him.

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action, not needing to wear cans as I was so close to them I could hear the dialogue as if it were real. Each time Colin delivered his lines to her on the balcony I could hear the pain in his voice and it resonated — I cherished being that close to him and feeling it with him.

Working like that, you have to have an exceptional focus puller, which Phil is 110fold. There isn’t time to sit and get marks or lay marks, it’s about being reactionary and dancing with them, and Phil does this brilliantly. I respect the way that he doesn’t always watch a monitor, but he also watches the camera/actor relationship. I think he feels the actors as well, and he knows when to pull focus. If ever I go offpiste (which I do), he just reacts to the camera movement. I know that when Ed makes movies he loves atmosphere — he loves giving the world and locations life — and this is one of the things I admire about his pictures, this kind of breath. I always remember Patrick Melrose, filming the corner of a curtain blowing in the wind. Such a simple image, but backlit, with a bit of wind and an old 70s curtain, it gives the narrative texture.

Whilst at Dao Ming’s apartment, we had such bad weather, proper torrential downpour, so we were stood down. Phil and I grabbed a camera and a set of legs and walked around the apartments and filmed the rain dripping on various things, simple static shots with no movement — we let the environment do the talking. Ed used a few of these shots in the film and I am really proud of them.

Technically one of our harder and more interesting nights was shooting at the A-Má Temple, a temple to the Chinese sea-goddess Mazu. Built in 1488, the temple is one of the oldest in Macau and thought to be the settlement’s namesake. We had one night shoot there and because of various production-time issues I hadn’t recce-ed it. We ended up constructing a shot that really should have been on a Technocrane, but we didn’t have one. So Guy laid the track the length of the temple and we put a fixed-arm crane on the dolly. The shot should have been simple, but with the Ronin not working and the lack of English between the dolly grip and the person swinging the arm, it was an incredibly hard shot to perform in one. We had to follow Doyle and Dao Ming down some stairs, track with them at head height, and then pan around and follow them in a two-shot as they walked off down more stairs into the distance. Shots like that should not be about the camera and its complexities — we should be reactive to what the actors are doing. However, we really struggled to get it right. Between myself and Guy, we had to talk to the team constantly the whole way through the shot. When you watch the shot in the movie, it is so wonderfully slow and accurate, and sometimes it’s crazy that you don’t see the hardships, time, and patience that go into it.

One other shot we did there was of Doyle running up the stairs to the temple to burn the money. Ed wanted the camera to move with him up the stairs in profile, with people in the foreground — impossible to do on the crane or Steadicam. Guy suggested he build what I can only describe as something that looked like a

Guy Bennet, “just rigging in the rain!”

hospital stretcher from the First World War that transported soldiers. He placed the camera on the Ronin in the middle. He carried the back and the Chinese grip, Man, carried the front. It was up stairs and fast, keeping Doyle perfectly dead-centre. Guy’s timing was perfect and he nailed it, with only minimal adjustments from me.

Towards the end of the shoot, we moved to Hong Kong to shoot a scene off the coast on an old houseboat — it’s where Lord Doyle goes to get better in the movie with the ghost of Dao Ming. The complexities of shooting on the water and getting transported there were so time-consuming for all departments. The water house had a weight limit and the crew had to be entirely stripped down to essential personnel and kit — and I have to say I loved it. It was almost like the old days of filming — minimum people and minimum fuss, just there to tell the story.

It was a standout scene for me. Colin and Fala are lying on Colin’s bed at night, it was excruciatingly hot, we were up in the rafters of the boat, and James had lit the scene almost entirely with practicals; warm lamps in the background. The two of them lay on the bed smoking opium, talking about the celebrations of “The Night of the Hungry Ghosts.” The boat was swaying and creaking on the sea. It’s the scene where they open up to each other and are truthful about their feelings. Guy rigged the camera upside-down so I could get over the bed and do close over-theshoulders on wide lenses — no long lenses. We filmed this intimate scene that in itself was about eight minutes long. I love that you get to know the actors’ movements and emotions — you’re so close that you see their “tells” and how they will move. It’s a rhythmic, almost sedated way of filming. Sometimes I sat there and listened to Ed’s direction to them — and quite often he sees things I haven’t — and I love that in that setting there are about five of you, and you have to pinch yourself that you are front and centre to the action and feel so linked to the movie.

In retrospect more than ever, I realise how important your team is: I think Guy, Phil, and I worked together seamlessly to move the camera how Ed and James asked. Even though I operated the camera, the camera in the film danced with the three of us making it move — and it’s a wonderful thing to be part of that family. It’s a standout movie for me in my career — that experience of being an Operator. I said to Ed when I saw him recently that it’s hard working with him, because I always feel like I’m chasing that high. His ability to push me, and Colin’s wonderful attention to detail as an actor, made being behind the viewfinder a unique experience, and I am truly grateful for it.

When I watch the film, I can feel and see Macau and I can feel Colin, like I’m still there — two characters smashing you in the face. I haven’t even written about the card games and the filming of Baccarat. I guess you need to watch the film and see those bits for yourself.