After you see the beauty and scope of large format film, you can’t go back
Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC
THE WHOLE PICTURE
Now in its fourth year, Euro Cine Expo is well-established as a leading event for film and TV production professionals in mainland Europe. And once again, Cinematography World is proud to be the official media partner at the international show.
Following a sold-out exhibition last year, the 2025 edition of Euro Cine Expo, returns to Munich, from 26th to 28th June, drawing major industry players and exhibitors from across the globe.
The Expo itself will give visitors the chance to get hands-on with the latest equipment in cameras, lighting, grip and support all under one roof. Check out some of the attractions that will be on display in our Great Gear Guide in this issue.
Attendees can also take part in the three-day Symposium of expert-led panels, workshops and technical seminars – featuring cinematographers, filmmakers, gaffers, colourists and colour scientists – all designed to inspire and inform. In addition, all content will be available year-round on the newlylaunched ECE Academy platform, making sure the learning continues long after the show.
If those weren’t enough good reasons to attend, this show is also your chance to meet with industry friends and enjoy networking in a friendly atmosphere. The Euro Cine Expo Afterparty promises a lively evening of music, drinks and celebration, as it will host the Film & TV Awards, Women in Cinematography Awards and ECE Recognition Awards, shining a spotlight on talent across the industry. All three days of the expo and all symposium sessions are absolutely free-to-attend. We look forward to seeing you there. Until then… stay safe and happy filming!
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 the IBC and ISE Daily, and is a regular contributor to folk/roots music website Spiral Earth.
Natasha Block Hicks is an artist/designer/maker, who spent a decade as a freelance film and TV camera assistant, and indulges her love for cinema and cinematography through research and writing.
ZEISS Supreme Zoom Radiance lenses are one of a kind. They let you create your distinct look. They let you create beautiful, consistent, and controlled flares over the entire focal length range of 15 mm to 200 mm. They let you create with their pleasing cinematic image character, defined by a smooth focus fall-off and a beautiful bokeh. Whether used alone, with Radiance Primes or even vintage glass, the three Radiance Zooms offer a look never before seen in a zoom lens. Coming with modern high-end cine ergonomics and full lens data support. From the inventors of antireflective lens coatings. Made in Germany.
INSIDE
HANDS-ON TECH•DAVID KLEIN ASC & FOCUS-PULLER DOMINIK MAINL ON CALDWELL CHAMELEONS•THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU
FRASER TAGGART•MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING
PAULA HUIDOBRO AMC•THE RESIDENCE
DARIA D’ANTONIO CCS•PARTHENOPE
JUAN PABLO RAMÍREZ AMC•LA COCINA
GAFFER’S CAFÉ•JAMIE MILLS ICLS
HASTA L A V I STA
Over the past decade, Spain has carved out a prime spot as one of Europe’s most vibrant hubs for audiovisual production – a rise powered by a blend of natural advantages, technical prowess and strategic vision.
Major streaming platforms have taken note: Netflix’s Madrid hub, for instance, isn’t just a regional outpost, it’s the nerve-centre for the company’s global tech breakthroughs, from workflow tools to cutting-edge capture systems. Behind this momentum stands a robust ecosystem of skilled crews, state-of-the-art facilities, and public incentives, with ALÍA – the Audiovisual Industry Alliance – as the glue binding it all together, ensuring the industry moves as a cohesive unit.
Spain’s audiovisual scene is firing on all cylinders
What is ALÍA? Born in spring 2020, ALÍA emerged from a collective push by Spain’s leading technical players – think Deluxe, El Ranchito and Mediapro – to forge a unified front. Today, it’s a coalition of nearly 60 outfits spanning the full production chain: camera and lighting rental houses, post-production suites, virtual production stages, equipment manufacturers, distributors, location scouts, set builders, eco-management teams, and even catering services. ALÍA’s mission is ambitious yet precise: to sharpen Spain’s competitive edge, green its footprint and future-proof its workflows
It is my honour to also steer the alliance as president since its foundation. I’ve been working in the industry for three decades, having a career that has spanned the nuts-and-bolts side of film and TV –across lighting, rigging and on-set problem-solving. Under my watch, it has been joyful to watch ALÍA growing organically, earning clout with backing from heavyweights like Crea SGR (financial muscle),
Elzaburu (legal expertise), Spain Film Commission, ICEX (Spanish Institute For Foreign Trade), Profilm (service producers), ECAM (Spain’s film school in Madrid), and Camera & Light magazine (our industry voice). It’s a network built by pros, for pros.
ALÍA began by bringing together some of Spain’s most experienced technical companies – many with decades of history in film and television. What started as a collaborative forum has evolved into a national benchmark for innovation and industry dialogue. Today, the alliance operates around three core pillars: innovation, training and sustainability, which are developed through institutional dialogue and synergies with other professional associations.
ALÍA also acts as a bridge between Spain and the international production community, providing visibility, logistical support and direct access to top local talent and resources.
A central mission of ALÍA is to ensure that producers, filmmakers and technicians from around the world feel at home when working in Spain. Whether it’s navigating technical requirements, connecting with trusted crew and service providers, or sharing best practices, ALÍA members are at the heart of the most prominent productions currently filming in the country.
We work in close collaboration with regional film commissions, production hubs, training institutions and public agencies, to build an integrated and forward-thinking audiovisual system.
Spain’s audiovisual scene is firing on all cylinders. In 2023, over 900 projects rolled across the country, pumping €1.7 billion into the economy and lighting-up tens of thousands of jobs. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga, plus the Canary Islands, are magnets for shoots, blending urban edge with wild landscapes, and all drenched in 300+ days of sun.
Add safety, quality-of-life, and some of Europe’s juiciest tax breaks – 30% to 70% rebates, capped at €20M per feature and €10M per episode – and it’s no wonder the world’s lenses are turning here.
The Canaries and Bizkaia’s Basque region lead the incentive race, but ALÍA ensures its members tap every regional perk, from Málaga’s coast to Navarra’s mountains.
Major productions are choosing to shoot in Spain, and our members have contributed to many of the biggest productions filmed here in recent years, including House Of The Dragon, Venom, Andor (Star Wars), Money Heist, Daryl Dixon: (The Walking Dead), Foundation and Black Mirror. ALÍA companies bring not only professionalism, but also creativity and deep expertise.
In addition to its on-the-ground activity, ALÍA organises industry meet-ups, workshops and presentations. We’ve recently launched a partnership with an international co-production event in Madrid, and are currently preparing an industry forum focussed on innovation and sustainability, in collaboration with both Spanish institutions and international partners.
ALÍA members are at the heart of the most prominent productions currently filming here
Looking ahead, the audiovisual industry is undergoing rapid transformation. Virtual production, remote workflows, the challenges and opportunities of AI, and a growing awareness of sustainability are all reshaping the way we work. ALÍA is committed to ensuring that no company –big or small – is left behind.
Whether you’re planning a shoot in Spain or looking for strategic European partners for your next project, ALÍA is here to help you navigate the landscape and make the most of what Spain’s audiovisual industry has to offer.
More than an alliance, we are a community – committed to growth, collaboration, and excellence. ALIA will be glad to help you connect with the right people and resources. Just email us at alia@aliaaudiovisual.com or comunicacion@aliaaudiovisual.com
Roberto Sacristán Gómez Presidente, ALIA - Alianza Industria Audiovisual
EURO CINE EXPO 2025 GEARS UP
The IMAGO Technical Committee (ITC) and IMAGO Educational Committee (IEC) will return to Euro Cine Expo 2025, mainland Europe’s premier event for film and TV professionals, taking place June 26–28 at Motorworld Munich.
The ITC will host over a dozen in-depth technical sessions across two days, offering invaluable insights into cinematography, lighting, colour, AI, look-management and production workflows. These sessions will feature renowned DPs, gaffers, grips and colourists, creating a must-attend programme for cinematographers, crew and technicians.
Following a sold-out 2024 edition, Euro Cine Expo 2025 promises even more content, new exhibitors, networking opportunities, plus hands-on experiences. Attendees can also join the ECE Academy for free access to exclusive educational content from past events.
This year’s Expo will also host the prestigious ECE Awards, in association with film-tv-video.de., celebrating
excellence in camera technology, camera support and grip, and lighting engineering, with support from sponsor Teltec. The awards will be presented during a Friday evening networking event open to all attendees and exhibitors. Additional awards include a Women In Cinematography special recognition
and a Euro Cine Expo Career Achievement Award. As anticipation builds, professionals from across the globe are encouraged to attend, learn and celebrate industry innovation. For award submissions, visit: https://www.eurocineaward.eu.
DIGITAL ORCHARD & KODAK FILM LAB LONDON ANNOUNCE 65MM IMAX UPGRADE
Digital Orchard and Kodak Film Lab London are setting a new benchmark in largeformat filmmaking with the introduction of their most advanced scanning upgrade yet, meeting the surging demand for 65mm film.
This major investment, developed in collaboration with Kodak, enhances scanning capabilities across all 65mm formats, including 5-perf, 8-perf and 15-perf IMAX, delivering precision and image quality that elevates the visual storytelling experience.
Since opening its Film Shop last year, Digital Orchard’s Film department has rapidly expanded, introducing Super 8mm stock, processing and scanning services, alongside offering solutions for 16mm, 35mm, and 65mm formats. The recent 65mm IMAX scanning upgrade unlocks exciting new creative possibilities for filmmakers working at the highest level
of cinematic storytelling.
Callum Just, CEO and founder of Digital Orchard,
shared his enthusiasm, saying, “The scanning upgrade represents a huge leap forward for us at Digital Orchard. It’s part of our on-going mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of film. It’s been fantastic working alongside our partner Kodak to bring this vision to life, and we can’t wait to see how filmmakers will harness this enhanced IMAX capability.”
Antonio Rasura, director of Motion Picture Services at Kodak, commented, “ We’re thrilled to continue working with Digital Orchard. Their new cutting-edge scanning technology, coupled with our own stateof-the-art processing upgrade, ensures filmmakers can achieve the very best in cinematic visuals.”
ARRI CAMERA COMPANION APP OFFERS PERSONALISED CAMERA CONTROL
ARRI’s Camera Companion App for iPhone, iPad and Mac with Apple Silicon, enables users to configure their own personalised interface for remote control of one or multiple Alexa 35, Alexa Mini LF, Alexa Mini, Amira and Alexa 265 cameras.
After a successful beta with feedback from thousands of professionals, ARRI’s Camera Companion is now available on the Apple App Store. Camera Companion offers two subscription options to streamline on-set workflows. The standard plan controls up to two ARRI cameras, whilst the premium plan adds features including unlimited camera control and MIDI support.
A free demo version of the app offers basic, single-camera control, camera menu access and free standard and premium trial periods, allowing users to build familiarity with the control possibilities before deciding which subscription is right for them. Every new project in the app includes a simulated camera, so users can start exploring even if they don’t have a camera to hand.
Connection to a real ARRI camera can be implemented either via the camera’s own WiFi network or a wider on-set network. Users can select a predefined layout or build a custom one by dragging control tiles for easy access to camera functions. With unlimited assignable buttons, and multi-tab support in the premium version, users can tailor the interface for different cameras, scenarios or tasks such as playback.
Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K
Shoot large format 8 K up to 224fps and 12K up to 120fps with 16 stops of dynamic range!
Blackmagic URSA Cine is a revolutionary digital film camera that introduces new advanced digital film technology combined with total integration into the post production workflow. That means it’s the first digital film camera with fast high capability storage built in, plus high speed networking for on set media sync. You can also swap between PL, LPL, EF and Hasselblad lens mounts.
Cinematic Large Format Sensor
URSA Cine features a revolutionary new sensor designed for incredible quality images at all resolutions from 4K to a massive 12K! The larger sensor builds on the technology of URSA Mini Pro 12K with larger photo-sites leading to an astounding 16 stops of dynamic range. Now you can capture more detail with a wider dynamic range than ever before!
A Camera Body Optimized for High End Productions!
The evenly weighted camera body is built with a robust magnesium alloy chassis and lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite skin to help you move quickly on set. There’s a 5” fold out touchscreen for reviewing shots and accessing camera settings, plus a dedicated assist station on the other side of the camera, with 5” LCD and full camera controls!
High Performance Internal Media for Recording
URSA Cine is the first digital film camera with ultra fast high capability Cloud Store technology built in. Blackmagic Media Module is fast, rugged and includes a massive 8TB of storage. The module can be easily removed from the camera and loaded into a Blackmagic Media Dock for transferring media to a network or to Blackmagic Cloud for instant global collaboration!
Live Sync and Edit Media While the Camera is Rolling!
URSA Cine records an HD proxy in H.264 in addition to the camera original media. The small proxy file can upload to Blackmagic Cloud in seconds, even as the camera’s recording, so your media is available back at the studio in real time. If you have multiple cameras, then the new multi source feature in DaVinci Resolve’s Cut page will show each camera angle in a multiview.
Fujifilm Corporation has developed the Fujinon LA30x7.8BRM-XB2 broadcast zoom lens, which delivers a 30x zoom covering 7.8 – 234mm.
The LA30x7.8 is a portable type zoom lens for 2/3-inch sensor broadcast cameras, covering the focal range from 7.8mm wide to 234mm telephoto with a compact and lightweight design measuring 190mm and weighing 1.8kg. By adopting a newlydeveloped drive unit, it supports virtual and
Due to the rapid expansion of video streaming platforms in recent years, the amount of video content such as news, documentaries, sports and music concerts being produced, has increased. As a result, there is a growing demand for equipment that can streamline filming operations without compromising on image quality or functionality within limited production budgets. In response to these needs, Fujifilm released the 4K Fujinon LA16x8BRMXB1A broadcast zoom lens in 2019, which received positive feedback due to its compact and lightweight design, excellent optical performance and affordable cost.
a highest-in-class 30x zoom, whilst the design produces high mobility and versatility for production. A new drive unit features high resolution 16-bit encoders for extremely accurate position detection in virtual and remote production, which further contributes to streamlining production operations.
The newly-developed LA30x7.8 boasts
Fujifilm says it will continue to leverage its advanced optical technology, nurtured over many decades, to develop and supply highperformance broadcast lenses, cinema camera lenses and accessories, addressing the evolving needs of frontline video professionals.
BLACKMAGIC DESIGN ANNOUNCES PYXIS 12K CAMERA
The Blackmagic Pyxis 12K is a powerful and versatile digital film camera featuring a 36 x 24mm full-frame RGBW sensor capable of capturing 12K (12288 x 8040) resolution. It supports open gate 3:2, full-height 6:5 Anamorphic, and 9K Super 35 formats, making it suitable for cinematic content creation.
The multi-scale RGBW sensor allows recording in 12K, 8K or 4K using the full sensor area. Pyxis is available in models with L-Mount, PL or locking EF lens mounts, and records up to 40fps at full resolution, or up to 112fps in 8K. It features a built-in 4-inch HDR, 1500-nit, LCD
screen, and records in Blackmagic RAW and H.264 proxies, with fast dual CFexpress card support.
Connectivity includes 10G ethernet and mobile data for remote streaming, plus 12G-SDI for monitoring with status overlay. Additional features include a professional mini XLR input with 48V phantom power, high-capacity BP-U series batteries, and compatibility with optional accessories, such as the Blackmagic Ursa Cine EVF and
Blackmagic Pyxis monitor.
Pyxis also offers a complete streaming solution for platforms including YouTube, Facebook and X.
“Since the introduction of the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K, we’ve been working hard to make our amazing RGBW sensor from the Ursa Cine available to even more customers,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.
“ We have redesigned the electronics and processing to be able to handle the massive sensor and we think customers are going to love shooting incredible large format images in 4K, 8K and now 12K.”
Blackmagic Pyxis 12K will be available in July for US$4,995, excluding local duties and taxes, from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.
6-7.JUNE.25
IP65 Weather resistant Brightest in the industry
Single-person operable
DEDOLIGHT LIGHTSTREAM & THE ROLE OF THE PARALLEL BEAM INTENSIFIER
In the world of reflected light, the Dedolight Lightstream system is unique. Whilst other systems rely on shining a light into a reflector and then on to the subject, the Dedolight Lightstream system takes things one step further.
Using the Dedolight Parallel Beam Intensifier significantly increases light output from any Dedolight focussing light. Light output can be increased by between 300% and 800%, depending which lighting fixture and Parallel Beam Intensifier are used.
This increased light output is particularly useful in that the focussed beam of light enables multiple reflectors to be lit from a single light source. This can create the illusion of many different light sources, whilst at the same time extending the travel of the light from source to subject. The result is an organic naturalistic quality to the light, which the Dedolight Lightstream
system has become famous for.
The magic is in the Dedolight optics. The lenses in the light head and Parallel Beam Intensifier work together to produce the increased light output, enabling multiple light sources to be created from a single light source. No other reflected light system offers the ability to work with multiple reflectors in this way. It is the increased light output and focussing ability of the Dedolight in combination with the Parallel Beam Intensifier which makes Dedolight Lightstream the most complete system for working with reflected light.
Beam Intensifiers, which can be used on-location or in the studio.
This way of working applies to portable Dedolight focussing lights in combination with Parallel
For more information, visit www.dedo.tv, where you can watch instructive videos about the Dedolight Lightstream system, and gain a deeper understanding of the advantages this way of working offers.
DOPCHOICE INTROS SNAPBAG & SNAPGRID FOR KINO FLO DIVA LUX4
DoPchoice has announced a new Snapbag and Snapgrid in time for the release of Kino Flo’s Diva Lux4 fixture. Engineered to help achieve smoother, softer, more directional and controllable output, the Snapbag and Snapgrid attach seamlessly to the Diva Lux4 front face to elevate light quality. By attaching a Snapbag (34.6 x 24 x 11.4 inch / 88 x 61 x 29 cm), users can direct and amplify the bright softlight of Diva Lux4, whilst eliminating unwanted spill. The Snapbag’s silver reflective
interior intensifies output, and the addition of one of two included Snapcloth diffusions, offer further light modification, allowing for greater diffused light at a controlled angle. The attachment affixes to the Diva Lux4 directly with the use of hook and loop fastening straps designed to easily secure around the light’s chassis. For additional directional control, the 40º Snapgrid (27.2 x 13.4 x 5.1 inch / 69 x 34 x 13 cm) mounts directly to the Diva Lux4 face. The lightweight
Snapbag (1.8lb/0.8kg) and Snapgrid (0.8lb/0.4kg) each pack down compactly into individual included DoPchoice carry bags for easy transport.
NANLITE INTRODUCES PAVOTUBE II 6XR 8-PIXEL
TUBE LIGHT
The new Nanlite PavoTube II 6XR is a go-anywhere full-colour LED tube light with pixel effects and professional wireless control. At just 25cm long it has eight individually-controllable pixels for smooth flowing lighting effects, delivering impressive output and high accuracy.
The new fixture has an internal battery plus PD 3.0 power input, as well as Bluetooth, DMX/RDM and LumenRadio CRMX control – all the features professionals need, enabling them to focus on the creative process of adjusting light and colour.
The PavoTube II 6XR features Nanlite’s advanced RGBWW colour-mixing technology, offering a colour temperature range of 2700K to 12000K with ±150 green/magenta adjustment. Despite its compact size, it delivers strong output (562 lux @ 0.5m, 5600K) with high colour accuracy.
A custom diffuser produces soft, even light ideal for wrapping around subjects, making it effective
both as a close-up fill and as a practical light in larger scenes. Enhanced white light rendering ensures reliable performance for professional use.
With eight controllable pixels in its 22.5cm illuminated area, the 6XR supports pixel effects and fine-tuned control via onboard menus, the Nanlink App 2.0, DMX/RDM or LumenRadio CRMX. Five lighting modes – CCT, HSI, gel, effects, and pixel effects – offer creative flexibility, including ten built-in multipixel effects for dynamic lighting designs. Built for versatility, the PavoTube II 6XR adapts to a
EURO PEAN LENS SUM MIT
Europe’s Premier Lens Technology Event Focusing on the Future of Optical Innovation
JEANFRE FACHON & SUNDEEP REDDY MOVE UP AT ZEISS
Zeiss has strengthened its global market team with the introduction of Jeanfre Fachon as senior product manager for cinema, and the promotion of Sundeep Reddy to senior manager for cinematography.
In his new role as senior product manager cinema, Jeanfre Fachon will oversee the lifecycle of Zeiss cinema lens projects, from ideation to distribution. With two decades of experience at ARRI, Fachon brings extensive knowledge of cinema and camera systems, along with deep ties to the cinematography community. Now headquartered in Oberkochen, he will collaborate with the internal teams and global sales representatives to continue Zeiss’ legacy.
Sundeep Reddy has transitioned to the role of senior manager of cinematography solutions, following
nearly eight dedicated years championing cine product-based roles at Zeiss. Leveraging over two decades of experience working on film sets and expertise with diverse camera systems and lenses, Reddy will focus on building relationships with cinematographers, camera teams and rental facilities worldwide. Additionally, from his UK base, Reddy will work closely to support sales, marketing and product management, whilst shaping Zeiss’ on-going presence at global trade shows and events.
APUTURE RELEASES STORM XT52
Aputure has launched the lightweight Storm XT52, the new flagship in its line of Storm lights and the brightest tunable white point source LED in the industry.
Featuring the revolutionary Blair light engine, the Storm XT52 delivers a wide range of high-quality white light, and also claims to be the brightest light in the world to offer colour adjustability, with more than 70% of the Rec2020 colour space covered.
The Storm XT52 is more powerful than a 6K HMI. Its Blair light engine (Blue/Lime/Amber/Indigo/Red) outputs Tunable White light from 2500° to 10,000° CCT and features Full +/- Green tint control. In Limited HSIC+ and xy modes, saturated colours covering more than 70% of the Rec2020 colour space can be achieved.
The revolutionary use of an Indigo emitter to output near UV activates the natural fluorescence in people and objects, replicating what is seen in natural daylight and tungsten light. The Aputure Storm lights are the first in the industry to feature this technology.
“We went all-out with the XT52,” explains Ted Sim, president and cofounder of Aputure. “We set -out to make the most powerful point source LED in the business. We knew we wanted to use our amazing Blair light engine with its excellent CCT range, Green control and Indigo for matching natural light. But customers have been begging us to unlock the colour potential of Blair, so we added a limited HSIC+ control along with xy mode so people can take full advantage of the XT52’s capabilities. Now it doesn’t just stand-in for daylight, it can be the colourful blast of late afternoon sunset too.”
PANAVISION GRIP & REMOTE SYSTEMS MOVES INTO LARGER LONDON PREMISES
Panavision Grip & Remote Systems has relocated its London operations. The division’s rental inventory is now housed in a 25,149sq/ft facility, representing a nearly 10,000sq/ft increase over the company’s previous location. Additionally, the new site is conveniently situated directly across the road from Panavision London’s camera and optics rental operations.
“Our rental inventory is continually expanding with the latest camera supports and grip solutions, and
we had outgrown our previous facility as a result,” said Alan “Wolfie” Smith, Panavision grip and remote systems director.
“This new, larger location keeps us at-the-ready to embrace future waves of technology, so filmmakers can continue to count on us for all their grip-equipment needs, whatever their projects call for. It was also important to us in the expansion that we remain close to our camera location, and this new site is only a few lengths of track away.”
The new location offers three loading bays for customers picking-up
or returning equipment, along with an interior layout that streamlines the flow of equipment between shipping and receiving and service, plus electricvehicle charging stations, providing convenient and eco-conscious parking for customers and employees.
Led by Smith and Panavision grip and remote systems manager Karl Teggin, the new site is fully-operational, located at Unit 49, Bristol Road, Greenford, UB6 8UP. The facility is close to Heathrow airport as well as London-area studios and other Panavision group divisions.
CREAMSOURCE LAUNCHES FREE SLYYD DMX LIGHTING CONTROL APP
Creamsource has launched Slyyd, a ground-breaking and free-of-charge lighting control iOS app, said to revolutionise the way professionals manage and control DMX-based lighting systems.
Designed for simplicity, speed and precision, Slyyd offers a streamlined interface and cutting-edge features that eliminate the frustrations commonly associated with overly complex and cluttered lighting control systems.
Developed with input from professionals in the field, Slyyd is engineered for the demanding environments of film productions, live broadcasts and media production. Unlike other lighting control systems that are burdened with unnecessary features and complexity – Slyyd focusses on what truly matters –efficiency, reliability and creative freedom.
Creamsource says Slyyd is not just another lighting control app, rather it’s a tool designed for professionals who value their time and need solutions
that work as fast as they do. With a focus on real-world usability, it redefines the standards of what lighting control should be.
Slyyd is designed for cinematographers, gaffers, lighting designers, broadcasters, content creators and film school training programmes. Creamsource will introduce advanced FX modes and cues to Slyyd, ensuring users have access to fully-functional, top-tier tools in future updates.
“ Why Slyyd? ” asks
Creamsource CEO Tama Berkeljon. “Because other lighting control apps – how do I put this nicely – suck. Slyyd gets out of your way so you can get on with your job.
“You don’t need 400 buttons on one screen, you only want what you need when you need it – with
a set-up that won’t make you want to scream. Slyyd also handles mistakes without you having to panic. Made a mistake? Tap undo and pretend it never even happened.”
Slyyd is available now as a free download from the Apple Store
SARA PUTT ASSOCIATES TRAINEE SCHEME & FOUNDATION WINS PGGB’S 2025 DUKE OF EDINBURGH INCLUSION AWARD
The Production Guild Of Great Britain
(PGGB) announced the winner of its third annual Duke Of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award as the Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation.
PGGB Royal Patron, HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh, presented Nicola Lees, Laurily Adams and Kelly Spearman from the trainee scheme and foundation with the award at PGGB’s Talent Showcase, at The InterContinental Hotel on London’s Park Lane. The event was hosted in association with The Walt Disney Studios and supported by Sargent-Disc.
First launched in 2022, this industry initiative shines a light on the inspirational work of organisations or individuals in production who are helping to create and progress talent inclusion in the UK screen production workforce. The winner was chosen by a jury led by PGGB’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Commenting, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh said, “Many of these individuals and organisations have existed for years, delivering incredibly important work and it takes a platform like this, to really shine a light on the importance of creating opportunity for those who have the talent, but maybe not the connections and access to the industry.”
Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation was founded 12 years ago to support new and diverse talent and was created by the leading independent agency that represents behind the camera production and technical talent.
As an organisation, Sara Putt Associates recognises that there’s a wealth of highly-trained individuals who want to enter the film and TV industry, but many need help with the soft skills required to develop a successful freelance career. The Trainee Scheme involves working with a new cohort of trainees each year through
workshops, events and first-hand access to industry operators, to give them a footing in the industry. The talent pipeline has been extended through the formation of a Foundation which, working alongside partner organisations, has created access for people who might never have had the opportunity to work in film and TV. These quiet but effective efforts in training and talent development have made an enormous contribution to improving diversity and representation in our industry.
Sara Putt, founder and managing director of Sara Putt Associates, commented, “We feel incredibly honoured, very moved and touched that people thought to nominate us for this award. We are admirers and supporters of the Production Guild Of Great Britain, and have been for many years, so we’re very aware of this award and all hugely-surprised and incredibly delighted.”
Commenting on the importance of this award,
Bianca Gavin, chair of PGGB said: “It is an honour to celebrate the winner and finalists of PGGB’s Talent Inclusion Award presented by His Royal Highness The Duke Of Edinburgh, highlighting their innovative and inspiring work to support career development of those who may otherwise face barriers. It is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge their impact and build more engagement for the future.”
The first recipient of The Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award was 6ft From The Spotlight, which was praised for its work to improve mental health and well-being in the UK film and TV production workplace, and last year the award went to Million Youth Media, for its relentless endeavours to provide talented young people from under-represented communities with the tools, opportunities and knowledge they need to thrive in film and TV.
LEITZ INTRODUCES LPL MOUNT FOR SONY VENICE EXTENSION SYSTEM MINI
Leitz Cine ’s new LPL Mount for Sony Venice Extension System Mini claims to offer maximum flexibility. Paired with Leitz’s LPL to PL adapter, the new Leitz LPL Mount provides a solution where rental houses and productions using professional lenses never have to change mounts again.
The LPL Mount for Sony Venice Extension System Mini uses a different system than the Venice/Burano mounts and attaches directly to the camera body with four screws, protecting the E mount underneath and providing rigid, reliable support for larger cine lenses using native LPL mounts. The LPL to PL Adapter locks into the LPL mount, creating a secure and stable solution for PL-mount lenses. Both mounts feature metadata contacts for passing /i metadata from lenses to the camera.
Leitz LPL Mounts are designed to accommodate all lenses, including rehoused vintage rangefinder lenses and lenses using rear filters, which often impact and are incompatible with other LPL mounts. The mount and adapter are made of high-grade aluminum with stainless steel mounts. Using the Leitz LPL Mount for Sony Venice Extension System Mini means never having to change mounts again.
The list price of the LPL Mount with LPL to PL Adapter is €2,880 and will begin shipping July 2025.
GODOX LAUNCHES ML100R FULL COLOUR SUCCESSOR TO ML100BI
Godox has launched the ML100R, the full-colour successor to the ML100Bi, with the same lightweight design, but now featuring enhanced versatility with more portable light-shaping accessories and expanded mobile power options.
As content creation continues to evolve, creators are placing higher demands on visual expression, especially in fields such as short videos, live streaming and vlogging, where personalised lighting effects and atmosphere play a crucial role.
The ML100Bi has been well-received for its portability and high-quality lighting, but users are increasingly seeking colour options to freelyadjust lighting for more creative scenarios. In response to this trend, Godox has launched the ML100R, offering a wider range of colours and a portable design to provide creators with a more flexible lighting solution, helping them craft visually striking content.
Featuring innovative mixing technology for even illumination, GM adjustability for precise colour correction, and an extensive colour temperature range of 1800K to 10000K, this new release ensures consistent, professional-quality lighting. With full control over colour, the ML100R empowers creators to bring their artistic visions to life in many scenarios.
Equipped with the Godox Mount, the ML100R is compatible with a wide range of compact modifiers, including lens reflectors, softboxes and projection attachments. To further enhance creative control, Godox has introduced innovative accessories such as the Mini Projection Attachment (ML-SP), Collapsible Fresnel Attachment (ML-CFL5), and the Air Soft
Tube (ML-S1A). This evergrowing modifier system transforms the ML Series into more than just a lighting tool –it becomes an exciting creative companion for photographers and filmmakers alike.
ML100R is priced at $229.00. With its portable and compact design, paired with vivid lighting performance, this product is quite a decent choice for content creators looking for both personal use and a thoughtful gift option. Preorders are now open.
CAMERADERIE
Our regular round up of who is shooting what and where
INTRINSIC:
In features, James Mather ISC shot Man vs Baby, and Rasmus Arrildt DFF lit a feature in Denmark. David Liddell has been shooting both Shetland and Summerwater in Scotland. Evan Barry framed The Twelve Dates Of Christmas in Dublin, and has been prepping for Baby Doll in Spain’s Basque region. Shaun Lee SASC shot Dreaming Whilst Black 2 in London. Simon Hawken FNF worked in Italy and Budapest as Splinter Unit DP on Amanda James Mather has begun on the TV drama These Sacred Vows in the Canaries. Tom Hines has been busy on Silent Witness Andrew Johnson spent time at Casualty Philip Blake is shooting The Young Offenders in Cork. Leon Brehony was Second Unit DP on Criminal Record 2 Gabi Norland lit a confidential project for Rockerdale, and Mike McMillin has been operating on Neuromancer. Lynda Hall has been busy on a variety of projects. Martin Roach, Gareth Munden, Gavin White and Mike McMillin have been lighting commercials and corporate films.
LOOP TALENT:
The agency welcomes cinematographer Oona Menges BSC as a new signing to its roster. Oona’s credits include TV series for ITV and Apple as well
as the indie features The Host and L.O.L.A Ryan Eddleston is shooting the feature About A Bell, directed by Simon Callow. Matt North is prepping
for a returning BBC series. Ali Asad shot the feature Past Life with director Simeon Halligan. Nick Bennett has been lensing ads for ITV and Sky. Dave Miller is enjoying continued success with the film The Pearl Comb, and has been shooting two TV projects. Jon Muschamp is working in film on Birdhouse and Hangman Martyna Knitter is lensing a documentary with Warner Bros.. Lorenzo Levrini has been shooting commercials. Paul Mackay has been shooting spots with Virtual Production elements. Bertrand Rocourt worked with director Mister V on a commercial in France. Chris O’Driscoll has been shooting short form and documentaries. Denson Baker ACS NZCS is shooting TVCs worldwide. Olly Wiggins lit commercials for Three and ITV. Tom Turley has been lensing fashion ads for brands including Christies and Donna Karan. Emma Dalesman has been meeting on TV projects. Arthur Lok lit commercials for Pulse Films and Agile Films. Marti Guiver framed spots for production company Soft Power. Natalja Safronova is working with Radical Lens Productions on a documentary. Loop Talent Crew welcomes camera/Steadicam operator David Pulgarian ACO James Anderson ACO recently wrapped on a project in Belfast as camera/Steadicam operator. Ben Eeley ACO has been shooting commercial projects. Michael Eshun-Mensah ACO recently operated on a Band 3 project before working on commercials. Sebastien Joly ACO is in his native France on narrative and commercial projects. Ben Mitchell ACO is shooting on Industry in Wales as camera/ Steadicam operator. Grant Sandy-Phillips ACO is working on Dreaming Whilst Black S2 as camera/ Steadicam operator. Gary Kent, Laura Seears and Michael Vega have been operating Steadicam on commercials. Camera operators Laura Van De
This page: (from top down) a very happy Linda Wu; DP Paul Mackay on set of Gatorade Columbia, featuring footballer Luis Diaz; Denson Baker ACS NZCS in Vancouver with the camera on a slider, photo by Eric Milner; and Rick Joaquim eyeing-up a shot.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
a
This page: (clockwise from top) Nick Bennett’s
Inheritance,
Hel, Jack Smith and Alice Sephton have been operating on short forms.
INDEPENDENT TALENT GROUP:
Dan Atherton is shooting Legends directed by Brady Hood. Chas Bain is lighting Trigger Point S3 with director Jamie Donoughue. Ole Birkeland lensed Secret Service with James Marsh. Eben Bolter BSC ASC wrapped on Slow Horses and is now prepping for Cape Fear Caroline Bridges worked on the Second Unit on Has Fallen and has graded Famous Five. Jordan Buck shot spots with directors Roman Rutten and a music promo for OK Go with Aaron Duffy. Jermaine Canute Edwards was in Jamaica shooting a music video with Agile director Yoni Lappin, and has graded Ish, Imran Perretta’s BFI feature. Miguel Carmenes is shooting on the TV
series Juice S2 with director Eros V. Chris Clarke has been framing ads with directors Rose Gaunt Mathieson and Luke Logan, and lit feature pick-ups on Falling with directors Colin and James Krisel. Oliver Curtis BSC has graded Nurses Come And Go But None For Me, artist Ed Atkins’ installation at Tate Britain, starring Toby Jones and Saskia Reeves. Ben Davis BSC is shooting Wild Horse 9 with Martin McDonagh. Anthony
Dod Mantle DFF BSC ASC is lighting The Runner with Kevin McDonald. Toby Elwes is grading Justin Chadwick’s latest film Sierra Madre, starring Kiefer Sutherland. Sam Goldie is shooting Sisters S2 with director Yael Staav. Michael Filocamo recently wrapped and has graded The Witness, directed by Alex Winckler. Arni Filippusson Íks is shooting The Cage, directed by Al Mackay. Simon Finney lit Famous Five pick-ups. Rick Joaquim SASC recently wrapped on Bad Influencers in South Africa and will start grading soon. Rick’s recent short form narrative projects include working with directors Emma Moffat, Luke Sims, Raphaela Wagner and Ace Mahbaz, plus music video projects with Eleanor Grace Hann and Kassandra Powell. Billy Kendall lit commercials and music promos with directors Charlie Rees, Charlie Drinkwater and Charles Gall, Tracey Dee and Jordan
camera on
Mercedes job; Pedro Cardillo on
photo by Des Willie; Billy Kendall shooting in the wet; and Dan Atherton with Alfie Wentzel (grip) and Akash Tuli-Phakey (focus puller).
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Rossi. Eric Kress DFF is shooting on Silo S3 with director Amber Templemore. Suzie Lavelle ISC BSC continues to shoot commercials with Traktor, and has been prepping for Bloomers, directed by Will Sharpe. John Mathieson BSC is shooting TVCs with directors Susanne Bier and Alex Witt on-location in Colombia. Seamus McGarvey BSC ASC is lighting Narnia with Greta Gerwig. Bani Mendy is shooting on Death In Paradise S15. Andreas Neo has been framing for director Jack Holden. Aadel Nodeh Farahani has graded S14 of Call The Midwife with director Lisa Clarke. Mark Patten BSC is prepping The Gentlemen S2 with Guy Ritchie. Stephan Pehrsson is shooting Ahsoka S2 for Lucasfilm. Tat Radcliffe lit an ad with director Declan Lowney. Kate Reid BSC lit Miss Pirie And Miss Woods, directed by Sophie Heldman. Ashley Rowe BSC has been prepping to shoot block two of Matthew Moore’s series Go Away Martin Ruhe ASC is lensing the second season of The Agency Mark Waters is shooting on All Creatures Great And Small S6, and recently finished on Grantchester directed by Rob Evans. Linda Wu has been shooting short films with directors Luke Grech, Sophia Jennings and Jake Davies and Youness, and recently shot The Contraception Fair directed by Julie Magnaudet. Maja Zamojda BSC is lighting Wild Cat directed by James Nunn.
WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION AGENCY:
Ruairi O’Brien BSC ISC graded David Freyne’s Eternity for Apple TV+ and A24, and has since started prep on Faraway Home with director Terry Loane for DLNQNT and Powerscout Pictures. Tony Slater Ling BSC is shooting the C4 series, A Woman Of Substance, alongside director John Hardwick. Andy Hollis is lighting with director Tim Kirby on The Othello Club for Paramount+. Narayan Van Maele ISC is framing Vertigo Films’ new feature Spider Island with director Chris
Smith. Jamie Cairney BSC is shooting BBC/Sister Pictures’ new series Diesel with director Jeanette Nordahl. Arthur Mulhern ISC has begun principal photography on S4 of Industry for HBO/ BBC with director Michelle Savill. Lorenzo Senatore ASC has started principal photography on Scott Waugh’s feature film Runner, for Broken Road Productions and A Higher Standard. Jaime Ackroyd has been lighting on Ray Panthaki’s directorial debut In Starland for Archface Films. Joel Devlin BSC joined The
Dream Lands for Sister Pictures/BBC. PJ Dillon ISC ASC and Richard Donnelly ISC are lighting their respective blocks on HBO’s House Of The Dragon S3 Callan Green ACS NZCS continues shooting Peacock’s Ponies in Budapest, working alongside director-showrunner Susanna Fogel. Anna Patarakina FSF also continues lighting Ponies alongside director Viet Nguyen. Fabian Wagner BSC ASC continues shooting Masters Of The Universe, with Katie Swain on Second unit. Manoel Ferreira SASC is filming on the new ITV series Frauds with director Brian O’Malley. Pedro Cardillo ABC is shooting Sky’s original thriller series Inheritance, for Snowed-In Productions and director Storm Saulter. Xavier Dolléans AFC shot the new limited series Debriefing The President for AR Content. Scott Winig continues on the next season of Netflix’s The Witcher, whilst Robert Binnall is framing block two, working alongside director Christopher Clark Cowan. Bryan Gavigan shot on The Lady, ITV’s new series from Left Bank Pictures, directed by Lee Haven Jones. Sunshine Hsien Yu Niu continues shooting South Asian Ballers for Copa90 with director Abbey Monteiro. Paul Morris wrapped on BBC’s Blue Lights S3 with director Jack Casey, and then graded his block on The Girlfriend Michael Snyman has wrapped on Second Unit on The Terminal List S2. Jake Gabbay lit for Nike with director Marvin Leuvrey and Counsel. Pieter Snyman shot for Rustlers with Rascal Studio’s director Alex Southam, and also shot for New York Bagel with director Lahlin Dickie at Friend. Benjamin Todd lit for Audi with Glue Society and Biscuit, and lensed a spot for Citroën with Soldats’ director Torben Kjelstrup. Matthew Fox shot a Marks & Spencer›s ad with Bite. Stefan Yap shot in Lithuania with MindsEye director Matthew Walker on a Cheesestrings ad. Dan Holland lensed with Hunky Dory Films’
director Dean Blumberg for Yellow Tail Wine, and then with Ben Tonge and Dark Energy for a Shark Ninja spot. Marc Miró shot with RSA Films’ director Tom Dream on a Very campaign. Courtney J. Bennett wrapped Yungblud’s latest promo director Charlie Sarsfield via Untold Studios, and then shot with Someusch director Tatjana Tokyo for Magners in Lithuania. Matthew Emvin Taylor has been shooting with Arts & Sciences’ director David Dearlove on Amex and Jolly Hog commercials. Eira Wyn Jones worked with with Rollo Jackson at Somesuch on a Twirl TVC.
ECHO ARTISTS:
Federico Cesca ADF ASK is shooting Industry S4, produced by Bad Wolf. Rachel Clark BSC recently shot new BBC idents, directed by Libby Burke Wilde and produced by Newland, and is currently lighting block two of The Dream Lands, directed by Myriam Raja, produced by Sister Pictures. Andrew Commis ACS has graded Extra Geography, directed by Molly Manners, produced by Brock Media. Nick Cooke shot Two Weeks In August in Malta, directed by Tom George, produced by Val, and has graded Paul Wright’s feature Mission, backed by BBC Film, Screen Scotland and Ffilm Cymru Wales. Ruben Woodin Dechamps recently lit pick-ups for the documentary A Life Illuminated, directed by Ed Lovelace, produced by RSA Films. David Gallego ADFC has graded The Fall Of Sir Douglas Weatherford, directed by Sean Robert Dunn, produced by BBC Film, BFI and Screen Scotland. Patrick Meller recently shot ITV’s Saturday Nights campaign, directed by Amara Abbas and produced by Iconoclast. Sean Price Williams lit the music video for Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Please, Please, Please’ featuring Dolly Parton, produced by FNJ Studios. Sean also recently wrapped on The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri, produced by 2AM and A24. Will Pugh shot the documentary One In A Million with directors Jack MacInnes and Itab Azzam, produced by Keo Films. Chloe Thomson BSC recently lensed Sam Fender’s music promo for ‘Remember My Name’, directed by Hector Dockrill, produced by Magna. Felix Wiedmann BSC lit Babies, directed by Stefan Golaszewski, produced by Snowed-In Productions. Toby Leary has been working on commercials, including the Completed Works AW25 campaign directed by Raphael Chipperfield. Toby also lensed the latest collaboration between Newcastle United Football Club and Adidas, directed by Daisy Deane.
MCKINNEY MACARTNEY MANAGEMENT: Stuart Biddlecombe BSC has wrapped on Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale S6 in Toronto, with directors Elisabeth Moss and Natascha Leite. Ben Butler has been shooting commercials. Sergio Delgado BSC is framing The Season in Hong Kong, with Marialy Rivas directing. Gavin Finney BSC is prepping for Amazon’s Lord Of The Rings S5. Jean Philippe Gossart AFC filmed on Apple TV+’s Silo S3, and is in prep on Netflix’s 3 Body Problem. Dale Elena McCready is lensing Has Fallen S2 for Hulu/ Canal+, directed by Alice Troughton, in Wales, Malta and Spain. Andy McDonnell is shooting Murder Before Evensong for C5 with director David Moore. Richard Mott is lighting The Marlow Murder Club with director Steve Barron. Mike Spragg is shooting on The Witcher S5 with Alex Garcia Lopez directing. Richard Stoddard is shooting Run Away for Netflix with director Nimer Rashed in Manchester. Robin Whenary filming on Call The Midwife S15, with Syd Macartney directing.
This page: (top) Rina Yang BSC on a Little Simz music video; and Pedro Cardillo on Inheritance, photo by Des Willie.
WHO,
WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
VISION ARTISTS:
Benedict Spence continues to shoot Apple TV’s epic sci-fi Neuromancer series, created by Graham Roland and JD Dillard, and adapted from William Gibson’s 1984 novel of the same name. Benedict’s work on Netflix’s mystery series Eric, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for a BAFTA for cinematography. Nick Morris has graded the erotic queer romance feature Pillion, directed by long-term collaborator Harry Lighton, produced by Element Pictures and recently picked-up by A24. Nick’s work on Sky TV series Sweet Pea was nominated for a BAFTA for cinematography, and he is currently in prepon S2. Jaime Feliu-Torres is prepping Amazon’s new TV series The Price You Pay starring Catherine Zeta Jones, directed by Dawn Shadworth. Jonas Mortensen has recently shot on the second series of Fudge Park comedy Daddy Issues starring Aimee Lou-Wood, directed by Damon Beesley and produced for the BBC. Jonas has begun graded the BBC show Film Club, written by Aimee Lou-Wood, directed by Catherine Morshead and starring Nabhaan Rizwan. Kia Fern Little has concluded her work on a feature-length Apple TV documentary about a high-profile music star, directed by Luke Monaghan, produced by Alex Jefferson. Kia has also continued to shoot a long form Apple documentary on artificial Intelligence, produced by Atlantic Productions. Will Hanke recently started on the comedy TV series Alice And Steve for Clerkenwell Films, starring Jemaine Clements and Nicola Walker, directed by Tom Kingsley. Luciana Riso is prepping grade materials for Retreat, a film featuring an all-deaf cast, directed by Ted Evans for The Fold.
LUX ARTISTS:
Tasha Back wrapped Animol directed by Ashley Walters. Patrick Golan lensed a Gucci ad with director Rubberband, a Stressless spot directed by Stefanie Soho and a GM commercial directed by Jovan Todorovic. Ben Fordesman BSC lensed an O2 ad with director Sam Pilling and a T-Mobile commercial with director Benito Montorio. Maceo Bishop has wrapped 100 Questions 50 Lies directed by Philippe Parreno, and is prepping for Peacock series Crystal Lake Arnau Valls Colomer AEC continues shooting on the Jack Ryan franchise series directed by Andrew Bernstein. Łukasz Żal PSC lensed an Amazon ad with director Steve
Rogers. Olan Collardy is prepping for The Roots Manoeuvre directed by Raine Allen-Miller. Adam Newport Berra shot a Hyundai spot directed by Miles Jay Daniel Landin BSC lensed a Morrisons commercial with director Nick Ball and a Hyundai ad directed by Art Practice. Crystel Fournier AFC continues shooting Bandi, a series directed by Jimmy Laporal-Tresor. Rina Yang BSC lit a Little Simz promo directed by Salomon Lightelm and a Corona ad with director Leigh Powis. Rob Hardy BSC ASC continues shooting Super Girl directed by Craig Gillespie. Kasper Tuxen DFF framed a Visa TVC directed by Martin De Thurah. Norm Li shot an Ouro spot directed by Walid Labri. Mortimer Hochberg is shooting Drei Kameradinnen, directed by Milena Aboyan. Arseni Khachaturan wrapped The Drama directed by Kristoffer Borgli James Laxton ASC is shooting a second season of Lee Sung’s Beef John Lynch is shooting a second season of The Rivals, directed by Elliot Hegarty. Jasper Wolf NSC lensed an Apple ad with director Spike Jonze. Jody Lee Lipes ASC lit a Huggies commercial directed by Henry-Alex Rubin. Alejandro Martinez AMC ASC is shooting S3 of HBO’s House Of The Dragon. Harry Wheeler lensed a Harry’s commercial directed by Elliott Power, and an Under Armour commercial directed by Leigh Powis. Yaron Orbach is shooting Apple’s series Lucky, directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken. Yorick Le Saux AFC continues
UNITED AGENTS:
shooting The Wizard Of the Kremlin, directed by Olivier Assayas. Adam Scarth has concluded on Under Salt Marsh, directed by Claire Oakley. Krzysztof Trojnar continues shooting block one of the Netflix series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, directed by Weronika Tofilska. Steve Annis, BSC shot an Amazon ad directed by Mark Molloy and a Coach TVC directed by Jovan Todorovic. Adolpho Veloso ABC is prepping for Remain, directed by M Night Shyamalan. Ben Carey loit a Louis Vuitton spot directed by Harley Weir. Darius Khondji AFC ASC lensed a Montblanc ad with director Wes Anderson and a Lacoste commercial directed by Tyler Mitchell.
Remi Adefarasin OBE BSC has graded My Oxford Year with director Iain Morris for Netflix. Adam Etherington BSC is shooting Apollo Has Fallen for Canal+/Paramount+ with director David Caffrey. Philippe Kress DFF is shooting the next series of The Capture for the BBC. Danny Cohen BSC has graded Slow Horses S5. Matt Lewis is shooting director Philip Barantini’s latest film for Netflix Kieran McGuigan BSC is prepping on Trigger Point S4. John Sorapure is second unit directing on several projects. Simon Tindall shot Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning. Ollie Downey BSC is lit a block of Silo S3, directed by Aric Avalino Sam Heasman is prepping on the independent feature Blueberry Inn with Dancing Fox Entertainment. Álvaro Gutiérrez AEC is shooting Mckensie with New Pictures. Frida Wendel Fsf is prepping for a fourpart mini-series for TV2 Norway/Amazon Prime with director Kenneth Karlstad. Alasdair Boyce is shot on the Frauds for ITV. Si Bell BSC, Sam Chiplin and Ben Wheeler BSC are available, reading and meeting. Bonnie Elliott ASC shot with director Christian Schwochow on Dispatcher, a 60Forty series for Apple TV+. James Friend BSC ASC is lighting for JJ Abrams on his current feature. Ed Rutherford BSC lit the four-part drama Vanished for director Barnaby Thompson in Marseille. Anton Mertens
This page: (top) Director Guy Richie, with Ed Clark on A-camera, Michael Carstensen on B-camera, photo by Phil Smith B camera 1st AC; and Pedro Cardillo on Inheritance, photo by Des Willie.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
SBC lit the Belgian series Breendonk for director Filip Lenaerts. Milos Moore is shooting Red Eye S2 for director Camilla Strøm Henriksen. David Raedeker BSC is prepping for the Apple TV+ series 12 12 12, to be directed by Kari Skogland. Juan Sarmiento G is lighting a feature for director Louise Hoffman and then will light director Kaouther Ben Hania’s feature You Shall Not Make An Image Anna Valdez Hanks BSC is lit episode six of AMC/Apple TV+’s Silo S3 for director Alrick Riley. Alex Barber lit a Toyota spot with Humans via Riff Raff, and a Laphroaig ad for Tim Pope, via Johnny Foreigner. Laurent Bares is shooting Criminal Record S2 for Apple TV. Simon Chaudoir lensed a John Frieda spot for director Tom Dream via RSA. Florian Emmerich shot block two of the Sky series Prisoner for director Pia Strietmann. Lasse Frank shot an Andrex ad for Andreas Nilsson through Biscuit, plus an O2 spot, also for Andreas, through Czar. Tim Maurice-Jones BSC lit a Simply spot with Traktor via Stink Films. Sebastian Pfaffenbichler AAC shot a Toyota ad for director Tim McNaughton through Papaya Films. Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC filmed a Casamigos ad for director Alex Prager, through Arts & Sciences.
PRINCESTONE:
Of the agency’s camera/Steadicam operators… Junior Agyeman-Owusu ACO recently wrapped on Sky’s six-part drama Under Salt Marsh, written/directed by Claire Oakley and with Mary Nighy as second director and, Adam Scarth the DP. Michael Carstensen ACO is lensing on the new season of House Of The Dragon, on the Blood Unit, with DP PJ Dillon ISC and director Loni Perestere. Matt Fisher ACO did Steadicam dailies on The Walsh Sisters in Dublin. Rob Hart ACO shot on Quay St/ITV’s After The Flood S2, starring Sophie Rundle, with DP Phil Wood. Justin Hawkins ACO was B-camera (alongside James Layton on A-camera) on the next series of Silo with DPs JeanPhilippe Gossard and Ollie Downey, before starting on Rivals Tony Jackson ACO is prepping a feature with DP James Friend BSC ASC, working on B-camera. James Layton Associate BSC ACO is shooting A-camera/Steadicam on Silo S3 for DPs Jean-Philippe Gossard and Ollie Downey. Nic Milner ACO is shooting Wife & Dog, directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Rosamund Pike, Anthony Hopkins and Benedict Cumberbatch, with Ed Wild BSC the DP. Dan Nightingale ACO is shooting Richard Gadd’s new drama Half Man, for BBC/HBO starring Jamie Bell, in Glasgow with DP Carlos Catalan BSC and director Alexandra Brodski. Next Dan will start prep on Falling, a six-part drama for The Forge Entertainment, shooting in Wales with DP Sam Care BSC and director
Peter Hoare. Joe Russell ACO is lensing on Masters Of The Universe with DP Fabian Wagner BSC ASC and director Travis Knight. Fabrizio Sciarra ACO Associate BSC GBCT SOC shot dailies on Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Peter Wignall ACO is shot on Judy with DP Emmanuel Lubezki AMC ASC and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
CASAROTTO:
Greg Duffield is prepping for S5 of BBC’s Trying Hélène Louvart AFC has graded Rosebush Pruning, Romeria and Palestine 36. Michael Wood BSC is shooting Second Unit of The Runner Tristan Chenais starts shooting 42 and Amazon’s Your Fault Femi Awojide and Beatriz Delgado Mena have been shooting shorts and commercials
WIZZO & CO:
The agency welcomes Chaimuki to its roster, who shoots with directors including Amy Becker-Burnett and Sara Harrak. Ashley Barron ACS has completed the grade on the Netflix drama How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Nicola Daley ACS BSC is filming an embargoed feature. Tim Sidell BSC wrapped and graded The Night Manager S2. Luke Bryant has graded Netflix’s The Seven Dials Mystery Ryan Kernaghan ISC has wrapped on
the feature You’ll Never Believe Who’s Dead, directed by Dallan Shovlin, and has grading Trespasses
Steven Ferguson has wrapped a continuing drama for Apple+, and is prepping S2 of Dinosaur Aaron Reid wrapped on The Perfect Town, directed by Toby Macdonald, and is shooting an Apple+ drama. Chas Appeti is prepping an embargoed drama. Scott Coulter is on S2 of Things You Should Have
Done Nick Dance BSC continues on an embargoed documentary. Susanne Salavati has graded a Netflix feature directed by Josephine Bornebusch. Maximiliaan Dierickx SBC is shooting a drama on location in Belgium. Christophe Nuyens SBC continues on an embargoed drama. Oli Russell is shooting a drama with director Kieron Hawkes. Jan Richter-Friis DFF is prepping an on-going drama. Sverre Sørdal FNF is prepping a feature. Hamish Anderson is shooting multiple embargoed documentaries, Darius Shu is prepping / shooting short films. Aman K Sahota lit a short film. Dan Stafford-Clark has graded the final block of Netflix’s How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Karl Oskarsson IKS is working on a project in Iceland. Matthias Pilz is grading his latest feature. Gary Shaw has graded Coolie David Procter BSC framed for Joe Connor. Will Bex is shooting
an embargoed project with director Scott Lyon. Charlie Goodger shot with director Jim Archer. Simon Stolland shot with Ben Crocker, and Theo Garland with Henry Littlechild. Arran Green shot with Edie Amos, and Murren Tullett with Vincent Peone. Ben Magahy shot with Kim Jarrett, Joe Douglas shot with Amy Becker-Burnett, and Henry Gill with Emily Macdonald. Dmytro Nedria shot with Sam Preece, Fede Alfonzo with Brett Sullivan and Franklin Dow with Hannah Berry George.
SARA PUTT ASSOCIATES:
Of the agency’s camera operators… Aga Szeliga shot on Various Artists’ Two Weeks In August, in Malta, with DP Nick Cooke. Akhilesh Patel
This page: (top) Danny Filmer B-camera dolly grip and Michael Carstensen setting up a shot; Chris Dodds looking out to sea on a commercial; James Frater shooting on The Gentlemen S2.
WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
operated Steadicam on various spots and promos. Alastair Rae operated A-camera/Steadicam on Goodbye June, Kate Winslet’s directorial debut. Andrei Austin has been confirmed as DP on a block of All Creatures Great And Small. Andrew Bainbridge was A-camera/Steadicam on The Capture for Heyday Films. Chris Maxwell is working on The Forsyte Saga S2 with director Meenu Gar and DP John Lee. Dan Evans represented Malory Towers at the Emmy’s in LA, and has also been busy rollingout his work experience scheme Kit Start. Danny Bishop is prepping on the feature Ghostwriter Ed Clark is shooting on Ahsoka S2 for Lucasfilm/Disney+. Ilana Garrard was A-camera/Steadicam on Vision Quest for Marvel/Disney+. Jack Mealing did dailies on The Witcher S5. James Frater is on the new series of The Gentleman, directed by Guy Ritchie. James Leigh is working on New Pictures’ In Plain Sight for ITV. Jessica Lopez operated dailies on Dreaming Whilst Black S2 Julian Morson is operating on the Untitled Jack Ryan film. Rick Woollard has been operating Steadicam on commercials. Tanya Marar is B -camera on Vision Quest Tom Walden was A-camera/Steadicam on Star City in Lithuania. Vince McGahon has wrapped on Apple TV’s Slow Horses Will Lyte shot in Malta on the new series of Has Fallen with DP Adam Etherington. Zoe GoodwinStuart did dailies on Ahsoka S2. Of the agency’s DPs… Chris Dodds lit multiple commercials for Nokia and A&K Travel. Giulio Biccari is shooting I Am Not Alice Bell for Clapperboard/C4. Iikka Salminen’s film Sebastian, directed by Mikko Mäkelä is available to view in theatres nationwide. Jan Jonaeus is confirmed on Netflix’s six-part drama Legends Lorena Pagès has been working on various commercials including San Miguel in Malaga. Toby Moore has been shooting on Call The Midwife S15.
BERLIN ASSOCIATES:
Ben Saffer recently joined the agency and shot I Was Honey Boo Boo Alex Veitch also joined as a client, and recently wrapped on Brassic S7. Kelvin Richard has rejoined the agency. He recently completed the drama short Candles, directed by Kwame Lestrade, starring Patterson Joseph, submitted for festivals. Al Beech is shooting the next series of Midsomer Murders. Sarah Bartles Smith has graded Mr Bigstuff S2. Andy Clark was in Malta enjoying shooting on The Good Ship Murder S3. Nick Cox has been shooting BBC’s Father Brown with director Paul Riordan. Len Gowing lit Odd Squad S5 for BBC Studios. Frank Madone is framing Only Child S2 for Happy Tramp. Nick Martin shot on block two of A Good Girls Guide To Murder S2 in Bristol, for Moonage Pictures and BBC. Trevelyan Oliver recently finished on Can You Keep A Secret for Big Talk. Tom Pridham shot White House with Nutopia. Benjamin Pritchard worked on Piper Alpha, a three-part BBC documentary. James Swift shot on the third block of the latest Silent Witness series with director Martin Smith. Alistair Upcraft lit block two of Runaway for Quay Street Productions. Matt Wicks is shooting Twenty Twenty Six for Expectation Entertainment and BBC. Phil Wood has been shooting After The Flood S2 for Quay Street Productions/ITV.
This page: (from top down) Lorena Pages shooting a commercial in Malaga; Kelvin Richard on Grime Kids; and Will Lyte with key grip Gary Sheppeard in Bristol filming Has Fallen.
AGENT FOR CHANGE
By David Wood
Valeria Bullo, an independent production well-being and inclusion consultant, is chatting animatedly from her home office in London.
“The changes we make in support of well-being and inclusion benefit the whole industry,” she states passionately. “Happier crews make better content.”
Bullo’s approach to her profession is multipronged. As a consultant, she works in tandem with organisations, studios and productions, advising on well-being and inclusion strategies. As an educator, she develops and delivers bespoke training programmes.
She also advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) by sitting on boards, chairing panels and utilising public speaking opportunities to raise awareness and share her knowledge and experience.
“DEI is such a vast topic, and even though there is great work happening, there is still such a long way to go,” she emphasises.
Bullo’s own experience is what ultimately led her to feel so passionately for the well-being of her fellow workers.
“I worked my way up the production ladder then – like many others in the industry – I had that one particular job that broke me,” she explains.
“My best friend died very suddenly, and although I was given a special dispensation by the production to fly to her funeral, I had to be back in the office that same evening. The expectation was that I wouldn’t break stride.”
Then, Bullo joined another production abroad where, although a 60-hour working week was treated as normal, one of the American producers encouraged a daily 10pm break for a guided meditation.
“I got huge solace from that,” relates Bullo.
“I thought, I either leave the industry, or I try to work internally to make things better.”
In 2018, Bullo became a mum. With no familial support network in the UK, and finding traditional childcare arrangements hopelessly inadequate for someone subject to industry scheduling, she co-founded the parental peer support group Cinemamas with her friend and colleague Aline Harjani.
“When the pandemic hit, the conversations in the group, around maternal mental health, really took off,” recalls Bullo.
“It felt like the expert webinars we offered responded to a need. Non-parents would join too, because the themes were also familiar to them: the lack of control, work-life balance, that feeling of fear, bullying, harassment...”
Now Cinemamas has grown into an organisation that – among other things – champions job-sharing initiatives, offers training to HoDs to familiarise them with flexible work, and runs online events on subjects like financial wellbeing and post-partum psychosis. Cinemamas also connects individuals for mentoring, and hosts celebrations for some of the strides already made.
“Our sessions are always free-of-charge and online to make them more accessible,” Bullo clarifies. “It’s a great community and there’s lots of brilliant work happening, so we’re very proud of that.”
Off the back of Cinemamas, Bullo was invited by The Film & TV Charity to be part of the Whole Picture programme, a response to the dire findings
Happier crews make better content
on industry workers’ mental health uncovered by their Looking Glass Survey. Over the course of two years, she developed a free toolkit that could be used by anyone to support their well-being at every stage of production.
“It’s important because it is a tangible resource to support mental health,” states Bullo. “Initially, my work focussed specifically on issues around wellbeing, but it became evident over time that well-being is not a standalone concept. It’s really important to have inclusion as part of that approach. When people are being excluded, they literally
cannot function, and that ultimately impacts the production.”
Bullo appreciates that shifting the status quo can
feel overwhelming, especially for people and systems already under pressure.
“But, if we just keep thinking it’s too hard, then nothing changes, and talented people continue to leave the industry. For me, what’s been most effective is inspiring people to hold themselves accountable.”
So today, Bullo champions DEI as well as well-being.
In an archetypal work day, Bullo may work on one of the talent pipeline programmes she is facilitating, such as the Aesthetics Academy: the new diverse hair and make-up programme, supported by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Channel 4 and Film London.
She might also review material or minutes; Bullo chairs both the DEI Committee for the Production Guild Of Great Britain (PGGB) and the board of Reclaim The Frame, an organisation that champions marginalised voices.
A portion of her day is devoted to training, on subjects such as respect in the workplace, inclusive hiring, flexible work or well-being and resilience training. And she’s a passionate believer in mentoring.
“Part of pastoral care is ensuring that the people we’re bringing into the industry feel supported,” she reasons. “I mentor and I’ve been a mentee. I ensure that I mentor at least one person a year, if not two.”
To support her own mental well-being, Bullo sets work boundaries and makes time to connect with friends and family, as well as collaborating with a clinical supervisor and taking part in regular therapy.
“And I love cold water swimming,” she divulges, “it just melts everything away.”
GET TRAINED UP!
By David Wood
CineCertified is an organisation spurred into existence by necessity, and it has big plans to raise the quality of training standards in the camera department.
The UK film industry has enjoyed a big reputation for the quality of its camera crews for decades, a reservoir of talent which has helped attract foreign investment in film spending to the UK.
But that reputation is under threat. One effect of the Covid pandemic on the industry was that many of its best people didn’t work for two years, through no fault of their own, as productions shut down. Crew, across different grades, left the industry, taking their invaluable experience with them. As the industry rebounded post-pandemic, a surge in production created an urgent demand for crew, leading to many newer professionals stepping into key roles earlier than might have previously been the case.
in a survey of camera crew by broadcasting union BECTU and the Mark Milsome Foundation over a year ago. It found that over two thirds of crew were concerned about people being promoted to positions of responsibility without adequate safety experience or qualifications.
In short, the industry faces a skills gap exacerbated by a lack of recognised training standards. It’s a gap which CineCertified – the notfor-profit organisation, whose aim is to improve standards of training, skills and health and safety across the UK camera department – is aiming to fill.
According to CineCertified, the organisation has been created for camera crew, by camera crew.
We are committed to creating lasting improvements that will safeguard standards and well-being
Whilst this provided opportunities, the pace of progression sometimes outpaced the time traditionally needed to develop fully into the role. In many cases, those stepping-up hadn’t yet had the chance to gain the depth of experience needed to confidently mentor others – a crucial aspect of how camera departments have historically passed down knowledge on-set.
It’s a worrying trend which was picked-up
Registered as a Community Interest Company, operated purely for the benefits of its membership, its goal is to create an accessible, merit-based system, whilst re-establishing a culture of peer-reviewed on-set learning.
At the heart of CineCertified’s effort is the Camera Trainee Logbook, which outlines a clear framework for acquiring knowledge and experience through structured guidance and realworld application.
Built around the respected SoDoTo model (See One, Do One, Teach One), the system breaks down key skills and responsibilities into manageable components. As CineCertified’s Malte Hübner states, “The framework mirrors what many in the industry wish had been available when they first started – a practical roadmap supported by a community of working professionals.”
Just two years old, the organisation has focussed its first phase of development on camera trainees, with 27 currently working through the logbook on productions across the UK. The logbook provides them with a clear understanding of the expectations for their role and enables them to identify gaps in their knowledge.
CineCertified argues that rather than relying solely on ad-hoc feedback, trainees are empowered to ask the right questions and take ownership of their development, encouraging a self-driven and empowered approach to training for a career so many feel passionate about.
CineCertified’s Sandra Pennington adds, “Working on-set doesn’t always allow for dedicated training time, as everyone is juggling multiple responsibilities, and formal instruction can easily fall by the wayside. That’s why empowering trainees to guide their own learning is so important. Once they understand what they need to learn, they can take the initiative: asking focussed questions, checking their own understanding, and identifying the right people to speak to.
“Even on the busiest sets, most people have time for one good question a day – and when a trainee comes prepared, it turns that moment into meaningful progress. The logbook helps shift the responsibility from the trainer to the trainee, making the process more manageable for everyone and more consistent over time.”
Getting questions answered and knowledge
signed-off by different people, who are effectively vouching that you have learned the necessary skills, is like a gold standard in the industry, adds CineCertified team member Leo Winslow.
“This peer review ensures that by the time trainees complete the logbook, they have demonstrable, diverse input backing their competence – a major boost for both safety and career progression.”
“The idea is that by the end of their traineeship they will have lots of different people vouching for them, which really helps you take the next step in your career,” adds another team member Hermes Contreras.
Alongside the logbook, there’s an ‘Ambassador’ system offering further support, which can take the form of help with CVs, general advice, or just someone to talk to. Anybody can be an ambassador and join the team.
Since its creation, CineCertified has focussed its resources on developing a training framework tailored for the camera department, but other departments have already reached out and shown an interest in widening the scheme.
The industry’s response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive. It has already attracted plenty of industry backing, supported by the ACO (Association Of Camera Operators), the GBCT (Guild Of British Camera Technicians) and GTC (The Guild Of Television Camera Professionals), as well as over 90 companies across rental and kit manufacturers, including big names such as Panavision.
According to Panavision UK MD Terra Bliss, CineCertified is a powerful development which fits with Panavision’s goal of elevating industry standards.
“This initiative establishes key benchmarks for UK camera departments, emphasising enhanced training, safety and well-being. By equipping new professionals with essential skills and knowledge, CineCertified reflects our dedication to developing a competent and responsible workforce that meets the industry’s evolving demands, so we are proud to endorse it,” says Bliss.
Using supporter donations, CineCertified is currently preparing to launch its dedicated web app – which it says will be a major step forward in making the framework accessible to everyone in the camera department across the UK, from trainees to seasoned DPs.
The platform will enable users to join the scheme for free, whether they are training for their role, acting as a signatory, or offering
guidance as an ambassador. At its core, the web app is designed to bring together the community and foster a culture of mutual support, without the financial barriers that often limit access to career development.
Empowering trainees to guide their own learning is so important
its competency-based training, CineCertified is actively seeking funding to enable new initiatives, such as the development of additional logbooks and the expansion of the ambassador network.
With the support of industry professionals and stakeholders, it aims to introduce more content, from enhancing mental health training to boosting knowledge resources for crew members.
“With a clear vision for future growth, we are committed to creating lasting improvements that will safeguard the standards and well-being of the workforce for years to come,” declares team member George Telling.
“Progress takes time, but we’re moving as quickly as possible with the resources we have. CineCertified is built by a voluntary group of over 50 camera professionals who are all committed to strengthening the department and protecting the future standards of our craft. We all have a shared sense of purpose – a community coming together to support and safeguard the profession we care so deeply about.”
To support the continued development of the platform and further-expand the reach of
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
By Natasha Block Hicks
Camera operator Chris Bain Associate BSC is talking via a muffled mobile phone call from his mountain home in France.
We’ve got trouble with the internet,” he explains by way of not being able to hold a Zoom call, “so I have to do it the old-fashioned way.”
Bain recently wrapped on dystopian action thriller The Running Man (2025, dir. Edgar Wright, DP Chunghoon Chung ASC), and one might speculate that this lack of connectivity is a welcome aid to unwinding from his day job at the peak of feature production.
Moviemaking was not on the young Bain’s radar. By his own admission, he “fell into it” when – after graduating from a degree in languages – he joined his then 2nd AC brother Chas Bain on the set of TV drama Chandler And Co (1993-4, DP Nic Morris BSC) as a camera trainee.
“It was an exciting time and I learned the ropes quickly,” Bain recalls. “I had a very limited knowledge of photography, never mind composition. However, being a good camera assistant was more about diligence, anticipation, time management and – most importantly – knowledge of the equipment.”
On Sense And Sensibility (1995, dir. Ang Lee, DP Michael Coulter BSC), his first feature as a trainee, Bain was mentored by 2nd AC Bobby Dhillon who would, like Chas Bain, go on to become a DP.
“Bobby was a very good loader and he showed me the way after Chas,” Bain explains.
By the time that Tomorrow Never Dies (1997, dir. Roger Spottiswoode, DP Robert Elswit ASC) was crewing-up, Bain had himself graduated to 2nd AC.
“Doing a James Bond film was a real highlight,” recalls Bain. “We spent six weeks shooting in Thailand, and 18 weeks at Frogmore Studios. The scale of the production was amazing; I’ll always look back on that as a memorable time.”
As he was rising through the ranks in the camera department, Bain’s path crossed several times with brothers George Richmond BSC and Chunky Richmond Associate BSC, who were then a camera operator and 1st AC respectively. When Chunky stepped up to operate, George Richmond gave Bain his first taste of A-camera focus-pulling on Safe House (2012, dir. Daniel Espinosa, DP Oliver Wood), a “milestone highlight” according to Bain. Soon after that Richmond himself graduated to lighting, and Bain pulled-focus for him on three further features, including the “memorable” Eddie The Eagle (2015, dir. Dexter Fletcher).
“I feel it’s important not to miss out the 1st AC stage on the journey to operating,” Bain highlights. “When pulling-focus, you gain crucial experience of achieving shots in high-stress situations. You may also develop more empathy and respect from your team mates.”
In 2010, with an eventual move up to operating in mind, Bain undertook a Steadicam course in Philadelphia, led by Garrett Brown and Jerry Holway, although he would continue on focus for a further five years.
The catalyst came, however, when Bain did several focus jobs back-to-back – “an exhausting thing to do” – bookended by Beauty And The Beast (2017, dir. Bill Condon, DP Tobias Schliessler ASC) which, though he didn’t know it at the time, was to be his last role as 1st AC.
“At the end of that, I decided I would take a few months out,” Bain relates. But, just a few weeks into this
mental break, Bain got a call from DP Mark Patten BSC, offering him the B-camera operator role on Tom Hardy’s passion project Taboo (2017, dirs. Anders Engström, Kristoffer Nyholm).
“It was a huge stroke of luck and very timely,” acknowledges Bain. “Mark’s a good friend and we had worked together through the ranks. He is also, in my opinion, hugely-talented with an amazing eye.”
Patten asked Bain how he would feel about flying Steadicam on the production. “I said ‘Yes’, because I knew how to do it, but I was more than a little apprehensive because I was going in completely green.”
With only six weeks to prepare, Bain turned to Optical Support, which had, and still retains, a solid reputation for engineering and support for camera stabilising equipment, as well as lens repairs.
“They put together a really good package for me: a new arm, gimbal and batteries, and the rest from their ex-rental. I still have the bones of it now, plus all the mods and new technology.
“In my opinion, if you are considering operating Steadicam in the future, it’s so important to get the course done as soon as you can,” Bain advises. “Then you can take that leap-of-faith when it happens.
“However, there’s no practise that can really prepare
you for doing it live, under pressure, with actors, whilst keeping the action in-frame. Reading the room is also one of the skills you learn on the job; to be able to assess how much input the director and DP want from you, then responding accordingly. It took at least three years before I’d shaken off the worst of the imposter syndrome and started to relax into it. But like anything, the more you do it the more instinctive and enjoyable it becomes.”
Bain’s first A-camera operator role was on the erahopping horror-thriller Last Night In Soho (2021, dir. Edgar Wright, DP Chung-hoon Chung ASC).
“Edgar loves a Texas Switch with actors and stunt double, and any in-camera trickery,” illustrates Bain, “he really thrives on it.
“There’s this dream sequence in the Cafe de Paris where Matt Smith is dancing simultaneously with both Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy. It was choreographed so we would hide the switches with Matt. It was the first time I’d had the bandwidth to really problem-solve with the actors and choreographer, whilst the camera movement from A to B to C became more automatic.”
Bain’s skill on Last Night In Soho was recognised with a nomination for the 2021 Operators Award, and he reflects, “That film was a pivotal moment in my development.”
CHRIS BAIN ASSOCIATE BSC•SMOOTH OPERATOR
It’s important not to miss out the 1st AC stage on the journey to operating
“Shawn wanted to shoot with two cameras wherever possible,” relates Bain. “George joked with me that, while there was no ‘A’ and ‘B’ camera exactly, if there was a dolly shot in the pouring rain, I’d be doing that one whilst he’d be in the tent working the crane.”
Bain openly acknowledges the help Richmond gave him prior to the interview for Barbie (2023, dir. Greta Gerwig, DP Rodrigo Prieto ASC AMC).
“Barbie was such an enjoyable film to operate,” Bain recalls fondly. “The stages were all pink, the cast were frequently ad-libbing and Rodrigo was in hysterics during virtually every take. It was a really nice experience, and a good credit which then helped me in other interviews.”
Like anything, the more you do it the more instinctive and enjoyable it becomes
Bain’s collaboration with DP George Richmond BSC continued his operating, starting with Rocketman (2019, dir. Dexter Fletcher), which Bain says, “was a great film to work on; lots of Steadicam.”
Then came Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore (2022, dir. David Yates), followed by the spy caper Argylle (2024, dir. Matthew Vaughn) both lit by Richmond. And their collaboration did not stop there. Richmond and Bain’s most recent work together was the Marvel mash-up Deadpool & Wolverine (2024, dir. Shawn Levy).
Halfway through filming on Barbie, Bain was invited to interview for A camera/Steadicam on sci-fi black comedy Mickey 17 (2025, dir. Bong Joon Ho, DP Darius Khondji AFC ASC).
“Getting that personal call-back from Darius, offering me the job, was a highlight of my career,” says Bain. “Mickey 17 was our first time working together. He’s a lovely man and a true artist; it was one of those situations where you can’t quite believe you’re doing it.
“Director Bong creates very detailed storyboards. There was a lot of dynamic camera operation goingon and every whip-pan or tilt would have its own storyboard. Storyboards would be broken down into several individual boards...and in a way, you – as the camera operator – have to join the dots.”
Bain’s latest feature The Running Man marked his second collaboration with Wright and Chung.
“It was a long job and a gruelling schedule, but great people to be working with,” comments Bain.
“I find the more ‘arty’ films very satisfying because the director and DP will lean into the operator. Edgar is a genius, very demanding, but wonderful to work for because you’re always being given cool shots to execute that he’s had in his head for years.”
Up in the French mountains, a reliable tradesperson is a creature as elusive as the local fauna, so when he’s at home, Bain turns his hands to home improvements. He also indulges in the kind of Alpine pastimes that relax his mind while also, happily, keeping his body Steadicam-fit, such as skiing and trail running.
“In the last couple of years however, I’ve been very busy,” he admits, “so for now I’m just trying to enjoy my little time off.”
Opposite: pictured on The Running Man (main) and Last Night In Soho. This page: Chris working on Deadpool And Wolverine; plus two BTS photos from Mickey 17, one with the DP with Darius Khondji AFC ASC.
BLUES BROTHERS
By Ron Prince
DP Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC created an immersive experience, and made several slices of cinematic history, whilst shooting Ryan Coogler’s box-office blockbuster Sinners on large format KODAK filmstock in 5-perf 65mm and 15-perf IMAX formats, including using KODAK EKTACHROME, which was specially-manufactured in 65mm by Kodak for the production.
The movie, which takes place over the course of a sunny day and a gruesome night, revolves around Smoke and Stack, identical twins and WW1 veterans, who return home to Clarksdale, in the Mississippi Delta, after years spent working for the mob in Chicago and lining their own pockets in the process.
The twins use their ill-gotten gains to purchase a sawmill from a racist landowner to open a juke joint – a place where blues music and local community spirit can converge. They quickly recruit their young cousin Sammie, a gifted guitarist, plus pianist Delta Slim, to join as performers, and also enlist local Chinese shopkeepers Grace and Bo as suppliers, together with Smoke’s estranged wife Annie as the cook.
As night falls, Stack reconnects with his exgirlfriend Mary and the joint really starts jumping, until supernatural forces and the undead close-in and the place comes under blood-spattering siege.
Starring Michael B. Jordan, notably in the dual roles of Smoke and Stack, the film received critical acclaim worldwide, and rapidly became a sensation at the global box office. At the time of writing Sinners had taken over $350million, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 2025, comfortably beating its break-even point of £225million. The film performed especially well in IMAX theatres, taking a 20% share of all ticket sales.
Analysts have put this popularity down to Sinners defying easy genre categorisation – as an auteurdriven, gangster-cum-vampire-horror big-screen experience, with blues music at is heart, whilst also
proving a well-researched, period drama about the harsh segregation and racial injustices of life in the Mississippi Delta – and therefore far from predictable movie franchise fare.
but is the first female DP to shoot 65mm in IMAX format. She is also the first cinematographer to incorporate 65mm in its widest aspect ratio, Anamorphic Ultra Panavision 70 (2.76:1) and tallest aspect ratio, IMAX
When it comes to historic landmarks, only a small number of present-day cinematographers have shot movies using IMAX film cameras – most notably Hoyte Van Hoytema NSC FSF ASC on director Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020) and Oppenheimer (2023). Durald Arkapaw not only joined select ranks with her work on Sinners,
format (1.43:1), in the same production. Additionally, Durald Arkapaw can lay rightful claim to being the first, and currently the only cinematographer to shoot in IMAX 15-perf film format using KODAK EKTACHROME filmstock.
“Sinners was a personal project for Ryan as it was inspired by his uncle, James Edmonson, and his
love for the delta blues,” says Durald Arkapaw who had previously shot Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) for Coogler. “I read the script the night before I started shooting The Last Showgirl (2024, dir. Gia Coppola) on 16mm film, and was just blown away. It was beautifully-written, with so much heart and soul, and fluidity between genres.
I truly felt we were making something rare, meaningful and important together
“It also meant a lot to me personally. My greatgrandmother was born in Mississippi, and my father in New Orleans. My family still lives there, so it was important for me to understand my own history and how it connected to this story. While we were shooting the film, I kept thinking about my ancestors and how I wanted to make them proud.”
Although Sinners was captured using large format film, Durald Arkapaw reveals the original intention was to shoot on a much smaller film format.
“Sinners started-out as a 16mm film production,” she remarks, “but it then became a 35mm film after Ryan spoke to our VFX supervisor, who suggested a more stable negative was needed for the twinning work of Smoke and Stack.
“However, just as we began to discuss shooting on 35mm film, Ryan got a call from the studio asking whether we had thought about shooting any large format. Being well-aware of my love for Anamorphic, something Ryan knows from our experience on
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he brought-up The Hateful Eight (2015, dir. Quentin Tarantino, DP Robert Richardson ASC), which was shot on 65mm using the System 65 camera with 1.3x Anamorphics, resulting in a 2.76 aspect ratio. He talked about how incredible that format would be for capturing the wide vistas and emphasising the landscape of the Mississippi Delta.”
County, to see how they rendered the landscape and flat horizon.
“We then screened prints of the 2.76:1 65mm footage at Fotokem, and the 1.43:1 IMAX material at IMAX’s HQ in Playa Vista, and the images were stunning. After you see the beauty and scope you can capture on these formats, you can’t go back.”
This led Durald Arkapaw to calling Andrew Oran, SVP/general manager of feature sales and marketing, at FotoKem to set-up a screening session of 70mm clips from movies shot in 65mm 5-perf formats. These included scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, dir. Stanley Kubrick, DP Geoffrey Unsworth BSC), The Hateful Eight and Tenet
“Ryan fell in love with what he saw,” says Durald Arkapaw. “So, we wrangled a Panavision System 65 camera, together with an IMAX film camera, and shot tests in the desert in Lancaster, northern Los Angeles
When it came to visual inspirations, Durald Arkapaw declares, “The first reference Ryan gave me was a book of portraits taken by the photographer Eudora Welty (1909–2001), who was also a writer in the 1930s. I love photographic references and have a lot of photography books on my shelves at home, but Eudora’s work was new to me.”
“She took B&W photographs of people in depression-era Mississippi, in their homes, at work and in their daily routines. They are beautiful, soulful pictures that capture a place and a moment in time. I
knew exactly what Ryan was after when I saw those photographs. They became a powerful guide in helping me understand the emotional connection Ryan wanted the audience to feel.”
Diving into cinematic references, Durald Arkapaw says she and Coogler referenced The Thing (1982, dir. John Carpenter, DP Dean Cundey ASC) for its sense of horror and tension. The pair also drew inspiration from Inside Llewyn Davis (2013, dirs. Joel & Ethan Coen, DP
After you see the beauty and scope of large format film, you can’t go back
Bruno Debonnel AFC ASC) for its musical significance, along with There Will Be Blood (2007, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, DP Robert Elswit ASC) for its qualities as a cinematic parable.
Sagaciously, knowing that IMAX was firmly in the visual mix for Sinners, Durald Arkapaw contacted Van Hoytema, and reveals, “Hoyte was very gracious and I got a strong sense of his love for the IMAX format. His advice to me was to go out-there and make the film as I normally would.”
“My focus puller, Ethan McDonald, asked Keith Davis, Hoyte’s focus puller, to work with us on our desert test shoot. His contribution was beneficial, allowing us to gain insight into the IMAX cameras thanks to his expertise.”
The DP confides that, during prep, she also sought the counsel of DP Jody Lee Lipes ASC in relation to the twinning work for Smoke and Stack. Lipes shot all six episodes of HBO’s I Know This Much Is True (2020, dir. Derek Cianfrance) starring Mark Ruffalo as twin brothers, on KODAK VISION 3 500T 5219 35mm film, and describes Lipes’ thoughts about that process as “super-helpful.”
Under the working title of Grilled Cheese,
and braving sweltering temperatures in excess of 100°F/38°C and 80% humidity, production on Sinners took place over the course of 66 shooting days, between April and July 2024, at locations across southeastern Louisiana. Along with interiors, shot on sets constructed at Second Line Studios in New Orleans, physical locations included Donaldsonville, Thibodaux and Bogalusa, along with Braithwaite, where the exteriors of the lumber mill-turned-juke joint were built on a disused golf course.
Working with Panavision, Woodland Hills, and IMAX Corp, Durald Arkapaw selected Panavision System 65 Studio, System 65 High Speed cameras, plus IMAX MSM 9802 and IMAX MKIV film cameras. She worked closely with Panavision’s lens guru, Dan Sasaki, to customise a set of Panavision Ultra Panatar 1.3x squeeze Anamorphics, a brace of Panavision IMAX optics in 50mm and 80mm focal lengths, and a bespoke Panavision 80mm IMAX Petzval lens for the shoot.
“Although the Ultra Panatars and the Panavision IMAX lenses have different looks, they both have a softness and nice fall-off around the edges,” she says. “The IMAX frame is unique because your eye has to scan across the image, whereas traditional formats let you take in the whole frame without moving your eyes as much. That’s why my love for widescreen photography, combined with centre-weighted framing, translates so well
across both formats. The framing guidelines can stay consistent, which allows each format to feel distinct whilst still maintaining a stylistic through line that ties both worlds together.”
“I really enjoyed using the Petzval lens for the dreamlike scene at the end of the film, when Smoke is handed the baby he and Annie lost. In post-production, we applied that lens profile to a 2.76:1 close-up shot of Annie in her home from earlier in the film. It created a subtle visual echo between the scenes that deepened the emotional connection.”
Along with her love for Anamorphic photography, Durald Arkapaw loves to operate the camera. The Panavision System 65 Studio camera weighs 100lbs, which meant it needed a substantial fluid head or remote head. However, the DP says she had no
trepidation in having an IMAX camera on her shoulder, and was supported by her dolly grip Corey Corona
“When you shoot with IMAX cameras, which weigh around 65lbs, you have to figure-out your own relationship with them, how to frame with them, how to hold them, and how to move with them on your shoulder,” Durald Arkapaw explains.
“At first, it can feel uncomfortable on the shoulder, but you soon become accustomed to it and learn to compensate for what feels like carrying a mini-fridge around. It was a
little awkward for me, as I’m a left-eye operator, so I had to use the on-board monitor. A full 1,000ft IMAX magazine can run for two and a half minutes before you need to reload.”
Durald Arkapaw says that working-out which scenes to shoot in IMAX versus widescreen, whilst also having to bear-in-mind how the final movie would be displayed in cinemas, required thoughtful discussions with Coogler. Additionally, IMAX film cameras are
You get so much resolution when shooting on 65mm film, and it’s an incredibly immersive visual experience
known for being loud due to their mechanical workings, making it difficult to record dialogue. This meant having to factor ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) into a visual equation for dialogue-heavy scenes.
“During production, my ground glass had four framing ticks on it – 1.43:1 and 1.90:1 IMAX, plus
2.76:1 and 2.39:1 widescreen. When operating and framing I had to make sure that these different formats would be cohesive down the line in editorial – such as having adequate headroom – but I enjoyed that pressure. Ryan and the editor, Michael Shawver, did a brilliant job in making the format transitions flow elegantly.”
Preferring to retain a consistent texture across the day/night interior/exterior scenes, Durald Arkapaw went with just one filmstock – KODAK VISION 3 500T 5219. And that would have been that, apart from the irresistible temptation to also use a batch of large format KODAK EKTACHROME 100D 5294 colour reversal film, manufactured by KODAK specially for the production.
“As with the lenses, the choice of film stocks always involves important considerations,” she says. “For our Lancaster test shoot, we shot some KODAK VISION 3 5207 250D Daylight stock and also tested pulling and bleach bypass processing at FotoKem.
“We really liked the look and feel of the 500T in the 65mm 5-perf and 15-perf IMAX formats when processed normally, and ultimately decided to shoot the entire picture using just the 500T. You get so much resolution when shooting on 65mm film, and it’s an incredibly immersive visual experience. However, you can still feel the grain, depending on how you expose it.”
“I shoot wide-open, so using the 500T on day exteriors meant having to use a lot of ND filters, and
sometimes the image in the eyepiece was difficult to see. There wasn’t really any way around it – so we’d rehearse the move without the ND, commit the image to memory, then pop the ND into the tray and roll the camera for real.
“To make things more complex we had the IMAX and Panavision cameras variously on cranes, Steadicam, a chase car and a Technodolly. My focus pullers, Ethan McDonald who assisted me on A-camera, and Andrae Crawford who supported Josh Medak on B-camera, were fantastic, and when you watch the film on the big screen you will see what wonderful work they did.”
Durald Arkapaw says it was a genuine thrill to shoot using KODAK EKTACHROME in 15-perf IMAX. “Ryan
used it for a flashback sequence where Smoke sits on a trunk before the Hogwood shootout, remembering the juke being set-up,” she explains. “I captured some handheld portrait-style shots with the IMAX camera, not knowing exactly where they’d land in the cut. Ryan used them so beautifully in that sequence, and it endedup becoming a real iconic moment in the film.”
As for lighting Sinners, Durald Arkapaw teamedup with her longtime gaffer, Brian Bartolini ICLS. The lighting for the night scenes was based around
achieving colour temperatures of 2300K white light for the interiors, with moonlight set at 4700K.
“I’ve worked with Brian for over ten years,” she notes. “We share similar taste and visual sensibilities,
and we both love shaping light in a way that feels stylistic but true to the story. On this film, we had the opportunity to really lean into darkness and shadow to heighten the drama.”
The juke joint interiors, shot on-stage at Second Line Studios, involved 19, 22 and 30-inch Jem Balls, fitted with 500W and 1,000W bulbs, which could be dimmed up or down as required on Variacs, and were double-diffused with unbleached muslin.
Along with the Jem Balls that keyed the actors,
rigged. A modicum of CTO was used to match the Fresnels to the 2300K white light. Outside the set, above the juke joint, an additional 70 ARRI SkyPanel S60 spacelights were hung and calibrated to 4700K for the exterior moonlight.
The juke joint exteriors, which were shot on-location in Braithwaite, involved a 40x40-ft softbox, containing 36 CreamSource Vortex 8s, being suspended from a 250-tonne/200-ft boom construction crane, with the light coming through full grid diffusion at 4700K. Also on hand was a 12K telehandler with a 20x20-ft softbox for more localised key lighting of the actors, which contained four Litegear Auroris X sources,
fire bars for real fire light/effects throughout the shoot.
I love photographic references, but Eudora Welty’s work was new to me
“When you collaborate with Ryan, it’s always a journey filled with bravery and inspiration, and you get
using double magic cloth and also set to 4700K. Additionally, a 4K HMI balloon, plus a separate 16K tube balloon, provided by SkyLight Balloon Company, were used for moonlight/fill light.
To light the trees and the background from across the river, the production used five 120-ft condor booms each using two 18K Pars, with 1/2 CTO. More than 40 CreamSource Vortex 8s were then spread around on the ground to light the trees/foliage for added depth. A further 30 CreamSource Vortex 8s, set in pixel mode,
to dive deep into entirely new arenas,” reflects Durald Arkapaw about her experience shooting Sinners
“Alongside exploring my own ancestral connections to the time and place of the story, it was a profound experience to create lasting, emotional images using 65mm and IMAX 65mm film formats. During production, I truly felt we were making something rare, meaningful and important together. It means the world to me that audiences have responded to Sinners with such appreciation and heart.”
ONE SHOT WONDERS
By David Wood
It’s fair to say that cinematographer Matthew Lewis and director Philip Barantini have formed a successful creative partnership. They have worked together as a DP/director duo ever since Barantini acted in Lewis’ film course graduation film back in 2017. Just three years later they collaborated on the award-winning restaurant drama Boiling Point (2021), which earned both director and DP awards for their much-lauded single-shot style.
The success of Boiling Point was the kicking-off point for Lewis and Barantini’s latest one-shot hallmark on Netflix’s Adolescence, the four-part teenage TV drama of one-hour per episode, exploring knife crime and the insidious influence of the ‘manosphere’, which has since sparked a national debate in the UK about the influence of social media on teenagers.
The critically-acclaimed series was released on Netflix on 13 March 2025, and became the most-watched streaming television show in the United Kingdom in a single week. In its first three weeks, Adolescence garnered 96.7 million views on the platform, placing it ninth on Netflix’s all-time viewership list worldwide.
Matthew Lewis recalls the project’s origins. “Phil and [actor] Stephen Graham, who co-created Adolescence with writer Jack Thorne, were keen to apply the single shot technique to something which was action-heavy, and knife crime was a subject that was in the news. They came up with the story of a teenage boy accused of the murder of a fellow student and the subsequent impact that has on family and friends.
Producers at Warp Films were the first to admit they didn’t have much experience with ‘oners’ and asked Lewis to help-out with planning at an early stage. This was a wise move as single shot dramas need plenty of rehearsal from cast and crew to keep them on the rails. Once the camera is rolling everyone is compelled to go with the flow, because in the one take world there are no cuts.
Oners create a strange hyper-realism
MATTHEW LEWIS•ADOLESCENCE
“My advice was to make the location team large, and put more money than usual aside for clean-ups in post to remove unwanted and unexpected shadows, booms and that sort of thing,” recalls Lewis.
“As we to shoot had four one-hour episodes, we decided on three weeks per episode. This broke down as two weeks of rehearsals and one week of five consecutive shooting days with two takes per day, making ten one-shot takes per episode.
“I drew a plan and mapped-out all the movements, so that when we got on-set it was a question of bringing-in the cast to rehearse all day, every day. The main question for us was how well the script would translate into the locations which were all in Yorkshire towns, such as Pontefract and Wakefield.”
“Sometimes Jack would come on-set in the first week to help iron-out any problems regarding moving cast and crew in the available space. The second week we would rehearse the technical stuff. And then we’d shoot in the third week.”
Some episodes proved a bigger headache than others because of the amount of action involved. Notably Episode 2, which centres around the police visit to the school attended by the characters, which was shot at Minsthorpe Community College in South Elmsall, Wakefield, with additional scenes filmed in the car park of the nearby Minsthorpe Leisure Centre.
At the episode’s climax a student, who the police want to question, bolts out of a window with the police giving pursuit. This needed the camera to be handed through a window before following the chase, and culminating in the camera being attached to a drone, provided by Helicopter Girls, for an aerial shot over the car park where the murder took place.
“Originally, at the end of the chase, when the detective gets into the car and drives-off, the idea was that the camera flies itself back to the school down the road at eye level. But, on location, I felt this wouldn’t work because it would just feel like it was a video game,” Lewis explains.
“So we changed the end of the shot, transferring the camera to a drone which just flies up-and-away over to the car park, where it then descends for a final shot of Stephen Graham leaving flowers in remembrance.
Lewis adds, “Complex sequences like this probably wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago, but advances in camera kit mean that we can now be much more ambitious.”
This sequence certainly wouldn’t have worked on Boiling Point, which combined a Sony Venice Rialto on an Easyrig with an external recorder at the rear, weighing a total of 10Kg – a camera package that placed significant physical strain on Lewis, who had to employ back and shoulder massages and Deep Heat to keep him going for the duration of that shoot.
Fast-forward four years and Lewis had a much wider range of lighter-weight options to choose from. He looked at the DJI Ronin 2 with Steadicam and the Sony FX3 camera, before his grip recommended the DJI Ronin 4D, which comes with four-axis image stabilisation and 8K RAW shooting capability, and a camera body weighing less than 1.5Kg.
ADOLESCENCE•MATTHEW
“When I saw the DJI Ronin4D and started using it, I immediately knew that was what we needed,” enthuses Lewis.
The Ronin4D was paired with Cooke SP3 lenses and a variable ND filter to allow for adjusting exposure on-the-fly. There were a few issues, however, such as the DJI Ronin4D’s 1TB card slot.
“We weren’t sure that would be enough for an hour of shooting, although we got round that by using the 6K sensor option and recording in ProRes 422HQ,” Lewis explains.
The rushes looked impressive, but would they be good enough to satisfy Netflix, which has strict rules about camera acquisition standards, and didn’t list the DJI Ronin4D as a Netflix approved camera?
“We had to prove we knew what we were doing,” recalls Lewis. “They realised we had to use a specialised camera and we convinced them of the quality by showing lots of graded camera tests.”
The practical advantages of the DJI Ronin4D
You don’t expect a drama you make with your mates to generate such a huge reaction
were obvious, says Lewis. “It’s easy to hand over to another operator, and you can run with it at full tilt and get a smooth image – just incredible.”
This capability allowed Lewis to collect the camera from a crane shot at the beginning of Episode 1, and seamlessly clip it on and off a drone at the end of Episode 2.
“We used the ShotDock mount from Griphaus, which allows you to come in at different angles and lock the camera in. We practiced it a lot. Two grips would hold the drone over me and I’d be able to clip it on. It’s so subtle that you can’t even notice it in the take – it’s butter smooth.”
Episode 3 presented a different set of challenges – how to choreograph camera movement and two boom operators in a single room where Jamie, the teenager accused of murder, was being interviewed by a child psychologist.
“We had to find a way to be able to move around two people locked together in a tense scene in a single room with a table in the middle.
The aim was to keep the lighting moody and to avoid camera shadows by tweaking the light sources as the camera moved around the room,” says Lewis.
Providing a solution, gaffer Max Hodgkinson built a toplight above the room in the form of a softbox, comprised from a dozen S60 ARRI SkyPanels.
“Once we had the camera moves down, our desk op Martin Winton came-up with a lighting cue-list triggered by certain lines of dialogue. We were able to move the light so as I rotated around the room with the camera, the SkyPanels above me would dim gently, and light sources further away from me would lift up. We could do that all the way around the table, and had so much control over the lighting in the set-build, that it made it all pretty straightforward.”
There’s no doubt that single-shot drama
is difficult and challenging, and places huge constraints over the production, but Lewis insists that the pay-off is a level of intensity that’s hard to replicate.
“A oner creates a psychological element that other dramas can’t match. When you have an edited piece, the presence of cuts make the audience aware about the process of construction, which allows you to disconnect from the content. But oners create a strange hyper-realism, like it’s all actually happening in front of you and the camera just happens to be there capturing it.
“As a viewer you are constantly there, constantly thinking something is about to happen. You can’t blink or look at your phone. It’s more like the theatre where you are locked into the experience.”
Lewis admits that initially he was concerned that another production based around using oners might have been perceived as a gimmick, “yet another
single-shot drama from a showboating DP”.
It wasn’t until the final colour grade that he realised they’d created a memorable piece of work.
“That’s when I first realised we might have made something really cool. I would constantly completely forget where I was in the grade, and what I was supposed to be focussing on. For me to forget where I am must mean there’s some merit to it.”
Lewis admits he didn’t expect the huge public response which was prompted by Adolescence “You don’t really expect a drama you make with your mates to generate such a huge reaction,” he says.
Lewis’ next project is a more traditional drama, but he admits that Jack Thorne is already talking about another oner project with Netflix. Although Lewis warns,”It’s not something that you can just churn out – make a bad one and people will lose interest.”
RULE OF THREE
By Natasha Block Hicks
The British film producer Dame Emma Thomas once said, “The great thing about a trilogy is that it feels like you’ve got a beginning, a middle and an end”. She may have been referencing her own body of work, but does this epithet apply across all trilogies? What of non-consecutive trilogies, linked only by concept or theme?
The latest trio of award-winning features from Norwegian writer/director Dag Johan Haugerud, all shot by DP Cecilie Semec FNF, form just such an example. Indeed, the sequence in which the films were shot was neither their notional arrangement at the time, nor their final running order.
Sex (2024) – the opening film – is an exploration of the validity of the rules that might be used to define someone as monogamous, heterosexual or male.
Love/Kjærlighet (2024) – the intended final film
that ended-up being the central piece – examines the idea of different kinds of intimacy.
Dreams (Sex Love)/Drømmer (2024) is a comingof-age tale following three generations of women within the same family as they confront their differing views on love and self-discovery, and contend with the burgeoning sexuality of Johanne, the youngest of the trio.
“The films are each quite different,” explains Semec, who first worked with Haugerud shooting projection footage for the Norwegian National Ballet.
“The interlinking themes are about sexuality, identity and desire and how those things free us as human beings.” The completion of the trilogy totals five feature projects she has shot with Haugerud to date.
The trilogy films were funded by the Norwegian Film Institute, with a budget of 14m Norwegian Kroner apiece: approximately $1.33mUSD. Love was shot over 28 days in August 2022, with Dreams 22-day schedule, following four weeks later, although unfortunately both Semec and Haugerud caught Covid for the first time during this already tight prep period.
Sex , a springtime-set story, was shot last, in April 2023.
A modest development budget allowed Semec and Haugerud a few weeks
of soft prep a year or so before the trilogy was actually green-lit, during which the pair scouted locations with Semec’s stills camera.
“The city of Oslo is like a character of its own in Dreams,” illustrates Semec. “Dag Johan is very logical in his approach; if the scene was set at night, we would meet up at night, and go around capturing visual sketches. It is very important to him to portray the streets truthfully.”
She details a scene where Johanne, played by Ella Øverbye, walks from the Botanical Gardens, through the old town, down to the harbour.
“We followed that exact route,” Semec relates, “Dag Johan will not try to fake it.
“It was fun filming in Oslo,” she elaborates. “The city is so beautiful, all the lights and colours, and there are many streets that have never been portrayed on film before.”
Haugerud envisioned the three films of his trilogy as visually-distinct from each other. Sex was shot on the ARRI Alexa Mini with Hawk Anamorphics, utilising “lots of shock zooms and plenty of white”, with Semec and Haugerud discussing references such as work of JeanLuc Godard and The Graduate (1967, dir. Mike Nichols, DP Robert Surtees ASC).
For Love, shot large format 1.85:1 flat, Semec
CECILIE SEMEC FNF•DREAMS
and Haugerud examined the framing in Rosemary’s Baby (1968, dir. Roman Polanski, DP William Fraker ASC BSC), viewed a 70mm copy of South Pacific (1958, dir. Joshua Logan, DP Leon Shamroy ASC) and Semec rewatched one of her personal favourites: The Conversation (1974, dir. Francis Ford Coppola, DP Bill Butler ASC).
“It was different with Dreams however,” she reflects, “I felt the film was more about the light and how to describe the feeling of love. We didn’t have any shared film references, but we looked at stills photographers such as Sarah Moon and David Hamilton.”
and sound design.
“The Alexa Mini LF is a nice handheld camera,” states Semec, “and I love the warmth of the Cooke lenses and how they capture faces.”
The short, Covid-scuppered prep time before Dreams meant that there was no time for Semec to prepare a LUT, her preferred way of shooting.
The DP says she likes to operate the camera herself. “That’s the fun part,” Semec enthuses. “You see the performance first-hand and move together with the actors, like a dance. I really enjoy that.”
Supporting her on-camera were 1st AC Kjetil Fodnes and camera assistant Jakob Benum.
means I am comfortable working with natural light to a high degree.”
To give her the freedom to move handheld when shooting interior scenes, lamps were rigged to the ceiling, and the production designer Tuva Hølmebakk provided plenty of practical sources on dimmers to help Semec motivate the lighting.
I love the warmth of the Cooke lenses and how they capture faces
For her own personal reference, Semec reviewed coming-of-age films, notably The Virgin Suicides (1999, dir. Sofia Coppola, DP Ed Lachman ASC), and Blue Is The Warmest Colour/La Vie D’Adèle (2013, dir. Abdellatif Kechiche, DP Sofian El Fani), the latter particularly for its handheld work, which Haugerud had requested for Dreams, also to be presented in 1.85:1 flat.
“We had never worked handheld together before so that was interesting,” reveals Semec. “We had to reinvent how we told the story.”
Dreams was shot on the ARRI Alexa Mini LF with Cooke Mini S4/i primes, supplied by Storyline Studios, Oslo, who also provided the lighting package, grading
“They are very flexible,” she says warmly, “and when we’re out in the streets, capturing more documentary-style footage, I can tell they are really enjoying themselves.”
Gaffer Henning Høifødt also collaborated with Semec across all three films.
“Henning was a very important person for me artistically,” details Semec. “He’s a good listener and has an eye for detail. It’s easy to lose control of certain aspects of the lighting when you are going handheld, but when I looked back, Henning was always by the monitor, watching everything. There’s a lot of trust there.”
Semec’s lighting package included Velvet Light battery LEDs and Dedolight PB70s.
“They are perfect for a small film like this,” she comments, “and my background in documentary
One of Haugerud’s recurring motifs throughout his films is the positioning of characters for long takes near a window, through which life outside can be seen turning in its ordinary routine.
“I think of it as a study of life in action, and how a person and society are intertwined is crucial,” explains Semec.
To balance the interior light to the exterior glare in a single frame was a challenge, however a careful choice of location and luck with the weather helped. When Haugerud received the Golden Bear for Dreams at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, Semec was delighted when director Todd Haynes, who presented the award, mentioned his appreciation of how the
“I was glad because that is something I really enjoy when I watch other movies,” she reflects.
Semec says the thrills of shooting Dreams often shared the same airspace as the challenges.
“We were allowed only 30 minutes to film in the Botanical Garden in Oslo, for a key scene,” she relates. “The guard was checking his watch whilst everyone pulled together to get three set-ups of Ella sitting there in this black night, with the illuminated greenhouse behind. That’s the beauty of having a small crew.”
This film was more about the light and how to describe the feeling of love
Another challenge were the reduced daylight hours in Norway in November.
“We had long, dialogue-driven scenes to capture between 10am and 3pm whilst keeping continuity in the light,” relates Semec. ‘However we also had the uniquely intimate darkness of November, which was a blessing.
“I loved shooting the scene in the teacher’s apartment,” she continues. “During the camera test Dag Johan wanted to add more and more filters to create this magical, warm world which would portray how it feels to be in love when you’re 17.”
Colourist Christian Wieberg-Nielsen handled the DI grade as part of the Storyline Studios package.
“I’d done several short films with Christian before, he has a good eye, and it was great to have him for all three films,” highlights Semec. “Dag Johan was in the editing process at the same time, which boosted the collaboration.
“I’m just so grateful that I got to shoot these meaningful films for Dag Johan and that Sex and Dreams got presented at the Berlinale and Love at the Venice Film Festival,” she continues. “Hopefully this will make it easier for people to see our films.”
Semec wouldn’t say no to another multi-picture project in future.
“I would love to work with Dag Johan again, and I would love to shoot another trilogy,” she enthuses, “or maybe even – how do you say in English – a septology!”
TRUE TO LIFE
By Ron Prince
I’m Still Here is the most important film I have made
Brazilian DP Adrian Teijido ABC employed the texture of KODAK 35mm film grain to mark the dramatic events that take place over time in Walter Salles 2025 Oscarwinning feature I’m Still Here, with KODAK Super 8mm film also helping to depict narrative reminiscences.
Set in 1971, during the military dictatorship in Brazil (1964 to 1985), the biographical drama follows the true-life story of Eunice Paiva, who lives an idyllic life, with her husband Rubens and their five children, close to the sandy shores of Leblon Beach in Rio de Janeiro. However, when Rubens is arrested and subsequently disappears, Eunice begins a lonely battle to the learn the truth, whilst trying to keep her family together.
Enquiries into Rubens’ whereabouts result in her own arrest and mistreatment for 12 days at the hands of the authorities. Eliana, their teenage daughter, is imprisoned as well, but is released after 24 hours. Eunice then discovers Rubens, a former politician, had been secretly helping political exiles, and whilst newspaper reports falsely-claim he has fled the country seeking exile, she
receives unofficial notification that Rubens has in fact been murdered.
Confronted by the need to support her family, Eunice moves to Sāo Paulo where she qualifies as a lawyer and builds a career as a prominent advocate for the human rights of the victims of political repression, relentlessly campaigning to open the dictatorship’s closed records. After 25 years, she succeeds in compelling the Brazilian government to officially issue Rubens’ death certificate, whilst also championing the rights of Brazil’s indigenous peoples.
The film, co-financed by French and Brazilian partners, was directed by Walter Salles from a screenplay based on Marcelo Paiva’s 2015 autobiographical memoir of the same name, which details his childhood, relationship with his mother, the political issues surrounding the military dictatorship in Brazil and his father’s murder.
The film premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where it received a ten-minute standing ovation as well as critical acclaim, before screening at festivals in Toronto, New York and London. During the 2025 awards season Fernanda Torres, who plays Eunice, became the first Brazilian actress to win a Golden Globe, and the film won Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Oscars.
Along with many further awards worldwide, the film proved successful at the box office too, especially in Brazil. Between its opening weekend in November 2024 and February 2025, I’m Still Here surpassed five million admissions, and became the highest-grossing Brazilian film since the Covid-19 pandemic, with earnings of US$25.2 million.
By sparking a renewed focus on the country’s military dictatorship and its lasting consequences, I’m Still Here had a significant political impact in Brazil, encouraging conversations about human rights abuses,
their impact on families and the importance of vigilance against authoritarianism and injustices.
I’m Still Here represents Teijido’s first cinematographic collaboration with Salles, who is widely-regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian filmmakers of all time, with movies such as Central Station (1998, DP Walter Carvalho), Behind The Sun (2001, DP Walter Carvalho) and The Motorcycle Diaries (2004, DP Eric Gautier AFC) variously earning top prizes at the Cannes, Venice and Berlin Film festivals, along with BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards.
“When Walter invited me to shoot I’m Still Here, he gave me Marcelo Paiva’s book along with the script,” says Teijido, whose credits include the Brazilian biographical political thriller Marighella (2019, dir. Wagner Moura). “He knew the Pavia family and often went to their home, and told me a great deal about his memories of them. This story resonated with me because, even though I was a child when the events in Eunice’s life took place, I recall the tense atmosphere in Brazil from my parents and know that several of our own family friends disappeared or were murdered.
“Walter is very discerning and knowledgeable about image-making, and he showed me a lot of different movies to convey the mood and feeling he wanted the cinematography to express.
“As we discussed the film during pre-production, he
also gave me a book about the Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, known for his poetic, subdued portraits and interiors. Those images were vital references for how we would shoot the house, as if it were a character in itself, and how we would portray Eunice’s loneliness.”
Teijido reveals he knew right from the start that it was Salles’ wish to shoot I’m Still Here on 35mm film, also using Super8mm, which was popular in Brazil during the 1970s, to capture the Pavia family’s homemovie footage.
“Not only did Walter want to shoot on film, but he also made it clear he wanted to have texture, real film grain, in the images. He wanted the start of the film to be sunny, for the images to invite the audience into the heart and happiness of the family, and for their home to be bathed in sunlight.
It was the first time in my career that I had used texture in such a conceptual way
through the lighting. It was the first time in my career that I had used texture in such a conceptual way. I love film, but apart from a few commercials, I had not shot a feature on 35mm film for over ten years. So, it was very exciting for me pick up my light meter again and to consider my options.”
The DP says that shooting and then reviewing test material for the movie soon reassured him that, “working with film was still in my DNA, and I felt comfortable very quickly.”
Principal photography on I’m Still Here took place over the course of 16 weeks in total, across two separate stints. The first was during May and June 2023 at locations around Rio de Janeiro, including the Urca neighbourhood, characterised by traditional buildings and the famous Sugarloaf Mountain, where a double for the Pavia’s home was found and invisibly composited during post production into filmed footage of the Leblon beachside. The second stint took place in Sāo Paulo during November and December.
Shooting in 3-perf on 35mm film in 1.85:1 aspect
“However, when the agents of the dictatorship arrest Rubens the sunshine disappears completely, and things needed to became much darker and uncomfortable. Then, when Eunice moves to Sāo Paulo, and for the rest of the film, the images would need to take on more clarity.
“I thought this was a fantastic approach, and came up with the idea of creating different levels of textures and moods to help depict those different parts of the story – via lab processing, different filmstocks and
ratio, Teijido initially used an Aaton Penelope 35mm camera fitted with Panavision Primo lenses, adopting a largely handheld style to depict the family’s joi de vivre, capturing on to KODAK VISION 3 500T (5219), which was processed normally through the lab.
After Ruben’s arrest, when most of the action takes place in darkened home and prison interiors, Teijido stayed with the 500T (5219), but had the negative push-processed at the lab by one stop in order to
enhance the grain, with the camera becoming more static and observational.
To create the further change of visual mood, after Eunice relocates to Sāo Paulo, and also for the remainder of the narrative, the DP switched an ARRICAM LT 35mm camera, plus Leitz Summilux-C lenses, filming on KODAK VISION 3 200T (5213), processed normally.
The home-movie footage was shot on KODAK VISION 3 500T (7219) Super8mm and KODAK EKTACHROME 100D (7249) filmstocks using vintage Minolta Super8mm cameras, sometimes operated by the camera team, sometimes by the actors.
Panavision in Paris supplied the main camera and lens package. 35mm film processing was done at
operator in mind and was helpful in creating a handheld style that would relate the sense of happiness and freedom enjoyed by the family in the opening of the film,” Teijido remarks. “When the action moved to Sāo Paulo, I switched to an ARRICAM LT, and used the natural sharpness of the Summilux-C lenses to provide more clarity to the images.
Regarding his choice of filmstocks, the DP explains, “I went with just Tungsten stocks, so as to keep a subtle thread of visual consistency, and I shot them both uncorrected – without an 85 filter – as I knew our colourists at Hiventy could remove the blue cast at the touch of a button in the grading suite.
“Shooting day exteriors on the 500T, especially on the beach in bright sunshine, meant having to use some
Hiventy in Paris, with Thomas Debauve working as the dailies colourist, and Arthur Paux completing the final colour grade, with support from Michael Howell. The Super8mm was developed by John Salim Photographic in the UK. Cinelab in the UK provided 4K scans of the 35mm and Super8mm rushes.
“The Aaton Penelope was designed with the
pretty strong ND filters, often up to 1.8, to help get my target exposures of T4 and T5.6. Although the image in the eyepiece was dark, my camera operator Lula Cerri and 1st AC Marco Chile Contreras, shot without any problems, and the resulting images had the lovely texture of grain that Walter originally intended.”
For the scenes when things suddenly change – after
the agents arrive for Rubens and Eunice gets arrested – Teijido pushed the 500T one stop to increase the grain which, in combination with much lower levels of illumination, gave a feeling of dramatic discomfort.
“When Eunice moves to Sāo Paulo, and for the rest of the film, I switched to the 200T which had the effect of diminishing the grain and, in combination with the Summilux-C lenses, this gave the image a natural but particular clarity that was different to the other looks,” he says.
Although it took eight to ten days to review the rushes, Teijido reports that he developed a creative rapport with Debauve, the dailies colourist at Hiventy, during pre-production, “and he did a fantastic job in fine-tuning things like colour and contrast, and making sure the images had the required filmic textures.”
Typically, Teijido says he loves to operate during production, but did not during this particular project as he wanted to remain close to Salles and to always be alert in executing his vision.
Working with film was still in my DNA and I felt comfortable very quickly
team, and was particularly impressed by gaffer Ulisses Malta in helping to appropriately direct and shape the light using traditional and modern light sources.
“In the last few years there has been a revolution in film lighting due to the advances and improvements to LED fixtures, and I conducted lighting tests with Ulisses to find the right colour temperatures for those fixtures in day and night scenes, and how we could blend HMIs, Tungstens and LEDs together.
“Whilst the Pavia’s family house was a light-friendly location, with great
Nanlux Evokes into the mix for that.
“For night interiors, I used small Tungsten units as they provided the opportunity to create subtle accents around the living room and the bedrooms. Some of the rooms, such as Ruben’s home office, were really tight, and we were not able to set-up lights in there, so we were able to supplement the lighting with thin LED Lite Mats on the ceiling.”
Looking back on his experience of shooting the film, Teijido remarks, “I’m Still Here is the most important film I have made, because it has brought the issue of the military dictatorship, and especially those who disappeared, back into the political spotlight and to the attention of the younger generation in Brazil.
“The reception it had in Venice was very emotional, and it was phenomenal when it won the Oscar for Best International Feature.
I’m very proud of playing my part in this production for Walter, and delighted that I was able to use analogue film, especially the grain, to give the story a real sense of time, place, emotion and culture.”
“By definition the cinematographer is the person who translates the script into visual images for the director,” says Teijido. “Along with film grain, the framing and the way the camera moved always had to have conceptual reasoning behind them as well, for the audience to feel as if they were with the characters. This manifested itself in shooting handheld for the first part of the film and with more subtlety after Ruben is taken away.
“We shot in chronological order as much as possible, and maintained a quiet and concentrated set, which helped the actors. Fernanda’s portrayal of Eunice and the performances from the child actors were something to behold, and the crew became emotional on-set on many occasions.”
Teijido says he enjoyed the companionship of his
interior scenes to create the general idea of sunshine streaming-in, and we accomplished that using traditional 9K and 18K HMIs through the windows.
“However, on intimate shots, such as closeups, especially during the second part of the film, we needed more diffused lighting and brought
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•EURO
IT’S SHOW TIME!
Technology vendors and visitors from around the globe will gather together in Munich, June 26th to 28th 2025, for the fourth edition of the annual Euro Cine Expo. Here’s a round-up of some of the cool things you can expect to see and experience.
WOMEN IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Women In Cinematography (WIC) collective is proud to present a series of empowering and practical panels at the 2025 Euro Cine Expo, designed to support cinematographers at every stage of their career.
“From Concept to Screen” will dive into the creative and technical tools, tips and workflows cinematographers use to prepare for a project – from visual research and camera tests to previsualisation, look-books, and collaboration with other departments. This session will feature established DPs sharing their personal approaches to translating a vision into reality.
IMAGO ITC (INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)
Members of IMAGO’s Technical Committee (ITC) and IMAGO Educational Committee will host an extensive series of sessions, including roundtables, presentations and panel discussions, focusing on topics including production workflow, artistic decisions and artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the Expo.
Along with special guests from the German production industry, plus representatives from Women In Cinematography, IMAGO members participating at these special sessions include: Philippe Ros AFC, Aleksej Berkovic RGC, David Stump AFC, Marijke Van Kets SBC , Roberto Schaefer AIC ASC, Dirk Meier BVK CSI, John Christian Rosenlund FNF, Rauno Ronkainen FSC and Miga Bär Associate ITC… amongst many others.
“Managing The Cinematographer’s Career” will offer strategies for self-promotion, navigating relationships with agents, building a strong presence on social media, and using festivals and publicity to boost visibility. The panel will also explore partnerships with manufacturers and the value of long-term industry relationships.
Highlight panels and lectures include some
APUTURE (210)
The new flagship in Aputure lighting family will be on-show. Bask in the output of the new Storm XT52, the brightest tuneable white point source LED in the industry. The Storm XT52 features the revolutionary Blair light engine, which delivers not only high-quality white light, but is also the brightest-ever point source LED to offer colour hues, more than 70% of the Rec.2020 colour space.
The unit delivers a stellar output of 41,900 Lux @ 5m (5600K) with the 35° reflector, and has the
WIC will also present a vital session on “Health & Safety On Set”, created in partnership with The Mark Milsome Foundation, examining best practices, responsibilities and safety culture through real-world examples.
WIC members will also collaborate with the IMAGO Technical Committee, featuring its representatives on select panels to bring additional expertise on technology, workflow and industry standards. Unmissable!
@wicinematography
of the industry’s hot topics: the vital collaboration between directors, cinematographers and actors; look management; production workflows; shooting in LED volumes; lighting and colour grading.
Plus there’s a three-part mini-summit covering the risks, ethics, opportunities and most recent
advances in AI and Machine Learning as they relate to cinematographers and their collaborators. Not to be missed! www.imago.org
lowest weight and size for its class, whilst being able to withstand harsh weather conditions from its IP65 rating.
The Blair light engine offers both high colour fidelity and colour tuning in limited HSIC+ and xy modes. For a light nearly as bright as a 9000W HMI, Aputure says it has packed as much
brightness as possible into the lamphead and maintained single-person operation for the unit. Be prepared to be dazzled as you touch and try the Storm XT52 during the show.
www.aputure.com
ARRI (c/o TELTEC 234)
ARRI invites you to experience precision, innovation and cinematic excellence, up-close in the Cinema & Lens Zone, supported by Teltec. In two immersive set-ups, ARRI will showcase how its latest technologies integrate into real-world workflows.
EURO CINE EXPO
In the Ensō demonstration, the Alexa Mini LF will
ASTERA (316)
Astera, one the leading names in lighting for film, TV and events, will introduce two ground-breaking additions to its line of premier lighting offerings, powered by the colour science of Astera’s Titan LED Engine.
The new QuikSpot is a batterypowered, highly-versatile zoomable LED spotlight. Designed for flexibility, its QuikTurn zoom delivers a clean, hard light in spot position or a broad, even beam in flood position – both free of colour shift and multi-shadow issues.
team-up with the CCM-1 camera control monitor and a range of ARRI Ensō prime lenses with vintage elements. This set-up invites cinematographers to
classic lightbulb. Designed to screw directly into standard AC sockets, LunaBulb delivers flickerfree, natural-looking light that is perfect for skin detailing. Its covert shape allows seamless practical use on-set.
Also on display will be the LunaBulb, a highend cine-quality light with the form factor of a
BLACKMAGIC 244)
If you’re heading to Euro Cine Expo 2025, make time for Blackmagic Design’s stand, where they’re showcasing the latest production cameras alongside DaVinci Resolve.
The Ursa Cine 12K offers a balance of largeformat image quality and production flexibility, featuring a new RGBW sensor with 16-stops of dynamic range, interchangeable PL/LPL mounts, Lemo and Fischer connections, 8TB of internal highspeed storage, and 10G Ethernet for streamlined data management.
For larger-scale projects, the Ursa Cine 17K 65 extends the platform’s large-format capabilities. Meanwhile the Pyxis 6K and 12K cameras, which combine a compact, modular design with versatility, deliver Blackmagic’s imaging technology to a
The optional LunaPrepCase holds up to eight LunaBulbs, with built-in charging for streamlined
wider range of productions,
All cameras integrate with DaVinci Resolve 20, which introduces AI-powered tools such as IntelliCut for automatic editing, Magic Mask v2 with brush refinement, and Dialogue Matcher for audio consistency. Additional features include background rendering, improved collaboration tools, and expanded colour management. www.blackmagicdesign.com
explore the unmistakable ARRI look –rich textures, precise colour rendition and effortless handling in a compact form factor.
The full ECS demonstration dives deep into ARRI’s Electronic Control System, and will see the Alexa 35 paired with a Signature 4-75mm Zoom and supported by Focusbug’s Cine RT system, demonstrating the seamless focus control and robust connectivity. A fully-equipped focus station with Hi-5, RF-2400 and live monitoring brings the power of ARRI’s ecosystem into sharp focus, offering hands-on insights into precision focus pulling and integrated workflows.
Join ARRI at the Cinema & Lens Zone to witness these powerful tools in action, engage with the experts, and discover how ARRI continues to set the gold standard in cinematic production.
www.arri.com
transport and prep. Further control is offered by the addition of LunaReflector, LunaDiffusor, LunaLens, LunaSnoot or LunaShade attachments.
QuikSpot and LunaBulb, along with renowned battery-driven Astera Titan, Helios and Hyperion Tubes, can all be remotely controlled using the AsteraApp or DMX. www.astera-led.com
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•EURO CINE EXPO 2025 PREVIEW
CBM – CINE BRANDS MUNICH (334)
Experience the feeling of being welcome. CBM GmbH is a trusted and passionate partner for filmmakers, production companies and rental houses. For decades it has supported creative professionals with cutting-edge gear, deep industry knowledge and personalised consultations. The company believes in building strong relationships, which is why its well-stocked warehouse ensures prompt delivery.
CBM offers equipment from over 40 leading manufacturers, covering all the essentials for professional productions: cameras, lenses, monitors, wireless systems, film lights, tripods, grip and more. The curated portfolio combines technical excellence with real-world usability, with kit that is chosen by specialists who understand the demands of life on-set.
filmmakers the opportunity to test, feel and connect in a relaxed, knowledgedriven environment.
At Euro Cine Expo 2025, discover
A team of technical experts provide tailored advice, hands-on training, custom set-ups, and reliable support. CBM also hosts regular in-house events – from workshops to demos – giving
CINTEK (320)
highlights such as the Angénieux Optimo Primes, IBE Raptor Scope FF, Sony Venice Extension
The Caldwell range of Anamorphic lenses are custom-built instruments, designed for cinematographers who demand not only technical perfection but optical character and performance as well. Created to last the next several generations of filmmakers, each lens is a testament to Caldwell’s engineering as an art form.
More than 20 years ago, acclaimed optical designer and engineer, Brian Caldwell PhD, holder of more than a dozen patents, and responsible for more than 150 successful projects across multiple industries including the military, aerospace and consumer products, turned his talents to the movie industry.
Designed from the ground-up by a team of engineers (who have been working together for more than twenty years), the Chameleons deliver consistent image character, identical physical size and nearly identical weight. Compact and light at 2.5kg, the lenses deliver an elegant look reminiscent of ‘Old Hollywood’, with cutting-edge
the expertise to bring your vision to life. www.cbm-cine.com
CINEO LIGHTING (114)
Returning to Euro Cine Expo this year, Cineo Lighting is inviting attendees to be among the first to get hands-on with its hotly-anticipated new LED lighting innovation – Cineo Lynx.
Positioned prominently in Hall 2 at Stand #114, the Cineo booth will offer a comprehensive look at this cutting-edge technology, designed for demanding cinematic and broadcast environments. Featured alongside the new Cineo Lynx fixture will be the powerful and portable Quantum Studio, celebrated for its exceptional colour accuracy and output, as well as the liquid-cooled Reflex R10, Cineo’s first LED fixture with a modular design and IP 65-rated light engine. You won’t want to miss these. www.cineolighting.com
mechanical precision and optical control.
Chameleons set a new standard for quality. The proprietary design uses a pair of counter-rotating astigmatiser elements. Unlike variable diopter focussing, this Wallin type architecture maintains beautiful image quality throughout the focus range. It minimises lateral chromatic aberration whilst preserving a naturalistic Anamorphic field. The result is an image with smooth fall-off, controlled distortion and rich dimensionality – ideal for conveying emotion with cinematic depth.
Notable recent productions to have used the Caldwell Chameleons include Star Wars Mandalorian And Grogu and Heads Of State Cinkek is showing full range of 25, 32, 40, 50, 60, 75, 100 and 150mmm focal lengths on the Sony Venice and ARRI 35 and ARRI LF cameras. Well worth a look!
www.cintek.co.uk / www.caldwell.tv
System Mini with Leitz LPL Mount, Cooke Anamorphic FF lenses, Easyrig Boom Rig, Inovativ Carts and Ovide Koko, and find
EURO CINE EXPO
Dedotools UG (102)
Check out the latest technology from the one-and-only Dedolight. The complete range of Dedolight Lightstream products, including the Dedolight PB70, now available in a 2.5K version, will all be on show.
The RGB-ACL lights up to 1,800W and delivers top-level colour and performance, supplemented by optics that functionally expand the reflected light and also offer synchronisation of colours and intensity. Also for virtual studios, Infinity Lighting is the only system for the illusion of sunlight from a great distance
Dedolight Neo offers one ballast capable of activating 34 different focussing Dedolight LED lights with perfect dimming to 0.01%, high-speed flicker-free mode, plus DMX and wireless control.
FUJIFILM (226)
Fujifilm debuts on the show floor with its ground-breaking Duvo range of Fujinon lenses, all engineered to bring a cinematic aesthetic to live production, sports and scripted content.
These hybrid lenses combine broadcast functionality with stunning optical quality, enabling shallow depth-of-field and gentle cinematic visuals across a range of demanding environments. Whether you’re shooting a live concert, high-speed action or a drama series, Duvo lenses deliver the quality that today’s creatives demand.
Be sure to visit the stand to meet the Fujifilm team and learn more about the highlyanticipated Fujifilm Eterna, a new digital filmmaking camera designed to capture the timeless quality of large format motion picture film with the flexibility of modern digital workflows. www.fujifilm.com
GET2GETHER
AREA – THE PLACE TO MEET! (414)
Relax, connect and innovate. Teltec’s Get Together Area will be the central meeting point of the Euro Cine Expo 2025. Enjoy speciality coffee prepared by the event’s top barista, creative cocktails at the bar and a relaxed atmosphere designed for networking and inspiration.
An exclusive VIP Area will offer exhibitors the opportunity to book private time slots for product demos, presentations or one-on-one meetings
The Dedolight Lightstream Lite is a portable, take-anywhere system for working with reflected light on-location. Dedolight Lightstream Table Top is ideal for filming miniatures, animation, product shots or any table-top work in a controllable space. Dedolight V-flector (vari-flector) is the latest addition to the range of Dedolight Lightstream reflectors. Using a controllable handle the V-flector can be used horizontally or vertically to bend the reflective surface to create circular and elongated light shapes.
Check out the Asymmetric Background Light. This amazing system will illuminate the entire surface of the highest backgrounds, totally-even and with no spill, enabling perfectly-even lighting of chromakey backgrounds without shadows. www.dedolight.de
in a premium setting – perfect for showcasing innovations close-up and in detail. Whether you want to unwind between sessions or create meaningful business connections, the Get Together Area is the place to be. Stop by,
grab a drink, and experience hospitality that’s as professional as Teltec’s technology.
GREAT GEAR GUIDE•EURO CINE EXPO 2025 PREVIEW
GODOX
(420)
Godox will present the KNOWLED MG6K, its latest innovation in high-output, precision LED lighting for cinema professionals.
Delivering an impressive 41,000 Lux with the MGR30 reflector at 5,600K over 5m, and 132,000 Lux with the MGR15 reflector in the same setup, the MG6K ensures exceptional brightness and colour fidelity, with -/+100% G/M adjustment and CCT up to 10,000K. It also supports 0.1% precision dimming, ensuring smooth transitions refined light control.
The MG6K is fully-compatible with Godox’s
GREEN FILM SHOOTING
Green Film Shooting is an international magazine and online platform that has been presenting eco-friendly solutions to the film and media industry since 2013. As part of the European Centre for Sustainability in the media world, it informs creative professionals about energy and resourcesaving practices for film productions, studios, cinemas and festivals.
G-Mount accessory ecosystem. It offers diverse light-shaping options when paired with the MGR15/30 reflectors, BeamLight Max 90/60, motorised three-light bracket, GL7 lantern softbox, motorised Fresnel lens GF18M and other accessories.
LCA – LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION (312)
LCA – Lights Camera Action returns to Munich, showcasing cutting-edge innovations for film and broadcast professionals. On-display will be the new LiteGear LiteTile Spectrum, the Nanlux Evoke 5000B and DoPchoice’s latest Airglow accessories –including the brand-new Airglow Frame designed for the LiteTile.
Get hands-on with the upgraded Lightbridge CRLS reflectors, now featuring a durable Touchproof coating that resists fingerprints, stains, and scratches – perfect for the rigours of on-set life.
In addition to the MG6K, Godox will also be showcasing the other members in the KNOWLED line, including the MG series COB lights with the newlyreleased MG2400R, the MS60 series LED lights, as well as the full-colour flexible LED mat F100R/F200R/ F200SR/F400R/ F800R, and the fullcolour LED light panel P1200R/P600R Hard Pro. Get cinematic! www.godox.com
Explore both ends of the gear spectrum: from the heavy-duty yet compact Avenger Banshee
Its portfolio includes panel discussions at tech fairs and the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals, as well as lectures at international industry events, masterclasses at film schools, plus a Ted Talk on green film production.
Founded by Green Cinema consultant Birgit Heidsiek, this independent organisation serves as a unique source of information for professionals in the film and media industry, sustainability experts, plus scientists and students. www. greenfilmshooting.net
Also featured will be Creamsource’s intuitive new lighting control app, Slyyd. With an extensive profile library, Slyyd is designed to be learned in three minutes and mastered in twenty. Make sure to stop by for a demo. And finally, see the full Creamsource Vortex line-up, including an exciting new addition making its debut at the show! www.lcauk.com
wind-up stand, to Rosco’s ultra-portable and popular Octa Dash Kit.
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As the world’s first storm-proof 5000W LED bi-colour spotlight with Green/Magenta adjustment, the Evoke 5000B offers a colour temperature range of 2700K–6500K with ±80 Green/Magenta adjustment. It is equipped with the Nebula B4 light engine to maximise white light efficiency.
Compared to bi-colour lighting produced by fullcolour light engines, this light engine delivers 30% higher white light output efficiency with the same power input.
The Evoke 5000B achieves an astonishing
ONE STOP/K5600 (346)
May the Force One be with you! One Stop’s mission is to make every day easier on the shoot, with products that no-one else appears to have thought of before!
The Force One is a mighty cable rolling device that enables anyone involved with cables, to neatly wind-up 125-Amp 45ft cables to 16-Amp extensions. Speed and pedal controls enable inspection and cleaning as the cables are neatly rolled-up. Rental houses and lighting crews are going to like this, especially if it means far less strain!
Watch out too for the innovative C-Box system, an alternative to traditional apple boxes, and top-notch lighting fixtures from sister company K5600. www.onestopcine.com / www.k5600.eu
TELTEC – CAMERA & LENS ZONE (234)
Teltec, a system supplier for professional media and AV solutions since 1993, is the official partner of the new Camera & Lens Zone at Euro Cine Expo, and will have a full spectrum of high-end cinema cameras and optics on display, offering the broadest product portfolio in the industry. Featured camera systems include:
• ARRI Alexa 35 and Alexa Mini LF, the benchmarks in Super35 and large-format digital cinematography, offering outstanding dynamic range and cinematic imaging.
• Blackmagic Ursa Cine 12K LF large-format camera, ideal for multi-cam and cloud-enabled workflows.
• Red V-Raptor [X] & Komodo-X highperformance 8K and 6K systems with global shutter and Red Connect integration.
• Sony Burano & Venice full-frame 8K and 6K models, delivering Sony’s renowned colour science and versatility.
• Canon EOS C400 & C80 / Blackmagic Pyxis compact 6K full-frame cameras with advanced sensor technology and RAW workflows
• Fujifilm GFX100, the 102MP large-format mirrorless system for ultra-high-resolution hybrid productions.
output of 57,000 lux (with a 30° reflector at 5m), approaching the performance of a 9kW HMI or a 24kW Tungsten light. The lamp features an all-inone design, integrating the lamp head, control unit
and power supply into a single fixture. Its housing is constructed from high-strength magnesium alloy and is rated IP66 for superior durability.
Designed with balanceadjusting rails, the fixture allows balance adjustment when different accessories are mounted. It also includes a skid to protect the fixture from wear and enables stacking for improved transport efficiency. With a wide range of wired and wireless control options, this compact yet high-output LED spotlight simplifies set-up, ensures reliable performance, and is suitable for rapid deployment in both studio and outdoor environments.
www.nanlux.com / www.nglbg.com
• Z-Cam E2 MKII, the latest evolution of the popular E2 series, offering robust, modular cine performance. Accessories & Workflow Tools: Stop by and explore premium solutions from Zeiss, DZOFilm, Swit, Godox and Atomos – from cine lenses and studio lighting to batteries, monitors and recorders. Get hands-on. Meet the experts and discover how Teltec’s solutions can elevate your next production. www.teltec.de
SHOOT FOR THE
DP David Klein ASC and focus-puller Dominik Mainl shed some light on working with Caldwell Chameleon Anamorphic lenses with StageCraft LED virtual production technology on The Mandalorian and forthcoming The Mandalorian And Grogu.
David Klein ASC is a distinguished cinematographer whose impressive body of work spans film and television. Klein’s journey to working on The Mandalorian (2020-2023), part of the Star Wars universe, is rooted in his reputation as a versatile and innovative DP with a knack for creating visually-stunning and immersive narratives.
Klein first gained industry recognition through collaborations with director Kevin Smith on films such as Clerks (1994) and Mallrats (1995). Over the years, he expanded his repertoire, working on highprofile projects such as True Blood (2011-2014) and Homeland (2013-2020). His ability to blend technical expertise with storytelling earned him acclaim and opened doors to larger projects.
The DPs involvement in The Mandalorian began when Jon Favreau, the series’ creator and executive producer, sought to assemble a team of top-tier talent to bring his vision of the Star Wars universe to life. The series required cinematographers who could seamlessly integrate traditional cinematic techniques
with ground-breaking virtual production technology, notably the use of the StageCraft Volume, a massive LED wall system developed by Industrial Light & Magic. Klein’s technical aptitude and his ability to adapt to new tools made him an ideal choice.
On The Mandalorian, Klein worked closely with directors, VFX teams and fellow cinematographers like Baz Idoine ASC to craft the series’ signature look. His contributions involved not only capturing dynamic and visually-arresting imagery, but also navigating the challenges of shooting within the LED Volume, where real-time rendered backgrounds replace greenscreens. This method demands meticulous pre-visualisation and collaboration, areas in which Klein excelled.
Klein’s work on The Mandalorian reflects his mastery of both the art and technology of modern cinematography, solidifying his place as one of the industry’s most respected DPs. His ability to merge cutting-edge techniques with a deep understanding of narrative visual language helped make The Mandalorian a visual and storytelling triumph, beloved by fans and critics alike.
The DP’s mastery of storytelling and cinematography on the series also leveraged a deep collaboration with a highly-skilled crew. Among them was focus puller Dominik Mainl, whose expertise in virtual production played a pivotal role in the series’ technical success.
Once we mounted the Chameleons, the choice became clear
Mainl, known for his precision and adaptability, proved indispensable in navigating the unique challenges of working within the StageCraft Volume.
Whilst this technology offers unprecedented visual realism, it also demands an exacting approach to focus-pulling, as depth, parallax and virtual set extensions are projected directly on the walls. Klein relied heavily on Mainl’s technical acumen and problem-solving abilities to ensure that the imagery captured within the Volume maintained the seamless illusion of a vast and immersive Star Wars universe.
Mainl’s proficiency with complex lens data systems, as well as his ability to adapt focus marks and distances to dynamic changes in the virtual environment, was critical.
Working closely with Klein, Mainl ensured that every shot maintained the sharpness and depth
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required to sell the realism of the scenes, whether it involved intimate character moments or sprawling action sequences. His technical finesse and attention to detail allowed Klein to push creative boundaries without compromising on visual fidelity.
The collaboration between Klein and Mainl highlights the importance of having a team that can marry artistry with cutting-edge technology. Mainl’s role as a focus puller on The Mandalorian demonstrates how the evolving landscape of virtual production continues to elevate the craft, making him an integral part of the series’ success and a testament to the collaborative nature of modern filmmaking.
Klein and Mainl recently spoke about their work on The Mandalorian, shedding some light on their approach to achieving the show’s distinctive visual style. They discussed the process of lens selection, testing and the challenges of working within the cutting-edge StageCraft virtual production environment.
Their search for the most suitable lens was an extensive testing process, where they evaluated every Anamorphic lens available in their market. The lenses they ended-up using were the Caldwell Chameleon 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 75mm and 100mm Anamorphics, paired with a 135mm and 180mm Cooke 1.8x SF on the ARRI LF sensor.
When asked about how they selected lenses and their criteria for testing, Klein explained, “We used Panavision’s de-tuned UltraVista glass before but just didn’t have enough lenses. Running two units with multiple cameras at any given moment pushed us into researching different options.”
This shortage of lenses prompted the team to explore alternatives that could meet the demands of their unique production workflow.
“Before deciding on the Chameleon lenses, we tested several sets of Anamorphic glass, including Panavision’s UltraVista, T-series and C-series, Vantage Hawk glass, TechnoVision and Cooke 1.8x Special Flare lenses. We also explored offerings from other manufacturers. However, once we mounted the Chameleons, the choice became clear – it was almost
a no-brainer.’’
Elaborating on the selection process Mainl added, “We started looking for new glass after wrapping up The Book Of Boba Fett (2021-22022). Dave had a distinctive look in mind for the upcoming shows, but we had to make sure the lenses could perform in the StageCraft Volume as well. Moiré is always in the back of your mind when shooting in a virtual environment.”
The StageCraft Volume, with its massive LED wall set-up, presents unique challenges, such as managing moiré patterns and ensuring that lenses can adapt seamlessly to the intricate requirements of virtual backdrops. When asked how virtual production influenced their lens choices, Mainl emphasised the
role of Caldwell Chameleons.
“The Chameleon’s design was key to working in this virtual environment. Their dual astigmatisers create a different moiré pattern than traditional Anamorphic lenses. This pattern is called a Pointcaré moiré and, unlike the more common Galilean moiré, it allows you to focus much closer to the Volume. This gained us a lot of real estate in terms of usable set space.”
Klein added, “The other advantage was putting the Standard Coverage Chameleons on an ARRI LF sensor and realising they would cover! That gave us a sweet fall-off at the edges, depending on the T-stop.”
The combination of the Chameleons and the LF sensor offered a balance of practical and artistic
Credit: Lukas films ltd
flexibility, enhancing both the visual and spatial possibilities within the Volume.
Klein also noted, “We liked the look of SC Chameleons on the LF sensor, so that was an easy sell. Plus, we wanted to shoot 4K, so we had limited camera choices back when we started to shoot The Mandalorian S3.”
As virtual production technology advances, Klein foresees a growing impact on lens choices.
“The more realistic the Volume content looks, the better. Lenses that give you that freedom of moving around in the limited set space will make that possible, and I personally have yet to find another lens set that will give you that much freedom and flexibility. Choose your lenses wisely.”
When discussing apertures and format size, Mainl noted Klein’s preference.
“Dave likes to shoot as close to wide open as possible. I don’t think he knows lenses go to a T4 (laughs). That being said, it’s achieving the look he wants, so there you go.” Klein responded with his own humour: “Shooting wide open on an LF sensor. It’s a great look. Don’t listen to Dom, lenses don’t go to a T4. That’s a myth.”
Regarding camera set-ups and equipment selection, Mainl highlighted their need for versatility.
“We need to be ready for anything, whether that’s Steadicam, crane, handheld, etc., and, if possible, quickly! Plus, we’re dealing with the equipment that the Volume control team implements (as we are tethered
to the Volume) and on occasion N-Cam (the previz system now owned by Zeiss). That’s a lot of stuff mounted on that little camera. I’m just happy that the lenses are the same size, so that’s one variable less I have to deal with.
“I like to build the camera in a way that it’s really quick to switch between modes and external requirements – i.e., N-Cam or IR systems or whatever needs to be added. That way the DP has the camera back quickly and can do their job lighting.”
Regarding their experience shooting with Caldwell Chameleons, Mainl praised their design.
“The design is great. The same front diameter, and almost the same weight across the range. Great minimum focus for Anamorphic glass in the 2’6” range. All making them easy to work with.
We made our own, personalised focus scales. Now we have coollooking laser-engraved Star Wars focus scales!”
Klein and Mainl’s approach combined artistic vision with a meticulous technical process, ensuring that their lens choices not only met the creative goals of The Mandalorian but also overcame the practical hurdles of virtual production. The latest instalment of The Mandalorian, officially titled The Mandalorian And Grogu, began filming in June and wrapped in December 2024. Details about
DAVID
the production remain heavily-guarded and under strict NDAs.
Klein and Mainl dedicated six intense months to the project, which is one of the most eagerlyanticipated entries in the Star Wars saga. The film is scheduled for release on May 22, 2026, marking the first Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise Of Skywalker.
Moiré is always in the back of your mind when shooting in a virtual environment
Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, and Dave Filoni, the movie will bring Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) and Grogu to the big screen, continuing their epic journey and
expanding the rich narrative universe of Star Wars.
Aspect Ratio: While the aspect ratio is always a critical decision on a project like this, we have to postpone the specifics of that discussion due to the IMAX sequences and the restrictions of our NDA. More details will be shared down the road.
Acknowledgments from David Klein and Dominik Mainl: “We extend a huge thank you to the phenomenal team at Otto Nemenz International. Their unmatched service and support played an integral role in our success. Dan Lopez and his team handled all the lens tuning in-house, tailored to our exact specifications, ensuring the lenses performed flawlessly.
“We’re also immensely grateful to the talented camera team – your work was the backbone of this production. A special shout-out goes to key grip Bud Scott, gaffer Jeff Webster ICLS, and the entire Volume Control Team, especially Justin Talley.
Navigating the complexities of ground-breaking technology like the Volume, while accommodating IMAX and N-Cam requirements, was no small feat. But with this crew, it felt seamless. Thank you all for your incredible work and dedication. It made a galaxy far, far away feel close to home.’’
Images
Courtesy / Copyright of Otto Nemenz, Caldwell, Cintek.
Blockbusters do not get much bigger than this
HOLD YOUR BREATH
By Ron Prince
Hang on to your hats! Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning delivers some almighty thrills and spills, from the deep blue sea to the cerulean skies, and much more in-between.
Filmed for an immersive IMAX experience, the eighth and maybe concluding movie in Paramount Pictures’ long-running franchise, picksup two months after the events of 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. The action follows maverick super-spy Ethan Hunt as he continues the mission, along with his renegade team, to find and destroy an all-powerful AI known as ‘The Entity’, before it either falls into the wrong hands or annihilates humankind of its own accord.
As you would expect, the movie has some of the most thrilling cinematography you’re likely to see on a cinema screen. DP Fraser Taggart’s camerawork takes the audience right to the heart of the nervejangling, nail-biting, jaw-dropping,
awe-inducing action, getting up-close and personal with Tom Cruise, who performed all of the stunts himself, and the other members of the ensemble cast, including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Angela Bassett, Tramell Tillman, Hannah Waddingham and Esai Morales.
Being a direct sequel, The Final Reckoning was shot back-to-back after Dead Reckoning, with both films directed by Christopher McQuarrie (aka McQ) from screenplays he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. Both were shot by Taggart as the cinematographer.
All-in-all Taggart spent the best part of six years working on the two features. Dead Reckoning was filmed over a protracted threeand-a-half-year period, between July 2019 and February 2023, mainly because of lengthy shutdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Production on The Final Reckoning suffered a similar fate, in that the shoot was suspended by the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, between May and November 2023. This saw Taggart spending the best part of two years shooting the franchise’s grand finale.
“We started testing and then shooting certain action sequences on The Final Reckoning before we had completed absolutely everything that was needed for Dead Reckoning, such as cut-aways and closeups. So there was a bit of an overlap between the two films, which really helped continuity,” says Taggart, whose reputation as a second/action unit DP on bigbudget productions – such as Rogue One (2016, dir. Gareth Edwards, DP Greig Fraser ACS ASC), Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018, Christopher McQuarrie, DP Rob Hardy BSC ASC) and Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019, dir. David Leitch, DP Jonathan Sela ASC) – helped to secure his role as the cinematographer on Dead Reckoning and then The Final Reckoning.
“Although there was downtime during the shoot, caused by the Hollywood strikes, and the shooting period became prolonged, it was good to take some breaths and use the hiatus as a window of opportunity to work-out our plans and shoot tests for up-coming setpieces, such as the underwater scenes,” he adds.
Based out of Longcross Studios, Chertsey, production on The Final Reckoning took place on multiple sets, including two huge water tanks that were specially-constructed on the studio backlot to film the underwater sequences – one named the Deep Dive Tank where the general sub-aqua descent scenes were captured, the other called the Gimbal Tank, in which the interiors of the sunken submarine interiors were shot.
To create the impression of the action taking place in the dark ocean depths, both tanks required special measures to prevent the penetration of light and unwanted refractions. This saw the Deep Dive Tank, a vast standing structure above ground, and the Gimbal Tank, which had been made by excavating a substantially-deep space below ground-level to fit a
variety of hefty gimbals, both being completely tented, to cut ambient light levels to a minimum.
“Whilst both tanks were impressive, the Gimbal Tank was phenomenal,” Taggart exclaims. “It was one the biggest engineering structures I have ever seen on a movie set, and I initially thought someone had mistakenly delivered a new amusement for the Thorpe Park funfair just down the road. We could slide-in pods of different parts of the submarine, which could rotate, tilt, descend and be flooded with water. Dan Homewood, the special effects gimbal supervisor, is the most unassuming man you could ever meet, but his work in building and calculating the stresses and strains of how those rigs could work above and below water, was absolutely amazing.
There was a bit of an overlap between the two films, which really helped continuity
“For safety’s sake, all of the underwater lighting had to be battery-powered, and there were not many products available off-the-shelf for that. I tip my hat to my gaffer Martin Smith ICLS, and Joe Tooke, our head practical lighting technician, for their phenomenal efforts in building practicals and other sources, sorting the cabling so that it would not get
snagged, and giving me the levels of illumination that I needed every day we shot.”
The lighting team on The Final Reckoning also included Lee Eldred as assistant chief lighting technician, Dan Walters ICLS as the desk operator, plus Ryan Huffer the underwater gaffer and his team of underwater sparks.
Other UK locations included The Lake District, the disused underground tunnels and caverns at Middleton Mine in Derbyshire, along with the London landmarks of Trafalgar Square, Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square.
The film’s Arctic scenes were filmed in Svalbard, an archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole, one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas, known for its rugged, remote terrain and bonechilling minus 40°C temperatures.
“We spent a memorable three weeks sleeping on icebreakers by night and shooting on the frozen tundra around Svalbard by day, whilst being frequently checked-out by the local polar bears in the freezing cold,” Taggart recalls.
The crew then moved to the Adriatic Sea, off the southern peninsula of Puglia, Italy, to film aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier, where Taggart recalls arriving for the shoot in a Cods cargo/supply plane and enduring the thrill of an arrestor-wire landing on the flight deck.
“The sensations of landing and then shooting onboard that vast aircraft carrier were truly-remarkable experiences,” he says. “There were various NATO exercises taking place while we were there, with F16s and F18s fighters being launched day and night. The first two nights I didn’t really sleep because my cabin was just below the deck and planes were taking-
off right above our heads. However, the US navy personnel were amazing in chaperoning us around the vessel to places where we could shoot safely in the thick of everything that was going-on.”
The dramatic aerial action scenes involving the biplanes were variously filmed in South Africa along Blyde River Canyon, above the Drakensberg Mountains, and around the steep coastal cliffs of Waterfall Bluff in Lusikisiki Eastern Cape, where the fresh water cascade drops directly into the Indian Ocean. Pick-ups and close-ups for the aerial sequence were later filmed at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire and a disused quarry near Wallingford in Oxfordshire.
Taggart reveals that he tested but then eschewed the idea of shooting certain action sequences using virtual production. “LED volumes are brilliant and you can achieve good results, but after thoroughly investigating the possibilities, that style of production didn’t readily lend itself to the Mission: Impossible franchise, where things have to look genuine, especially for Tom and McQ.”
Knowing that The Final Reckoning would be much more IMAX-oriented than previous films in the franchise, and being aware that exposure-levels on the dark underwater sequences posed challenges, Taggart took the opportunity to switch things up camera-wise. Whereas he shot Dead Reckoning using 6K Sony Venice 6K cameras, the DP opted for 8K Sony Venice 2 as the main camera on The Final Reckoning. The production used six Sony Venice 2 cameras – prepped and ready-for-use on cranes and a U-crane Arm,
along with Steadicam, a Stabileye gyroscopic gimbal and the Sony Venice Extension System 2. Taggart went with the more diminutive Sony 6K Burano for tight spaces, and compact Z-cam E2-F6 Pro cameras with Zeiss CP.3 spherical lenses when the confines became especially small. Cruise also sported a Snori body rig, using the Z-cam, for closeups, such as those on the biplane aerial sequence. The camera package was supplied by Panavision London, with direct support from Sony and Z-cam.
“The sensors in the Sony Venice 2 and the original Sony Venice match well together, and after extensive testing in 8K I felt the continuity of the lookand-feel worked well visually,” says Taggart. “The Venice 2 sensor has a dual ISO base of 800 and 3200, which was perfect for low-light scenes, such as in the water tanks. Shooting in full-frame 8K would also allow the image to be re-racked between IMAX and
For safety’s sake, all of the underwater lighting had to be battery-powered
widescreen, depending on the deliverable, without any loss of image quality. The Sony Burano has the same dual ISO bases as the Venice 2, and although the colour rendition from Z-cam is slightly different, that was easily fixed during the final colour grade.”
Filming for IMAX also affected Taggart’s lens choices. On Dead Reckoning, which was originated in widescreen 2.40:1, Taggart went with Panavision C-series Anamorphic lenses. He remained with the C-series optics for The Final Reckoning and used them largely for scenes that were dialogue-heavy and plot-related, but introduced Panavision VA spherical lenses to capture the action-laden scenes that were to be filmed and later projected in IMAX format,
“The C-series Anamorphics are wonderfully imperfect, soft and forgiving on faces, especially when you consider the harshness of the 8K digital sensor, and they help get you somewhere close to a filmic-look,” he explains. “I went with the Panavision VA lenses as they are large-format optics and cover the whole of the fullframe 8K sensor. They deliver predictable, vintage-style aberrations that are similar to the C-series Anamorphics and would therefore not jar on the audience when we switched between lenses and formats.”
Taggart describes working-out which scenes to shoot in IMAX versus widescreen, whilst also considering how the final movie would be presented in different cinemas, as “quite mind-boggling. We mapped out as far as we could the sequences that would be presented in IMAX – such as the biplane, submarine and underwater sequences – but shot those with framelines for both IMAX formats, 1.43:1 and 1.90:1, plus widescreen 2.40:1, in the eyepiece. This allowed McQ and the editorial team to make the final decision down the line during post production.”
During prep, Taggart developed basic Rec.709 LUTs for day/night interior/exterior scenarios with senior colourist Asa Shoul at Warner Bros De Lane Lea, Soho, London, who also completed the final DI grade. During pre-light days, Taggart typically made
adjustments to those LUTs with the help of DIT Stephan Bookas using LiveGrade, and fine-tuned the overall looks after actual takes.
“Stephan is one of the calmest and most reliable people you can work with, especially on a long project like this one,” says Taggart. “He was brilliant, and I knew, when I went home at the end of every working day, that he would stick around for at least another hour checking that everything was OK.”
To keep the looks on-track during production, Taggart frequently visited Shoul in the grading suite
Our aerial crew shot some astounding footage
before the start of the shooting day to finesse the grade of the previous day’s rushes, which he remarks “kept us in the right ballpark, and would quicken-up the process when we came to do the final colour.”
Whilst Taggart says he enjoys operating, and undertook a modicum of that on the wheels when deploying the Russian Arm, the vast majority of the A-camera/Steadicam work was done by Jonathan ‘Chunky’ Richmond, with Will Humphris operating B-camera. The key grip was Gary Pocock. Keeping the camera up-close and personal with Cruise during several sprints required someone who was particularly fleet-of-foot, especially when
carrying a StabilEye gyroscope gimbal, and that person proved to be dolly grip Ross Sheppard.
Taggart says he worried terribly about the movie’s sub-aqua sequences, “chiefly because underwater action is all in slow-motion and therefore not very exciting. To make this section of the movie work, after all the high-octane stuff that had gone before, the camera had to have energy and excitement.
“So we looked around and
eventually found Simon Christidis ACS, the Australian specialist underwater DP who has an amazing track record in documentaries and features. He builds his own underwater housings and works in all water conditions including surf, ocean and cave diving. He came with a calm, can-do attitude, and made fromscratch a variety of small, water-tight housings that allowed the Z-cam to travel quickly and nimbly under water, and this generally makes the camera movement much more interesting.”
The DP also pays tribute to his aerial crew – Danny Rose from CineAero, who oversaw the hard-mounts on the biplanes for the Z-cams and camera array systems for plates, and also the skills of camera helicopter pilot Will Banks and aerial DP Phil Artnz.
“Our aerial crew shot some astounding footage,” he notes. “Will’s flying skills following the biplanes down gullies, just three feet from the wingtips and fuselages, and Phil’s cinematography
using wide angle lenses, make you feel like you are part of that incredible sequence.”
Of course, working with other departments is always of paramount importance on any production, and Taggart highlights his collaborations with stuntcoordinator Wade Eastwood, who also directed the second unit, SFX supervisor Ian Lowe and his team, Neil Layton, the action vehicles supervisor, and Alex Wuttke, the VFX supervisor from ILM.
“It’s so important that you’re tuned-in with each other, knowing what you each need a little help with, and what is ultimately going to look good on-screen,” Taggart reflects. “Over the course of these two films so much has happened, so many set-ups, and whilst at times it was a test of patience and perseverance, it has been a great privilege and incredibly exciting to work with Tom and McQ. Blockbusters do not get much bigger or better than this.”
SCREWBALL MYSTERY
By Darek Kuźma
Director of photography Paula Huidobro AMC eagerly embraced the challenge of capturing The Residence’s witty murder-mystery mayhem set in the White House.
Set primarily during and just after a significant White House state dinner, the eight-episode Netflix mini-series follows the investigation into the baffling death of the Chief Usher – found strangled, with wrists slit, in what is quickly ruled-out as a DIY exit strategy.
Enter Cordelia Cupp, a legendary detective tasked with solving the case. With over 150 suspects – including a touchy Australian delegation, a few notso-good men intent on avoiding scandal, and a sea of testy staff members –plus dozens of rooms where clues might be hidden, the investigation proves... complicated.
And, as if that weren’t enough, the series unfolds as an Agatha Christie homage told in the form of a classic screwball comedy of verbal mischief, where words fly faster than bullets and the number of plot twists rivals the show’s elegant absurdity and deadpan pulse.
For cinematographer Huidobro, whose credits include the 2022 Oscarwinning Coda (2021), and who lensed the first four episodes of The Residence, the draw to the production was as much professional as it was personal.
“I joined because of director Liza Johnson,” Huidobro reveals. “We’d worked together on the TV series of Barry (2018-19) and Physical (2021). She brought me on-board.”
What the DP found in the script was a logistical Rubik’s Cube disguised as comedy.
“It felt almost like a board game. We had over 60 principal cast members.
Some shots were incredibly technical
You had to step back and really feel the characters inside the house – especially since the deceased is one of the protagonists, shown in flashbacks from various viewpoints,” the DP recalls.
“The house was a character itself, and we needed to describe its geography whilst also showing events via different perspectives. As a murder mystery, it demanded a visual language of both elegance and clarity. As a comedy, it required timing, spatial logic and rhythm.”
Principal photography unfolded in two blocks – March to June 2023 and January to May 2024 –separated by the WGA strike. A real blow came with the death of actor André Braugher in December 2023. As he played the Chief Usher, the producers made the tough decision to recast the role with Giancarlo Esposito and re-shoot his scenes.
The White House lawn was a rare exception, shot in a park, with The White House added digitally to a series of stitched shots: real grass, real people and a CGI backdrop. Their White House was more than just a setting – it functioned like a sentient labyrinth.
“There are so many rooms – the Blue Room, the Green Room, the library – and floors, and it was almost like a maze. Because it’s a whodunnit, you had to know where everyone was, who saw whom, and what angles mattered.”
It was mentally exhausting but rewarding
Despite its scale, The Residence was shot almost entirely on-stage across 143 days at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. “Each floor of The White House was on a different stage,” Huidobro explains. “The sets were constructed in a way that allowed the camera to travel freely and dynamically through the interiors. And since the spaces were large – with golden facades and intricate detailing – the lighting had to be integrated directly into the architecture.”
To reinforce that clarity, Huidobro and Johnson studied both archival White House footage and films like David Fincher’s Panic Room (2002, DPs Conrad Hall ASC & Darius Khondji AFC ASC) for its intricate spatial transitions, plus Robert Altman’s Gosford Park (2001, DP Andrew Dunn BSC) for ensemble blocking and class-based camera dynamics.
“Because it’s a comedy, supported by the camera language, we invited a lot of spontaneity from the cast. But at the same time, we had to be very precise about blocking and positioning. Some scenes, like discovering the body, had to be shot-listed. It had to be fun but also clear.”
Technical planning became its own form of sleuthing. The DP decided to shoot on the Sony Venice 2 for its high native ISO – helpful on stylised or lower-lit sets – and its
colour science, which gave her more control over the wide range of skin tones in the cast.
“We wanted a feeling of authenticity in what is ultimately a polished, glossy show,” she says. “We had the full range of skin tones in our cast. It required careful placement and specific lights for certain actors so no one got lost in the frame, and the Venice 2 was invaluable in the process.”
Huidobro paired the camera with Panavision T-series Anamorphics. “It was almost an all-primes show. The 35mm was our signature lens. The director was open to shooting close and wide, so we leaned into that.”
A long zoom was also used for a falcon’s-eye shot, blending zoom-in and dolly-out as The White House appears in the eye of the bird.
Camera movement followed along. Long Steadicam takes were filmed as plates, later stitched with background shots and VFX elements.
“Everything was composed and fluid, we never used handheld,” says Huidobro of operators Kenny
Brown and J. Steven Matzinger. “It had to be, since we needed to shoot one floor, then transition to another. Sometimes the camera would travel across two stages, stitched together with CGI – through hallways, staircases, even walls.”
Specialised rigs, including a Ronin on a descender and a cable cam, were used for shots that glided through interiors.
“Some shots were incredibly technical – like the overhead where the house goes into lockdown and the camera pulls up to show the entire building from above. We had a lighting room above the stage just for hallways.”
Ensemble scenes demanded intense attention to detail, especially during after-dinner party shots filled with extras, overlapping dialogue, and multiple story beats unfolding at once.
“There were so many characters to keep track of. Each scene had little story points we had to make sure weren’t missed. It was like choreographing movement through space, but with layers of narrative to cover
too,” Huidobro recalls.
“We had three cameras in those set-ups, but most of the time it was just one. The average take-count hovered around five or six. We worked closely with the VFX supervisor, production designer and key grip to ensure each technical shot served a story purpose.”
Precision didn’t mean rigidity, however Huidobro allowed for on-set adjustments, responding to actors’ choices while preserving the movement framework developed in prep.
The visual choices and staging wizardry were complemented by the lighting strategies.
Gaffer Chris Culliton ICLS’s team built a lighting infrastructure more akin to a theatrical installation than a conventional set-up.
“The main White House set was built at 7/8 scale with 16-foot-high walls that weren’t designed to be removed. Often, scenes involved large groups of actors moving quickly through multiple rooms,” Culliton says.
“Initially, the set design didn’t include ceilings,
but we needed low-angle shots, which made VFX replacements prohibitively expensive. We settled on a hybrid system. Soffits were added to the walls, and ceilings were built in sections using bleached muslin stretched on wooden frames.
“When ceilings weren’t in the shot, the grips pulled the muslin up with pulleys. When they were in shot, we masked them to appear as white plaster panels. Chandeliers were perforated through the muslin and could also be raised or lowered via separate pulley systems.”
The lighting backbone of the show was a series of elevated walkways, or “greenbeds,” running the perimeter of each room.
“These allowed us to place softboxes and add specials or wall washes,” says Culliton. “We used over 1,000 CreamSource Vortex 8s to glow the grids – bright, full-colour LED units that gave us both punch and precision.”
Floor lighting was handled with large sources placed at a distance – the kind of soft, indirect light Huidobro prefers.
“Our go-to setup was a 12x12 light grid frame, often with ARRI SkyPanel 360s behind. We
PAULA HUIDOBRO AMC•THE RESIDENCE
We invited a lot of spontaneity from the cast
sometimes placed them side-by-side to create even larger sources. The challenge was always spill –those white walls bounced the light everywhere. The grip team used the ‘greenbeds’ to drop teasers and flags to keep it controlled. Meanwhile, a fixtures team managed hundreds of practicals – sconces, chandeliers, lamps – all connected to a central dimming network.”
“Every wall outlet actually worked,” Culliton says. “No cords snaking around – everything was clean and programmable. Some of the specialty builds were amazing: an elevator with custom lighting, even a gingerbread house with tiny working sconces.”
Huidobro marvels at the lighting design and notes that, combined with the LUT she developed with Technicolor colourist Pankaj Bajpai, the captured footage required little tweaking in the DI.
“I did camera tests with Pankaj during prep and created a set of LUTs – slightly cooler in tone – that we used on-set,” says the DP. “Everything was monitored with those LUTs in place, and the final colour stayed very close. It was one of the more straightforward DI processes I’ve had. The grade focussed on retaining detail, preserving subtle
skin tones, and ensuring the show’s polished visual sheen didn’t sacrifice nuance.”
Huidobro says that despite all the foreseeable logistical challenges in the script, she didn’t expect the show would push her so much.
“With so many characters, you have to think in a different way. When it’s just one actor, it’s more instinctive – you can connect with them, and it’s often more about the emotional point of view,” she explains.
“In ensemble scenes, it’s about how people move and use space. You have to constantly think where everyone is, how they relate to each other spatially, how to keep the scene dynamic and interesting. It was mentally exhausting but rewarding.”
The Residence is a production that thrives on contradictions – glossy yet chaotic, comedic but calculated. At its core is an ambitious act of staging: a vast dollhouse built from scratch, framed like a board game, and lit like a play. Watching Paula Huidobro and her team’s work support the show’s plot, it’s easy to conclude that clarity and control can still be playful, elegant – and just a little wicked.
SIREN SONG
By Natasha Block Hicks
Knowing a place is essential to being able to capture its best moments
Parthenope was the name of a siren of Greek mythology, who cast herself into the ocean and drowned when her song failed to seduce the hero Odysseus. It is also the original name of the ancient settlement – at the site where the siren’s body was said to have washed ashore – that would eventually evolve into the city of Naples.
So, Parthenope (2024), the latest feature from Oscar-winning writer/director Paolo Sorrentino, stretching between the 1950s to the present-day, is as much a love-letter to Naples as it is about unrequited and forbidden love, the ramifications from suicide, and the ripples created in the wake of a great beauty. The titular Parthenope is played in youth by Celeste Dalla Porta, and in maturity by Stefania Sandrelli.
“The script seemed extraordinary to me, full of meaning and powerful images – a great challenge,” comments Parthenope’s DP Daria D’Antonio CCS.
“It is the story of a woman, of a city, but above all it is a story about the passing of time, about the vulnerability of human beings, caught-up by the events of life, which change us and transform our perception. The film explores the idea of youth, freedom and how the promise of happiness can be broken. It has the breadth of a great novel and a tone between reality, mystery and rarefaction.”
Parthenope – which premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival – is Sorrentino and D’Antonio’s second
feature as director/cinematographer, following The Hand Of God (2021). They are currently working on their third collaboration, La Grazia/Grace – a love story – although between features, shorts and commercials their collaborations number closer to ten.
“I am always very happy with the fruitful and stimulating exchange with Paolo,” enthuses D’Antonio.
D’Antonio had six weeks to prep for the shoot, between location scouting, tests, script readings and research work, with filming taking place over 67 days from late June to mid-September 2023. The project was shot entirely on-location, in Naples and on the idyllic and wealthy island resort of Capri.
“Paolo wanted the film to have the atmosphere of a long, endless summer, to be beautiful and fleeting like youth,” illustrates D’Antonio.
Ahead of shooting, she rewatched some French films, in particular Le Mépris/Contempt (1967, dir. JeanLuc Godard, DP Raoul Coutard AFC), also set largely in Capri, along with La Piscine/The Swimming Pool (1969, dir. Jacques Deray, DP Jean-Jacques Tarbès), and Pierrot Le Fou (1965, dir. Jean-Luc Godard, DP DP Raoul Coutard AFC).
“When I prepare for a film, however, what I love and find most useful is reading and rereading books that inspire ideas in me,” divulges D’Antonio.
She rediscovered Ferito A Morte/Mortal Wound by Neapolitan novelist Raffaele La Capria, which follows its young male protagonist through post-war Naples as he grapples with his identity and unrequited love. She also reread the story collection Il Mare Non Bagna Napoli, translated as The Sea Does Not Bathe Naples, by Anna Maria Ortese, and forbidden gay
D’Antonio says she also pored over vintage photos, including old family snaps, and researched the watercolour paintings of British 20th century artist Patrick Procktor RA. In particular, she was struck by a photograph of Procktor reclining languidly in a tasselled hammock, cigarette in hand, a blonde whippet lounging across his lap.
“The soft colours and the melancholic, suspended atmosphere struck me,” she muses. “They seemed so perfectly in-line with the feeling that I’d got reading Paolo’s script, and the mood he had relayed to me.”
Parthenope – like all of Sorrentino’s movies – is presented in widescreen 2.39:1, which D’Antonio comments, “This time too it seemed the most suitable to me.”
She selected the ARRI Alexa 35, “To make the most of natural light”, mounted with ARRI Signature Primes or Zooms “for great softness, precision and practicality”, all supplied by D-Vision Movie People, Rome. The Alexa was programmed to use a LUT that D’Antonio created with her regular colourist Andrea Orsini at Flat Parioli Digital Post in Rome: an ARRI LogC4 to Gamma 2.4 Rec.709 D65 base, with lowered contrasts and modifications to the colour saturation.
“The LUT helped in pursuing the ideas I had, especially for the colour rendering,” she explains.
attraction tale La Morte Della Bellezza/The Death Of Beauty by Giuseppe Patroni Grìffi.
I was able to indulge the naturalness of the light
D’Antonio and Sorrentino always ran at least two cameras on Parthenope, with D’Antonio taking A-camera and Alessandro Brambilla on B-camera and Steadicam, although they would often bring in a third camera, operated by Alessandro Abate and occasionally a fourth, handled by Giorgio Toso. Among the comprehensive crew D’Antonio had 1st AC Alessio Galasso and 2nd AC Tonia Forte with her on A-camera, gaffer Fabio Policastro heading the lighting team, and Cristiano Biagioli in charge of the grip team.
“I have a wonderful, sensitive and organised team,” she reflects appreciatively. “We have been collaborating for years and I am very grateful for the care they put into their work. Without them, ideas would remain just ideas.”
D’Antonio used a combination of dolly, handheld, Steadicam and Ronin, plus drone –with Paolo Majolo, the chief aerial DP from ActionDrone piloting – and a Black Arm for the shots captured at sea.
“My aim was for a total connection with the emotionality of the protagonist and the narration,” she explains of her choices regarding camera movement.
Equally so, the lighting was designed to recreate an environment that would make the characters feel either comfortable or uncomfortable, depending on the moment in the story.
“I always try to know the spaces in which the characters will move,” elaborates D’Antonio. “I love working with natural light, so knowing a place is essential to being able to capture its best moments or to intervene by distorting it. Parthenope gave me the opportunity to express myself in very different situations. I was able to indulge the naturalness of the light and I was able to create atmospheres, suspended in time, in
– most importantly – create the conditions to be able to film from multiple points-of-view at the same time.”
However, D’Antonio likes to view both challenges and happy accidents as opportunities for growth.
“Little things happen every day that can make
you change your mind or help you pursue a good idea,” she considers. “I am always very attentive, and furthermore, I am happy to continually question myself and allow myself to be surprised by events.”
The DI grade was conducted at Flat Parioli.
“The post-production phase is a moment of great
majestic and sumptuous environments.”
To help her realise her vision for the lighting, D’Antonio had a comprehensive package supplied by D-Vision Movie People, including ARRI M-Series, De Sisti’s The Muses Of Light range, designed by Vittorio Storaro AIC ASC and De Sisti, and LEDs such as Creamsource Vortex 4/8 and Astera Helios or Titan tubes.
“The lower environmental impact of using these new powerful LED lights is a topic very close to my heart,” states D’Antonio.
The Muses Of Light geometric LED banks, which included the Aurea, Tersicore, Clio and Melpomene, came into their own when shooting on the island of Capri.
“Capri was a very big challenge,” reveals D’Antonio. “The locations were far from the centre, hard to reach and difficult to illuminate. The Muses Of Light collection became invaluable in these situations.”
For some streets D’Antonio’s team had to recreate the public lighting entirely, which they also had to do in an alley sequence in Naples. “This would have been impossible without the hard work of the electricians and the logistical support provided by the production and the art department,” D’Antonio reflects gratefully.
The lighting in remote locations was not the only challenge. “The balance between realism and lyricism was very difficult to maintain,” divulges D’Antonio, “and in the environments where we used more than two cameras, the difficulty tripled or quadrupled. Paolo shoots at a fast pace, so you have to be quick, clear and
creativity; a moment that I like a lot,” D’Antonio reveals. “You can certainly improve some things, because once the film is edited it is, in a certain sense, rewritten, and you can reflect further on the meaning. I prefer not to distort, however, but rather add and refine.”
D’Antonio is very pleased with the resulting film, and nods to the importance of the working relationships she enjoyed with, not just Sorrentino and her own team, but also the production designer Carmine Guarino, costume designer Carlo Poggioli, line producer Rocco Messere and 1st AD Jacopo Bonvicini.
“The collaboration and understanding were fundamental,” she stresses. “Parthenope gave me the opportunity to express myself, experiment and invent. But, I deeply believe in the importance of teamwork, which is the beauty of cinema: giving the best of yourself and making sure that others give their best.”
Images: Production and BTS photos copyright Gianni Fiorito.
WHAT’S COOKING?
By Darek Kuźma
Juan Pablo Ramírez AMC’s cinematographic effort on Alonso Ruizpalacios’s (mostly) B&W La Cocina helped to elevate its passionate commentaries on immigration, exploitation and human resilience.
Blending social realism with visuallyexpressionistic dark comedy for a richlylayered glimpse into the camaraderie and rush hour pandemonium of a bustling New York restaurant kitchen, La Cocina is a hilariously poignant portrait of a group of underpaid staffers, most often immigrants, and their strategies for survival amidst the relentless pressures of the daily grind.
There is no room for savouring the elegance or flavour of the meals as the film dives deep into the factory-like conditions in which the unseen people toiling below the dining room have to work. Shot in timeless B&W aesthetics, enhanced by a few focussed bursts of colour that illuminate key emotional and narrative moments, La Cocina takes the audience on a unique journey.
Though the film takes place entirely in New York, only a handful of exteriors were actually shot there. Knowing he would craft La Cocina on a soundstage in Mexico City and adjoining locations, Ruizpalacios looked for a Mexican DP who would help bring his ambitious vision to life.
“Alonso is one of the best Mexican directors, and I was dying to work with him. Especially after I read the script. It was very precise in technical terms, but left room for the imagination to go wild,” Ramírez recalls.
“We instantly clicked, and knew we could both bring something more than just filmrelated experience. He worked in such an intense kitchen environment, whilst I just got a visa for working in the US, and felt I could relate to the characters on many levels.”
Ramírez chose to shoot on ARRI Alexa Mini LF with Cooke Double Speed Panchros to use the lenses’ VistaVision vintage flair.
“The kitchen staff mostly stay in the shadows, and I had this idea to make them seen through non-posed portraits that emphasised the dignity and individuality of each character. The Alexa’s size and sensor worked perfectly with the Panchros’ subtle shifts in depth and texture, infusing the portraits with a documentary feel but retaining their cinematic quality,” he offers.
“I never tested so many lenses but when we tried the 75mm Panchro on a close-up, it felt like elevating the ordinary into something else. We also had an Angénieux Optimo 25250mm zoom for a few subtle exterior closeups, but I shot the majority of La Cocina on 30mm, 50mm, and 75mm Panchros.” La Film Boutique provided the lenses.
The film is a modern reimagining of a 1957 British play, but its New York setting is atemporal – modern cars and old computers co-exist on the screen – and thus Ramírez and Ruizpalacios had countless discussions “about framing, movement, the vibe. We watched archival films and checked the works of Saul Leiter and other stills photographers of mid20 th century to create our own way of seeing things,” says Ramírez.
This proved helpful when they were forced
This production reignited my love for B&W cinematography
JUAN PABLO RAMÍREZ AMC•LA COCINA
by visa delays for a key actress to shoot the movie’s prologue guerrilla-style on New York streets.
“We followed her and recorded her interacting with the city handheld. One time a homeless guy started talking about the artificiality of Times Square, and he used these crazy metaphors about the migrants’ experience and capitalism. It became a great voice-over that guided the girl into this controlled world of the restaurant, filled with dolly movement, tracking shots, crane shots, etc.”
Building and lighting an entirely functional kitchen on a stage in Mexico City turned out to be an enormous challenge.
“We devised it to resemble a submarine environment, a very designed space isolated from the world up-above, yet only metres away from the restaurant’s interior that we shot in a real location in Santa Fe. The set was huge, it had real water, gas, working stations, corridors leading one level up, everything constructed with extreme attention to details. It was like a maze, and I actually got lost a number of times!”, laughs Ramírez.
Colour design added another layer of difficulty. “As we shot in B&W, we decided on colours that weren’t related to skin tones. We had a lot of pinks and fluorescent greens and blues. Seeing people’s bewildered reactions to our flashy kitchen was fun! The prep started on January 4th 2022 and we wrapped after ten weeks of shooting – on May 20 th . We did a lot in those four and half months.”
Yet the biggest challenge was filming an impressive 13-minute-long take, with the camera weaving through the kitchen during the frenzy of
Images: Courtesy of Juan Pablo Ramírez AMC.
LA COCINA•JUAN PABLO
rush hour – capturing characters racing against the clock – only to plunge into full-blown chaos when a Cherry Coke machine floods the floor, intensifying the already hectic atmosphere.
“It was already written as a single shot in the script, and I was like ‘How the hell am I going to do this?’. There was no way to plan it on paper, since the tightly scripted character actions were meant to spark spontaneous reactions from the actors. Like, a pizzamaker tosses flour into the air, which affects nearby characters – each interaction influencing the camera, which follows the POV of an astonished character moving through the kitchen, absorbing it all.”
“We spent a week rehearsing and shooting,” adds Ramírez. “We started with rough takes on an iPhone, testing ideas and gradually adding performers, props, actions. We’d shoot 15-30 seconds, go back 5, push forward 20, rewind 10 –until we had the full choreography and the camera synced with the real-time kitchen action.
“The second part was trickier. We had to place plastic barriers to guide the on-screen flood of Cherry Coke where we wanted. I operated the camera, tracking every beat – when to let someone pass, when to avoid collision, which line led me to which character – whilst also remembering where the barriers were.
“Navigating a flooded set with a live camera and no visible marks felt like shooting a war documentary: everyone was running, shouting, and the camera flowed from one action to the next. I think it’s the best shot I’ve ever operated.”
The technical coordination behind the camera was equally complex. “I was followed by a small, tightly synchronised team: there’s one guy holding me, there’s the boom guy, there are my ACs Leonel Becerril and Demian Tamez, we’re all in line. But they were so ninja, I never saw them,” he admits.
“The lighting had to be pre-rigged and controllable through a console, with adjustments made live during the take when the camera turned corners or shifted between environments. We also subtly changed the T-stop during the shot to compensate for exposure changes.”
Ultimately, it was not done as a single continuous take but several shorter ones seamlessly stitched together. Yet the resulting scene – waitresses and kitchen staff carrying-on unbothered amid the onslaught of Cherry Coke –captures the film’s essence through a striking fusion of realism and absurdity.
“Most of the lighting was designed around that scene, as it was the one where the lens sees the most. My gaffer, Francisco ‘Paquito’ Morales, and I planned where the lights should go and directed the production design team,” Ramírez informs.
“I wanted a theatrical spotlight on each station and worker, but I also had to consider the reverse angles, often placing something bright in the background to help shape silhouettes if the middle got too dark. This mix of narrowed soft lights and hard spotlight was challenging due to the reflective iron surfaces as well as the actors’ white clothing that caused the light to bounce and morph constantly. But I really enjoyed how it kept changing the actors’ faces, though maintaining consistent contrast throughout was tough.”
The Alexa Mini LF worked perfectly with the Cooke Panchros’ subtle shifts in depth and texture
where the green ends and B&W begins, as after a few seconds the eye starts interpreting the B&W as slightly purple, trying to make sense of the green as white.”
The DI, done with colourist Phaedra Robledo on DaVinci Resolve, was guided by early creative tests and desire to emulate the texture and tone of B&W 35mm film.
“We originally tested for shooting on 35mm film, but we had to abandon the idea because of the budget constraints. However, our 35mm test served as an important reference point for contrast, texture and grain treatment. We didn’t have the money for LiveGrain, so we applied the grain digitally in an organic fashion by simply thinking about how it would behave on 5219 film, or how shooting with a slower-speed stock would influence the contrast or shadows. Some scenes had high-contrast lighting, but the feeling of the image is not high-contrast because there’s a lot of greys. I didn’t use the DI to reinvent the film’s look but to subtly shape it.”
Key sources included 2K Tungsten Fresnels, ARRI SkyPanels, Astera tubes, Quasars and Maxi-Brutes, depending on the space, all provided by EFD.
One of the distinctive challenges of La Cocina involved incorporating sudden bursts of colour, a surreal blue glow or a saturated green wash, into the story.
“I didn’t want to leave it for post, so, for example, I lit the ‘blue scene’ with strategically placed Asteras to create the correct hue. Then we spent a lot of time in the DI adjusting opacity and saturation of the colours so that they felt embedded in the film’s world without disrupting its monochrome palette,” he explains.
“There’s something fascinating about how the human eye perceives colour. Even in B&W it tries to compensate and find a natural white balance. We had to carefully adjust the tone to keep it feeling truly blue without contamination into turquoise or cyan. Similarly, in the scene with green light, we had to define
Working with Ruizpalacios on La Cocina was for Ramírez both a solid technical challenge and a valuable personal learning experience.
“From operating on the vast kitchen set to shooting the diverse skin tones of the international cast, the film demanded constant adaptation and syncing with Alonso who always pushed me to think differently about what we did,” he concludes.
“La Cocina made me pay more attention to shadows, textures, background and contrast. It reignited my love for B&W cinematography and refined my understanding of how to create visual separation without relying on colour.
“But most of all, it deepened my empathy for all those who remain unseen. I wanted the camera to not just be observing but also taking them out of their situation and putting – for the viewers’ sake – in a more memorable position.”
GAFFERS CAFÉ
SHINING A LIGHT ON...
JAMIE MILLS ICLS By David Wood
Age// Born// Education//
First job// Passions// 49
Harrow, UK
Park High School, City Of Westminster College Lee Lighting
Spending time with my family, good food, exercise and The Arsenal.
Selected Filmography:
(as gaffer unless otherwise stated)
Project Hail Mary (2026)
The Gorge (2025)
Kraven The Hunter (2024) 2073 (2024)
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Ant Man And The Wasp: Quantamania
The Batman (2022)
Dune: Part One (2021)
The King (2019)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
How did you get into lighting?
I’ll have to take you back to the start. I fell into the industry by complete luck! I didn’t even know at the time that you could get a job in the film industry.
When I left school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I started a business studies course at college and absolutely hated it, so didn’t hang around for long. When one of my best mates said he was going to become an electrician, I thought it sounded like a good idea. So I decided to do the same.
There was a college in North London doing aptitude exams to get you into companies looking to take on apprentices. I happened to come top of the class. The guy at Lee Lighting knew the examiner and asked him to send him the top two kids. I interviewed and got the job and then stayed at Lee Lighting for the best part of 17 years, working my way through the various departments, learning the equipment, while going to college to sit all of my electricians’ exams.
Then when I passed out as a qualified electrician, Lee Lighting used to send you “Down to The Bill ” (which was a long-running police show on ITV). By the time I left, five years later, I was the gaffer on the show. That’s when I broke in to films and started again as a floor electrician.
What was your big/lucky break?
Post The Bill, my first substantial job as an electrician was on Band Of Brothers in 2000
To this day it still has some of the most impressive sets I’ve ever seen. They built entire towns - the size was insane. I worked on that for gaffer Jimmy Wilson and, by a complete turn of fate, his son Ben is now my rigging gaffer and has been for six years. I then got straight on to Tomb Raider (2001) with Perry Evans and I stayed with him for the best part of 16 years.
My big break was on Rogue One (2016) where I did the second unit for Perry, and then they decided to do some additional photography. So Perry put me in to do it with the DP Greig Fraser ACS ASC and it turned into a film all by itself. It was a ten-week shoot with around 35 sets. I’ve since done six more films with Greig.
When did you realise you wanted to be a gaffer?
I came up through gaffer Perry Evans, and I was always happy being one of his guys on the floor. It was Perry who pushed me, getting
me to do reshoots and additional photography that he couldn’t do himself or then doing his second unit shoots. That gave me the flavour and I haven’t looked back since. I genuinely love my job, I feel very blessed that I get to do something that I enjoy for a living.
What’s the best advice you were ever given, and from whom?
Perry was always wise with his words. He’d always say that the job would always take care of itself, and the hardest challenge will always be managing crew. He also said there’s no point having six of the same people, and that is very true as you need crew that all have their different strengths. You are also only as good as your crew, and I’m lucky to have one of the best in the industry; some of them have been with me for over ten years.
How do you keep up with new developments in lighting technology?
I’m lucky to have great relationships with some of the world’s leading lighting manufacturers. When something new is on the horizon, I often get called to take a look and run it through its paces. My crew
are also really good at keeping one step ahead of the curve.
It’s super-important for me to embrace all of the technology heading our way. The evolution of lighting is going through a very exciting transformation at the moment.
Thoughts about LEDs, HMI & Tungsten fixtures
LEDs are great, the flexibility they give you is such a plus. Being able to go up and down in intensity, sometimes just one percent at a time, or to change colour at the touch of a button, are such blessings in the modern world of moviemaking that has developed at such a fast pace. That said, I still love lighting with Tungsten, as there are still circumstances when an LED light won’t do. How important is it to be green/ environmentally-friendly? Can we still justify using Tungsten and other powerhungry sources?
It’s a great question and it’s really important, but until LED can totally replace Tungsten and
HMI, I will need to keep using it. Also, just like people still wanting to shoot on analogue film, there will always be a place for Tungsten – partly
I love my job and feel blessed that I get to do something I enjoy for a living
nostalgia and partly the quality of light – but as LED develops, it will become less and less. I always try and be as environmentally-responsible as possible, using LED and large battery generators. I also drive my crew mad about reusing gel and black wrap.
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Current favourite pieces of lighting equipment?
I love a Creamsource Vortex – five years on and it’s still my most used lamp, I’d say. Aputure have come out with some great point source lamps in the last couple of years, so I have used a lot of those too. I also probably don’t go a day without using a Creamsource Micro Colour or an Astera tube. The choice of lamps now compared to a few years ago is ten-fold, and it’s great to see a wider range of manufacturers making their mark in the game.
What are your favourite films?
The Batman I’d say. It was such an epic job to work on, and the lighting on that was some of the best I’ve been part of. In my humble opinion I genuinely think Greig Fraser should have got more accolades for that movie. It was a masterpiece.
Images: Jamie pictured with DP Dan Laustsen DFF ASC on The Gorge; and a lighting set-up from Dune: Part One.
GAFFERS
You are only as good as your crew
What was your toughest job?
They all have their challenges, Dune Part 1 and Part 2 were challenging, but more for personal reasons. Being away from my kids for the best part of nine months on two separate occasions was pretty tough going.
What do you consider your greatest achievement, so far?
My kids, hands down no question.
When you are not working, how do you spend your time?
Spending time with the family, we love holidays, but fitting them in-between jobs is always a challenge. I also try to keep myself in good shape. I love going to the gym and going on long walks – great for clearing the mind.
What advice do you have for other people who want to work in lighting?
I get asked this a lot. I would always say qualify as an electrician first – that’s very important. I would then say try and get-in with one of lighting companies to learn about the equipment. Again, I can’t tell you how valuable that would be.
What’s the best way to learn about lighting?
Watch, pay attention, ask questions and leave your phone in your pocket!
What are the key skills/talents you need to succeed as a gaffer?
I always say that to be a gaffer you have to be a chameleon and blend-in to your
surroundings. By that I mean you have to be adaptable. Each DP is different and it’s up to you to mould to their needs and listen. And, you have to be a people person.
What is the most important lesson your working life has taught you?
That I need to spend more time not working… ha ha!
I try and be as environmentallyresponsible as possible
Images: Jamie pictured with DP Greig Fraser
Gilles Arnaud Miga Bär Claudia Baier Bill Bennett ASC Aleksej Berkovic RGC Emma Boswell Eric Chérioux Bebe Dierken BSC
Ben Dynice Stefan Grandinetti BVK Uwe Greiner Daniel Grootz Dhanushka Gunathilake Harlon Haveland Martin Hübsch Jana Johnston
Tim S. Kang Phil Arntz Andra Milsome Sebastian Leske Dirk Meier Markus Nestroy Irena Gruca Rozbicka Claire Pijman NSC
Rauno Ronkainen Philippe Ros John Christian Rosenlund Nic Sadler Peter Slansky Roberto Schaefer ASC
David Stump ASC BVK Amy Silk Marijke Van Kets Dedo Weigart Vanessa Whyte BSC Francesca Zerenghi
