It’s where visual artistry meets technical knowledge, and where light, picture, and mood come together in a delicate balance.
And it’s at this nexus of flair and flexibility that I’ve spent my career. Influenced by the black and white cinematography of the 1950s – and inspired by the creative chaos and energy of being on set – I’m happiest when playing with the stark, stylised approach popularised by expressionist cinema.
A personal career highlight is being creditted as a Director of Photography on The United States of Amnesia – a documentary about the outstanding polemicist Gore Vidal, and receiving great acclaim at the 57th London Film Festival.
I have shot branded content for a huge range of clients and have shot more than 200 music videos.
While the classic Steadicam is still basically unchanged four and a half decades after it made its film debut in 1976’s Bound for Glory, gimbals are getting stronger, lighter, and more powerful every year.
Both have added another dimension to motion picture cinematography. Combining the tried-and-tested Steadicam with the ever-evolving gimbal creates a new cinematographic tool with countless new technical possibilities.
My latest acquisition – and the camera of choice for indie film-making – is the Z CAM E2-F6 Full-Frame 6K Cinema Camera.
Featuring a full-frame sensor with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour support and a nominal 15 stops of dynamic range, it’s every bit as cool as it sounds. It also supports timecode, shoots up to 6K (at up to 60 fps), and records up to 300 MB/s of data onto CFast 2.0 media..
Pair the Z CAM with a full set of classic Contax Lenses – which use the same glass, coating, and general design of lens that shot The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Lost in Translation – and you have my cinetool of choice. This double act is capable of delivering images of cinematographic quality on a par with camera’s biggest names, such as Arri, Red, and Sony. Basically, the combo is ideal for low-budget filmmakers...who have the same lust for that vintage look as I do!