BCineSkills Article Category: Learning from Experts (e.g., Case Studies, Interviews)
Nanu Segal BSC / Hoard
CAPTURING THE CLUTTER Nanu Segal BSC explores how lensing choices and lighting transitions came into play when shooting haunting drama examining childhood trauma, Hoard – from scenes grounded in naturalism through to more absurd hoarding sequences. When my agent sent me the script for Hoard, as soon as I read it, I knew this was … Read more
BSC Mentorship
GUIDING LIGHT Mentees and mentors have been paired and 2024’s BSC Mentorship scheme is in full flow. We speak to BSC Education Committee chair Oliver Stapleton BSC about changes made to the scheme, benefits past mentors and mentees have enjoyed, and how cinematographers can get involved. “I’m always interested in the column called ‘Other interests’ … Read more
Tim Palmer BSC / Geek Girl
EN VOGUE The Netflix series Geek Girl, centred on an awkward teen model, uniquely benefits from cinematographer Tim Palmer BSC’s fashion industry knowledge and experience. Not many people know this, but before I entered the camera department, I was a fully-fledged fashion photographer in the late 1980s. I used to shoot everything on medium format, which gave … Read more
Benedict Spence BSC / Eric
PULLING THE STRINGS Benedict Spence BSC details the technical challenges of Eric, focusing on maintaining continuity across scenes filmed in New York City and Budapest. I was thrilled when I was first given the script for Eric. My friend and long-term director collaborator Lucy Forbes said it was a mystery thriller, all set in 1980’s … Read more
Benjamin Kračun BSC / The Substance
BODY SHOCK Benjamin Kračun BSC reveals the approach he adopted when shooting The Substance, working with prosthetics and practical effects to realise director Coralie Fargeat’s vision for the body horror. The script for The Substance is 150 pages and 20 pages of that is dialogue. So when I read it, I thought it was amazing … Read more
Lorene Desportes / Diary of a Ghost
Diary of a Ghost is a short drama about a young woman’s relationship with her deceased partner and her struggle to let go of the past. We shot the film over two days in and around London. There was a variety of different location styles for us to work with, which required a lot … Read more
Andy Leung / Arcade
During pre-production, Ruari and I extensively discussed our approach to crafting a visual aesthetic that would complement our narrative, drawing from arcade theme. Our aim was to evoke the vibrant, colourful ambiance of arcades, infusing our film with a rich, underworld vibe. Projects like Good Time and Euphoria Season 2 served as close reference points, … Read more
Rick Joaquim SASC / Stay Calm
THE MOVING IMAGE Cinematographer Rick Joaquim SASC loved the challenge of shooting the short film Stay Calm, set entirely in the back of an ambulance. Stay Calm is a 20-minute, edge-of-the-seat thriller, set entirely in the back of an ambulance as three paramedics fight to save the life of a wounded criminal. Acclaimed actors Shaun … Read more
Daniel Stafford-Clark / Big Mood
RIDING THE WAVE Find out how Channel 4’s Big Mood depicts the flip from “up to down” experienced by its bipolar main character through the lens of cinematographer Daniel Stafford-Clark. Big Mood is my favourite kind of comedy; one with dark edges that doesn’t pull its punches. It follows the friendship of two women living … Read more
Anna Patarakina FSF / Insomnia
A little over a year ago, I got a message from my agent. It read simply: “Are you ready to be really excited?” What she was about to offer was the opportunity to work on an entire season for Paramount+ with a director I have always loved working with —Börkur Sigþórsson. Sigþórsson and I had … Read more
Shane Hurlbut ASC / Música
BEHIND THE SCREENS Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut ASC reveals how alongside Rudy Mancuso – director, writer, actor and composer of Música – they approached an in-camera split-screen scene. Rudy Mancuso, the director, writer, actor and composer of Música, and I had a series of seven three-hour brainstorms. During one of our deliberations, Rudy presented the idea … Read more
Simon Rowling / Lord of Misrule
WHAT’S IN A FRAME? Simon Rowling shares his framing and composition rules when crafting the visual grammar for eerie folk horror Lord of Misrule. In autumn 2021 I was sent the script for folk horror Lord of Misrule by my agent. It was such an intense, spine-tingling read that I wasn’t able to put it … Read more
Xavier Dolléans AFC / Marinette
HITTING THE SPOT For the pacey pitch-side sequences in French sports biopic Marinette cinematographer Xavier Dolléans AFC looked to a robotic dolly system to help him keep up with the action. Marinette is actually the first biopic about a female sports player in France. It features Marinette Pichon, a now-retired French footballer, and her life … Read more
David Rom and Vanessa Whyte / Ted Lasso
TEAM SPIRIT As another chapter of fish-out-of-water football comedy Ted Lasso comes to a close, cinematographers David Rom and Vanessa Whyte reveal how they lensed some of season three’s most iconic sequences. An innovative approach was required by David Rom to create a sewer in a Victorian arch in East London. Ted Lasso and its … Read more
Rick Joaquim SASC / Cuttlefish
GAME ON Last year, Rick Joaquim SASC shot his most unusual project to date – Cuttlefish, a live-action video game from Flavourworks complete with over 140 interactive VFX sequences. He delves into the challenges of the choose-your-own-adventure narrative, sharing the tricks and techniques that helped make the visuals shine. I took on Cuttlefish firstly because … Read more
K.K. Senthil Kumar ISC / RRR
THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED Delve into the artistry and technical mastery that brought to life RRR‘s most memorable sequence – the fiery encounter between the two protagonists – through the innovative use of miniatures and fiery lighting effects from K.K. Senthil Kumar ISC and his team. In RRR, the story of two of India’s … Read more
Jess Hall ASC BSC / Chevalier
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT Jess Hall ASC BSC reflects on how cinematographers can bring their own life experiences to their lensing for truly authentic storytelling. Spring 2014, Highgate, London. I prepare to bury my father amongst some of his closest friends and fellow intellectuals at Highgate Cemetery. The soft spring sunlight enters the southern aspect … Read more
BSC Education Masterclass
LEARNING FROM THE BEST As part of the BSC’s ongoing mission to foster education and training opportunities for cinematographers of all levels, its second Masterclass, led by a selection of award-winning DPs, marked a study weekend with a star-studded difference. The second BSC Education Masterclass took place across the weekend of 21-22 January at the … Read more
Adam Etherington BSC / Wedding Season
MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN To help Wedding Season’s viewers navigate the show’s non-linear timelines, choosing the right glass for the challenge was pivotal for cinematographer Adam Etherington BSC. Wedding Season is a high-octane comedy with a rip-roaring narrative that accelerates straight out of the blocks. It was a show I felt we could do something … Read more
Simon Rowling / One Ranger
Shooting fast and hitting hard Cinematographer Simon Rowling reveals how he shot action and dialogue scenes in a limited timeframe for rip-roaring thriller One Ranger. I have always been keen to work with Jesse Johnson for many years, having seen his work in the thriller/action genre. In February 2022 he got in touch with me … Read more