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NOVEMBER
ALL THE WAY LIVE
The November issue of ICG Magazine traditionally celebrates the work of Local 600’s Unscripted membership, whose skills are, like those working in scripted content, the very best in this industry. Having spent my career as a camera technician in features and episodic television, I never had the chance to see ICG unscripted members in action – until I visited the set of America’s Got Talent some years back. What I saw there blew me away. As longtime Guild member Dawn Fleischman, SOC, shares in this month’s issue, unscripted camera operators work iris, zoom, rack in and out, and pull their own focus, all while keeping one eye on where the subject (and story) are going. They must anticipate the shot before it happens, and they only get one chance to get it right – no retakes!
After visiting the AGT set, I realized what an advantage it is for those of us in the scripted world to have rehearsals, and, of course, for DP’s on the lighting side, the chance to set and reset the world they’re filming. Unscripted crews are, basically, always shooting live, even if the project is a food or dating show, a reality competition series, or anything else that’s not broadcast live to its audience. That’s also why I’m so happy, in these most recent negotiations, our bargaining team was able to secure a strong contract for unscripted members, with added benefits that (hopefully) will be further improved upon in the next contract cycle.
As for helping out during this ongoing work slowdown (which has impacted Unscripted members along with all other genres), I’m pleased your National Executive Board voted to allocate up to $1 million to reinstate the Work Slowdown Hardship Fund, which will provide $1,000 Industry Slowdown Relief Grants to members impacted by the slowdown who meet the criteria.
I’m confident the work will return in 2025 for our Unscripted members, as well as those working in the scripted world. After all, ICG craftspeople in both of these areas are the best our industry has to offer, and that shows in the stories they help to create.
Baird B Steptoe
Photo by Scott Everett White
National President International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600
Publisher Teresa Muñoz
Executive Editor
David Geffner
Art Director
Wes Driver
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Jill Wilk
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Tyler Bourdeau
COPY EDITORS
Peter Bonilla
Maureen Kingsley
CONTRIBUTORS
David Geffner
Margot Lester Gilles Mingasson
Adam Rose
IATSE Local 600
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Baird B Steptoe
VICE PRESIDENT Chris Silano
1ST NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
Deborah Lipman
2ND NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT
Mark H. Weingartner
NATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER
Stephen Wong
NATIONAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY-TREASURER
Jamie Silverstein
NATIONAL SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Betsy Peoples
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Tonisson
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
John Lindley, ASC, Co-Chair
Chris Silano, Co-Chair
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Copyright 2024, by Local 600, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States and Canada. Entered as Periodical matter, September 30, 1930, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscriptions: $88.00 of each International Cinematographers Guild member’s annual dues is allocated for an annual subscription to International Cinematographers Guild Magazine. Non-members may purchase an annual subscription for $48.00 (U.S.), $82.00 (Foreign and Canada) surface mail and $117.00 air mail per year. Single Copy: $4.95
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WIDE ANGLE
Whenever our November Unscripted issue comes around – this is the eighth incarnation – I feel compelled to remind our readers of the tremendous skill and talent that’s required to excel in these challenging formats. I say that not because I am, personally, surprised by the levels of quality union-shot content reaches year after year – I’ve been on enough unscripted sets to see these craftspeople in action. More so because the members themselves always remind me (like in the cover story I wrote on The Golden Bachelorette, page 22) how little the wider industry knows about unscripted crews.
But, better to hear from them in their own words:
“There’s no real scenario in the unscripted world where an operator and a focus puller could be on the same page quickly enough to get a complicated shot when the opportunity for one materializes in front of you,” remarked Nick Tully, who has been a camera operator on The Bachelor franchise since 2009. “Many people are surprised to learn that we pull our own focus, but it’s an essential skill in unscripted; and after time, it just becomes second nature.”
Director of Photography Dawn Fleischman, SOC, featured in this month’s Deep Focus, page 20, added that “people are quick to criticize unscripted TV crews, judging and labeling them as ‘not real’ filmmakers or storytellers. But the truth is that reality operators have instincts that are second to none. We simultaneously zoom, iris, pull focus, self-direct and listen to the evolving story all while monitoring other cameras and cast with our left eye, seamlessly composing a constantly moving, unrehearsed frame with our right eye. We’re masters at multitasking, prioritizing and adapting in the moment. We don’t get second or third takes; we must make it right and usable the first time.”
Even Gilles Mingasson, who shot unit stills for The Golden Bachelorette and works more steadily in scripted content, notes that because “the set for unscripted shows is 360 degrees, and the camera operators pull focus while following the story, I always have to expect the unexpected. For the still photographer, there are few safe spots to hide, and no second takes. You need to read the cast’s body language while anticipating the unexpected movements of the many cameras, while never
ending up in the shot.”
Never ending up in “the shot,” while still intimately connected to an evolving real-life story, is also at the heart of the documentary filmmaker’s craft. That’s why hearing from three ICG Directors of Photography who took home Emmys this past September for Apple TV+’s Girls State (page 38) is such a great reminder of the unique skillset unscripted content requires. As the project’s co-director, Jesse Moss, observed about the challenges Laura Hudock, Laela Kilbourn and Thorsten Thielow encountered: “It’s not about coverage – we’re not looking for beautiful B-roll. It’s about earning intimacy and capturing big and small moments. This is the kind of work that can be hard and frustrating. You have to be comfortable stepping into this maelstrom.”
That whirlwind included shooting intimate verité coverage on a 50-mm prime lens, which, as Kilbourn explained, didn’t allow for easy frame adjustments as with the more traditional zoom lenses. “There was a lot of focus-pulling and holding shots much longer than usual. And if you can’t move, you have to find other ways to reframe, recompose, and change the focus to engage the viewer with the person you’re interested in at that moment. Getting the frame right goes back to being alert and paying attention, so you move when it’s a good time to move closer to create a different composition.”
Finding the best place to tell a story is what Unit Still Photographer Adam Rose has been doing his entire career, including the last 12 years shooting editorial/marketing stills for CNN. Rose’s photo gallery, In The Room Where It Happens (page 48), from the 2024 RNC and DNC conventions, is a bold display of how best to conquer the challenges of live event work, with the bonus of Rose explaining his process along the way.
Here he is with the final word (aka reminder) of life in the unscripted world:
“One of my favorite parts of shooting the conventions is wandering around outside the arena,” Rose described of one image. “This is where you find fervent supporters, heated protesters, and odd characters all in the same space. In this example, I walked by a beautiful couple, taking it all in with an American flag but with no obvious affiliation to either party. Though I am there to shoot the political scene, I always love a good portrait, and this seemed to me a unique combination of the two.”
David Geffner Executive Editor Email: david@icgmagazine.com
For The Roses, Stop Motion
The biggest differences between scripted and unscripted are that the set is 360 degrees in unscripted, and the camera operators pull focus while following the story, so you have to expect the unexpected. For the still photographer, there are few safe spots to hide, and no second takes. You need to read the cast’s body language, while anticipating the unexpected movements of the many cameras and never ending up in the shot. As in scripted, the crew’s trust is crucial. If a camera operator knows that you will step back or duck when they suddenly pan over, they will be comfortable with you shooting right next to them. It definitely keeps you on your toes.”
In The Room Where It Happens
“Every four years I have the pleasure of witnessing history from the front row – and since I came from a photojournalistic background, this functional chaos is the type of environment in which I thrive. Every photographer’s dream is to be hired by a client who allows you to be your creative self, and I am so grateful for the opportunity provided by CNN, and even more appreciative of the creativity they not only embrace, but request.”
Cover photo by Gilles Mingasson
Photo by Sara Terry
ADAM ROSE
GILLES MINGASSON
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The Alien’s fast workflow, its brightness and its weatherproofing make it a great fit for the fast-paced freewheeling nature of unscripted and reality projects where operators must move quickly without sacrificing light output power or accuracy. The Alien 300C is the only 300-watt LED panel with a separate control unit, making it perfect for high mounts. Both models arrive with “pop up” softboxes in padded cases so you can pull the panel, release two elastic straps, and it’s ready to go. Also included: an egg-crate grid and rain shields. The panels have an IP55 water resistance rating, so they can operate in the elements. The roomy rain cover accommodates V-Mount batteries so you can power them via the included AC cable or on battery. “The Alien might just be the best travel friendly full color panel light solution when quality, speed, size, weight, output and cost are mission critical,” notes New York-based Chief Lighting Technician John Roche. “They’re ideal for small ENG crews, traveling DP’s and owner-operators, and hit the sweet spot in low cost, high quality compact panel lights.”
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“Simply put, this compact unit will support any unscripted production without any compromises in control or color in post,” asserts Tim Kang, Aputure’s principal engineer, Imaging Applications, and an IATSE Local 728 member. The innovative element boasts a first-of-its-kind BLAIR (blue/lime/amber/indigo/red) light engine that closely emulates the full CCT range of natural sunlight and incandescent spectrum and incorporates indigo wavelengths “to recreate the sensation of reality that comes from these natural light sources.” It also adapts to available light source color, fully recreating the ASC MITC Full Plus and Minus Green color values for any CCT setting. “The STORM 1200X outputs white light at the same level as an 1800-watt HMI unit output from a typical 15-amp outlet and dims down to 0.1 percent of that to adapt to different locations in the same day,” adds Kang. The yoke allows full 360-degree rotation, and the unit is easily modified into a Fresnel, hard open-face PAR, soft light or projector. It carries an IP65 weather rating and CRMX/DMX/Bluetooth connectivity.
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LETTY GALLEGOS
CAMERA OPERATOR
BY MARGOT LESTER
Albuquerque, NM-based Operator Letty Gallegos launched her career after an internship at the Red Car commercial post house in Dallas. She says she always knew she had “a preference for the field and camera work, but [working at Red Car] gave me valuable insight into the other side of the business.” When Football Wives was shooting in town, Gallegos got the call to fill in for an AC. “One week in Dallas turned into three or so, with travel to New York,” she adds. “The adventures, fun and camaraderie in that first peek into unscripted work opened my eyes to the breadth of opportunities in this industry.”
What the three-year ICG member loves
most about working unscripted, especially as a camera operator, is the autonomy it affords to tell a story. “There is so much freedom while composing a frame and choosing how to let the audience in on what is unfolding,” she reflects. “Looking for telling reactions, choosing to stop-down for a compelling silhouette, finding stolen glances. These choices help set the tone and reinforce the narrative. And you are doing it minute by minute, all day long. It keeps you on your toes!”
Gallegos, who also shoots scripted content, says the differences between the two disciplines are apparent. “Scripted is much more regimented,” she continues. “You execute
a very controlled plan and it is very satisfying to fine-tune every shot carefully. Unscripted is playful. You plan for what you think is about to unfold or maybe a set of possibilities and then adjust on-the-fly when a total surprise happens. That’s the most fun outcome for me. Even if your subject ends up in a dark cave and your whole frame is black, the odds are that will move the story along better than everything you attempted to plan for.”
As for her go-to gear, Gallegos prefers one single rod-mounted handle and camera weights, noting that having a balanced camera is key to her handheld work. As to the oft-discussed topic of excessively long
PHOTO BY MARK HILL / FARMER NEEDS A WIFE / FOX TV
handheld takes in unscripted, Gallegos says that “while Easy- and Ergorigs are great tools for redistributing weight from your shoulder, they’re still not a substitute solution to hiring enough operators to have rotations when long stretches of handheld work are needed.”
Like so many others in unscripted, mentorship has been an important part of Gallegos’ journey – and there have been many throughout her young career. They include Carolyn Macartney, Mande Whitaker [SOC], Dax Rhorer, and Dawn Fleischman [SOC].
“Carolyn was the first person to put the idea of cinematography in my head and convince me I could do it,” Gallegos recounts. “As an AC, Mande introduced me to larger productions, which expanded my skill set and grew my network. That led me to my next mentor, Dax, who trained me in unscripted operating and lighting. I grew a lot as a camera person
working with him.”
Since meeting Fleischman [see Deep Focus, page 20], Gallegos says a new creative pocket “in my brain has opened up that always asks, ‘What is a more interesting way to shoot this; what new tools can we try; and how can we use those tools differently?’ I love this aspect of filming. We don’t always have the time to utilize this creativity, but it’s magical when you pull off something new and different.”
Like many other ICG members, the twin work actions from 2023 continue to have a ripple effect, particularly on unscripted work in the Western Region. “The strikes are still affecting us,” Gallegos laments. “It has been a slow year, especially in terms of union work, and I am worried about more shows going overseas. I hear echoes of this around my circle. The show I am currently on films across the states and in places that have low union
representation. That does not mean there isn’t good talent in these towns. There are skilled, creative, experienced crew members across America.”
Gallegos says she has reaped the benefits since joining the union three years ago. “However I was one of those smaller market non-union operators for most of my career,” she adds, “and I understand the fear of finding sustaining union work if you live outside of LA or NY, especially in current conditions.”
Despite current industry challenges, Gallegos says she loves her craft.
“What I’m most proud of is exactly the work I’m doing now,” Gallegos concludes. “When I was starting, only one percent of camera operators or cinematographers were female. At the time, I wasn’t sure there would be enough room or opportunity for me to get very far. But I owe a lot to my mentors, and feel like I made it.”
DAWN FLEISCHMAN, SOC
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
BY MARGOT LESTER
COURTESY OF KELLI FALLS
My first time on a set was in 1994 as an extra on Copycat in San Francisco. However I didn’t want to be in front of the camera and was fascinated by everything happening behind the camera. I started working as a PA and met a Steadicam Operator named Craig Peterschmidt. I was immediately drawn to the Steadicam and eventually was able to apprentice for Craig. In the summer of 1995, he invited me to a PRO workshop at Paramount, where I met Mark O’Kane, Guy Bee, David Emmerichs [SOC], and George Paddock. They
PHOTO
put a Steadicam on me for the first time and I loved it! There were only two female Steadicam Operators at that time – Janice Arthur and Liz Ziegler – and they told me I could be the third. That day changed my life. I withdrew from college and moved to L.A. two weeks later, officially starting my career in camera.
I worked exclusively in film until 2002, when I got a job on Junkyard Wars, my first experience working with a video camera. I continued to work in both genres until the 2007/2008 WGA strike. My deep knowledge of scene work, lenses and camera angles significantly benefited me as an operator in reality TV. Although I initially thought I would return to scripted work full time, I discovered a community and a type of work that I truly enjoyed.
As a DP, I like the high-camera-count competition shows with 15-plus operators and sometimes 30 to 40 cameras, not including robos. I love the organization and detail needed to make a show of that size look seamless and visually consistent. I still occasionally work in scripted television, and my work in reality TV has in turn enhanced my scripted operating skills, making me more efficient, adaptable and able to see and design shots differently.
People are quick to criticize unscripted TV crews, judging and labeling them as not real filmmakers or storytellers. But the truth is that reality operators have instincts that are second to none. We simultaneously zoom, iris, pull focus, self-direct and listen to the evolving story all while monitoring other cameras and cast with our left eye, seamlessly composing a constantly moving, unrehearsed frame with our right eye. We’re masters at multitasking, prioritizing and adapting in the moment. We don’t get second or third takes; we must make it right and usable the first time.
The cameras we formerly used on unscripted shows were ENG-style. Ergonomic, balanced, lightweight – only about 15 to 20 pounds. We now use the same cameras as scripted shows, and these weigh up to 45 to 50 pounds. When operating on a reality show, I prefer the Sony FX9 with a 25-250 zoom, Letus35 shoulder pad, and hip shot. (I also can’t live without my Sensaphonics custom IFB single-ear headset for monitoring audio.) I love making unscripted shows look cinematic and beautiful, but there is a toll taken on the operator’s body. Holding
a camera for 45 minutes to three hours is unsustainable. This isn’t a weakness; it’s the practical implication of advanced technology and our need to adapt. We need to change the culture around using exoskeletons so that it is normalized in unscripted environments.
Safety Bulletins 43-45 have significantly helped unscripted workers. We still have work to do in implementing enforcement of SB44, which addresses radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure effects. RFR disproportionately impacts unscripted operators because when handheld, the antenna can be an inch or less from soft tissue in continuous stretches of 45 minutes to three hours. No science says this is okay. Maximum MPE (maximum permissible exposure) is unbreached by maintaining a distance greater than two inches, unconditionally.
Mande Whitaker and I, along with [former ICG National Executive Director] Rebecca Rhine’s tenacity, pushed SB45, which addressed extended takes, over the finish line. It is one of my proudest accomplishments as a union filmmaker. SB43, centered on freedriving takes, was a game-changer and likely a lifesaver for unscripted crews. I’ve sat in the front seat shooting backward more times than I can count. I’ve been in car accidents, broken windshields, and gotten black eyes and bruises. I’m very lucky I was never seriously injured. Now I make sure the AD’s include all relevant safety bulletins on the call sheet and address concerns in preproduction.
Since the 1990s, diversity has improved but we’re not there yet. Continued progress means using our positions to ensure others’ access to opportunities. Director of Photography Arturo Smith and Director Michael Shea did this for me. I met Arturo in 1996 when he was a DP/operator, and I was his focus puller. We worked on many features, commercials and music videos. Arturo was a staunch advocate, constantly challenging me, while also trusting me implicitly. While he was lighting a scene, I would jump on the dolly to line up shots for rehearsals. This arrangement allowed me to learn to operate without the pressure of rolling film. Eventually, I began operating additional cameras and on 2nd unit for him.
I met Michael Shea in 1998, on a film with Arturo. Michael transitioned into directing
around the time I moved into operating fulltime, and I became his go-to operator. Like Arturo, Michael gave me creative freedom, challenging shots, and his complete trust. In 2021, he offered me the opportunity to DP one of his larger shows, The One That Got Away, for Amazon. Since then, I’ve DP’d almost all of Michael’s shows, and we have written a new chapter in our 26-year working relationship. Without his trust and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Despite the positive experiences, it’s clear to me that ingrained misogyny has deep roots in this industry. Three times I was told to my face I should be fired because they don’t work with women or trust them. My abilities have been questioned more times than I can count only because I am female. These mindsets are so ever-present, I experienced it just a week ago. Being in a protected category makes you a target. You’re under constant scrutiny, and any misstep can be used against you or anyone like you indefinitely. If we assert ourselves and express our opinions directly, we may be labeled as difficult or aggressive, while a cismale in the same situation might be seen as decisive and confident.
I want to do my part to change this mindset. I embrace the control I have as a DP to hire the best people, no matter their race or gender identity. My crews know they are safe, trusted, respected and won’t be micromanaged. They’re given space to be experts and have a voice that is heard.
As an industry, we need to stop using terms like “cameraman” that reinforce gender stereotypes. These terms have significant psychological and societal implications and need to be recognized; they make it more challenging for non-cis males to break into and advance within the industry. By using gender-neutral language, the industry can foster greater inclusivity, respect, and equality, creating a more supportive and diverse work environment. Saying “Oh, you know what I meant” is not acceptable.
We’re all in this together. When we witness unfair treatment, we should act and support those affected. Every union member’s involvement can drive positive change and contribute to a more equitable and respectful environment. Be the change.
The Golden Bachelorette is the most recent spinoff series in a franchise that has been around since the dawn of reality television.
BY DAVID GEFFNER
PHOTOS BY GILLES MINGASSON / ABC
When it comes to reality dating shows, one franchise stands alone, not only in terms of longevity, or the number of spin-offs generated, but when tallying the union filmmakers whose careers have thrived off it. “My very first season was in 2004, when the show hadn’t yet gone union,” recounts Chad Griepentrog, co-director of photography with André Martinez, of the latest addition to The Bachelor franchise, The Golden Bachelorette. “Up until the franchise turned union in 2010, many of us would step away from The Bachelor to shoot other shows,” he adds. “After the union established itself in the franchise, there was no reason to leave – not only [did we have] the health benefits, but the art, lighting and grip departments were bolstered. The shows just ran smoother, and we felt better taken care of.”
Griepentrog says The Bachelor franchise has provided a stability that’s rare for the industry. “Every spring, summer and fall, like clockwork, we’ve had steady work,” he continues. “André and I both have families, as do so many of the camera crews we work with. It’s a comfort knowing these shows are there and will help us maintain our benefits.”
Martinez confirms the sentiment, adding, “I started as an operator in 2003, and then as a co-DP in 2006. Like Chad, I was already in the union when I moved to L.A., and landed in reality, which was not yet unionized, so it was hard to make my hours. Once [the franchise] went union, it became this rock to lean on. I’ll go and work commercials and other projects between seasons, but the consistency of all the many shows in The Bachelor universe has been a blessing for so many [Local 600] unscripted crews.”
Currently in Spain scouting locations for the next season of The Bachelor , Martinez says “there’s a lot of thought that goes into these shows, as far as lighting and production design, grip and electric [go], and we in the camera department rely heavily on all the other teams. For The Golden Bachelorette , [Local 600 Director of Photography/Lighting Director] Yudah Holman is the lead on all of our rose ceremonies, which is, obviously, a long-standing part of the franchise. Chad and I then leapfrog the [dating scenarios], which involve different locations.”
Visually, Martinez notes, they all maintain a similar mindset that, by the nature of the unscripted format, depends heavily on the other on-set crafts. “The challenge in unscripted,” Martinez continues, “is that we are often covering many different angles all at once. We’ll shoot the wide shot of a massive dinner at the same time we’re shooting two close-ups, which is where we often live for the edit. We rely on the art department and lighting to hide cables and put fixtures far away for these wide angles – sometimes with a drone or a crane – and yet still make the close-ups beautiful and cinematic. Unlike a scripted
series, we don’t get to break, reset and change the lighting for the camera angle. We’re pretty much working 360 all the time.”
Griepentrog says “versatility” on The Golden Bachelorette is key to making each day. “A cast member will move something and suddenly we’ll see a skip-bounce off a fork cast a bright light across their chin and lip, and we’ll have to wait in a cringy misery until the emotion of the scene plays out and the producers give the okay to reach in. Or sometimes one of the cast will suddenly reposition their chair and turn full profile to their camera, so the wide will tighten to a medium flat two-shot to buy the blocked camera time to reposition and resettle on a new frame. We don’t interrupt the conversation but instead move about silently and cover one another.
“The singles are such a big part of the show,” he continues, “that when we set up the location, we dress and light the areas where the cameras will hopefully never see, as well as the ideal marks – just in case. No matter how awkward people sit or stand, how tall or short or close together, whether it be eight people on one couch or two at a high top, the biggest priority is to not see shadows cast on faces, while keying from the upstage side and giving the right ratio for the situation and color for the skin. The wides, the close-ups, the entrances and exits – everything has to flow like a live event. We shoot everything with a live TV mindset: no re-dos, no hiccups, nothing gets painted out in post. We do everything we can to make the show beautiful while remaining invisible to the cast.”
Lighting The Golden Bachelorette so it exudes romance and fantasy is a constant challenge. As Griepentrog shares, “At times in these practical locations, we’d love to be able to light at higher levels, but everything we do is geared toward the cast experience. These are real people and we want them to feel like they’re on a real date. That’s a big reason why we’re keying at two-and-ahalf foot candles, and treating, covering, or killing every practical light source within sight.”
The priority placed on the cast experience is also why the show’s operators are shooting with Sony PXW-Z750 2/3chip camcorders and a complement of lightweight Canon zoom lenses. The goal is to maintain a small footprint that allows for maximum mobility and flexibility in moving in and out of various rooms and lighting scenarios. (The team recently added
a Ronin 4D 4-axis gimbal system that brings in a larger sensor and a nicer depth of field.)
As Martinez shares, “One of the reasons we still use these ENG-style cameras is that we can have up to 16 crews on any given day. If we went with a nicer – and heavier – zoom lens, like a Cabrio for example, and everyone needed their rig set up differently, that wouldn’t be feasible with 16 cameras. The ENG-style, with a lightish lens that has a lot of zoom, whatever range you’re working at, is the most practical option.”
A prime example of the live-event mindset is in the opening episode, when each suitor arrives (alone) in a limo as Maryland educator (and former contestant on The Golden Bachelor) Joan Vassos waits outside the mansion to welcome them. The night was broken out like a sports broadcast, where 14 different operators were grouped according to camera position, each operator on a comm system with the episode’s director and (several) producers calling out instructions. “Normally each operator will have his or her audio mixer,” Griepentrog explains, “as they need to be able to monitor audio to follow a story.” That’s particularly true for group scenes, where each contestant is mic’d – like in a group date from Episode 2 that was a daytime barbeque and pool party, with cast members wandering through different locations around the mansion. Three cameras usually follow Vassos (to ensure two singles and a wide shot are captured) as she breaks off for “one-onones” with the different men.
“Since the arrivals and the reactions from the other cast members are happening live,” Griepentrog adds, “Yudah, with grip and electric, has already set the house exterior up in a pre-light, and we’ll just do last-minute walkthroughs checking levels and backgrounds. Since everything is on consoles in the house, Yudah can be in the control room making small adjustments.”
Achieving the “grand fantasy look” for Episode 1 arrivals is, according to Holman, “a meticulous process. The challenges with a live, unscripted show are that everything is always changing, and our setups need to be versatile,” Holman describes, “While it is easier to ‘set it and forget it,’ what’s happening [with the cast members] requires us to make tweaks and adjustments on the fly. This capability is critical, particularly because our cast members, who aren’t professional actors, will interact with the set in unpredictable ways, such as sitting differently or moving unexpectedly. Quick and subtle changes in lighting are constantly made to maintain the desired look.”
Holman goes on to note that the show’s
lighting strategy is built on a foundation of variety and innovation. “Almost all the lighting on set is within our control,” he continues, “except for a few fixed house sconces. To manage this, Darkfire Lighting Design and Illumination Dynamics provide us with the latest state-of-the-art equipment. These fixtures vary in color temperature and capability, giving us the flexibility needed for different scenes and casts. The primary lighting consoles include the GrandMA for the mansion and on-the-road invites. The Blackout Lighting Console, which we operate wirelessly via an Apple iPad Pro, is used for all nighttime and some daytime setups. We stay at the forefront by engaging with the latest industry trends, through trade shows or when we are on the road traveling, like my visit to Amsterdam to spec-out gear for The Bachelorette season nineteen.
The franchise has always been on the very leading edge of lighting in the unscripted genre. Holman shares that “back in the early 2000s, [producers] reached out to [Emmy-winning] Lighting Designer Oscar Dominguez in hopes of creating something different from other reality shows. Oscar, who along with Lighting Director Dennis Weiler [recently retired after The Bachelor Season 28] forever changed reality TV lighting. They created this enchanted fantasy that you not only can see on the screen but also feel on set, with very low levels of small directional lights, the artistic painting of colors and shapes, and overall ambient feel. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Oscar and Dennis, learning from their unique lighting philosophies and techniques, which has equipped me to carry forward and optimize their innovative approaches, continually refining and adapting the lighting to maintain the franchise’s signature fantasy look.”
Along with the big exterior arrivals, Episode 1 also features an intimate “one-onone” with Vassos and Kim, a retired U.S. Navy Captain, in the “candle room,” a staple of the franchise for several seasons. As Griepentrog recounts: “Several seasons back, our production designer, Angelic Rutherford, brought in this unique wall piece that holds all these tea lights, and, along with Dennis Weiler, conceptualized the ‘candle room.’ [The producers] loved it so much, we’ve kept it from show to show.” Martinez adds that the candle piece “is augmented with a backside key light and auto-flicker that mimics the light from the candles. So, Yudah and his lighting team do get to augment
many rooms before the cast members start moving around the mansion.”
Director Ken Fuchs [ICG Magazine January 2021], who has directed multiple seasons of many reality competition series, calls The Golden Bachelorette “a monster of a show, with 14 crews, four other directors and myself, and a large team of producers. We’re all working to create something that is brand new – Joan is the first-ever ‘Golden Bachelorette’ – and yet, at least visually, this has to have the same language that Bachelor Nation understands. Obviously, there were some adjustments shooting people in their sixties versus people in their twenties. But as far as what we do behind the scenes, we stayed right in the Bachelor ecosystem, even if the stories in front of the camera are much different than what’s come before.”
Holman adds that “one huge thing I learned working with Darkfire Lighting is the importance of faces. We take great time and care because of how invested we are in painting that fantasy world. Whether it’s using different color temperatures to help highlight certain skin tones, using softer lights, or even adjusting the amount of lights to bring out certain features, the time and care spent, particularly in this case on The Golden Bachelorette, is enormous. During daytime exteriors, we rely heavily on David Knudson and his grip team. You can’t fully control nature, of course, and when we are shooting, time is against us, whether due to setting up or just the sun moving across the sky. So, it’s more about embracing the environment while ensuring Joan’s presence remains beautiful.”
Fuchs says his crews often have to “fight against their instincts to make everything look beautiful, and saturated with romance and color. The viewers want and expect that look, but they also crave those moments that feel spontaneous, where the lighting is not perfect, the camera may be working to catch up with the cast members, and the unexpected is what matters most. So while this is a nighttime soap opera that’s selling a forever romance, if the Bachelorette runs off into darkness for an emotional moment we need to see that. It’s a tricky balance.”
Martinez points to just that kind of moment from a past season of The Bachelorette , and an episode shot in New Mexico during COVID. “It was a group date, and everything had been pre-lit before,” he recalls. “There was a cast member who was choosing to leave the show, and he was with the Bachelorette in a nicely lit one-onone spot. They were supposed to go to the exit vehicle, which was pre-lit as well. As I was following them from one location to
LONGTIME FRANCHISE OPERATOR NICK TULLY SAYS THERE’S NO REAL SCENARIO WHERE AN OPERATOR AND A FOCUS PULLER COULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO GET A COMPLICATED SHOT “WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE MATERIALIZES IN FRONT OF YOU. MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT WE PULL OUR OWN FOCUS, BUT IT’S AN ESSENTIAL SKILL IN UNSCRIPTED, AND AFTER TIME, IT JUST BECOMES SECOND NATURE.”
the other, they just stopped in the middle of a dark room and had ‘the conversation.’ So, I’m scrambling to figure out what to do to make sure the moment is filmable, because it won’t happen again. I noticed that behind me was a window with light outside. I worked my way around and shot them in silhouette against the window. And it turned out to be the prettiest scene I shot that entire season! They were in there long enough that I got all the coverage I needed since I was the only camera. Those kinds of unplanned, unlit scenes are what make the show feel real. I would wager to guess they’re one reason why it’s stayed so relevant after 20-plus years.”
Fuchs insists such moments only happen via the experience and skills of Local 600 camera operators. “They’re all DP’s in their own right, who are making storytelling decisions on the fly every time they frame up a cast member,” he shares. “They’ve been doing this a long time and have a terrific sense of anticipation – when and where the best moments are coming. I’ll often have one
of the producers say to me, ‘Oh, that was a great shot you just called,’ But I know exactly where the credit should be – and that’s with our union operators.”
Nick Tully, who started on the franchise in 2009 and has operated on almost every season of every show since is a prime example of Fuchs’ praise. Tully says he’s operated on roughly 300 episodes, almost all of which featured Griepentrog and/or Martinez.
“It’s great to have such a long history with the DP’s,” Tully shares, “because going into The Golden Bachelorette, I knew exactly what was expected of me. I also had full confidence that Chad and André would nail the look that we’re aiming for and would put all the operators in a position to succeed. Since no operator is assigned to an individual cast member, we float between different setups and situations throughout the day. That means we need to become familiar with not just the Bachelorette’s
tendencies and mannerisms, but also the tendencies of the entire cast to anticipate what may happen at any moment.”
Tully says that unscripted operators always pay close attention to body language to find an opportunity to steal a reaction shot. “I like to find a spot where I can rack focus between cast members, and hold the shot until I get that perfect head turn to time the rack,” he continues. Tully cites an example of cross-shooting a group conversation. “I noticed one of the [cast members] got very quiet and seemed to be deep in thought; I decided to ignore my coverage and started a slow zoom-in on her face on a hunch that she was about to cry; and, at the perfect moment in my zoom, she started welling up and went into a full-blown meltdown!”
As for making sure these off-thegrid moments are filmable, the show’s operators say there are a few different tricks employed to help with lighting and framing. “Sometimes we’ll call for a grip to fly-in a silk as the scene is going on, and we’ll shoot around them as they set it up,” Tully
LIGHTING DIRECTOR YUDAH HOLMAN SAYS [FORMER LIGHTING DESIGNERS] OSCAR DOMINGUEZ AND DENNIS WEILER “CREATED THIS ENCHANTED FANTASY [LOOK] WITH VERY LOW LEVELS OF SMALL DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS, THE ARTISTIC PAINTING OF COLORS AND SHAPES, AND OVERALL AMBIENT FEEL. WORKING CLOSELY WITH OSCAR AND DENNIS HAS EQUIPPED ME TO CARRY FORWARD AND OPTIMIZE THESE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES.”
adds. “Sometimes we’ll try to fill in a dark spot or add an eye light with an on-camera light, and sometimes we’ll just whisper to the cast member to slide over a foot or two to find their better light. If the cast is facing hard light, we’ll often flip the line so they’re backlit and shoot out the rest of the scene from a completely different perspective.”
Since all one-on-one location dates end with a “button,” a never-to-be-reshot romantic crescendo that Tully calls “that fairy-tale frame that takes the viewer into an act break,” preparation and experience are essential. A case in point was the oneon-one Vassos had with Chock, a 60-yearold insurance executive from Wichita, KS, at Disneyland that begins in bright sunlight and ends with the couple backdropped by fireworks over the park’s iconic Matterhorn ride. Tully says that because the crew had a “small army” of handlers setting a perimeter around the production team and cast members, “battling through hundreds or even thousands of passersby, who may interfere with a camera crew they see out in
the world by jumping in front of the lens, or yelling things, was not as big an issue as it would normally be.”
Griepentrog notes that “we scouted the main locations we wanted in advance. For their first meet-and-greet on the railroad ride, we determined the coverage, with one camera panning left to right as they come through the stanchions, two more getting the over-the-shoulders as they see each other on the train and still not seeing any of our crew in the shot. We had one camera with an escort doing just B-roll around the park.
“For their dinner, at night,” he continues, “shot in Walt’s apartment, we blacked it all out and did a night scene translight behind the windows because it was summer and still not dark. This is rare for us, but we shoot chronologically and had to be finished in time for fireworks. For the big moment with the fireworks, we were able to cordon off a small area, maybe ten by ten feet, as there were a lot of park goers all around us. I was able to place a few [Astera] Titan tubes down low and across from each other to up-light
Joan and Chock.”
“Timing was the biggest challenge,” Tully adds, “since we were not in control of the fireworks display at the end of the date. We had to be blocked, in position, and 100 percent ready and rolling when they started, or we would have missed it entirely. I had a tight two-shot of Joan and Chock watching the fireworks, and Chad had the wide shot of the fireworks from behind them.”
Mark Jungjohann, who works as the third Director of Photography behind Griepentrog and Martinez (and recently did a full season filling in for Griepentrog on The Bachelorette) also has deep unscripted roots, dating back to the mid-1990s, when he began working as a camera operator/director of photography. Jungjohann joined The Bachelor franchise when the show was unionized in 2010 and has amassed 40 seasons as an operator. He handles all aspects of The Golden Bachelorette – house reality, one-on-one dates, group dates, and rose ceremonies, and says the
“The challenge in unscripted is that we are often covering many different angles at once. We’ll shoot the wide shot of a massive dinner at the same time we’re shooting two close-ups... we don’t get to break, reset and change the lighting for the camera angle. We’re working nearly 360 all the time.”
CO-DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ANDRÉ MARTINEZ
switch in camera systems (from the Sony PDW-F800 to Sony PXW-Z750) and the move to LED lighting begun on The Golden Bachelor and continued on The Golden Bachelorette , did present some challenges.
“While testing the Sony Z750 before filming The Golden Bachelor , Jungjohann shares, “I noticed that the camera was so ‘fast,’ it was almost impossible to get to a wide-open aperture for the interiors or below F11 for exteriors, despite using full ND’s and a Pola filter. One of our directors, Ivan Duran, and our lighting designer at that time, Dennis Weiler, spent weeks ‘dumbing’ the camera down from around ISO 1600 to a more practical ISO 1000, through internal settings and the shutter. And I was still blown away by how fast the cameras were in my first ITM set-up. It took some time and effort to preserve the traditional look of our show, while also taking advantage of a more ‘full-size chip’ look and the speed of the camera.”
The Golden Bachelor began with a more traditional way of lighting, based on Weiler’s extensive history with the franchise, “using a harder, steeper angled key light for the Golden Bachelor with just a little fill, versus more fill, and a wraparound light for the contestants,” Jungjohann explains. “For The Golden Bachelorette , Yudah [Holman] went with more focused lighting, using softening chimeras in front of the [Quasar Science] Q3s or Titan tubes in combination with grids, flags, black wrap – anything to focus the light source with minimal spill. That approach gave the show a moodier feel, and it also worked well with the [Z750’s] larger
dynamic range and color space.”
As for his long tenure operating in the unscripted genre, Jungjohann compares the craft to playing a musical instrument. “It’s not unlike a flute,” he describes, “where both hands are constantly working, the left hand with one finger on the front focus ring of the lens and two fingers correcting the aperture; the right hand is on the zoom rocker, adjusting the focal length.” He says a typical day includes “going from a standing upright position down to the knees, standing still, and moving forward or backward. Since a big part of a job is to capture the unplanned moments that drive the story, reality operators always have to be aware of the story beats and anticipate where to point the camera in a dialogue situation. Physically and mentally, we have complex, but also rewarding, requirements.”
All the show’s operators insist preparation and experience are the keys to success.
“One of the first things I do when my AC is prepping my camera,” Tully describes, “is to dial-in my viewfinder so that my focus peaking is at just the right level. After so many years of using ENG zoom lenses, I have a great feel for how far and how fast I need to spin the barrel to land a rack [focus] and keep it razor sharp. There’s no real scenario in the unscripted world where an operator and a focus puller could be on the same page quickly enough to get a complicated shot when the opportunity for one materializes in front of you. Many people are surprised to learn that we pull our own focus, but it’s an essential skill in unscripted, and after time,
it just becomes second nature.”
What union operators have also had to grow accustomed to is the evolution of longer and longer handheld takes. “It’s been an ongoing conversation amongst reality shooters for as long as the genre has existed,” Tully laments. “Most of us use some kind of camera support, such as SteadyGum, Ergorig, EasyRig, et cetera, to help spread the load across our bodies. But no camera support can stop you from hurting during and after a very long handheld take. On The Golden Bachelorette , the group dates, one-on-ones, and cocktail parties before the rose ceremony all involve many hours of handheld shooting. I’d love to see the industry move toward an enforceable cap on the length of handheld takes at some point, so unscripted operators can get regular rest and avoid injuries.”
Romantic and visually cinematic locations have always been a staple of The Bachelor franchise, and Martinez says a big part of that is the ability to do trade-outs, such as the several episodes of The Golden Bachelorette that were shot on a cruise ship. “Unlike Chad, who’s six-foot-four and has no problem touching lights on any of our standing locations,” Martinez laughs, “I’m five-foot-six and I could still easily touch every ceiling on the ship. That’s a problem to solve when you’re shooting close to 360 most all the time and not seeing cables, lights, stands and silks. The ceilings are very low, but they’re mostly metal, and I can’t say enough about the other departments.
“We shoot everything with a live TV mindset: no re-do’s, no hiccups, nothing gets painted out in post. We do everything we can to make the show beautiful while remaining invisible to the cast.”
CO-DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
CHAD GRIEPENTROG
They brought in magnets and LED bars, and then the art department would build these beautiful teasers so they look like part of the ship when they’re in frame. During the day, we were seeing out the ship’s windows so they had to get punchy with the lights as well to be able to make the wide and the close shots work at the same time.”
The saturated color look that has come to be a Bachelor trademark (epitomized in each episode’s nighttime rose ceremony) is, Griepentrog, shares “basically all Rec.709 straight out of the camera, as we never shoot Log files that can be worked over in color grading. There is a full post department that does some color work, but their main challenge is just the amount of footage that’s ingested every day.” “Unscripted shows just don’t have the luxury of sitting with the DIT and making color-management decisions on the day,” Martinez adds, “or even being at the DI in post, because the workflow is so fast and the amount of footage we capture every day is, like Chad noted, massive.”
“As for making the show more cinematic,” Griepentrog reflects, “it would be nice to shoot all the interviews with a more shallow depth of field, but that hasn’t played out. We do give suggestions to Wardrobe, like, ‘Please have the Bachelorette wear red or yellow’ if we’re shooting in a jungle-like location. Sometimes they’ll listen, and sometimes she’ll show up in all
green,” he laughs.
As for keeping the different storylines in play – for the Golden Bachelorette, her many suitors, and the operators who follow them – .Martinez says it’s a constant information highway between the many cast members, producers, director, DPs, and the operators themselves. “For all the updates we get throughout the day from the producers, especially what’s happening with the Bachelorette,” he shares, “it’s often our Local 600 guys and gals who will tip off on the comms about some interchange happening between cast members and the need to get another camera to that location to capture it.”
Camera Operator Erica Susha, who spent the majority of the season following Vassos around, describes the main cast member as “absolutely refreshing. She’s remarkable and incredibly inspiring, with ease that only comes with a life well lived,” Shusha shares. “I was able to form a personal and professional bond with her, which I believe only enhanced her comfort both on and off screen. I feel it’s essential to establish that connection [with the cast members] early on and maintain it throughout the season.”
Susha says she became invested in Vassos’ journey, “sharing emotions, the highs and lows, while always trying to lighten the atmosphere with silly laughter and set gossip, because that seriously helps
to lift the mood! This role, as a camera operator tied to the lead, is absolutely my favorite [in the unscripted genre]. It allows me to use all my years of experience in the trade while drawing on life experiences. In a genuine way, I can say, ‘I’m in your corner,’ ‘I’m rooting for you,’ and ‘I have your back.’ It’s an honest and kind relationship, and that’s when I can really say I love my job.”
Vassos’ on-screen persona – kind, caring, genuine and vulnerable – has no doubt helped to broaden the franchise’s already massive following. And Fuchs says the challenges associated with a show centering on cast members in their sixties, who have all suffered some type of loss [Vassos lost her husband to pancreatic cancer while still in her fifties], were outweighed by the benefits of hope, renewal and finding love again.
“The franchise continues to surprise and amaze us every season,” the director concludes. “And that resilience is due in no small part to an incredible production team that has been together for so long. Reality television, especially a show [like The Golden Bachelorette ] that travels and goes on location, is like a new boot camp every day. So the spirit of mentorship, camaraderie, and just everyone having each other’s backs all the time is still, to someone like me, who works a lot with studio crews, very inspiring to see.”
“LOCAL 600 CAMERA OPERATORS ARE ALL DP’S IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, WHO ARE MAKING STORYTELLING DECISIONS ON THE FLY EVERY TIME THEY FRAME UP A CAST MEMBER,” DESCRIBES DIRECTOR KEN FUCHS. “I’LL OFTEN HAVE ONE OF THE PRODUCERS SAY TO ME, ‘OH, THAT WAS A GREAT SHOT YOU JUST CALLED,’ BUT I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE CREDIT SHOULD BE – AND THAT’S WITH OUR UNION OPERATORS.”
PEOPLE SHE, THE
Three Guild cinematographers specializing in unscripted take home the Emmy for a timely new documentary on Apple’s streaming platform.
BY MARGOT LESTER
PHOTOS & FRAMEGRABS COURTESY OF APPLE TV+
Girls State is more than a play-byplay of a week-long government camp for high school seniors. Beyond chronicling the process of forming a government, nurturing leadership skills and strengthening civic responsibility, the documentary, a sibling to the 2021 Sundance hit Boys State (also co-directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss), showcases young women finding and using their voices to bridge racial and ideological divides. We see the teens process the 2022 Dobbs decision (which took away the constitutional right to abortion), grapple with disappointment for their own goals at the camp and ultimately seek common cause.
“Both films are meant to explore political behavior and get interesting portraits of coming-of-age as a young man and woman,” McBaine shares. And, like human siblings, the two projects share DNA but are uniquely their own cinematic journeys. Each captures the action at programs that convene student delegates from across the state for an intensive experience in campaigning and governing.
“We do see some darkness in these programs,” Moss adds. “There were dirty tricks in Boys State. There’s anxiety and fear that limit the rights and freedoms of women in the country in Girls State. What’s unique about both films is that these young people are facing existential threats, but they’re still optimistic. They have every reason to be
disillusioned and cynical, but they choose to become activists and political agitators.”
Boys State won Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing in the same category. Girls State earned Emmy nominations for 2024 Outstanding Documentary and Directing, winning the latter, and also taking home the trophy for Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program. The film is shot in a cinema verité style. As Moss notes: “It’s not about coverage – we’re not looking for beautiful B-roll. It’s about earning intimacy and capturing big and small moments. This is the kind of work that can be hard and frustrating. You have to be comfortable stepping into this maelstrom.”
Some of the same crew returned from Boys State, including (one of seven) directors of photography, ICG member Thorsten Thielow. McBaine and Moss wanted more women on the crew, prompting the addition of Local 600 directors of photography Laura Hudock and Laela Kilbourn [ICG Magazine December 2017], both of whom possess deep experience in verité and documentaries. The filmmakers interviewed prospective subjects and paired each with a DP. While technical chops were crucial, emotional intelligence (EQ) was equally vital. “It’s emotional work,” McBaine describes. “These teenagers are going through a very stressful week. Girls State is a crucible for a lot of them. They were vulnerable. It’s such a stress test. We needed DP’s who have that kind of EQ on top of the
technical know-how.”
“Nobody sat down and blocked a scene, or went over a script to discuss and get creative over how a certain scene should visually feel,” Thielow describes. “We talked about interpersonal connections. We talked about boundaries. We talked about how the camera permits us to be there, so it doesn’t feel voyeuristic, or presentational. We want viewers to be invited in and experience all the things that are going on in each character’s story.”
A prime example was when Kilbourn matched up with Tochi Ihekona, a Black student running for attorney general. While campaigning during lunch, Tochi stops by a table of white girls, and one of them asks if she speaks Nigerian. She corrects them:
Nigerian isn’t a language; she speaks Igbo, one of the nation’s major tongues. A second girl challenges her. She repeats her answer. Another asks, “Is it weird if I ask you to say something?” “It is,” Tochi responds, followed by a hail of nervous laughter from all present.
“It was a very white space, and she was aware of it,” Kilbourn recalls. “As I come from the white side of things, I had to open my mind to capture her experience in her terms, not my experience. As documentarians, it’s about acknowledging exactly what they’re going through, as they’re going through it, to capture without impinging. It was important to me to get beyond my own history and experience, to be present, sensitive, and alert to hers. That’s what you should do for anyone, but you especially have to do it for
someone with differences from you that are important. They need to be framed appropriately, cherished and respected.”
The film is not a pastiche of sit-downs in controlled environments.
Prominent locations include the campus auditorium, cafeteria and classrooms, all navigated in the 100-degree heat of a Missouri summer. With so many spaces, inside and out, the opportunities for controlled lighting were slim. Instead, the filmmakers relied on what Thielow calls “the most simple techniques in cinematography. How do we use available light to our advantage; where can we take it away by turning off the overhead; where’s the window; and where
ABOVE / OPPOSITE TOP: THE LARGE SENSOR SIZE OF THE CANON C500 ENABLED THE FILMMAKERS TO GET CLOSER TO THE SUBJECTS, AND THE 2.39:1 ASPECT RATIO CREATES A FRAME THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE A CROWD. THIELOW SAYS “IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE TO TELL THE STORY, WHERE YOU COULD FORGET ABOUT THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF A FRAME, ESPECIALLY IN SPACES THAT WERE NOT VERY CINEMATIC, LIKE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS.”
do I position myself in relation to the light?”
Hudock says although Boys State was used as a reference for “what kinds of scenes and scenarios we might encounter, the idea was not how can we emulate Boys State but what might we be able improve upon or approach differently so this film can have a life of its own? One of the subtle changes was the choice of using a longer lens than in Boys State, which brings us closer to the girls and a more compressed and shallow image in combination with the full-frame sensor, which subtly can increase a feeling of intensity.”
First AC Andrew Parrotte was lead gear wrangler, which included eight Canon C500 Mark IIs, one Canon C300 Mark III, and five Canon C70s with S35 sensors. Although the team carried an assortment of lenses, including 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm CN-Es plus two Canon 70-200mm, the majority of the film was shot on a 50mm prime (utilized on the C500 full-frame sensor) or 35mm (for cameras with Super 35 sensor). “Before principal photography,” Hudock adds, “we had a discussion on how we might be able to maintain some level of consistency across multiple cameras and DP’s. We decided to limit our focal length and f-stop to help create this constancy in framing and depth of field. I lensed my
subject’s [Emily Worthmore’s] story almost entirely with a 50mm prime averaging around a T2. Navigating a verité scene with a single prime lens added extra challenge to compose a frame not by simply zooming in but by also navigating the space while holding focus with a narrow depth of field. The 70-200 mm was utilized mainly in the assembly scenes when extra reach was needed and as the close-up lens for interviews.”
Parrotte notes that although “any camera can work for documentary projects, if you can make it work in terms of budget and practicality with larger sensor cameras and cine primes, it’ll visually make a difference.” In fact, the sensor size enabled the filmmakers to get closer to the subjects, and the 2.39:1 aspect ratio creates a frame that can accommodate a crowd. “You can study not only somebody speaking but somebody else reacting to it,” Thielow explains. “We used the foreground people to find the angles, the tension, the dynamic, the conversation and the nuances while we explored the space. It was a beautiful vehicle to tell the story, where you could forget about the top and the bottom of a frame, especially in spaces that were not very cinematic, like school classrooms.”
Hudock shot mostly with the C500, a
camera she calls “self-contained, requires little or no accessories to operate and allows for a small build, which is important for most verité documentary situations. Internal ND’s, assignable buttons for quick changes, and a lightweight body are great aspects in a documentary camera,” Hudock details. “We needed lenses that could also work well in verité situations – lightweight and offered a nice portrait.”
The choice was a departure for Kilbourn. “On verité, I use zooms and I love the flexibility of changing the composition without physically moving. On Girls State, we had to adjust the frame without adjusting it. There was a lot of focus-pulling and holding shots much longer than usual. You can’t eliminate others from the frame easily. If you can’t move, you have to find other ways to reframe, recompose, and change the focus to engage the viewer with the person you’re interested in at that moment. Getting the frame right goes back to being alert and paying attention, so you move when it’s a good time to move closer to create a different composition.”
Kilbourn adds, “I think it comes back to trust – the directors’ trust in us, the DP’s, to get the story and the moments and the emotion involved, but also the trust between the cinematographers and the girls we
(ABOVE) SAYS “IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE GIRLS FELT SAFE WITH US AND OUR CAMERAS, THAT THEY FELT THEY COULD BE THEIR UNFETTERED SELVES. THAT WHETHER WE WERE CLOSE TO THEM OR FAR AWAY, MOVING OR STILL, WE WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO BE TRUE TO THEIR EXPERIENCES.” COURTESY OF AURORA BRACHMAN
filmed. It was important that the girls felt safe with us and our cameras, that they felt they could be their unfettered selves. That whether we were close to them or far away, moving or still, we were always trying to be true to their experiences.”
A project with multiple DP’s and changing dynamics requires exceptional communication and coordination. That all happened in the production office, lovingly dubbed “the war room.” As Parrotte notes, “While the lead 1st AC’s job is heavily technical, that doesn’t mean we can’t get creative with how to organize the [production office]. For a job with so many moving parts, I started with getting a spreadsheet made up for Thor that had everything laid out: operator name, camera model, camera letter, camera color and verité or interview.”
As Thielow adds: “The teams convened with each other and the directors throughout the day as well as in a daily huddle to discuss developing storylines. It was important to know what was going on with the other characters so whenever they interacted, we had that in the back of our minds, ‘What’s the tension? What’s that person going through?’”
(McBaine captured all this on whiteboards to help each unit anticipate where to be at various times and what to look out for.)
One of the storylines emerged just before camp began when details of the Dobbs decision were leaked to the media. It led the news everywhere, especially in Missouri, a trigger-law state. The leak and what it might mean was a major topic of discussion among the young women, showing up in candidates’ platforms and the cases brought for consideration before the Girls State Supreme Court. As Moss relates: “Watching an all-female Supreme Court discuss issues around privacy was incredibly moving. They know they’re both powerful and powerless. But they had the discussion and ruled on the case. Other young women need to see that vulnerability along with that moxy.”
Another show of empowerment – on the emotional end of the spectrum – was just as captivating. Cecilia Bartin (to whom Thielow was assigned) engaged another gubernatorial candidate with a dance-off in the cafeteria. (Bartin went on to win the election.) “A few hundred girls were having breakfast and everybody was cheering,” Thielow remembers. “There was a subtle competitive element [to the dance-off]. But
it was also very much a celebration.” Thielow says such a wide range of scenarios is what makes documentary work so satisfying. “Experiencing such deep and complex moments that manifest themselves in visually and electrically charged scenes is a privilege to witness, and even to be a small part of telling their stories. That is why we wake up in the morning as documentary filmmakers.”
More subtle encounters made an impact as well. “There’s a quiet moment where some of the teens are hanging out, braiding hair and talking about what’s wrong with the system,” McBaine notes. They point out that the boys appear to get right to business building their government and politicking. They lament that the program isn’t as rigorous as they thought it would be, more focused instead on surface-level “fluff” like cheers and dress codes. Their growing realization becomes a major theme of the film.
Moss and McBaine anticipated the differences.
What was surprising, McBaine adds, was the degree of disparity. “Arriving on campus, the counselors for Girls State have got tinsel headbands and pom poms,” she describes.
KILBOURN
“That’s fun, but there was a tone difference that made me nervous for our kids who are formidable forces of nature in terms of what they know about politics and their passion for changing things. I knew there would be tension with the campiness of Girls State. What I didn’t know was the difference in financing or the cadence of the week – how long the training wheels were going to be on the bike. It was heartbreaking because it’s an awakening that isn’t unfamiliar to me and it was heightened because it was happening at a girls’ empowerment camp.”
As participants became more vocal and the counselors less willing to entertain discussions, it became clear it was a story to follow. “There was no avoiding it,” Kilbourn asserts. “And it prompted us to make more of an effort to cover Boys State more than we might have, because it was important to document these comparisons.”
Emily Worthmore made a similar decision, as she planned a story on the disparities for the camp newspaper. “After Emily lost the governor’s race, she found another path to victory by writing the article that called out the inequalities,” notes Hudock, who captures Worthmore interviewing adults and participants in
both programs, uncovering that the Boys State budget is three times Girls State’s. Worthmore confirms what one participant calls “secret, sneaky, possibly misogynistic viewpoints” that inform the programs’ design. She ends her piece with a call to action, writing, “It may be a long road to fiscal equity, and a solution to certain social injustices delegates feel exist, but by starting the conversation and bringing attention to differences between programs, Girls State and Boys State can become one step closer to equality.”
“They wouldn’t publish it,” Emily tells a friend, “but that would be cool in and of itself.” The article does run, although the editors soft-pedaled the title, to her disappointment.
“When most people feel like they have failed,” Hudock describes, “it’s hard to get back up again, but Emily jumped back almost immediately. Her resilience and desire to fight the system were inspiring. And even though we may differ politically, I saw an aspect of myself in her I could relate to.
“My whole career has been me fighting the system,” Hudock continues. “Not just in the women’s rights stories I’ve captured but in my own fight for a place as a DP in
this industry. I’ve been an ICG member since 2003, and I’m so grateful to see things starting to change, and for amazing DP’s like Ellen Kuras [ASC], Mandy Walker [ASC, ACS] and Rachel Morrison [ASC], who have paved the way. It already feels like a completely different reality from 10 years ago, but we still have a long way to go. We will get there, but real systemic change takes time. Not surface-level changes, like, ‘Let’s all be PC on set and make sure women are getting on the interview list,’ but actually hiring them – for all kinds of stories. Real change will be complete when gender is no longer part of the conversation: both in the film and TV industry and in our political system.”
The visibility and representation spoke to Kilbourn, as well.
“These are smart, talented, capable young women with ambition and aspiration and goals,” she concludes. “To witness them engaging and interacting and having their opinions voiced and heard by each other was incredibly inspiring and very moving. We don’t hear enough about girls. We don’t give them the time, space and respect they should get in our society. To see them have this moment of visibility in Girls State was incredible to experience.”
ABOVE L TO R: CO-DIRECTOR JESSE MOSS, DPS: MARTINA RADWAN, DANIEL CARTER, LAELA KILBOURN, ERYNN PATRICK LAMONT, LAURA HUDOCK, THORSTEN THIELOW / COURTESY OF AMANDA MCBAINE
LOCAL 600 CREW
Directors of Photography
Laura Hudock
Laela Kilbourn
Erynn Patrick Thorsten Thielow 1st AC
Andrew Parrotte
HUDDOCK (L) WITH THIELOW (R) SAYS ONE OF THE SUBTLE CHANGES FROM BOYS STATE, “WAS USING A LONGER LENS, WHICH BRINGS US CLOSER TO THE GIRLS AND A MORE COMPRESSED AND SHALLOW IMAGE IN COMBINATION WITH THE FULL-FRAME SENSOR, WHICH SUBTLY CAN INCREASE A FEELING OF INTENSITY.”
Many ICG readers will recall ICG’s 2016 November Unscripted issue, and the photo gallery, Political Animals, featuring ICG Unit Still Photographer Adam Rose’s coverage of the RNC and the DNC conventions. Rose, whose credits include Glee, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman, The Last Tycoon, and The Sky is Everywhere, began shooting editorial imagery for CNN at the 2012 conventions in a limited capacity before being given a broader mandate in 2016. For Milwaukee (RNC) and Chicago (DNC) in 2024, Rose drew on many of the same techniques, so prized by studios, networks and streamers he regularly shoots for in capturing marketing imagery. We’re talking about long-practiced skills like situational placement, awareness of ambient and fixed lighting, and how best to isolate key subjects in an active, fastmoving environment – all of which come into play in live event work. Sometimes the action outside the arena is more dynamic than what’s happening on the convention floor (as in Cleveland, 2016), and Rose is there as well, sniffing out the most interesting and compelling moments. More than anything, these dozen images Rose handpicked for our 2024 Unscripted issue (from the hundreds he shot for CNN) tell compelling human stories. They are time capsules – past, present and perhaps even the future – of democracy in action.
“THIS IS ONE OF THOSE IMAGES THAT NEED NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN TO SAY I THINK THE SLOW SHUTTER SPEED AND MOTION BLUR REALLY HELP TO SELL IT.”
“BALLOON-DROP PHOTOGRAPHY IS FUN FOR THE EYES BUT VERY HARD TO SHOOT. IF YOU’RE CLOSE ENOUGH, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET A FUN FRAME OF THE CANDIDATE BATTING BALLOONS OR WAVING TO THE CROWD. AND WHILE I DO HAVE IMAGES OF KAMALA HARRIS’ SPEECH, MY VIEW OF HER WAS BLOCKED ONCE THE WATERFALL OF BALLOONS RAINED DOWN. THE LESSON HERE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH THE ACCESS YOU HAVE. WITH A KAMALA SIGN IN THE FOREGROUND AS THE FOCUS OF THIS WIDE-ANGLE SHOT, THE LOW ANGLE IN THE ARENA, THE BALLOONS FLYING, THE FLAGS WAVING, THE PICTURE-TAKING AND THE LIGHTING ALL COMBINED TO GIVE A SENSE OF THE ENERGY, GRANDIOSITY, AND HISTORIC NATURE OF THE MOMENT AND PROXIMITY TO THE STAGE, WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING KAMALA HERSELF IN THE ACTUAL FRAME. PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALL ABOUT PROBLEM-SOLVING.”
AS I ENTERED THE ARENA’S SEATING AREA AND LOOKED BACK, I WAS DRAWN TO HOW THE HALLWAY GAVE THE DIGITAL BOARDS A BEAUTIFUL VIGNETTE AND REFLECTION. FROM THERE IT WAS MATCHING THE RIGHT GRAPHIC WITH THE RIGHT SILHOUETTE TO MAKE A NICE DNC INTRO SHOT.”
BEFORE DEPLANING IN MILWAUKEE, I MADE SURE I HAD MY CAMERA IN HAND, AS I REMEMBER FROM 2016 HOW RNC ATTENDEES EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT THROUGH FASHION. I WAS REWARDED AS SOON AS GOT TO BAGGAGE CLAIM.”
“THIS IMAGE TELLS A STORY OF A STORY. ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES BEING HIGHLIGHTED AT THE DNC WAS ABORTION ACCESS – A HIGHLY EMOTIONAL TOPIC. ONE OF THE SPEAKERS THIS NIGHT WAS HADLEY DUVALL, WHO AT 12 YEARS OLD WAS RAPED AND IMPREGNATED BY HER STEPFATHER. THE FEELING IN THE ROOM WHEN SHE SPOKE WAS INCREDIBLY VISCERAL, AND THERE WASN’T A DRY EYE IN THE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE GENTLEMAN YOU SEE HERE.”
“I SPENT MOST OF MY CONVENTION TIME AT THE CNN GRILL PHOTOGRAPHING THE UNIQUE BLEND OF ON-AIR TALENT – POLITICIANS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, CELEBRITIES, AND RANDOM MEDIA AND VIP ATTENDEES. PART OF MY JOB DESCRIPTION IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR UNIQUE IMAGES, EITHER POLITICALLY OR FOR MARKETING. BUT SOMETIMES YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, AND YOU CAPTURE BOTH. THE TEXT ON HER SHIRT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN THIS CURRENT POLITICAL MOMENT. BUT MAKING SURE THE BRAND LOGO WAS ALSO IN FRAME GAVE CNN THE ABILITY TO USE IT FOR MARKETING AS WELL. THAT’S A WIN-WIN.”
“AN INTIMATE MOMENT IN A CROWDED ARENA. THE OBAMAS SPOKE BACK-TO-BACK AT THE DNC AND PROVIDED THIS SWEET EXCHANGE IN BETWEEN. WITHOUT THE FOREGROUND FRAMING IN THIS IMAGE, THE INTIMACY IS LOST. SMALL, QUICK DECISIONS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN STORYTELLING.”
“THE POLICE PRESENCE AT THIS YEAR’S RNC WAS UNLIKE ANY I HAD SEEN. TRUMP HAD JUST SURVIVED AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT A FEW DAYS PRIOR, AND THEY WEREN’T TAKING ANY CHANCES. THE OFFICERS, COMING FROM MANY REGIONS AND DEPARTMENTS, GENERALLY WEAR SUNGLASSES, ARE HEAVILY ARMED AND ARE QUITE INTIMIDATING. WHILE DOING A MINI-STORY ON THE SECURITY, I WAS CHATTING WITH A GROUP OF OFFICERS WHEN LUNCH ARRIVED. I LOVE THE LEVITY OF THIS MOMENT, BRINGING A BIT OF HUMANITY TO AN OTHERWISE VERY SERIOUS JOB.”
“ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS THE CONVENTIONS IS WANDERING OUTSIDE THE ARENA. THIS IS WHERE FERVENT SUPPORTERS, HEATED AND ODD CHARACTERS SPACE. IN THIS CASE, THOUGH, A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE, TAKING AN AMERICAN FLAG BUT WITH AFFILIATION TO EITHER PARTY. THERE TO SHOOT THE POLITICAL LOVE A GOOD PORTRAIT, AND ME A UNIQUE COMBINATION
PARTS OF SHOOTING WANDERING AROUND WHERE YOU FIND HEATED PROTESTERS ALL IN THE SAME THOUGH, I WALKED BY TAKING IT ALL IN WITH WITH NO OBVIOUS PARTY. THOUGH I AM SCENE, I ALWAYS THIS SEEMED TO COMBINATION OF THE TWO.”
“NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, LETTING GO OF SOMETHING YOU’VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT ALL YOUR LIFE IS VERY HARD. THIS MOMENT FELT LIKE THE CULMINATION OF JOE BIDEN’S CAREER, EVEN THOUGH HE STILL HAD A FEW MONTHS OF HIS PRESIDENCY REMAINING. THE MINUTESLONG OVATION WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE CROWD NOT ONLY OF HIS DECADES OF SERVICE BUT ALSO AS A THANK YOU FOR PASSING THE TORCH TO THE NEXT GENERATION. WHILE I DID CAPTURE TIGHTER SHOTS OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, A WIDER BLACK-ANDWHITE WITH ENERGETIC CROWDS IS ALWAYS A GOOD CHOICE FOR A HISTORIC MOMENT.”
“A FUN MOMENT FROM THE CNN GRILL. I SAW THIS WOMAN WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE OF THE GRILL, RIGHT TOWARDS THE RNC LOGO. I RAN LIKE A MANIAC TO BEAT HER DOWN THE STAIRS (SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING), GOT LOW AND SNAPPED A FEW FRAMES. LOCATION, TIMEFRAME, FASHION AND PASSION, ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.”
“AFTER HIS NIGHTLY INTRODUCTION, TRUMP WOULD TAKE HIS SEAT AND WATCH THE SPEECHES ALONGSIDE HIS FAMILY AND OTHER REPUBLICAN LEADERS. FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INTRIGUING FRAME AS HE APPEARS TO BE SOMEWHAT HIDING (BEHIND AN AMERICA SIGN!) WHILE STILL WANTING TO BE PRESENT FOR THE ENERGY ON WHICH HE THRIVES. SOMETIMES THE IMAGE TELLS AN OBVIOUS STORY, AND SOMETIMES I MAKE UP STORIES IN MY OWN HEAD AND HOPE THE VIEWER UNDERSTANDS WHAT I’M GOING FOR.”
“EVERY NIGHT OF THE RNC, TRUMP WOULD WALK OUT TO THE APPLAUSE OF THE RAUCOUS CROWD. HE SEEMED TO REVEL IN THE SPOTLIGHT, STANDING AND WAVING TO THE CROWD AS THEY STOOD IN ADORATION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE THE SPEECHES BEGAN. HERE YOU CAN SEE TRUMP IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER AS THE LARGE CROWD REVELS BELOW HIM.”
“Everyone was waiting for Trump to make his first appearance since being shot, and the anticipation was through the roof. I positioned myself by the stage thinking that’s where he’d enter, but he came out from a secret entrance, clear across the other side of the tightly packed arena. For the next hour, I slowly pushed my way through the crowd hoping to get a closer shot, bandaged ear and all. As the night wrapped up, I had gotten closer, but was too low to see him above the signage. Then, I saw security quickly lining up in front of me and realized he was going to come down the stairs and walk through the crowd. If soccer and photojournalism have taught me anything, it’s that it’s all about anticipation. I knew what I wanted – Trump coming down the stairs with his bandaged ear in front of the America sign. I took a couple of fast practice frames, stood my ground as his supporters jostled for a view, and waited.”
“The Democratic campaign has been a whirlwind since Joe Biden dropped out, and Kamala Harris offered a new vision with new energy. Part of my job is getting straightforward, tight photos of the candidates, and while these are obviously useful for press, they don’t always convey the mood of the moment. There was a lot of energy during this speech and the challenge was in conveying that, in different ways, within single frames. For this shot, I used a slow shutter and zoom-out technique, which adds some texture and energy along with a half-blurred, halfsharp double image. I thought this approach was fitting as Harris is now at the forefront of her party, differentiating her new self from her old role and embracing the spotlight.”
PRODUCTION CREDITS
COMPILED BY
TERESA MUÑOZ
The input of Local 600 members is of the utmost importance, and we rely on our membership as the prime (and often the only) source of information in compiling this section. In order for us to continue to provide this service, we ask that Guild members submitting information take note of the following requests:
Please provide up-to-date and complete crew information (including Still Photographers, Publicists, Additional Units, etc.). Please note that the deadline for the Production Credits is on the first of the preceding cover month (excluding weekends & holidays).
Submit your jobs online by visiting: www.icg600.com/MY600/Report-Your-Job
Any questions regarding the Production Credits should be addressed to Teresa Muñoz at teresa@icgmagazine.com
101 STUDIOS
“THE MADISON”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB MCLACHLAN, ASC, CSC
OPERATORS: ERIC SCHILLING, SCOTT DROPKIN, ABBY LINNE, BRITT WEST, JED SEUS
ASSISTANTS: DAVID LEB, TIM CLARKE, SAM PEARCY, NATHAH CRUM, AUSTIN GREEN, SOPHIA BASILIADIS, MATTHEW BREWER, DAN MARINO, RYO KINNO, MICHAEL PICCOLA
STEADICAM OPERATOR: ERIC SCHILLING
LOADER: KYLE JACOBS
CAMERA UTILITY: EMMETT CROCKETT
DIGITAL UTILITY: MATEO CABALLERO
20TH CENTURY FOX FILM CORP
“THE BEAST IN ME”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: LYLE VINCENT
OPERATOR: ERIN HENNING
ASSISTANTS: TONY COAN, CHRISTOPHER WIEZOREK, DEREK DIBONA, SANCHEEV RAVICHANDRAN
STEADICAM OPERATOR: QIANZHI SHEN
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: MICHAEL ROBERT POMORSKI
LOADER: BRETT NORMAN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPHER SAUNDERS
20TH TELEVISION
“9-1-1” SEASON 8
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW MITCHELL, PJ RUSS
OPERATORS: BRICE REID, PHIL MILLER, PAULINA GOMEZ
ASSISTANTS: JAMES RYDINGS, KAORU “Q” ISHIZUKA, CARLOS DOERR, BASSEM BALAA, MELVINA RAPOZO, JENNIFER LAI
STEADICAM OPERATOR: BRICE REID
DIGITAL UTILITY: BEAU MORAN
CAMERA UTILITY: JOE PACELLA
“DOCTOR ODYSSEY”
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: SIMON DENNIS, ASC, BSC, JOHN T. CONNOR
OPERATORS: ERIC SCHILLING, KEITH DUNKERLEY
ASSISTANTS: DAVID LEB, ROB MONROY, NATHAN CRUM, JARED WILSON
STEADICAM OPERATOR: ERIC SCHILLING
STEADICAM ASSISTANT: DAVID LEB
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: SCOTT RESNICK LOADER: SONIA BARRIENTOS
“MID-CENTURY MODERN”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: GARY BAUM, ASC OPERATORS: ALEC ELIZONDO, DEBORAH O’BRIEN, LANCE BILLITZER, EDDIE FINE
ASSISTANTS: SEAN ASKINS, BRADLEY TRAVER, SIMON JARVIS, CLINT PALMER, YUKA KADONO
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: EREK LANTZ
CAMERA UTILITIES: DAN LORENZE, RICHIE FINE
VIDEO CONTROLLER: JOHN O’BRIEN
“WILL TRENT” SEASON 3
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FERNANDO REYESALLENDES, AMC, TIMOTHY GILLIS
OPERATORS: STEWART SMITH, SOC, CRISTIAN TROVA
ASSISTANTS: GERAN COSTDANIELLO, ANDY KOPEC, BENJAMIN EADES
STEADICAM OPERATOR: STEWART SMITH, SOC LOADER: STEVEN DAVID WALTON
DIGITAL UTILITY: NATHANIEL POBLET
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: ZAC POPIK, DANIEL MCFADDEN, MATT MILLER
APOPKA PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“UNTITLED CHRISTY MARTIN PROJECT AKA APOPKA”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: GERMAIN MCMICKING OPERATORS: KENNETH MOORE, JOSEPH DWYER
ASSISTANTS: MATTHEW CABINUM, JASON LANCOUR, MONICA BARRIOS-SMITH, CHRISTIAN SHONTS
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JASON JOHNSON
LOADER: WILLIAM POWELL
BEACHWOOD SERVICES, INC.
“DAYS OF OUR LIVES” SEASON 60 DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID MEAGHER
OPERATORS: MARK WARSHAW, MICHAEL J. DENTON, JOHNNY BROMBEREK, JOHN BOYD, STEVE CLARK
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: MICHAEL PARMELEE, ERIC LIEBOWITZ
“NCIS” SEASON 22
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: WILLIAM WEBB
OPERATORS: GREG COLLIER, CHAD ERICKSON
ASSISTANTS: JAMES TROOST, NATE LOPEZ, HELEN TADESSE, YUSEF EDMONDS, ANNA FERRARIE, DREW HAN CHO
LOADER: MIKE GENTILE
“NCIS: ORIGINS” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN MCKNIGHT
OPERATORS: MICHAEL ALBA, MATT VALENTINE
ASSISTANTS: TAYLOR FENNO, KEVIN MILES, RICH FLOYD, HUNTER JENSEN
LOADER: VICTORIA BETANCOURT
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: BRANNON BROWN
DIGITAL UTILITY: BECKY CINTORA
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: GREG GAYNE
“CRUTCH” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: BERNARD BERNER
OPERATORS: ALAIN ONESTO, JIMMY O’DONNELL, MIGUEL ARMSTRONG, MANUEL GUTIERREZ
ASSISTANT: WYATT MAKER
CAMERA UTILITIES: JAMES TOMLINSON, CHARLES KEMPF
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: THOMAS GUADARRAMA
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: JOJO WHILDEN
CHOICE FILMS, INC.
“THE OUTLAWS”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN INWOOD
OPERATOR: DAVID TAICHER
ASSISTANTS: DOUGLAS FOOTE, DONALD GAMBLE
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVID SCOTT HOLLOWAY
CMS PRODUCTIONS
“MARTY SUPREME”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: DARIUS KHONDJI, AFC, ASC
OPERATORS: COLIN ANDERSON, BRIAN OSMOND
ASSISTANTS: CRAIG PRESSGROVE, ANTHONY DEFRANCESCO, ALEC NICKEL, HOLLY MCCARTHY
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: GABRIEL KOLODNY
LOADERS: BILLY LEE HOLMAN, VICTORIA DUNN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA
COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC.
“CAUGHT STEALING”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW LIBATIQUE, ASC
OPERATOR: CHRIS ARAN
ASSISTANTS: AURELIA WINBORN, ELIZABETH HEDGES
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JEFF FLOHR
LOADERS: ELIZABETH COMPTON, EZEKIEL LIBATIQUE
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: NIKO TAVERNISE
DARK WOLF PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“THE TERMINAL LIST: DARK WOLF”
DC UNIT
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID STOCKTON
OPERATOR: DAVID THOMPSON
ASSISTANTS: IAN AXILROD, JASON REMEIKIS, JASON HOCHREIN
LOADER: NATASHA MARSHALL
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: ANTONY PLATT
DELTA FILMS, LLC
“DENIM & DIAMONDS”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: AMY VINCENT, ASC
OPERATORS: DAVID THOMPSON, JULIAN DELACRUZ, HENRY CLINE
ASSISTANTS: OLGA ABRAMSON, TROY SOLA, ALEXANDER WORSTER, EDDIE GOLDBLATT, SARA BOARDMAN, CORNELIA KLAPPER
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: PATRICK CECILIAN
LOADERS: MADELEINE KING, DONALD GRAHAMER
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: SARAH SHATZ
UNIT PUBLICIST: AMY LEIGH JOHNSON
DRAFT PRODUCTIONS, INC.
“FAST FRIENDS”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: SELENE PRESTON
OPERATORS: SARAH NATOLI, JEFFREY CANFIELD, KATHLEEN HARRIS, JIM MCGIBBON
ASSISTANTS: KATIE GREAVES, ELIZABETH CAVANAGH, BRANDON NEELY, DANIEL FARMER
CAMERA UTILITIES: MICHAEL JOYCE, SCOTT YORK, JUAN GONZALEZ SALAS
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: ASHTON HIATT
DXO PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ED PEI
OPERATORS: BRIAN BERNSTEIN, JORDAN KESLOW
ASSISTANTS: JAMES SPRATTLEY, JAMES DUNHAM, MARYAN ZUREK, JEREMY HILL
LOADER: ANDREW FLORIO
STEADICAM OPERATOR: JORDAN KESLOW
CAMERA UTILITY: KAREN CLANCY
FOXBURG PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“THE ROOKIE” SEASON 7
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: KYLE JEWELL, PAUL THERIAULT
OPERATORS: MIGUEL PASK, MILAN JANICIN, DOUG OH
ASSISTANTS: JIM THIBO, KELLY BERG, JASON GARCIA, RICHARD KENT, CHRIS MACK, TYLER ERNST
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: RYAN DEGRAZZIO
DIGITAL LOADER: JACOB HELLINGA
UTILITY: SPENCER THIBO
HBO
“THE GILDED AGE” SEASON 3
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MANUEL BILLETER, CHRIS LA VASSEUR
OPERATORS: OLIVER CARY, PYARE FORTUNATO, SCOTT TINSLEY
ASSISTANTS: JOHN OLIVERI, TROY SOLA, BRENDAN RUSSELL, BRIAN LYNCH, LOTTE SKUTCH
STEADICAM OPERATOR: PYARE FORTUNATO
DIGITAL IMAGING TECHS: MATT SELKIRK, JAKOB FRIEDMAN
LOADER: BRANDON OSBORN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: KAROLINA WOJTASIK, JON PACK
HIGH ROLLER PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“POKER FACE” SEASON 2
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JARON PRESANT, CHRISTINE NG, TARI SEGAL
OPERATORS: REBECCA ARNDT, NADINE MARTINEZ
ASSISTANTS: HAMILTON LONGYEAR, COURTNEY BRIDGERS, KELLON INNOCENT, RODRIGO MILLAN GARCE, AMBER MATHES
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: GEORGE ROBERT MORSE
LOADERS: AARON CHAMPAGNE, KATIE GREAVES
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: SARAH SHATZ, JON PACK
JUKEBOX, LLC
“THE RUNAROUNDS”
OPERATORS: JOHN LEHMAN, DEREK TINDALL, STEVE ANDRICH
ASSISTANTS: LARRY GIANNESCHI,
ELI WALLACE-JOHANSSON, ERIK OLSON, DOMINIC ATTANASIO, NICK CANNON, PALMER ANDERSON
CAMERA UTILITY: PAIGE MARSICANO
LOADER: TYLER LATHAM
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: DENNIS MONG
DRONE OPERATOR: ANDREW RORK
KANAN PRODUCTIONS, INC.
“POWER BOOK, III: RAISING KANAN” SEASON 5
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFFREY DUTEMPLE, FRANCIS SPIELDENNER
OPERATORS: GREG FINKEL, BRADLEY GRANT
ASSISTANTS: MARK FERGUSON, EMILY DEBLASI, SUREN KARAPETYAN, KEITH ANDERSON
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: HUNTER FAIRSTONE
LOADERS: JOSH MUNSON, KATI PEREZ, CONNOR LYNCH
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: CARA HOWE
UNIT PUBLICIST: EVELYN SANTANA
NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION, LLC
“CHICAGO MED”SEASON 10
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: SHAWN MAURER
OPERATORS: JOE TOLITANO, BILLY NIELSEN
ASSISTANTS: GEORGE OLSON, PATRICK DOOLEY, BRIAN KILBORN, RICHARD COLMAN, MATTHEW WILBAT, JJ LITTLEFIELD
STEADICAM OPERATOR: CHRISTOPHER GLASGOW LOADER: TREVOR SNYDER
DIGITAL UTILITY: TRENTON LUETTICH
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: GEORGE BURNS
“CHICAGO PD” SEASON 12
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES ZUCAL
OPERATORS: VICTOR MACIAS, JAMISON ACKER, CHRIS HOOD
ASSISTANTS: KYLE BELOUSEK, DON CARLSON, NICK WILSON, MARK MOORE, CHRIS POLMANSKI, STEVE CLAY
STEADICAM OPERATOR: VICTOR MACIAS
STEADICAM ASSISTANT: KYLE BELOUSEK
LOADER: REBECCA JOHNSON
DIGITAL UTILITIES: JACOB OCKER, JACOB CUSHMAN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: LORI ALLEN
“FBI” SEASON 7
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: BART TAU
OPERATORS: AFTON GRANT, ANDY FISHER
ASSISTANTS: ADAM GONZALEZ, YURI INOUE, MIKE LOBB, MARVIN LEE
LOADERS: MATTHEW JENSEN, DAVID DIAZ
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: BENNETT RAGLIN
“FBI MOST WANTED” SEASON 6
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: LUDOVIC LITTEE
OPERATORS: CHRIS MOONE, SCOTT TINSLEY
ASSISTANTS: JOHN FITZPATRICK, DAN PFEIFER, JOHN CONQUY, TYLER MANCUSO
LOADERS: ANTHONY VITALE, HUSSEIN FARRAJ
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: MARK SCHAFER
“HAPPY’S PLACE” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: GARY BAUM, ASC
OPERATORS: DAVID DECHANT, DEBORAH O’BRIEN
DAMIAN DELLA SANTINA, EDDIE FINE
ASSISTANTS: BRAD TRAVER, SEAN ASKINS, YUKA KADONO
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: DEREK LANTZ
VIDEO CONTROLLER: JOHN O’BRIEN
CAMERA UTILITIES: RICHIE FINE, DANNY LORENZE
“LAW & ORDER” SEASON 24
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JON DELGADO
OPERATORS: DEKE KEENER, BEAU GRANTLAND
ASSISTANTS: JASON RIHALY, JACOB STAHLMAN, EMILY DUMBRILL, KELSEY MIDDLETON
STEADICAM OPERATOR: RICHARD KEENER
LOADER: LISA CHIN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: VIRGINIA SHERWOOD, IAN BRACONE, MICHAEL PARMELEE
“LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME” SEASON 5
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM DENAULT, JON BEATTIE
OPERATORS: JOHN PIROZZI, NIKNAZ TAVAKOLIAN
ASSISTANTS: ALEX WATERSTON, LEE VICKERY, DERRICK DAWKINS, PATRICK ARELLANO
LOADERS: WILLIE CHING, BERNARDO RUIZ POZO, VINCE FERRARI
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: GIOVANNI RUFINO, RALPH BAVARO, VIRGINIA SHERWOOD, DAVID GIESBRECHT
“LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” SEASON 26
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FELIKS PARNELL
OPERATORS: JON HERRON, CHRISTOPHER DEL SORDO
ASSISTANTS: JOSEPH METZGER, CHRISTIAN CARMODY, RYAN HADDON, LIAM GANNON, MARY NEARY
STEADICAM OPERATOR: JONATHAN HERRON
LOADER: JAMES WILLIAMS
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: PETER KRAMER, VIRGINIA SHERWOOD, EMILY ARAGONES
“TED” SEASON 2
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFFREY C. MYGATT
OPERATORS: BILL BRUMMOND, TOBY TUCKER, MICHAEL SHARP
ASSISTANTS: PATRICK BENSIMMON, DALE WHITE,
CREW PHOTO
GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL 2024
LOCAL 600 AND 100
SCOTT BIRNKRANT, FERNANDO ZACARIAS, ERIC GUERIN, JIHANE MRAD
STEADICAM OPERATOR: BILL BRUMMOND
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: HANNAH THOMAS
“THE FOUR SEASONS” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM ORR
OPERATORS: PHILIP MARTINEZ, ARTHUR AFRICANO
ASSISTANTS: WARIS SUPANPONG, BECKI HELLER, RANDY SCHWARTZ, ELIZABETH CASINELLI
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: PAUL SCHILENS
LOADERS: MARGARET HUGHES, DANIEL SANABRIA
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: JON PACK
LEFT TO RIGHT
BOB BENEDETTI, ANTHONY DEFONZO, RAMSEY ALKAYSI, MIKE CUNNINGHAM, JIM WASHBURN, JOE MANCUSI, ERIK CIMINELLI, JOHN ROLLMAN, KEITH CONOD, ANTHONY BENEDETTI.
RICH GILMORE, JOAQUIN GIRAUD, TIM BENZINGER, SKIP KENT, JOHN BATES, JENNY MONTGOMERY AND CHRIS VANDRIE.
“THE WATERFRONT” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: RAMSEY NICKELL
OPERATORS: MATTHEW DOLL, MICHEAL REPETA
ASSISTANTS: ALAN ALDRIDGE, SEAN YAPLE, SETH LEWIS, NICK COCUZZA
CAMERA UTILITIES: CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: ANDY BADER
LOADER: BRANDON ROBEY
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: DANA HAWLEY
NETFLIX PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“HAPPY GILMORE 2”
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ZAK MULLIGAN, PATRICK CAPONE
OPERATORS: MICHAEL FUCHS, REBECCA RAJADNYA
ASSISTANTS: TROY DOBBERTIN, ALEC FREUND, JAMES SCHLITTENHART, FRANCES DE RUBERTIS
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: TOM WONG
LOADERS: JEANNA CANATSEY, JORDAN BAN
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: SCOTT YAMANO
CREW PHOTO
“THE BETTER SISTER”
“THE BOROUGHS”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTTHEW JENSEN, ASC
OPERATORS: KENNY NIEMNBERG, KEVIN EMMONS
ASSISTANTS: SEBASTIAN VEGA, TAYLOR HILBURN, KATY JONES
STEADICAM OPERATOR: KENNY NIERBERG
DIGITAL UTILITY: AUBRI MARTINEZ
LOADER: EMILIO CHERINO
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: SCOTT GARFIELD
“TIRES” SEASON 2
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: CLAYTON HERETH
ASSISTANTS: MELISSA DABBACK, MONICA MEJIA,
CORRINE MCANDREWS, STEPHEN REYES
R TO L FRONT ROWBENEDICT BALDAUFF, DENISE SZALMA, JERON BLACK, ANABEL CAICEDO
R TO L BACK ROW STANDINGMIKE ASHLEY, CAMERON SIZEMORE, JOJO WHILDEN, AILEEN TAYLOR, DUANE MANWILLER, MARK SCHMIDT, SAMANTHA SILVER
PHOTO BY: JOJO WHILDEN
STEADICAM OPERATOR: MICHAEL THACKRAY
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: RICHARD PAUL MYERS
“PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB GIVENS
OPERATORS: GRAYSON AUSTIN, MICHAEL APPLEBAUM
ASSISTANTS: RYOSUKE KAWANAKA, HALEY TURK, TREVOR TUFANO, MATTHEW GAUMER
STEADICAM OPERATOR: GRAYSON AUSTIN
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: ANDREA ACS
LOADER: BEN MANER
DIGITAL UTILITY: DAVE EDWARDS
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: MICHELE K. SHORT
UNIT PUBLICIST: DIANE SLATTERY
PARALLAX TV PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“THE PITT” SEASON 1
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHANNA COELHO
OPERATORS: RYAN WOOD, AYMAE SULICK
ASSISTANTS: JACOB DEPP, KIRSTEN CELO, PETER DEPHILIPPIS, KELLSIE DOMNITZ
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JEFFERSON FUGITT
DIGITAL UTILITY: TOSHA PALANI
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: GREG LEWIS
“JEOPARDY!” SEASON 39
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF ENGEL
OPERATORS: DIANE L. FARRELL, SOC, MIKE TRIBBLE, JEFF SCHUSTER, L. DAVID IRETE
JIB ARM OPERATOR: MARC HUNTER
HEAD UTILITY: TINO MARQUEZ
CAMERA UTILITY: RAY THOMPSON
VIDEO CONTROLLER: JEFF MESSENGER
VIDEO UTILITIES: MICHAEL CORWIN, JEFF KLIMUCK
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: TYLER GOLDEN
“WHEEL OF FORTUNE” SEASON 40
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: JEFF ENGEL
OPERATORS: DIANE L. FARRELL, SOC, L.DAVID IRETE, RAY GONZALES, MIKE TRIBBLE
HEAD UTILITY: TINO MARQUEZ
CAMERA UTILITY: RAY THOMPSON
VIDEO CONTROLLER: JEFF MESSENGER
VIDEO UTILITIES: MICHAEL CORWIN, JEFF KLIMUCK
JIB ARM OPERATOR: STEVE SIMMONS
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: CAROL KAELSON
STAMFORD MEDIA CENTER AND PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“KARAMO” SEASON 3
OPERATORS: VICTOR MATHEWS, RON THOMPSON, CHARLES BEDI, DOMINICK CIARDIELLO, JON ROSE, ED STAEBLER, THOMAS TUCKER
JIB ARM OPERATOR: ANTHONY LENZO
CAMERA UTILITIES: FRANK CAIOLA, ROBERT FRITCHE
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JOE MANCUSI
“WILKOS” SEASON 18
OPERATORS: VICTOR MATHEWS, RON THOMPSON, CHARLES BEDI, DOMINICK CIARDIELLO, MARC NATHAN, JON ROSE
JIB ARM OPERATOR: ANTHONY LENZO
CAMERA UTILITIES: ROBERT BENEDETTI, FRANK CAIOLA, ROBERT FRITCHE
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: JOE MANCUSI
UNIVERSAL TELEVISION
“THE EQUALIZER” SEASON 5
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: TERRENCE L. BURKE, CLIFF CHARLES
OPERATORS: JOE BLODGETT, MALCOLM PURNELL, RICARDO SARMIENTO
ASSISTANTS: STACY MIZE, JELANI WILSON, CHRIS GLEATON, ROB WRASE, ZAKIYA LUCAS-MURRAY, COLIN MORRIS
STEADICAM OPERATOR: JOE BLODGETT
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: TIFFANY ARMOUR-TEJADA
LOADERS: CHRIS BAZATA, ALEX LILJA
STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS: EMILY ARAGONES, MICHAEL GREENBERG
VIBRANT PRODUCTIONS, LLC
“UNTITLED BIGELOW-OPPENHEIM”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: BARRY ACKROYD, BSC
OPERATORS: GREGOR TAVENNER, KATHERINE CASTRO, ALAN PIERCE
ASSISTANTS: NOLAN BALL, CORY STAMBLER, JASON BRIGNOLA, TIM METIVIER, CHRISTINA CARMODY, JAMES DEAN DRUMMOND, EVE STRICKMAN,
ANDY HENSLER
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: KYO MOON
LOADERS: CLARIE SNODE, PAUL SPANG, SAM FORNASIERO
STILL PHOTOGRAPHER: EROS HOAGLAND
WARNER BROS
“ALL AMERICAN” SEASON 7
DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIC LAUDADIO, ERIBERTO CORDERO
ASSISTANTS: CHRIS HOLLOWAY, STEVEN MCCRARY, CHASE SCHULTZ
STEADICAM OPERATOR: BRENNAN MAXWELL
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: GRIFF THOMAS
DRONE OPERATOR: LOUIE NORTHERN
UNDERWONDER
“GASLIGHT”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: NIKITA KUZMENKO
ASSISTANTS: NICHOLAS MARTIN, ELIJAH RAWLINGS
DIGITAL IMAGING TECH: FABRICIO DISANTO
RONIN TECH: TRAVIS CLEARY
GILLES MINGASSON
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE
When working on a movie or scripted TV series, I usually have the time and space to step back and shoot BTS photos that are composed with room to breathe and tell the scene’s story. I found that on an unscripted set, with multiple cameras, tight spaces and often no fourth wall to hide, there are fewer opportunities to photograph that “big picture” BTS image. This frame was one of the few times I was able to capture a wide shot that featured the cast and showcased the show’s iconic mansion and the crew at work. I had to triple-check as I walked back to get it all in the frame, expecting that at any second I would be in someone’s shot. It was one of those rare moments when everything that was needed to tell the story behind the scenes fell into place in a beautifully lit frame.
