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Newsletter 9 December 2015

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Filthy Rich Insights

Dave Cameron explains his shoot from within the main set

When you go on the Universal Studio tour you know perfectly well that you are not seeing the real thing unlessyou count the backs of distant trucks down studio side alleys You can understand why ndash extra people on a filmset is a hassle they can do without

This is why it was such a coup when Dave Cameron ACS NZCS viceshypresident and DoP on Filthy Richconvinced the showrsquos producers to allow him to open the set and show NZCS members how he wasapproaching the shoot

This was never going to be an ordinary lecture where a cinematographer shows a few clips and talks about hiswork This time NZCS members would be able to sit in the East Tamaki warehouse sets watch selected scenesand have Cameron actually show them how the shots were achieved

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Nor was this a sanitised tour as Cameron related the pressures and compromises he faced and how he tried toturn them into positives and advantages

To give a taste of what belonging to NZCS offers the event was opened to nonshymembers and this proved to bea winner People who are filmmakers and camera operators but not on fullshysized drama productions took fulladvantage of the invitation Corporate members too used the opportunity for staff who donrsquot normally get ontosets

The evening began after the dayrsquos wrap when the visitors ndash once theyrsquod signed confidentiality agreements andhad a drink ndash were ushered into the main set

ChallengedCameron showed a trailer for the show and talked about how he was challenged to make dollars go furtherEven though it is publicised as New Zealand on Airrsquos biggest budget TV series to date it is a 20shyepisode showand for Cameron that meant stretching each dollar further than before

He says within the budget he couldnrsquot afford the 10K lights that would normally be used to simulate daylightstreaming in from windows on the sets This left him with a threeshyway trade off between illumination levels lensspeed and acceptable camera ISO

His solution was to use the more expensive ARRI Zeiss Master primes which reach T13 wide open ARRI Amiracameras set at 1280 ISO and 5K fixtures outside the windows This was the most costshyeffective combination andCameron is happy with that images came from a set that until now would probably be regarded as undershylit

Not afraidTo take advantage of the lens speed means shooting wide open and whatrsquos more Cameron was not afraid touse long primes revealing a high level of confidence in his focus pullers Sam Matthews and Dave Steel Theyseemed remarkably cheerful and relaxed about the whole thing nearly always pulling remotely from monitors inanother room

The lighting was inventive in more ways than one with homeshymade soft light boxes overhead in some sets flurostrips built into others and the edge taken off LED panels with a variety of soft boxes and egg crates rigged upby gaffer Grant McKinnon ndash a character who completely understates his insane ability to simultaneously hold theposition of gaffer builder of oneshyoff lighting fixtures and B camera operator To top it all he sometimes steps upto DoP if Cameron is called away

SurpriseAfter showing selected scenes and running through his approach Cameron took his visitors on a tour of thesets surprising many with his talents for making the set look far more expansive on screen than in real life

The evening wrapped with a chance to meet and greet the crew who had set up the gear and had stayed behindto explain their part in the shoot

NZCS is indebted to producer Steven Zanoski and line producer Nikki Baigent for their generosity in allowing thisevent and the crew (see below) who stayed behind to help make it happen

Sam Matthews Focus PullerDavid Steel Focus PullerDaniela Conforte Camera assistantJohnathan Guest Data WranglerVideo split

Grant McKinnon Gaffer camera operatorJames Young Best Boy Matthew Thomas Lighting assistantAlex Young Lighting assistantAlex Jenkins Generator operatorJeremy Osborn Key gripRajiv Raj Grip assistantJack Potter Grip trainee

Filthy Rich is due to air on TV2 in Autumn 2016

Peter Parnham

Staring down the barrel Michael Engelbrecht recounts a new experience while shooting

Along with Dan the DoP I was in the front passenger seat as we drove across MountWellington in the early hours of Sunday morning recently to shoot a music video As 1stAC I held a Ronin on my lap fully rigged and ready to go Our director Tim was in the vanahead of us as we followed in convoy to our location an empty office building

There were no other cars on the road at that time so it was easy to see the unmarkedpolice car quite blatantly tailing us Thinking it just must be a quiet night for them we didntread too much into it and pretty soon we arrived at our location and the cop cardisappeared

About 15 minutes later the sun was just starting to come up and a light rain had startedfalling on us Tim and I were outside unloading the van and Dan was inside setting upwhen we amazed to hear lsquoTurn around and put your hands in the air I turned around to see just like on an episode of cops a bunch of police officers popping

into view with their guns drawn and pointed directly at us My first reaction was obviously terror (the first timeanyone has pointed a gun at me before let alone multiple guns)

Pretty soon after seeing the uniforms and connecting that to the cop tailing us earlier the thought ran throughmy head Itrsquos OK its just the cops and theyve just made a massive stuff up Im probably not going to get shot

Very quickly Tim and I found ourselves on the ground in puddles with officers standing over us while the rest ofthem looked inside for Dan and this mysterious firearm that I had been spotted holding in the front seat Judgingfrom the all of the cameralighting gear and the lack of any weapons they realized pretty quickly that we were aswe said we were and as if not wanting to admit they were in the wrong sheepishly said we could stand up andrelax

The one officer that did admit to the mistake was the one in the unmarked car who had called it in and he wasclearly apologetic and very embarrassed by the whole thing

Before they had even left his colleagues had already begun teasing him about it and no doubt they will for along time yet

As ridiculous as it was it could have turned out much worse than it did I got a great story out of it and that is

one cop who wonrsquot make the same mistake again Itrsquos just a shame we werenrsquot rolling

Great response to Camera PathwaysKevin Riley

The Camera Pathways programme launched last month has generated a great response from the industry withover a dozen applicants joining the programme already and our first trainee position filled (see below) Producerstell me they like the standardised format of information from participants and with the anticipated lift in productionnext year may be able to open camera trainee postitions A lot of my colleagues have said how they wish sucha scheme had existed when they were entering the industry so hopefully they will be spreading the word andencouraging Producers to take part

Often taking on a trainee in the camera dept is influenced by the DoP Operators or 1st AC who may know ofpeople who have the right attitude As an aspiring camera trainee your chances of meeting these people isincreased if you can get along to the occasional NZCS event some of which are open to non members Sign upto this newsletter keep an eye on our Facebook page where we give people a heads up about our events

Two problems solvedSend your CV too early and it gets discarded send it too late and you miss out and the production may missthe best candidate With Camera Pathways your name is in the pool and the producer looks at the whole listwhen the time is right

Are these applicants aware of the hours involved and the need for punctuality on set With Camera Pathwaysthe application process explains all that and the steps one and two of the programme should identify anybodywho was not fully committed

What is Camera Pathways

Camera pathways is the new NZCS programme that

Gives new camera trainees a chance to get started in the industry by introducing them to productionsGive producers and DP a quick way of finding camera trainees with real potential

After getting into the programme step one is for the aspiring trainees meet with an NZCS cinematographer steptwo is some work experience and step three is a camera trainee position as they become available

With Camera pathways NZCS facilitates the networking that is so important to get established in the industry itdoesnt create the work experience trainee positions or judge the performance of the trainee shy like anyfreelancer they have to built their own reputation for unflinching hard work But Camera pathways can help withthat crucial first step

To find out more about the Camera Pathways program or participate email kevinnzcinecom

Grant McKinnon Gaffer camera operatorJames Young Best Boy Matthew Thomas Lighting assistantAlex Young Lighting assistantAlex Jenkins Generator operatorJeremy Osborn Key gripRajiv Raj Grip assistantJack Potter Grip trainee

Filthy Rich is due to air on TV2 in Autumn 2016

Peter Parnham

Staring down the barrel Michael Engelbrecht recounts a new experience while shooting

Along with Dan the DoP I was in the front passenger seat as we drove across MountWellington in the early hours of Sunday morning recently to shoot a music video As 1stAC I held a Ronin on my lap fully rigged and ready to go Our director Tim was in the vanahead of us as we followed in convoy to our location an empty office building

There were no other cars on the road at that time so it was easy to see the unmarkedpolice car quite blatantly tailing us Thinking it just must be a quiet night for them we didntread too much into it and pretty soon we arrived at our location and the cop cardisappeared

About 15 minutes later the sun was just starting to come up and a light rain had startedfalling on us Tim and I were outside unloading the van and Dan was inside setting upwhen we amazed to hear lsquoTurn around and put your hands in the air I turned around to see just like on an episode of cops a bunch of police officers popping

into view with their guns drawn and pointed directly at us My first reaction was obviously terror (the first timeanyone has pointed a gun at me before let alone multiple guns)

Pretty soon after seeing the uniforms and connecting that to the cop tailing us earlier the thought ran throughmy head Itrsquos OK its just the cops and theyve just made a massive stuff up Im probably not going to get shot

Very quickly Tim and I found ourselves on the ground in puddles with officers standing over us while the rest ofthem looked inside for Dan and this mysterious firearm that I had been spotted holding in the front seat Judgingfrom the all of the cameralighting gear and the lack of any weapons they realized pretty quickly that we were aswe said we were and as if not wanting to admit they were in the wrong sheepishly said we could stand up andrelax

The one officer that did admit to the mistake was the one in the unmarked car who had called it in and he wasclearly apologetic and very embarrassed by the whole thing

Before they had even left his colleagues had already begun teasing him about it and no doubt they will for along time yet

As ridiculous as it was it could have turned out much worse than it did I got a great story out of it and that is

one cop who wonrsquot make the same mistake again Itrsquos just a shame we werenrsquot rolling

Great response to Camera PathwaysKevin Riley

The Camera Pathways programme launched last month has generated a great response from the industry withover a dozen applicants joining the programme already and our first trainee position filled (see below) Producerstell me they like the standardised format of information from participants and with the anticipated lift in productionnext year may be able to open camera trainee postitions A lot of my colleagues have said how they wish sucha scheme had existed when they were entering the industry so hopefully they will be spreading the word andencouraging Producers to take part

Often taking on a trainee in the camera dept is influenced by the DoP Operators or 1st AC who may know ofpeople who have the right attitude As an aspiring camera trainee your chances of meeting these people isincreased if you can get along to the occasional NZCS event some of which are open to non members Sign upto this newsletter keep an eye on our Facebook page where we give people a heads up about our events

Two problems solvedSend your CV too early and it gets discarded send it too late and you miss out and the production may missthe best candidate With Camera Pathways your name is in the pool and the producer looks at the whole listwhen the time is right

Are these applicants aware of the hours involved and the need for punctuality on set With Camera Pathwaysthe application process explains all that and the steps one and two of the programme should identify anybodywho was not fully committed

What is Camera Pathways

Camera pathways is the new NZCS programme that

Gives new camera trainees a chance to get started in the industry by introducing them to productionsGive producers and DP a quick way of finding camera trainees with real potential

After getting into the programme step one is for the aspiring trainees meet with an NZCS cinematographer steptwo is some work experience and step three is a camera trainee position as they become available

With Camera pathways NZCS facilitates the networking that is so important to get established in the industry itdoesnt create the work experience trainee positions or judge the performance of the trainee shy like anyfreelancer they have to built their own reputation for unflinching hard work But Camera pathways can help withthat crucial first step

To find out more about the Camera Pathways program or participate email kevinnzcinecom

one cop who wonrsquot make the same mistake again Itrsquos just a shame we werenrsquot rolling

Great response to Camera PathwaysKevin Riley

The Camera Pathways programme launched last month has generated a great response from the industry withover a dozen applicants joining the programme already and our first trainee position filled (see below) Producerstell me they like the standardised format of information from participants and with the anticipated lift in productionnext year may be able to open camera trainee postitions A lot of my colleagues have said how they wish sucha scheme had existed when they were entering the industry so hopefully they will be spreading the word andencouraging Producers to take part

Often taking on a trainee in the camera dept is influenced by the DoP Operators or 1st AC who may know ofpeople who have the right attitude As an aspiring camera trainee your chances of meeting these people isincreased if you can get along to the occasional NZCS event some of which are open to non members Sign upto this newsletter keep an eye on our Facebook page where we give people a heads up about our events

Two problems solvedSend your CV too early and it gets discarded send it too late and you miss out and the production may missthe best candidate With Camera Pathways your name is in the pool and the producer looks at the whole listwhen the time is right

Are these applicants aware of the hours involved and the need for punctuality on set With Camera Pathwaysthe application process explains all that and the steps one and two of the programme should identify anybodywho was not fully committed

What is Camera Pathways

Camera pathways is the new NZCS programme that

Gives new camera trainees a chance to get started in the industry by introducing them to productionsGive producers and DP a quick way of finding camera trainees with real potential

After getting into the programme step one is for the aspiring trainees meet with an NZCS cinematographer steptwo is some work experience and step three is a camera trainee position as they become available

With Camera pathways NZCS facilitates the networking that is so important to get established in the industry itdoesnt create the work experience trainee positions or judge the performance of the trainee shy like anyfreelancer they have to built their own reputation for unflinching hard work But Camera pathways can help withthat crucial first step

To find out more about the Camera Pathways program or participate email kevinnzcinecom

First Camera Pathways traineeCinematographer and NZCS member Guy Quartermain passes on congratulations

Jamieson Montgomery (L) and Guy Quartermain (R)

First Camera Pathways trainee Jamieson Montgomery being introduced to the big bad world of TelevisionCinematography Well done to Jamieson and also to Kevin Riley for a useful scheme Having a formalframework to employ and train was very useful and I am sure will improve quality and outcomes for productionand the students

Women in camera ndash things are looking upRepresenting NZCS on the selection panel for the inaugural Cinefem scholarship caused cinematographer MairiGunn to reflect on her own career Itrsquos a story involving focus pulling shooting while pregnant balancing familylife and winning awards intertwined with the history of camerawomen in New Zealand

Womensrsquo Series (1976) LshyR Lorraine Engelbretson (sound recordist) Margaret Moth (camera) Julie

Thomson (research) and Deidre McCartin (director) Deborah Shepard from Reframing Women A

History of New Zealand Film (Auckland Harper Collins 2000 52)

In 1932 Hilda Hayward Rudall Haywardrsquos first wife picked up her camera and went to film the Auckland riots inQueen Street It was a courageous move that made her New Zealandrsquos first known camerawoman and pavedthe way for women who have been working with movie cameras in New Zealand ever since Hayward hadpreviously collaborated with her husband as an editor but went on to shoot doco and drama footage with andwithout him

Later Ramai Hayward Rudall Haywardrsquos second wife and Margaret Moth became icons for aspiring womencinematographers Ramai is credited as the first Maori camerawoman She was a stills photographer with herown photographic studio in Devonport before she met Rudall Margaret left New Zealand after shooting TheWomenrsquos Series in 1976 and became a renowned CNN news and current affairs shooter Both have sincepassed away

Only one other womanDespite this history in 1984 after four years in the cutting room I joined the camera department in the NewZealand freelance film and television industry There was only one other female camera assistant working ondrama shoots Her name was Moi Cameron and she later became a firewoman

It is quite surreal being the only one of something It defies reason and the isolation is problematic for acollaborative person Thankfully in 1988 Merata Mita invited me to a wānanga with her filmmaking buddies suchas Annie Collins It was to support Sharon Hawke and others to fulfil their roles on the upcoming Manuka serieswith the legendary Don Selwyn Subsequently Josie Harbutt was working on film shoots in the 1990s and I wason Black Beauty with Rewa Harreacute on Kirsten Greenrsquos first day as a loader There was Rachel Baird RachelDouglas Amanda Clark Freddie Tara Landry and many more stalwart women loading and pulling focus after Imoved from fiction to the documentary genre And there were still more talented women who chose not to go onbecome cinematographers for a myriad of reasons

Too hardI meet women everywhere often behind desks or as editors who say theywanted to become a camerawomen but it had seemed too hard They hadthe impression it might be too physically taxing which was a perception atthe time or too psychologically challenging due to impending torment fromsome careless cowboys ndash the men who could sway attitudes andatmospheres on set Others identified unsupportive attitudes within thefemale dominated production office as a potential drag on their emotionalresources This was a pity because the right mentors can provide crucialsupport to overcome perceived and real obstacles

Back then I was operating with film cameras ndash Super 8 16mm Bolex Aatonor ARRI 16BL ndash using no more than a couple of lights or a shiprsquos flare and

often working almost alone with a director although Chris Plummer reminded me that he held a lamp for mewhile filming in the bombed out Rainbow Warrior in 1985

This was my shooting life in parallel to the mainstream industry where I was a camera assistant I loved thephysicality of being an assistant along with the banter the precision the travel and adventures (even though thepressure was sometimes untenable and the osteopath became a friend)

Just meI did it for ten years until my mother suggested I stop serving others and just shoot That was in 1995 and shegave me that advice the year she died My main mentor was gone I was not one of a filmmaking dynasty or partof any other team ndash I was just me I had been shooting since about 1980 ndash around twenty short films a bunch of

music videos some docos and one 16mm feature film Gravity and Grace It was about time to call myself acinematographer

I joined WIFT for collegial support and access to an international arena because there was no cinematographerrsquossociety back then I didnt know Id have to wait 12 years to become a foundation member of the NZCS

Roaring successIt was twenty years after I joined the industry that I met my first female cinematographer Australian Jan Kennyand organised a WIFT weekend cinematography workshop with her The weekend was a roaring successCamerawomen Sharon Hawke and Ginny Loane were there Ginny had been working in the lighting departmentand was a rising star then while today she is a role model for the new generation of aspiring femalecinematographers

Since then Jac Fitzgerald appeared on the scene and has been shooting drama and TV commercials So therewere only a handful of us who had come up through the celluloid years Strangely that was perceived by someas an entire platoon commenting lsquoThere are lots of you now arenrsquot therersquo Yet in reality there were so fewwomen out of more than a hundred shooters It was a matter of perception The few stood out in high relief

Operating on Timetrap (1990) with Erin OLeary Therese Mangos RickAllender and Sally Smith (directorwriter)

Shooting pregnantIrsquod shot the 16mm feature Gravity and Grace (1994) in Auckland and NY before I met my partner Mike on aWellington production to do with domestic violence (it won me the ITVA camera award in 1995) Someproductions are extra lucky Mike and I shot and recorded my second feature Harold Brodiersquos Reality Show thenwe went to Ireland while I was pregnant to shoot and sound record Shirley Gracersquos Erinrsquos Exiled DaughtersBridie was born in 1997 After that there were about five more short films including Felicity Morgan RhindrsquosDonuts for Breakfast which screened at the New York Film Festival amongst others

I felt that I really needed to establish myself as a cinematographer before I had a baby I sensed that a babywould change things and I was right Short form drama and docos were just manageable but not the big dramashoots I didnrsquot want to put stress on my daughter I remember throwing my breast milk out the window of amoving car on the way to a recce in Piha because my baby wasnrsquot around to relieve the pressure naturally

Some shoots like Donuts for Breakfast Bridie attended because Mike could stay with us on location She wassick during Mobyrsquos Island so considerate crew members carried her along the beach to keep her within eyeshot

She had her own wee department Since I have no family close by a change of schedule always necessitatedsome domestic production management on my part I only recently learned that there is an aversion to hiringmothers in key roles because of our changed priorities

BummerI waited and waited to shoot a TV drama like so many of the great ones I had pulled focus on However therewas about an eightshyyear drought Bummer Then when Mike and I were filming a doco in the US in 2001 I wasable to accompany Donuts for Breakfast to Sundance I was embraced by the doco community there andgravitated to the House of Docs a space for panel discussions and screenings that was dedicated todocumentaries What a relief to see that the inclusive Errol Morris had his entire Interrotron crew on the podiumbeside him explaining their shooting process to the audience It was a revelation to discover a world where ideasand real people matter more than cool career or celebrity I was converted My work with factual storytelling hassince led me into the field of video installation where computers and digital imagery reign ndash a brave new worldwith almost unlimited potential

Shedding trucksIn the past the scale of the equipment generally involved trucks But now working with the newer lighter weightdigital cameras we are shedding the trucks and the budget The arrival of DSLRs has democratised the mediumand helped to increase the number of female shooters

Coupled with that is the proliferation of cameras throughout almost every aspect of our lives plus the proclivity forcontent that many students and 48 hour pundits are happy to supply at low cost or gratis Working in the gifteconomy requires optimism and energy Thatrsquos something our young women have in spades In addition todeveloping their craft they practice their sports build their own companies go to art school ndash or go to Brazil andshoot thrilling dance movies as one of the Cinefem Scholarship applicants did And women from all over theworld have come to us Maybe it is the worldwide fame of Weta that attracts them or our reputation as a liberalgreen society that first gave women the vote

Power of diversityI believe strongly in the power of diversity to enrich our ways of being and working in the world and initiated theinformal Slow Film Movement as a counterpoint to the dollarshydriven slavish six or sevenshyday week Now owningour own gear is within our reach it means that we can be more flexible We can avoid the costs of equipmenthire the time pressure and inhuman work schedules Women can and are devising new ways of working Thesenew approaches impact on the kind of films that can be made and the stories that can be told

Recently I have detected a sea change for women with cameras This was very evident at a recent WIFTNZCSevening at Panavision Women pretty much ran the show It was an historical moment Aliesha Staples held thefloor as she introduced various drones and gimbals to an audience that included old hands and newbies bothmale and female The evening was electric

ScholarshipIn April of this year I was invited to film a series of interviews of our women filmmakers for a New Zealand FilmCommission initiative supported by Jane Campion Janersquos comments about the woeful lack of women in filminternationally ndash she is still the only woman to have won the coveted Cannes Palme drsquoOr ndash have galvanised theFilm Commission into positive action Together they devised the Cinefem Scholarship as a way of supportingwomen filmmakers and New Zealand film culture in general The first scholarship focused on cinematographyand Ginny Loane and I represented NZCS on the selection panel along with Richard Bluck I was struck by thecombined experience of the applicants the quality and diversity of the work and the high standard We werekeenly aware that there were very few Maori and Polynesian applicants but were pleased that pregnant womenand mothers applied for this cinematographersrsquo scholarship

In 1932 Hilda Hayward Rudall Haywardrsquos first wife picked up her camera and went to film the Auckland riots inQueen Street It was a courageous move that made her New Zealandrsquos first known camerawoman and pavedthe way for women who have been working with movie cameras in New Zealand ever since Hayward hadpreviously collaborated with her husband as an editor but went on to shoot doco and drama footage with andwithout him

Later Ramai Hayward Rudall Haywardrsquos second wife and Margaret Moth became icons for aspiring womencinematographers Ramai is credited as the first Maori camerawoman She was a stills photographer with herown photographic studio in Devonport before she met Rudall Margaret left New Zealand after shooting TheWomenrsquos Series in 1976 and became a renowned CNN news and current affairs shooter Both have sincepassed away

Only one other womanDespite this history in 1984 after four years in the cutting room I joined the camera department in the NewZealand freelance film and television industry There was only one other female camera assistant working ondrama shoots Her name was Moi Cameron and she later became a firewoman

It is quite surreal being the only one of something It defies reason and the isolation is problematic for acollaborative person Thankfully in 1988 Merata Mita invited me to a wānanga with her filmmaking buddies suchas Annie Collins It was to support Sharon Hawke and others to fulfil their roles on the upcoming Manuka serieswith the legendary Don Selwyn Subsequently Josie Harbutt was working on film shoots in the 1990s and I wason Black Beauty with Rewa Harreacute on Kirsten Greenrsquos first day as a loader There was Rachel Baird RachelDouglas Amanda Clark Freddie Tara Landry and many more stalwart women loading and pulling focus after Imoved from fiction to the documentary genre And there were still more talented women who chose not to go onbecome cinematographers for a myriad of reasons

Too hardI meet women everywhere often behind desks or as editors who say theywanted to become a camerawomen but it had seemed too hard They hadthe impression it might be too physically taxing which was a perception atthe time or too psychologically challenging due to impending torment fromsome careless cowboys ndash the men who could sway attitudes andatmospheres on set Others identified unsupportive attitudes within thefemale dominated production office as a potential drag on their emotionalresources This was a pity because the right mentors can provide crucialsupport to overcome perceived and real obstacles

Back then I was operating with film cameras ndash Super 8 16mm Bolex Aatonor ARRI 16BL ndash using no more than a couple of lights or a shiprsquos flare and

often working almost alone with a director although Chris Plummer reminded me that he held a lamp for mewhile filming in the bombed out Rainbow Warrior in 1985

This was my shooting life in parallel to the mainstream industry where I was a camera assistant I loved thephysicality of being an assistant along with the banter the precision the travel and adventures (even though thepressure was sometimes untenable and the osteopath became a friend)

Just meI did it for ten years until my mother suggested I stop serving others and just shoot That was in 1995 and shegave me that advice the year she died My main mentor was gone I was not one of a filmmaking dynasty or partof any other team ndash I was just me I had been shooting since about 1980 ndash around twenty short films a bunch of

music videos some docos and one 16mm feature film Gravity and Grace It was about time to call myself acinematographer

I joined WIFT for collegial support and access to an international arena because there was no cinematographerrsquossociety back then I didnt know Id have to wait 12 years to become a foundation member of the NZCS

Roaring successIt was twenty years after I joined the industry that I met my first female cinematographer Australian Jan Kennyand organised a WIFT weekend cinematography workshop with her The weekend was a roaring successCamerawomen Sharon Hawke and Ginny Loane were there Ginny had been working in the lighting departmentand was a rising star then while today she is a role model for the new generation of aspiring femalecinematographers

Since then Jac Fitzgerald appeared on the scene and has been shooting drama and TV commercials So therewere only a handful of us who had come up through the celluloid years Strangely that was perceived by someas an entire platoon commenting lsquoThere are lots of you now arenrsquot therersquo Yet in reality there were so fewwomen out of more than a hundred shooters It was a matter of perception The few stood out in high relief

Operating on Timetrap (1990) with Erin OLeary Therese Mangos RickAllender and Sally Smith (directorwriter)

Shooting pregnantIrsquod shot the 16mm feature Gravity and Grace (1994) in Auckland and NY before I met my partner Mike on aWellington production to do with domestic violence (it won me the ITVA camera award in 1995) Someproductions are extra lucky Mike and I shot and recorded my second feature Harold Brodiersquos Reality Show thenwe went to Ireland while I was pregnant to shoot and sound record Shirley Gracersquos Erinrsquos Exiled DaughtersBridie was born in 1997 After that there were about five more short films including Felicity Morgan RhindrsquosDonuts for Breakfast which screened at the New York Film Festival amongst others

I felt that I really needed to establish myself as a cinematographer before I had a baby I sensed that a babywould change things and I was right Short form drama and docos were just manageable but not the big dramashoots I didnrsquot want to put stress on my daughter I remember throwing my breast milk out the window of amoving car on the way to a recce in Piha because my baby wasnrsquot around to relieve the pressure naturally

Some shoots like Donuts for Breakfast Bridie attended because Mike could stay with us on location She wassick during Mobyrsquos Island so considerate crew members carried her along the beach to keep her within eyeshot

She had her own wee department Since I have no family close by a change of schedule always necessitatedsome domestic production management on my part I only recently learned that there is an aversion to hiringmothers in key roles because of our changed priorities

BummerI waited and waited to shoot a TV drama like so many of the great ones I had pulled focus on However therewas about an eightshyyear drought Bummer Then when Mike and I were filming a doco in the US in 2001 I wasable to accompany Donuts for Breakfast to Sundance I was embraced by the doco community there andgravitated to the House of Docs a space for panel discussions and screenings that was dedicated todocumentaries What a relief to see that the inclusive Errol Morris had his entire Interrotron crew on the podiumbeside him explaining their shooting process to the audience It was a revelation to discover a world where ideasand real people matter more than cool career or celebrity I was converted My work with factual storytelling hassince led me into the field of video installation where computers and digital imagery reign ndash a brave new worldwith almost unlimited potential

Shedding trucksIn the past the scale of the equipment generally involved trucks But now working with the newer lighter weightdigital cameras we are shedding the trucks and the budget The arrival of DSLRs has democratised the mediumand helped to increase the number of female shooters

Coupled with that is the proliferation of cameras throughout almost every aspect of our lives plus the proclivity forcontent that many students and 48 hour pundits are happy to supply at low cost or gratis Working in the gifteconomy requires optimism and energy Thatrsquos something our young women have in spades In addition todeveloping their craft they practice their sports build their own companies go to art school ndash or go to Brazil andshoot thrilling dance movies as one of the Cinefem Scholarship applicants did And women from all over theworld have come to us Maybe it is the worldwide fame of Weta that attracts them or our reputation as a liberalgreen society that first gave women the vote

Power of diversityI believe strongly in the power of diversity to enrich our ways of being and working in the world and initiated theinformal Slow Film Movement as a counterpoint to the dollarshydriven slavish six or sevenshyday week Now owningour own gear is within our reach it means that we can be more flexible We can avoid the costs of equipmenthire the time pressure and inhuman work schedules Women can and are devising new ways of working Thesenew approaches impact on the kind of films that can be made and the stories that can be told

Recently I have detected a sea change for women with cameras This was very evident at a recent WIFTNZCSevening at Panavision Women pretty much ran the show It was an historical moment Aliesha Staples held thefloor as she introduced various drones and gimbals to an audience that included old hands and newbies bothmale and female The evening was electric

ScholarshipIn April of this year I was invited to film a series of interviews of our women filmmakers for a New Zealand FilmCommission initiative supported by Jane Campion Janersquos comments about the woeful lack of women in filminternationally ndash she is still the only woman to have won the coveted Cannes Palme drsquoOr ndash have galvanised theFilm Commission into positive action Together they devised the Cinefem Scholarship as a way of supportingwomen filmmakers and New Zealand film culture in general The first scholarship focused on cinematographyand Ginny Loane and I represented NZCS on the selection panel along with Richard Bluck I was struck by thecombined experience of the applicants the quality and diversity of the work and the high standard We werekeenly aware that there were very few Maori and Polynesian applicants but were pleased that pregnant womenand mothers applied for this cinematographersrsquo scholarship

music videos some docos and one 16mm feature film Gravity and Grace It was about time to call myself acinematographer

I joined WIFT for collegial support and access to an international arena because there was no cinematographerrsquossociety back then I didnt know Id have to wait 12 years to become a foundation member of the NZCS

Roaring successIt was twenty years after I joined the industry that I met my first female cinematographer Australian Jan Kennyand organised a WIFT weekend cinematography workshop with her The weekend was a roaring successCamerawomen Sharon Hawke and Ginny Loane were there Ginny had been working in the lighting departmentand was a rising star then while today she is a role model for the new generation of aspiring femalecinematographers

Since then Jac Fitzgerald appeared on the scene and has been shooting drama and TV commercials So therewere only a handful of us who had come up through the celluloid years Strangely that was perceived by someas an entire platoon commenting lsquoThere are lots of you now arenrsquot therersquo Yet in reality there were so fewwomen out of more than a hundred shooters It was a matter of perception The few stood out in high relief

Operating on Timetrap (1990) with Erin OLeary Therese Mangos RickAllender and Sally Smith (directorwriter)

Shooting pregnantIrsquod shot the 16mm feature Gravity and Grace (1994) in Auckland and NY before I met my partner Mike on aWellington production to do with domestic violence (it won me the ITVA camera award in 1995) Someproductions are extra lucky Mike and I shot and recorded my second feature Harold Brodiersquos Reality Show thenwe went to Ireland while I was pregnant to shoot and sound record Shirley Gracersquos Erinrsquos Exiled DaughtersBridie was born in 1997 After that there were about five more short films including Felicity Morgan RhindrsquosDonuts for Breakfast which screened at the New York Film Festival amongst others

I felt that I really needed to establish myself as a cinematographer before I had a baby I sensed that a babywould change things and I was right Short form drama and docos were just manageable but not the big dramashoots I didnrsquot want to put stress on my daughter I remember throwing my breast milk out the window of amoving car on the way to a recce in Piha because my baby wasnrsquot around to relieve the pressure naturally

Some shoots like Donuts for Breakfast Bridie attended because Mike could stay with us on location She wassick during Mobyrsquos Island so considerate crew members carried her along the beach to keep her within eyeshot

She had her own wee department Since I have no family close by a change of schedule always necessitatedsome domestic production management on my part I only recently learned that there is an aversion to hiringmothers in key roles because of our changed priorities

BummerI waited and waited to shoot a TV drama like so many of the great ones I had pulled focus on However therewas about an eightshyyear drought Bummer Then when Mike and I were filming a doco in the US in 2001 I wasable to accompany Donuts for Breakfast to Sundance I was embraced by the doco community there andgravitated to the House of Docs a space for panel discussions and screenings that was dedicated todocumentaries What a relief to see that the inclusive Errol Morris had his entire Interrotron crew on the podiumbeside him explaining their shooting process to the audience It was a revelation to discover a world where ideasand real people matter more than cool career or celebrity I was converted My work with factual storytelling hassince led me into the field of video installation where computers and digital imagery reign ndash a brave new worldwith almost unlimited potential

Shedding trucksIn the past the scale of the equipment generally involved trucks But now working with the newer lighter weightdigital cameras we are shedding the trucks and the budget The arrival of DSLRs has democratised the mediumand helped to increase the number of female shooters

Coupled with that is the proliferation of cameras throughout almost every aspect of our lives plus the proclivity forcontent that many students and 48 hour pundits are happy to supply at low cost or gratis Working in the gifteconomy requires optimism and energy Thatrsquos something our young women have in spades In addition todeveloping their craft they practice their sports build their own companies go to art school ndash or go to Brazil andshoot thrilling dance movies as one of the Cinefem Scholarship applicants did And women from all over theworld have come to us Maybe it is the worldwide fame of Weta that attracts them or our reputation as a liberalgreen society that first gave women the vote

Power of diversityI believe strongly in the power of diversity to enrich our ways of being and working in the world and initiated theinformal Slow Film Movement as a counterpoint to the dollarshydriven slavish six or sevenshyday week Now owningour own gear is within our reach it means that we can be more flexible We can avoid the costs of equipmenthire the time pressure and inhuman work schedules Women can and are devising new ways of working Thesenew approaches impact on the kind of films that can be made and the stories that can be told

Recently I have detected a sea change for women with cameras This was very evident at a recent WIFTNZCSevening at Panavision Women pretty much ran the show It was an historical moment Aliesha Staples held thefloor as she introduced various drones and gimbals to an audience that included old hands and newbies bothmale and female The evening was electric

ScholarshipIn April of this year I was invited to film a series of interviews of our women filmmakers for a New Zealand FilmCommission initiative supported by Jane Campion Janersquos comments about the woeful lack of women in filminternationally ndash she is still the only woman to have won the coveted Cannes Palme drsquoOr ndash have galvanised theFilm Commission into positive action Together they devised the Cinefem Scholarship as a way of supportingwomen filmmakers and New Zealand film culture in general The first scholarship focused on cinematographyand Ginny Loane and I represented NZCS on the selection panel along with Richard Bluck I was struck by thecombined experience of the applicants the quality and diversity of the work and the high standard We werekeenly aware that there were very few Maori and Polynesian applicants but were pleased that pregnant womenand mothers applied for this cinematographersrsquo scholarship

She had her own wee department Since I have no family close by a change of schedule always necessitatedsome domestic production management on my part I only recently learned that there is an aversion to hiringmothers in key roles because of our changed priorities

BummerI waited and waited to shoot a TV drama like so many of the great ones I had pulled focus on However therewas about an eightshyyear drought Bummer Then when Mike and I were filming a doco in the US in 2001 I wasable to accompany Donuts for Breakfast to Sundance I was embraced by the doco community there andgravitated to the House of Docs a space for panel discussions and screenings that was dedicated todocumentaries What a relief to see that the inclusive Errol Morris had his entire Interrotron crew on the podiumbeside him explaining their shooting process to the audience It was a revelation to discover a world where ideasand real people matter more than cool career or celebrity I was converted My work with factual storytelling hassince led me into the field of video installation where computers and digital imagery reign ndash a brave new worldwith almost unlimited potential

Shedding trucksIn the past the scale of the equipment generally involved trucks But now working with the newer lighter weightdigital cameras we are shedding the trucks and the budget The arrival of DSLRs has democratised the mediumand helped to increase the number of female shooters

Coupled with that is the proliferation of cameras throughout almost every aspect of our lives plus the proclivity forcontent that many students and 48 hour pundits are happy to supply at low cost or gratis Working in the gifteconomy requires optimism and energy Thatrsquos something our young women have in spades In addition todeveloping their craft they practice their sports build their own companies go to art school ndash or go to Brazil andshoot thrilling dance movies as one of the Cinefem Scholarship applicants did And women from all over theworld have come to us Maybe it is the worldwide fame of Weta that attracts them or our reputation as a liberalgreen society that first gave women the vote

Power of diversityI believe strongly in the power of diversity to enrich our ways of being and working in the world and initiated theinformal Slow Film Movement as a counterpoint to the dollarshydriven slavish six or sevenshyday week Now owningour own gear is within our reach it means that we can be more flexible We can avoid the costs of equipmenthire the time pressure and inhuman work schedules Women can and are devising new ways of working Thesenew approaches impact on the kind of films that can be made and the stories that can be told

Recently I have detected a sea change for women with cameras This was very evident at a recent WIFTNZCSevening at Panavision Women pretty much ran the show It was an historical moment Aliesha Staples held thefloor as she introduced various drones and gimbals to an audience that included old hands and newbies bothmale and female The evening was electric

ScholarshipIn April of this year I was invited to film a series of interviews of our women filmmakers for a New Zealand FilmCommission initiative supported by Jane Campion Janersquos comments about the woeful lack of women in filminternationally ndash she is still the only woman to have won the coveted Cannes Palme drsquoOr ndash have galvanised theFilm Commission into positive action Together they devised the Cinefem Scholarship as a way of supportingwomen filmmakers and New Zealand film culture in general The first scholarship focused on cinematographyand Ginny Loane and I represented NZCS on the selection panel along with Richard Bluck I was struck by thecombined experience of the applicants the quality and diversity of the work and the high standard We werekeenly aware that there were very few Maori and Polynesian applicants but were pleased that pregnant womenand mothers applied for this cinematographersrsquo scholarship

I believe there is an abundance of talent and commitment in New Zealand and that as a group women in filmhave a great deal to offer I am encouraged by the possibilities offered by the new media and by the passion ofthe younger generations and their work ethic It is a world of talent and opportunity that the pioneers HildaHayward Ramai Hayward and Margaret Moth would probably find difficult to believe and I think it should give uscause for optimism about the future

Maria Ines Manchego wins cinematography opportunity

On the website recently

Dave Cameron wins goldDave Cameron ACS won a gold at the 2015 NSWACT Australian Cinematographyawards held last week Our NZCS viceshypresident who holds ACS accreditation wasrecognised in the Dramatised Documentaries category for his work on The Monster ofMangatiti Read more

New Camera Pathways program to build talentThe people entering our industry today will determine its strength in the decades to comeYet it has never been harder to get that first step that will set you on the right path ndash yourfirst work experience on a professional setThis is where a new NZCS program has thepotential to play a pivotal role in channelling and fostering emerging camera talent NamedCamera Pathways it is the brainchild of longstanding cinematographer Kevin Riley Theprogram will identify talented people who are committed to a future behind the camera andhelp them find a path into the industry Read more

Niu Han wins Golden Horse selection

Congratulations to NZCS member Niu Han who has been named one of the 14filmmakers whorsquoll participate in this yearrsquos Golden Horse Film Academy in Taiwan TheAcademy was established seven years ago by then Golden Horse Film Festival Chair HouHsiaoshyHsien The Academyrsquos selection criteria include the ability to speak Mandarin sincepart of the reason it was established was to offer opportunities for Chineseshylanguagespeaking filmmakers to develop their skills in a culturallyshysympathetic environment Readmore

NZ film wins Aussie veterans cinematography New Zealand short film shot by Mathew Knight won Best Cinematography at the VeteransFilm Festival in Canberra held on Remembrance Day Read More

Coming up in January another great conversation with a renown cinematographer shooting inNew Zealand Watch your inbox for details

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