AILSA AIKOA

e.l.f. - Express Your Elf Had the best time on this with the absolute best people. Feels like forever ago that we shot it, so nice to see it finally out in the wild. Special shoutout to @charlie__chops for bringing me on, and for being the most dreamy collaborator. 🧚‍♀️ 🐑 🌟 Creative Agency: Southpaw Creative Director: @glennsmithcd Senior Creative: @prycie Creative Producer: Hannah Parkin Director: @charlie__chops ♥️ Producer: @izzywilliams92 Exec Producer: Harriet-Kate McKean Production Manager: Rachel Bashford 1st AD: Sam Roffey Production Company: Irresistible Studios DOP: @ailsa.aikoa 1st AC: @cinesteel 2nd AC: Josh Ighodaro Camera Trainee: Zharnai Scotland Key Grip: @sw_grips Steadicam: @beauxpj DIT: @hotmagsdit Video Playback: @natvalente Gaffer: @abi.hurcomb Gaffer: @billrae Electrician: Kevin Wolfgang Malbas Electrician: Klaudia Borbely Electrician: Piero Cioffi Electrician: Ben Skyrme Electrician: Caspar Jones Electrician: John Forsyth Sound Recordist: @ojsound Edit: @nomadeditco Colourist: alexgregorycolour 🤌 @no8colour Production Designer: @lucycooperlucy ⚡️ Art Assistant: Harriet Trant Art Assistant: Felix Mackow Art Runner: Mia Giacone Stylist: @lola_chatterton Wardrobe Assistant: Kornelia Lucaszewicz Wardrobe Assistant: Elena Vivien MUA: @lynskiii MUA Assist: Luz Giraldo MUA Assist: Davids Gillers Hair Artist: Hannah Sorcha Hair Artist: Katie Jude Hair Assist: Angelica Choney Animal Handler: Davina Hamilton-Maddox & s/o to Nibbler, the sheep Medic: Paul Hollick Medic: Garry Styetminster #cinematographer #directorofphotography #dop #commercial #minilf #canonk35 #arri

@ailsa.aikoa hosting! VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Shot at The Globe Theatre, which was so special - and Alva Coachworks. @hollytblakey @viviennewestwood @directdigitalhq @camcarswell @katiebeddoe #ailsaaikoa #viviennewestwood #commercial #cinematography #canonk35

Marina Satti - Epano Sto Trapezi 🇬🇷🐺💥🐑🍬💢 @fa_fon_ @marina_satti @billy___king @riffrafffilms @andikdc @pawel_achtelik #cinematographer #dop #musicvideo #music #cinematography #marinasatti #framegrabs

Home-Start A brilliant charity that supports families with compassion, in whatever way they need. Forever grateful for working relationships like these. Lucy’s storytelling is both powerful and subtle, and must be cherished at all costs. Thank you to everyone involved, and to Emmyland for your support. Director - @lucyjeanbridger 🤍 Producer - Ben Heath, @agilefilms Assistant Producers - @nezzle_ , @h_j_chambers 1st AD - Joe Mulvihill Runners - Ronan Nguyen, Nadine Medarhri 1st AC - @mattfarrant 2nd AC - @jamestilyard Trainee - Jo Sibrian-Rodriguez Gaffer - @alrice_ Camera EQ - @emmyland Production Design - @kat.designer Costume Design - @april_church_styling Casting Director - Georgia Topley Sound Recordist - Jon Gibson Editor - @__jackwilliams_ TenThree VFX Artist - Chris Dunleavy VFX & Additional post - Agile Films Sound - Harry Butcher, Runamok Studios Colourist - @tobytomkins @harborpictureco Home-Start Charity Lead - Sian Koskela Media Trust Executive Producer - Michaela Lowe CAST Beatrix Cuthill as May / Child Chloe Cuthill as Emma / Mum Suzette Llewellyn as Helen / Home-start volunteer #alexa35 #canonfd #cinematography

@ailsa.aikoa hosting! Last one from me after a busy week. Wanted to share some stills and BTS from Sweetpea S1, which I was incredibly lucky to do 2nd Unit on. Across the series I ended up doing a bit of everything - tracking vehicle and volume work, shooting VFX plates and assets out in the wild, a lot of inserts (which is always a fun challenge when you’re replicating lighting in a small corner of a blackout studio, rather than on sets/locations) and occasionally hopping onto main unit when they needed a third camera. Thank you to the most wonderful @ellasjones and @nickmorris____ for the trust. I feel full of gratitude to have been part of this journey - and to be a part of the Sweetpea family. If you’ve made it this far, gold star for you - and feel free to reach out on my personal page to say hiii! Over and out! 👋🏼🌟 #ailsaaikoa #cinematographer #2ndunit #dop #ellapurnell

@ailsa.aikoa hosting! Tumtum (2025) On the holiest day of the Jewish year, non-binary Alex’s values are challenged when they intersect with the fiery Jess. Excited to share the official trailer for Tumtum, our BFI Network backed short film. So far screened at Dinard British & Irish Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Out on Film Atlanta and the UK Jewish Film Festival - with other festivals soon to be announced! Starring: @lilit._orly @elizabeth__connick Written & Directed by @rebecca.ozer Producers: @lilyslydel @olwynfagan Assoc Producer: Benji Schaan DOP: @ailsa.aikoa Costume Design: Jennifer Geach Production Design: Giorgia Joseph H&MU Design: Regina Meessen Editor: @andre_with_an_accent Sound Designer: James Colledge Composer: Brian McNamara Colour: @imkarol.colour #shortfilm #bfilondonfilmfestival #alexaminilf #arri #signatureprimes

@ailsa.aikoa posting! Wagamama - Kids Bento DC Director: @harrisonimogen Producer: @georgianaslc DOP: @ailsa.aikoa Editor: @amandaldn @doma.works Grade: @imkarol.colour @harborpictureco Sound Design: @brother___music Full credits in comments… #ailsaaikoa #cinematographer #directorofphotography #alexa35 #tlscanonfd

@ailsa.aikoa hosting! And now for something completely different! This Twix campaign was shot at Alva West, with some brilliantly playful set pieces from production designer Macy. We had one day to pre-light and build, then one (long) day to shoot four scripts - so it took serious teamwork and coordination between departments to keep everything moving. A particular challenge was designing a lighting scheme that allowed for 4 sets to be built and struck within the same space over the course of the day. Krunal and I planned a host of sources in the ceiling and crafted unique looks for each script which could quickly be changed with his Gaffers Control. It was a really fun one for me, as director Emily and I worked closely to pull off a few technical challenges and build a surreal, dual-world aesthetic that leans into Twix’s iconic “two-ness”. Full credits in the caption 🫡 #ailsaaikoa #cinematographer #directorofphotography #twix #signatureprimes #arri

@ailsa.aikoa hosting! To kick things off, I’m reminiscing on summer with a project for MAY Botanicals, shot from dawn through to dusk in the British countryside. Steph and I planned the day by mapping the sun’s path, timing each setup to let natural light do the work with minimal shaping. We kept the scenes intentionally restrained - each captured as a single shot (inspired by beauty-ASMR reels Steph had been referencing), but executed with a premium finish. I was lucky to also colour-grade the project, and leant into a film emulation look to root the visuals in nature, mirroring Georgia’s personal journey and the brand’s ethos of organic, effective skincare. Director: @stephwilson.studio DP / Colour: @ailsa.aikoa Muse: @opheliathanatos @maybotanicals @georgiamayjagger #ailsaaikoa #cinematography #directorofphotography #dop #redkomodo #tokinavistaprimes #colorgrade #filmemulation #davinciresolve

@ailsa.aikoa hosting this week! Nice to be back and looking forward to sharing some work with you all. For anyone who doesn’t know me, I worked as a producer for around 8 years before making the (slightly unconventional) jump to cinematography. Since then I’ve had an amazing time shooting commercials, music videos, shorts - and more recently, 2nd Unit on HETV. And no, that’s not my BAFTA - but I can confirm they weigh a ton! So for now - enjoy, and feel free to reach out to connect on my personal account @ailsa.aikoa #ailsaaikoa #cinematographer #directorofphotography #dop #illuminatrix #illuminatrixrising

A MATTER OF TIME @laufey | 500T 16mm “My choice of stock came partly from practicality, as we were shooting on a very overcast February day - but I also have a real love for characterful images and grain structure that comes from 7219, so I was very happy to shoot the whole project on it. We exposed for 250 ASA to give plenty of shadow detail, which also helped create the rich colours that Tim took advantage of in the grade.” - @ailsa.aikoa DP: Ailsa Aikoa @ailsa.aikoa @utaproductionarts Director: Harv Frost @dir.harvfrost Colourist: Tim Smith @timotheous Production Company: @kodemedia Processing Kodak Film Lab London Film Scanning @digital_orchard #ShotOnFilm #16mm

Very happy to finally share a few stills from Tumtum, with the news of its North American, UK and European premieres. See you there at London Film Festival 2025 🫡 Written and directed by the inimitable @rebecca.ozer - and made possible thanks to @lilyslydel @olwynfagan and countless others. @imkarol.colour @cinesteel @abi.hurcomb @________dee_________ @steadizen #LFF #alexaminilf #arri #signatureprimes