I had a fantastic time at the Emerging Cinematographer Awards this weekend. Thank you to @icglocal600 for the recognition as well @the__asc for hosting our luncheon at the legendary ASC Clubhouse. Thank you to Steven Poster ASC @stevenasc and Jimmy Matlosz @dpmatlosz who organize the event and are just amazing champions of emerging talent. Also thank you to all the sponsors - especially to the premier sponsor Panavision, who without their support I could not have shot IRON LUNG last year.
Also some amazing news - I feel very lucky that during the event, I was given the prize of a 90k(!) Panavision Camera and Light Iron Post package which I would love to apply to a feature or long form project that could use it! I am extremely excited at the prospect of collaborating with @panavisionofficial and Light Iron Post on my next big project.
Being recognized for my work is an amazing feeling. The best part of the weekend was meeting all the other honorees and it feels like a privilege to have my work screen amongst them. Also thank you to all of my film friends that came out to support or sent messages throughout the last few weeks. And thank you to the cast & crew of Iron Lung - I could not have shot the film without you.
📸: @harveyvisuals
#icglocal600 #ecawards #cinematography #cameraoperator #asc #emergingcinematographerawards #panavision #lightiron
SOC begins Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month by remembering trailblazing cinematographer James Wong Howe, ASC (1899–1976).
With a career spanning 6 decades, Howe’s contributions to cinematography are immeasurable — while his innovations in camera operating helped define the craft as we know it today.
Born in Guangdong, China, he immigrated to the U.S. as an infant. He moved to California as a teen, with dreams of becoming an aviator, only to face the reality, Chinese people were limited to menial labor. Determined, he talked his way into carrying camera equipment, rising to camera assistant, operator, & ultimately director of photography.
Howe endured deep racism throughout his life & career—from crews refusing to work under him nicknaming him “The Chinaman”, the Chinese Exclusion Act denying him citizenship until 1943, his marriage to Sanora Babb being unrecognized in California until 1948 due to anti-miscegenation laws.
Despite these barriers, he became one of the most sought-after cinematographers of his time, known for groundbreaking innovations in lighting & camera movement. His career evolved through the silent era, the arrival of sound, & the transition to color. On Rough Riders (1927), he created an early version of the crab dolly with four independent wheels & a movable arm to which the camera was attached. For Body and Soul (1947), he famously wore roller skates to capture visceral boxing footage—an early use of handheld movement for realism. In Picnic (1955), he helped execute one of the first helicopter shots, marking a major step forward in aerial cinematography.
Over his career, Howe shot more than 130 films & earned 10 Academy Award nominations, winning twice. He was the first person of color to be inducted into the ASC in 1933.
His legacy lives not only in the images he created, but in the boundaries he shattered—proving that innovation, resilience, & artistry can outlast even the most entrenched barriers.
Written by @AllenEHo , SOC
—Presented by the Inclusion Committee—
🏷️
#SocietyofCameraOperators #AAPIHeritageMonth #cinematographer #AAPI
Year 3. Channel 1, Stage 1 - Coachella MainStage. Being part of Wide+Close and the Coachella livestream team is like revisiting a wonderful dream. Not only are we filming some of the biggest performances in the world, I am working amongst some of the best camera operators and technicians all from different walks of life. The team is not only some of the most talented, they’re also just good humans and some of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met. I am fortunate to have been invited back for my 3rd go around and grateful to contribute to a small part of this massive machine.
One of the best things is getting to work with some legendary directors who are pushing the limits in the live music space: @micahbickham for Sabrina Carpenter, @missbeckygarner for Justin Bieber, @jamesbmerryman for Karol G, @warrenjfu for the Strokes and long time director/DP Kenny Stoff, who has crafted the look and feel of Coachella over the years in the cultural zeitgeist.
I wanted to especially shoutout the @widexclose team - I unfortunately had to leave halfway through Weekend 2 because of a family emergency and everyone on the team was extremely supportive - from reaching out to see if I was okay, to giving me hugs and truly caring and providing encouraging words. I am forever indebted and will go to the ends of the earth for them.
What a ride. It truly is a privilege. Hope to see everyone on the fields next year!
Cover 📸 by @readysteadi
Don’t Be Basic! Men Have Skin Too! The first spot of a series (1 of 12) featuring Ronny Chieng for @oldspice has just released! I had a blast shooting these in NYC last summer - thank you to the crew for all the hard work!
Cast:
@ronnychieng@lil.yin
Client: @oldspice
Agency: @pcaconnect
Production Company: @tigerhousefilms
Director: @berniesu
PCA Dir of Production: @catse88
PCA Creative Director: @katelidennis
PCA President: @wongdarren
EP: @jasonkentcarpenter
Line Producer: @jbellprods
1st AD: @awwerth
DP: 👋
1st AC: @madebydanlam
2nd AC/Data Manager: George Alvarez
BTS Photographer: @alicia_shi
Gaffer: @davewilwayco
BBE: Josh Sturm
Key Grip: @ez_gbreezy
BBG: @ivoryjarel
Swing: Noah Yu Shifrin
Production Designer: @salacasca
Art PA/Driver: Thibault Lebeouf
Production Sound Mixer: Eduardo Perez
Wardrobe Stylist/Key HMU: @lucabuzas
Set PA: Mark Antico
PA/Driver: Elkan Durham
Ronny Chieng Wardrobe Stylist: Jamie Frankel
Ronny Chieng Wardrobe Asst.: Mariana Macedo
Ronny Chieng HMU: Kento Utsubo
Casting: @katzcasting
Editor: @jasonkentcarpenter
Sound Design: @so_treble
Color: @eliascolors �Camera: @abelcine@sonycine Venice 2 on Cooke S7s
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#commercial #brandvideo #oldspice #ronnychieng
A behind the scenes look at some of the camerawork on Season 5 Episode 1 of The Chosen “Entry.” I wish I had a few more angles on the technocrane and handheld operating utilized in this sequence by the amazing @alleneho . And truly this scene is only one of many in this season that I’m so honored to have created with DP @akisdp and Director @dallas.jenkins . The behind the scenes also shows how dedicated everyone on the crew and cast and background team were to making every moment so special! Great work to @drakeinator and @mitchhudsonofficial for keeping the amazing crowd of 600 going! Thank you to @_tonyfilm for having my back on uneven ground with blankets and palm leaves all around! Joe Santovo I can always put my full trust in your boom work. And truly walking this path with the cast felt like a dance of constant nonverbal communication, from @jonathanroumieofficial riding a live donkey in all the noise, to @shaharisaac , @itsmeparas , @elizabethtabish , @james_noahjames , @georgehxanthis , @abe_bueno_jallad , @thejordanross , @gcairo06 , @joeyvahedi , @itsalaasafi , @rezadiako93 , @austinreedalleman , @dimwitted_dimyan , @ambershanawilliams , @vanessabenavente_ , @sophelah , @catherinelidstone , and everyone else all made it look easy!
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You can watch The Chosen Season 5 on Prime Video or free on The Chosen App!
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#behindthescenes #steadicam #filmmaking #thechosen #palmsunday
Sometimes a simple looking shot can feel daunting and be much more difficult than it seems. This is a technocrane shot designed by DP Akis that I operated on The Chosen Season 5 Episode 1 that I still think about constantly. The shot in the show was broken up in the edit with coverage but when you’re on set, you want to make the shot perfect from start to finish.
When I think of this crane shot, I think in key frames or steps:
1. Techno extends full arm (45’) through a doorway to receive a low angle tight medium 3 shot, composition keeping the architecture. The difficulty here is that the donkey moved at an unpredictable pace and would bob up and down.
2. Techno retracts and leads them across the courtyard back through the doorway while panning the arm left and booming up. The head’s pan speed is feathered then ramps up exponentially. The speed change was so great it was almost necessary to throw the wheel but I had to have more precision to keep the 3 primary actors compositionally perfect in the left and right of frame
3. Techno is full retracted, arm and head pan feathers to a stop and arm booms up to reveal the big crowd and set
The second keyframe was tricky because it required the pace of the actors, the background, the donkey, focus puller, crane arm operator, crane tech and head operator to all be in sync and make everything seamless on a near 180 degree turn. The donkey was a variable because it’s a live animal who may stop or slow due to all the extras. You have the pressure of having over 600 background extras moving all over the shot. My feet armpits were sweaty by the end of it but hitting a flow state as the crew works in sync is an aspect of operating that I think is the most rewarding. We had 600 extras everyday across three weeks and shot these epic crowd scenes of Holy Week that are some of the most fun days I’ve ever had on set. Watch the series on Amazon Prime!
DP: @akisdp
Techno: @procamrentals
Head Tech: @julefontana
Crane Op: David Haeussler
Crane Arm Op/KG: Jeff McWhorter
Remote Head Op: 👋
B Cam 1st AC: @celluloid_snead
B Cam 2nd: @shamwowzerz
A Cam Op: @readysteadidan
C Cam Op: @joshpickeringdp
I’m honored to be invited to serve on the SOC (@societyofcameraoperators ) Inclusion Committee for this year.
At a time when “diversity, equity, and inclusion” have somehow taken on a negative connotation, I believe it’s more important than ever to uplift underrepresented voices in our film community. I wouldn’t be where I am today without another minority filmmaker who stuck their neck out for me—often putting their own reputation on the line so I could have an opportunity. This is my chance to give back and help shape the kind of industry I want to see.
With the current slowdown in film production, there are fewer opportunities overall—especially for those from marginalized backgrounds trying to gain experience or break in. I’ve always believed that art is made better when it’s created by a diverse group of people with a range of perspectives, and whenever I can, I make it a point that the crew reflects the art it’s representing. But in cinematography—especially in camera and lighting—getting others to see the value in that has often been a challenge.
That’s why committees like this, programs like Project Involve, the ASC Vision Mentorship, and filmmakers who believe in the mission and truly walk the walk on inclusion have been so meaningful in my own journey. I’m deeply grateful to represent my Taiwanese American heritage on this committee and to continue supporting and elevating diverse voices in camera.
A year ago I was awarded an Emerging Cinematographer Award by Local 600. One of the prizes I received is a 60k camera package rental at Panavision and a 30k color/finishing grant at Light Iron to use on any project. I’m actively looking for a feature as a cinematographer to use this grant before it expires in about a year.
I previously received a similar 60k Panavision grant from Project Involve in 2020 that expired unused. Getting one of these grants is incredible, but with the pandemic, strikes, and industry slowdown, it’s been difficult finding the right project. I’ve been in talks with several films that haven’t been able to secure funding, but I’m determined not to let this 2nd opportunity go to waste.
I’m not the best at selling myself, but here it goes. I have a long resume of high level and diverse experiences across narrative, documentary, live event, news, corporate, and commercial. Pre-pandemic I shot a low-budget horror feature and two digital series later re-cut into features, including dozens of shorts that played and won awards at tier-one and tier-two festivals. Projects I’ve shot on have been nominated for Emmys, including one Primetime Emmy win for Innovation in Interactive Media. Post-pandemic I’ve shot national commercials and frequently work as a union camera operator on large-scale $15–60M scripted projects and legacy tv shows, sometimes stepping in as an uncredited 2nd Unit DP. I’ve also shot on the mainstage for major music festivals, and done cinematographic R&D for the Call of Duty franchise. I’m a former Film Independent Project Involve fellow, ASC mentee, and Emerging Cinematographer Award winner.
The crews I bring are diverse, versatile, and consistently strive for excellence - they’re as hungry as I am. My main tenets when approaching a project are collaboration, passion and story. I know how to get the most from a budget, whether working with one camera in the desert or leading dozens on a soundstage.
I’ve been looking for a feature project I can give my soul to, and it hasn’t happened yet. If you or anyone you know has a project in serious stages of development, please let me know!
When I graduated college knowing I was going to pursue filmmaking as a career, my dad gave me the advice to never be ashamed of sweeping floors — that if I could get any job on a set, even if it meant just sweeping, things would eventually happen for me.
Ten years ago to this day, I worked my first job with Netflix. I answered a StaffMeUp ad while I was looking everywhere for work — it was a small internal corporate Netflix shoot, and I was brought on as a 2nd Unit DP. Little did I know it would be the first of many freelance jobs over the years, in a variety of roles, shooting content that would mostly never be seen by the public.
The work evolved — from menial to complex — literally sweeping floors and packaging mail to lighting full set builds on big stages. I’ve watched the company grow from one cubicle-style office floor in Beverly Hills to three giant campuses on Sunset Blvd. I’ve made friends, seen people come and go, and collaborated with an incredible range of creatives.
Silently, I had always dreamed that one day a Netflix movie or show I DP’d would make its way through these hallways. While that hasn’t happened yet, the consistency of this part time gig has kept me afloat while I continue to pursue that dream. It helped me survive when I used to live paycheck to paycheck. It helped pay off my student loans. It carried me through the pandemic, the strikes, and the industry slowdown.
It hasn’t always looked the way I imagined, but I’ve been able to be part of something steady in an industry that rarely is. I’m still chasing that original dream — but in the meantime, I’m grateful for the journey and the people who’ve been part of it.
Just over a week ago we wrapped on The Chosen S6 Utah Unit! I loved working with this camera team. The time went by too fast on this one - but it was filled with a lot of fun, a lot of challenges and a lot of big scenes and film toys. Multiple days with 600 extras, technocranes, remote heads, hand held and big outdoor sets….the usual - it was exhausting but I loved being out there.
I’ve been going out to Utah the last 3 years in a row now for this show and it’s nice to see the same faces and continue to collaborate and build on a show that reaches so many people. I cherish every moment I have with this crew and production.
I’m back in LA now for the time being, hit me up! ✌️
Coachella 2025 - cover 📸 by: @jeremywellhausenpro
The first time I shot the Coachella livestream in 2023, it was a dream come true and I easily think of it as one of my favorite jobs I’ve ever done. Getting asked to come back and do it again this year felt like a continuation of that dream. People look at the Coachella livestream as setting the bar for streaming live music - and to be part of it feels special. We were sponsored and supported by @arri this year and got to use the new Alexa 35 Live system.
If you’ve ever shot a music festival, the camaraderie you build with the crew is something very unique. It was amazing to reconnect with colleagues and also meet a ton of new people. We had some of the best camera operators and technicians in the world on the Main Stage - with each person being a specialist at a few aspects of operating. What’s cool is when you’re backstage, everyone is just talking shop, sharing stories, and rooting for each other’s shots. With on set days in Los Angeles seemingly becoming fewer as our industry is in a slump - it was really good to spend a couple of days in the desert with a film community.
Shoutout to the crew and Wide+Close team for an amazing two weekends. Hope we can do it all again next year!
