director of photography

Working lives: Director of photography

Vigil (Credit: BBC)

Showing admirable versatility, he is also responsible for the visual look of the same channel’s hit submarine thriller Vigil

What does the job involve?

Working closely with the director, production designer and all the creative team to create the visual world and help “frame” the point of view of the story to engage the audience. Sometimes that can be a dynamic world such as Vigil; at other times it can be utilising a more sensitive visual aesthetic to create an emotional engagement, as with Three Girls

Camera masterclass with Sara Deane and Mike Robinson

Mike Robinson and Sara Deane (Credit: Paul Hampartsoumian)

Training: Sara Deane was a member of the Children’s Film Unit, before studying at Bournemouth Film School: “I was a clapper loader [second assistant camera] for five years and … [during that time] still shooting shorts because I knew I waned to be a director of photography. I [then studied at] the National Film and Television School and graduated about 10 years ago.”