Hi Nicolas!



 What drew you towards in working in our industry?
I have always been interested in working in the film industry since an early age, but never knew what jobs there were. It evolved from wanting to be an animated mouse to a secret agent, but then finally settled working in the camera department after seeing Skyfall (directed by Sam Mendes and shot by Roger Deakin’s) and Whiplash (directed by Damien Chazelle and shot by Sharone Meir). These two films were crucial in me gaining a deeper understanding on how films could be made and could also have their own unique style.
 
Who do you look up to in the industry, did you have any mentors?
Stylistically I have gravitated towards Roger Deakin’s and Grieg Fraser, two cinematographers I find always being in awe of whenever I see their work in films. Their use of lighting to create heightened naturalism I admire and their openness to talk about the gear they have used and what they had to do to overcome certain challenges. During my time studying at Flinders University I had the pleasure of participating in a student-alumni mentorship program where I was lucky enough to have Nick Remy-Matthews (Hotel Mumbai) as my mentor. He was great to have discussions with, exploring methodology on lighting, camera work and working on larger sets, much of what we talked about, I will be taking with me into my career.


 
What do you like most now you are working in our business?
The best thing about working in the film industry is the strong bonds you build throughout your career. From film school into my early career, I could continuously work with young creatives that I admire and feel as though I will be able to continue to work with and build bigger and better connections.
 
What keeps you motivated to do film jobs?
The major aspect that keeps me motivated and on track is always seeing the final product. No matter how hard a shoot is or how tedious getting coverage is, at the end of every day watching the rushes and going in and doing colour grading is always fun.
 
What piece of equipment or thing could you not do without on set?
At the moment the most important piece of gear that I find I can’t work without is my vintage 1977 Minolta 50mm f1.7. When I first started professionally shooting on my full-frame Sony a7iii I used this lens as a way to combat the overtly modern look and it has never left my side since. Although not a highly in-demand or well-known lens, I find the focus roll-off and the way it renders skin tone beautiful, on par with other popular vintage lenses from the time.  


 
What’s been your most interesting and challenging project so far?
The most challenging project I have ever worked on was a short film called Bulldog directed by Tom Lawrence-Doyle. The short film was the biggest project I had worked on so far, we got council grants and got the rest of the project crowdfunded so we could work with gear we hadn’t before, like a RED camera and more powerful lights. We shot for 5 days in April across 5 locations, but halfway through the shoot the weather decided to throw a curveball and we had a massive storm that lasted multiple days. One of our major locations, the second valley beach became covered in seaweed, creating massive black walls, covering the sand. Because of this we had to think quickly and figure out solutions to make sure no one would know how disgusting the supposedly beautiful beach looked.
 
What’s your most satisfying job so far?
The proudest moment I have experienced so far is having the opportunity for Bulldog, the short film I shot and produced to premiere at the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival. The film was shown in front of Sunflower, directed by Gabriel Carrubba. Not only was that an out-of-body experience, but Scott Hicks, director of Shine, was in attendance and was sitting in front of our crew. Shine was one of the first Australian films I saw as a child and expanded my scope of films made in Australia, especially South Australia.
 
What do you look for in people when selecting a crew to work with and around you?
The two major qualities I look for when selecting my crew, whether ACs, gaffers, or grips, are (of course) how well they know their field and also their ability to get along with others. I always like to have a good chat with everyone on set, and working with people who are easy to talk to and very talented at what they do are always the priority.
 
 

What are you currently working on and what’s your next project?
The next project I am working on is an exciting short film titled Blue, directed by Nicholas Bourlotos, which we are in pre-production for right now. The film tackles themes of anxiety and societal pressure, using different styles across its various locations to tell a unique story. It’s the most complicated film I have worked on to date as a DP and is a very exciting exercise in style. On top of that, I will also have the pleasure of working with the team behind Sunflower (2023) on their next project in 2024.
 
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in the film industry?
I have always thought about what would I do if I weren’t working in the film industry, I tried being a writer and realised I was no good. I am too much of a tattle-tale to be a secret agent, but I have always had a passion for history and if I could choose any other field it would be to explore archaeology.
 
What’s next for your career, is it staying in the camera department or perhaps directing or editing?
At the moment I am working majorly as an AC and colourist, but really see my future in shooting in film, TV and TVC’s. I love operating behind the camera and having discussions with the director about the script, creative style, lenses and cameras. I am still very early into my career and anything could happen, I might still become a secret agent (who’s to say) but really see myself working as a director of photography. 

 

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