New Zealand Cinematographers Society

NZCS is hiring. If you care about our screen industry & community please apply or share. Full info at thebigidea.co.nz/job/executive-officer-321661

Congratulations to Chloe Smith CNZM a local Film & TV Producer awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the screen industry. Words by Donny Duncan on behalf of our members and committee.

Portal Productions is offering a paid 2-week attachment with Gaffer Scott Harman on the Auckland feature film 'Obsidian'. This is a mentored, on-set role for a mid-career cinematographer - shadowing the Gaffer and key crew on a big-budget international production with the latest technologies. You'll need to have industry experience across film, TV, TVC, or web series, be an NZ Citizen or Permanent Resident, be based in Auckland or be able to self-relocate and accommodate. The placement will be mid to late June with some flexibility.

Apply by 5pm Friday 5 June. Final decisions by Wed 10 June. See nzcine.com for full details and entry info.

That’s a wrap on my week hijacking the grid! A massive thank you to the NZCS for inviting me to take over this week!

The real highlight of the job is the privilege of working with phenomenal crew who become lifelong friends. I want to shine a light on to the mentors and camera teams who bring the energy, the laughs, and the support.

There’s not a carousel big enough to capture all the crew that I adore, but here are a few snaps of some of them!

1️⃣ The Riverdale crew: Took a chance on a concussed 2nd AC from Scotland and became my camera family.
2️⃣ 3️⃣ 4️⃣ , My official camera big brothers. Sorry guys, no returns or exchanges, you’re stuck with me.
5️⃣ Who was my OG mentor. Thank you for always sharing your wisdom, and for being the best film Dad a 2nd AC could ask for.
6️⃣ From hearing rumours of the legendary Amy back in the UK, to our paths crossing out in Canada! International networking that turned into the best friendship!
7️⃣ The other half of the giggle twins, thank you for the laughs and the lifelong friendship!!
8️⃣ Tara, .with.bre and Who are true bright lights.
9️⃣ : Who looked out for me since day one in Canada, made me feel so welcome, and showed me the ropes.
🔟 Dave: The phenomenal camera truck driver who taught me true life skills.
1️⃣1️⃣ : Who showed me the NZ ways and taught me how chill a camera team can be.
1️⃣2️⃣ 1️⃣3️⃣ 1️⃣4️⃣ For showing me how to hook up an entire set up for the Canucks in the playoffs.
1️⃣5️⃣ Elmer: Who is sadly no longer with us, but remains a massive part of my journey. He was one of the kindest souls I have ever known. He had such a deep love for traveling, and his memory inspires me to live life to the absolute fullest, he is a huge reason I made the move to NZ. Missed so much, always.

who introduced me to the amazing crew in Aotearoa.

Next up you have the wonderful and talented thank you for making me feel so welcome.

Jumping between borders, has taught me that there are some subtle differences between camera departments, and some are so wildly different that they have been a fun learning curve for me.

A big was that Canada introduced me to some causal local crew members. I heard that one wee bear wandered onto set, checked out the rig, and headed straight to catering and ate all the desserts…classic camera dept behaviour, honestly.

Here are just a handful of differences that I’ve noticed and learnt from over the years.

I had also never heard of a Fraturday before moving into the Canadian industry…I can safely say that I am very well acquainted with them now, after they become a permanent fixture in my weekly schedule. Swipe to the end for some extra Fraturday shots.

Full disclosure, they are my photos of bears, but sadly I have never been quick enough to capture a photo of one while filming on set.

Fellow crew who have border-hopped: what ones have I missed?

One of the best highlights of working in the camera department is the chance to play with some seriously fun gear. I’m definitely one of those assistants who wants to play with everything!

Case in point: After working with the incredible motorbike camera operators on Curfew, I got my motorbike learner’s license in the UK. I was completely sold on pursuing a career as a motorbike camera op! Sadly, that was short-lived after a snowboarding accident in Canada left me with a four-year long concussion (character building!), which totally knocked my confidence about getting back on a bike.

Then came the helicopters! Back in 2017, I got an opportunity to work as a 1st AC on a shoot that took us across Germany, Norway, and Sweden, doing 10 flights in just one week! I instantly fell in love when I got to help rig the helicopter in Norway. Turns out, I love helicopters... but helicopters do not love me. I spent most of the flight trying my absolute best not to throw up over the monitor or the pilot! But it was completely worth it, and safe to say that was the end of my helicopter operating dream.

And finally, the Steadicam! The steadicam has been a huge love of mine ever since I took the Silver Tiffen Steadicam Workshop in London back in 2018! I’ve had so much fun continuously learning and practicing with it over the years. My vest is currently living back in Vancouver so the wonderful can use it, but it’s an area I’d still love to keep developing. Thank you for all the guidance.

Honestly, one of the best parts of being in the camera department is that there is always something new to learn, whether that’s a new rig to figure out or camera to play with. Or in my case, figuring out exactly which tracking shots require motion sickness tablets!

I loved sharing the location photos in my last post, but the reality of working on the road is often less glamorous. When you choose a life in the camera department, “home” quickly becomes a relative concept. The work constantly pulls you away to new corners of the country, and balancing rent at my base in Newcastle while paying for accommodation on the road was a puzzle I had to solve.

So, I bought a tent.

Because these shoots usually ran over late winter and early spring, I was normally the only person camping, and usually the only female. The upside? I got the entire campsite shower block to myself! I quickly became known as “the girl in the tent” (which honestly sounds like the title of a horror film ). In the early days, I’d sit there waiting for the kettle on my wee camp stove to whistle at me so I could fill up my three hot water bottles just to survive the night. By the end of my time in the UK, I upgraded to electric sites. I felt like royalty with a wee space heater and campsite Wi-Fi, I even managed to watch the final season of Game of Thrones in there! That tent survived Storm Gareth and many mornings waking up to a completely frozen canvas. But despite the freezing toes, it was still awesome waking up with the birds, surrounded by beautiful scenery and deer.

I feel so lucky to have been able to call some truly beautiful locations the “office.” However, for every postcard-perfect spot, there are a few I’m happy to leave behind. Yes, looking at you: the abattoir, the sewage plant, and the morgue. But working across different countries has given me incredible opportunities to see some absolutely stunning parts of the world, and I do not take that for granted.

1. Vera | Season 10 - Amble, Uk
2. Outlander | Season 4 - Scotland, Uk
3. Riverdale | Season 7 - Surrey, Canada
4. Ill Behaviour | England, Uk
5. Vera | Season 7 - Durham, Uk
6. Tales from the Lodge | Northumberland, UK
7. Outlander | Season 4 - Scotland, Uk
8. Riverdale | Season 7 - Surrey, Canada
9. Kāpiti Commercial | Te Henga, NZ
10. Family Law | Season 4 - Vancouver, Canada
11. Family Law | Season 4 - Vancouver, Canada
12. Vera | Season 7 - Northumberland, Uk
13. Family Law | Season 4 - West Vancouver, Canada
14. Vera | Season 8 - Durham, Uk
15. Corporate Video | Norway
16. Family Law | Season 4 - Abbotsford, Canada
17. Family Law | Season 4 - West Vancouver, Canada
18. Kāpiti Commercial | Te Henga, NZ
19. Vera | Season 9 - Seaton Sluice, Uk
20. Tales from the Lodge | Hexham, Uk

I’ve learnt that slating is not the same in every country. This has kept me on my toes and has caught me out a few times. Thank you to all the Canadian sound mixers who have just accepted when I shout “On the End”.

I once had a 1st hide my slate in an onset microwave, fair to say I did not find it in time 😞

And then there’s the time when the 1st AD! Yep AD taped my sticks together, so when I went to slate the sticks parted ways from the slate 🤦‍♀️ I had to quickly untape and reassemble my slate before the end of the take.

Anyone else got some slate mishaps?

Packing your life into checked luggage forces some tough decisions, only to land and realize half the gear you brought sits completely unused, and the items you left behind are suddenly essential!

Every film hub has its own unique ecosystem, and figuring out those little differences is what keeps this job so much fun. Because daily tasks change slightly across borders, it’s a fun puzzle learning the local workflow and matching the rhythm of the amazing crew around you.

Honestly, the hardest part of moving isn’t navigating the new gear, it’s leaving behind the “mind-reading” connection of your old film family. Tools can be replaced, but leaving an industry where people know your speed, your work ethic, and your exact sense of humor is a scary jump into the unknown. The challenging hurdle of a big move is having to completely re-establish yourself from scratch every single time. Our camera family is our ultimate safety net, and nothing beats the magic of reading your 1st AC’s mind with a single glance. Stepping out of your comfort zone allows you to look at sets with fresh eyes and keep evolving as a technician.

To anyone else who packed up everything and moved, what was your biggest piece of international set culture shock? 👇🎥