First time with the ARRI Alexa Mini

I was contacted last minute to substitute in for a DoP that could no longer make the shoot, so I began getting familiar with the scene I was going to shoot, reading the script and all provided pre-production notes. One of the bonuses of this production, was that we were shooting on the ARRI Alexa Mini.

Once I got on set, I went and figured out lighting. Our directors original intention, was to have blue moonlight coming in through the windows. However, we couldn’t do that as the place outside the windows was a massive, unaccessible ditch. So I had to think on the spot. I began looking around the room for practical options, we wanted something to motivate a light source but also keep the far side of the room dark for a ‘monster’ to be hidden in. I found an old glow-up heater, used for when the mechanics (yes, we filmed at a garage) would be cold in the winter. We used that practical in the wides to motivate the warm back light on the side and used my Aputure 300x to help amplify that, and then behind the blue curtain there were fluorescent tubes, so I used my Aputure MC to add some more colour contrast to the right side of our subject. I’ll try get a still with a lighting plan up here when I receive the footage.

So I finally got to shoot on the industry staple of cinema cameras, an ARRI. At first I thought it would be quite daunting, but having already been aware that they are quite simple to use compared to the likes of Sony’s menu systems (which I’ve used the FX9) that I think that relieved me a little.

Using the Arri was a blast, despite having no first or second AC (there was 4 of us, including the actor on set) I managed to chug out a ton of shots. It makes me feel a lot more confident working with ARRI cameras as I’m now aware how exposing for LOG C works and reading things such as the false colour for LOG C. I was definitely thrown into the deep ending DPing a scene I knew nothing about, with no camera/lighting department crew on an ARRI in the dark, but I think it went surprisingly well. I really hope to shoot on ARRI’s again in the future, as their image is definitely above all.

A short about Islamophobia and how media has pushed a perspective.

I recently got the chance to work on the BFI young filmmakers thriller competition for filmmakers aged 16-25. I was approached by a team of young filmmakers with an idea already in their heads. Zane (writer, director and actor) wanted to create this film that challenged the views that western media has put on society about Muslims. We created this powerful short that I will not spoil but really makes you feel guilty as a viewer if it makes you ‘think’ a certain way.

Interviewed by BFI!

I am honoured to have been asked by the British Film Institute (BFI) Academy to be a part of their SCENE weekly Q&A that they host. The SCENE program aims to inspire young filmmakers between the age of 16-25 to get into the film world. Having created my graduate film ‘Kilig’ (which you can watch here!), I was found by people within the BFI world and contacted recently. It’s nice to know that a film I created a year ago has lived on and reached people from established industries such as BFI. It was such a great opportunity to be involved with them. Being an inspiring cinematographer, I get so much knowledge from people above me who are happy to help out and answer any questions of younger studying filmmakers. With that, I feel that I am at a point where I can share tips to say a 16-year-old aspiring DOP so I feel it was definitely worth getting on the Q&A. You can watch the Q&A in full here!

I am hoping that doing this Q&A is a sign that people in the industry such as BFI have an eye on me and feel that I am on the right path. I am grateful and I look to seek out any further opportunities that the BFI and other film institutions offer me.