14 Nov
“My first job in film was as a trainee on a feature. I think it was called ‘Gums and Noses.’ I cleaned the toilet, swept, made tea— things like that. All I ever got was money for transportation, which was fine for me. I just wanted to be on a film set. But with two weeks left of filming, there was a bit of a disaster in the camera department. A trainee blew up an HD monitor by plugging it into the wrong hole. Which was a shame, but it was great for me because I always wanted to be a cinematographer. When I heard them say they needed a replacement, I raised my hand and said: ‘Me, me, me!’ So that’s how it started. And it never stopped. The camera department can be a weird place. It’s all white and male. And it’s a bit like boot camp. A lot of the guys are mean. They don’t like being approached by subordinates. And if you make a mistake, they’ll scream at you. A lot of the guys act like they’re curing cancer instead of making beautiful pictures. But I had thick skin. So I moved up quickly. Recently I DP’ed one of the most popular shows in South Africa. And I run my department a little differently. It’s much more chill. I think we should all share our knowledge. Nobody should be afraid to make mistakes or feel embarrassed to ask questions. And one trainee should always be a girl. It doesn’t matter if she’s studied or not, as long as she’s keen.”
(Johannesburg, South Africa)