An Interview with Cinematographer Andrew Thomas

What inspired you to become a cinematographer, and when did you realize that this was your calling?

First off, thanks, Jamie, for asking me/having me on your blog. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you this past year. It’s always fun to work on new projects with new people. Developing creative relationships isn’t always easy, and putting yourself out there can be scary.

To answer your question, I don’t exactly know. When I first learned about a thing called GarageBand while I was in High School (~ age 16) which my friend had, my mind was blown that you could record something, and then go back again and record another thing and layer them together. I just liked the engineering behind it all. I was in a band and I loved setting up the mics, processing, layering tracks, learning about effects, etc. No formal training, just messing with dials at first. I didn’t know what I was doing or the first thing about a camera, but I was hooked. Then, when I found out a similar thing existed for making movies (Final Cut or probably actually iMovie at the time), I equally was thrilled. It would be many years later before I figured out how to make money doing it. I think it took roughly 10 years before I transitioned to the entry level of film and TV. And another 10 before I felt confident in what I was doing as a cinematographer. Recording and documenting has always been a fun hobby that now has become my career.

How do you approach the visual storytelling process when working on a film or television project?

I think like most people, I try to watch and learn what others are doing. Beg, borrow, steal from those that are doing it well. It’s nice now that there are tools like Youtube, shotdeck, imdb, where you can learn who shot what, maybe even finding a lighting diagram or an interview with a cinematographer. I can be pretty obsessive at times with rabbit holes. I loved Jojo Rabbit for instance, so I went and found interviews with Mihai Mălaimare Jr. There’s lighting breakdowns on a few YT clips, he discusses lenses, camera, chats he had with Taika Waititi. And then of course, his influences can send you down another rabbit hole. It is never ending. But I guess we’re all influenced by so many things, it’s important (and I need to get better about watching more classics) to have conversations with your creative team about what you like, what they’re trying to convey story wise, and how you can achieve that in camera. Do we want to move the camera in a specific way? Light it in a specific way? What’s the budget allow for, and how much time do we have to pull it all off.

Can you walk us through your creative process when collaborating with a director to create a visual language for a project?

I recently shot a short with my wife who’s a Director/Writer. It is a murder mystery whodunit style comedy. And she already had some 1930-40s references. And this is pretty normal. Someone has an idea and asks you how do we achieve this look and feel. The script was fairly long for a 3 day shoot, so I knew we’d have to move quickly. She had a lot of interior night scenes written. So I went to Shotdeck and pulled some frames. I thought the only way to pull this off would be to light from the exterior and make it feel like the moon or a street lamp. And then we’d accent with practicals and smaller interior sources. We also discussed lenses. We both loved the anamorphic look but ran out of budget and ended up shooting spherically and using the funds to hire a gaffer to help us move quicker. We also thought about a Ronin to move the camera but ultimately decided the space was too small and opted for a dana dolly for certain shots.

The director gave me storyboards, we mapped out the location, and we worked with the AD to prioritize our day and night coverage. I made lighting diagrams to give to the gaffer, and made adjustments as we went.

What is your favorite camera and lens combination to work with, and why?

Alexa Mini.

And the lenses it depends on the project. I really love the anamorphic look but I also have an old set of Canon FDs that are rehoused that have a great look to them. Older glass can really soften the digital look of modern cameras so I’m glad ARRI has come out with the super 35 version.

How do you ensure that your cinematography supports the overall story and emotional arc of the characters?

I think above all the things I do, lighting is the most important. If I had to redo my career, I would have come up as a grip/spark/gaffer because it just gives you so many tools and knowledge for any given scenario. I kind of went from a Production Assistant to an Assistant Camera to a Camera Operator route and although it’s worked out ok, it can be fun to learn how other DoPs do things. All that to say, I try to make sure the story matches the lighting and vice versa. And giving the actors room to work I think is important. Lighting from the exterior allows for more play between the actors. If you’re so specific about making every frame perfectly lit I think maybe you’re losing out on the performance. As I get older I realize I think less is more. Letting things go dark is more fun.

How do you work with lighting to create mood and atmosphere in your shots, and what are some of your favorite lighting techniques?

For mood, just turn all the lights off and use a single source, some negative fill and some haze. Maybe pop on a light in the background

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging scene that you've shot, and how you overcame the obstacles to achieve the desired result?

I only recently have worked on more narrative work. I came from the documentary and commercial worlds which are very different. Documentary you really are relying on what you can use naturally and then accenting. Commercial is typically much more precise. There’s bigger budgets, more people on set, more stress. I think my most challenging shot was this 3 shot commercial that was all made to look seamless, as one shot. The VFX artist was on set making sure we were giving him proper transitions that would allow him to sequence the shots together. I hadn’t worked with the Director before and I wasn’t given any scout time for the locations. We did 2 spots in 2 days. So 6 shots total, all different locations. No pre-pro, I just had to show up on set and figure it out with the Director. I was also operating the camera on a Ronin 2 and the AC was pulling focus. That was challenging but ultimately we figured it out. A lot of thanks to the Gaffer and Spark who quickly helped make some lighting changes.

What is your approach to working with actors and framing shots to capture their performances effectively?

Still learning this, but having a plan with the director and actor is best. Get them in the frame, give them a mark. With more inexperienced actors, sometimes you don’t want to flood their head with too much info, so less is more. Then on the next take make an adjustment.

How do you stay up to date with new camera technology and techniques, and what role do you think technology plays in cinematography?

It’s just apart of the job. Luckily the best stuff is still shot on ARRI or RED. Camera-wise the tech is all still based on the same math. You might have new tech that allows you to shoot faster modes and framerates, but the basics are still the same. The lighting is what has changed the most over the past 5 years. LEDs have really brought the cost down. There’s always American Cinematographer or British

Cinematographer, podcasts, again YT, IMDB.com

Can you tell us about a project that you're particularly proud of, and why it was a significant achievement for you?

I really am proud of the whodunit short we just shot. It was really the most ambitious narrative piece I’ve gotten to work on, with a full crew. We learned a lot, but I am definitely proud of the shots we were able to get especially given the time constraints. Hopefully it will be out later in 2023. And I guess there’s a film on Netflix called Procession that I got to DoP for a handful of days because the DoP couldn’t travel due to Covid. It dealt with abuse in the Catholic Church and some really intense stories. It gave a lot of meaning to what I get to do.

How do you balance your artistic vision with the practical considerations of a production, such as budget, time constraints, and logistical challenges?

It’s always a challenge. But having parameters are what make creativity happen. I don’t think you do your best work unless you’re under some type of pressure. I’m not sure why but it always seems that way for me anyways.

How do you work with the rest of the crew, such as the director, production designer, and editor, to ensure that the visuals are cohesive and support the overall vision of the project?

Yeah maybe similar to before, but every job is important. I came from a sports background. And I think you need every member to do their job, but that means relying on them for their expertise. Trusting they will make the right choices. The Director is in charge and every decision should try to support their vision. Sometimes you have to make tough calls given the constraints, but ultimately if everyone is striving for the same goal, and doesn’t care who gets the credit, you should have a good outcome.

What advice would you give to aspiring cinematographers, and how can they best prepare themselves for a career in this field?

I’d say go shoot. Don’t wait for the perfect circumstances. Give yourself a deadline and go make something. That’s the only way to practice. If you’re in the industry already, ask questions. See if someone else at your level wants to work on a short. Just get involved. And then give yourself time. Like a lot. 10-20 years. You will likely not be DoPing a Hollywood film in your first 5, 10, 20 years. It takes time to learn, and it should, because there’s so much. People want to hire someone whom they can trust can get the look and feel they want at any given time of day or circumstance. And to get those reps takes time. And even once you know how to do those things, there are people who can do it just as good if not better than you. So just keep improving until they can’t ignore you anymore.

How do you think the role of the cinematographer has evolved over the years, and what do you see as the future of the field?

Honestly that’s a good question. I think there will always be a need for humans to make decisions on set. Certain jobs may go away like news camera operators, studio stuff. But there will always be a need for storytellers, and people who can understand how to do that. I really hope it’s not just actors in front of studio LED panels.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects that you're excited about, and what drew you to them?

I’m just excited to have jumped into the Narrative world. Honestly, I love just working with good people who care about what they’re making. Commercial and documentary still intrigue me, but I’d like to keep collaborating and maybe writing some scripts to make with others. Since we moved to London, my wife has been writing some scripts of her own, so I think we’re going to try and keep developing those. Hopefully in the next few years we’ll have a better idea of what we’re doing!

I see being a Cinematographer as just a skill. I enjoy it a lot. But I just like being apart of a team. Hopefully I get to keep doing that for a while.