Staying Active in the Quiet:
Specs, Shadowing, and Keeping Momentum
Like many people in this industry, I’ve found myself in a quieter period recently while actively looking for representation. Those gaps can feel uncomfortable if you let them, but I’ve always believed that quiet doesn’t have to mean stagnant. For me, it’s been a chance to stay active, experiment, and push my work in directions I’ve wanted to explore for a long time.
One of the biggest things I’ve focused on is building out more commercial-leaning work in my portfolio. Historically, I’d found myself shooting a lot of music videos and short-form narrative, which I love, but I wanted to stretch into product and brand storytelling more deliberately.
Building Commercial Work at Home
Inspired by other filmmakers online who were simply creating the work they wanted to be hired for, I decided to do the same. No big sets, no huge crews—just a DIY mindset and whatever tools I could get my hands on.
A lazy Susan, a couple of lights, a water tank, sourced probe lenses, a tripod, a slider, and an extra pair of hands when possible. The goal was simple: just create.
The first spec piece I tackled was a beer product ad for my hometown favourite, Wrexham Lager. Partly as a nod to where I’m from, and partly with a tongue-in-cheek thought that if Ryan Reynolds or Rob McElhenney ever happened to see it… well, you never know. Wishful thinking of course, but still fun to put that energy out there.
Not long after, I’d just bought some new On Cloud trainers and thought, why not? One shoe, a lazy Susan, some movement, some light—another opportunity to experiment and refine my approach.
Having those two pieces then naturally led to real client work in a similar space. I went on to create campaigns for Bigfoot Grooming and VWD Mallows Beverages, alongside operating work on several LFC x AXA projects with a French agency. That, paired with recent commissioned DOP roles for Channel 5’s Play for Today, has been hugely encouraging and has led to positive feedback and meetings with potential agents.
Wrexham Lager Spec Ad
Bigfoot Grooming Ad
Shadowing on a BBC Night Exterior
Alongside shooting, I’ve also been keen to keep learning. My wife suggested I reach out to Richard Mott, a DOP she’d previously worked with, about potentially shadowing him on an upcoming BBC shoot in the North West. I’d already spent time looking at Richard’s work and felt his approach was something I’d love to learn from.
After a brief call, Richard kindly invited me along for a day on a night shoot in Delamere Forest. He mentioned fire effects, machines, and massive ultrabounce frames towering into the night sky and I was instantly sold.
From the moment I arrived, Richard was incredibly welcoming, introducing me to everyone on set, including his gaffer Paul and DIT Steffen, both of whom were generous with their time and knowledge. Shadowing can be a delicate balance, you don’t want to be a distraction, but you’re also there to learn, so I stayed close enough to listen, observe, and ask questions when appropriate.
Without going into scene specifics, the shoot involved sections of the location being set on fire at night. One of the key challenges was exposure: how do you confidently expose for fire before everything is actually burning?
This is where the collaboration between departments really stood out. The SFX team ran controlled flame bar tests, allowing Richard and Steffen to evaluate exposure using LOG and false colour. Shooting in RAW gave flexibility, but the decision-making was still precise, finding a stop that felt safe for highlights while allowing room for minute adjustments once the fire intensified.
Short test clips were reviewed by Steffen before rolling on the actual takes, with Paul closely managing levels on the lighting side to support that chosen stop.
Lighting Approach
The primary setup for one of the key shots involved lighting an actor inside a car with fire outside the frame. This was achieved using:
2x Nanlux 5000B, one firing into a large ultrabounce frame on a crane alongside a Nanlux 2400, and another 5K with a soft octadome to light surrounding trees and background exposure but flagged off the action.
A Vortex V8 also lighting pockets of the background that the 5K couldn’t reach on the second camera
Inside the car: a simple warm dash light with a soft dome, subtle fill from a 4ft tube.
Additional practical motivation from static car lights on the ground from a Vortex V8
This gave enough level and control for the required coverage while maintaining the naturalism of the scene.
Later in the day, coverage involved a moving vehicle, which introduced new challenges. Much of the floor lighting had to be removed, leaving the crane-mounted ultrabounce as the primary source. Controlled flame bars were reintroduced only when fire needed to be seen in a specific direction.
One detail that really stood out to me was additional fixtures rigged along the top of the crane (likely more Vortex units) which Paul could offer up for extra directional punch when needed. They were harsher, yes, but incredibly effective when more level was required without placing anything on the ground.
Taking It Forward
I took an enormous amount from that day. Night exteriors are something I’ve wanted to explore more deeply for a long time, and seeing the decision-making process up close, from exposure strategy to collaboration between departments, was invaluable.
I’ve always loved hearing different perspectives from gaffers and sparks, whether that’s preferences for gels like Steel Blue or Platinum, or simply keeping sources at daylight and riding the camera around 4000K. These conversations continue to shape how I think about light.
Looking ahead, I’m keen to pursue more shadowing opportunities and plan to visit the BSC Expo next week to see if there’s scope to build further connections and learning opportunities. I’ve already begun reaching out to other DOPs, while continuing to actively seek camera work and representation.
Quiet periods don’t have to mean standing still. For me, this time has been about momentum, creating, learning, and staying curious, and I’m excited to see where that leads next.
