International camera operator Brett Hurd SOC joins us after a run on shows like The Handmaid's Tale, Mrs America, The Terminal List and American Primeval. We talk about the path that took him from early sports broadcasting and documentary work to operating on major dramas around the world.

Brett shares how still photography shapes his eye, why mobility and body awareness matter for handheld, and how growing up skating and playing sport feeds directly into his work today. He opens up about the pressure of big opportunities, the value of being uncomfortable, and the moments that pushed his craft to the next level.

We also explore leadership on set, communication with cast, and building an environment where everyone feels safe to do their best work. A grounded chat with a thoughtful operator who brings both skill and heart to every project.

This episode is proudly brought to you by our technology partners Sony
Hoseted and edited by Lucas Tomoana SOC
Produced by Deb Van Dieren

This week on Cinemapodgrapher, one of our new hosts, Hannah, sits down with acclaimed production designer Sue Chan, whose work spans Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Where the Crawdads Sing, Colossal, and now the highly anticipated series Murderbot. Together they explore Sue's approach to world-building, the design of the AI-driven character at the heart of Murderbot, and how her background in architecture, theatre and art direction shaped her storytelling eye. Sue opens up about balancing practical and visual effects, creating entire alien languages, and grounding futuristic sci-fi worlds in human emotion and design history. A thoughtful, inspiring conversation about collaboration, imagination and the craft of building worlds we can believe in.

This podcast is proudly brought to you by our technology partners Sony
Produced by Deb Van Dieren
Hosted and edited by Hannah Ariotti

Cinematographer Ksenia Sereda takes us behind the scenes for The Last Of Us Season 2. It's clear from the start how deeply she loves what she does. She lives and breathes her work and her passion is infectious. In this episode, we break down everything from the custom-built Cooke lenses she helped design, shooting cast on horseback and the responsibility of being setup DP for the show.

We dig into several key episodes including the beautiful flashback scenes of episode 6 and unpack the technical hurdles of shooting inside a spaceship. 

A true fan of the game and a master of her craft, Ksenia brings a mix of vision, precision, and genuine heart to bring the game to life. This one's a deep dive for anyone who aspires to work on the world's biggest tv series.

This episode of Cinemapodgrapher is proudly brought to you by our technology partners Sony
Produced by Deb Van Dieren
Hosted and edited by Lucas Tomoana SOC

A CV is key to getting you on the job. On this episode I discuss what employers are looking for and how a film industry CV should be formatted. 

Just graduated? Don't know where to start in the film industry as a freelancer? This episode is for you. I break it down to 10 quick easy steps to get your business off the ground and you a step closer to getting work in the industry.

More cameras for your toolkit as a cinematographer. This time its Sonys FX6, a full frame camera that packs a lot of punch. 

For those starting out this is an episode on what I think you need to shoot in order for you to get employment as a cinematographer.

Gimbal technology has gone from strength to strength. I chat with Director Tony Walsh about the Ronin S2 and why we think its one of the best one handed gimbals to come out.

I've been invited to host the ACS Instagram page the next 2 weeks. If you'd like to hear about some of my career head on over to @austcine and give it a follow!

The 2nd AC is a workhorse of the camera department. My best mate Danny Haneman takes us through the overall role of a 2nd, how to prioritise and delegate and why you should have a business approach to camera assisting.

Raising a child while working in the film industry is no easy feat. On this episode I chat with four incredible women Tania Lambert ACS, Sky Davies, Angela Cerasi and Hailey Bartholomew and how they juggle being a partner, parent and filmmaker. 

Martin has shot over 80 productions and is about to start shooting NBCs "Young Rock", a TV series on the childhood of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. We share a beer at my place to talk about what makes a great leader, how he prepares for a production and how he manages his work life balance as a cinematographer.

Branding is something we generally associate with large companies such as Coca Cola or Nike but it is still relevant to freelancers. In this episode I go through a few basics of how to start forming a more clear image of your brand.

Chris Teague, an Emmy Award winning Director of Photography, has worked on a diverse slate of projects, from Russian Doll and Only Murders in the Building to entering the Star Wars universe with The Acolyte.

In our conversation, we talk about his path into drama, the value of building strong creative relationships, and what it means to be a setup DP. We also get into preproduction, LUTs, fight choreography, and how Chris approached the unique lighting challenges of working within the Star Wars universe. 

This podcast is proudly brought to you by our technology partner Sony
Produced by Deb Van Dieren
Hosted by Lucas Tomoana
Edited by Raphael Segal

Canon is on a roll and has dropped their latest Camera the C70. A small form camera that bridges the gap between Digital Interchangeable Lens Cameras and their EOS Cinema Cameras. 

I sit down with a few friends from the industry in the early stages of their career to discuss their thoughts on having kids. Next episode I'll discuss with actual parents who have kids who've managed to keep working in the film industry.

I still have a million topics to talk about but if you'd like a special request then make sure to send me a message.

Murray Lui has shot documentaries, TV shows and feature films around Australia. He is also one of the very few Torres Strait Islander filmmakers in our industry. I sit down to talk about Murrays career, his creative approach to shooting comedy and why it is important to tell indigenous stories.

Electronic News Gathering requires you to think on your feet in high pressure situations and tell a story as it unfolds. Geoff O'Rourke joins us to discuss his 11 years of experience shooting news and his new venture into freelance filmmaking. 

Filmmaking is a team sport and as shooters and technicians one of the departments we will be dealing closely with is the Production department. Line Producer Ange Lavey-Manche joins us to talk about CVs, negotiating rates, marketing yourself and what production are looking for when employing crew.

The first part of any business is sales, and we can't make sales without customers. On this episode I go through some key questions you need to start asking yourself to run your business in the film industry. 

Catching a plane for the first time for a shoot can be pretty stressful. In this episode I go through the basics of what you need to know before heading to the airport. 

A career in the film industry can be incredibly rewarding however it does not come without sacrifice. This episode I talk about some considerations you need to take when deciding on your career path. 

1st AC Jason Binnie has worked on 60+ films and tv series including iconic films such as The Matrix, Star wars and Alien. In this episode Jason talks about his 30 year long career and what advice he has for those looking to join or move up the camera department.

Key Grip Adam "Skull" Kuiper and Best Boy Josh Calder lead one of Australia's top grip teams at AJK Grips. In this episode, we dive into how Skull earned his nickname, his journey into key gripping, and the art of building grip trucks from the ground up. Josh shares insights into the role of a Best Boy Grip and their shared vision for training the next generation of technicians.

We also chat about their work in Namibia on Mad Max: Fury Road, the evolution of grip tech for Furiosa, and the sheer scale of stunts and logistics involved in filming The Fall Guy in the heart of Sydney.

Tune in for one heck of a conversation about all things gripping.

This episode is proudly brought to you by our technology partners Sony
Produced by Deb Bauer
Hosted and edited by Lucas Tomoana SOC

I go through some of the basics you should know when entering the camera dept. If you're about to start your first day as a camera training or camera PA then this episode is for you.

Navigating this industry can be difficult and as a freelancer we have to make a lot of decisions around what jobs we take on board. This episode I share my 4 "checks" that I do before saying yes or no to a job. 

Bonnie Elliott ACS joins me for a chat about #whoisinyourcrew. A social media campaign that encourages cinematographers to promote and foster more diverse camera department teams.

A quick episode on mindset and how to avoid the trap of comparison in the film industry. 

Part of being a good cinematographer is to be an good leader on set. This episode I go through the basics of what I think it takes to be a an effective leader on a film crew.

Singaporean Cinematographer Kristy Campbell joins the conversation to discuss why she loves shooting documentary, the challenges involved working internationally and how the latest technology has helped her career. 

Sony announces their third mirrorless camera in the A7s line. 

Angela Cerasi from Peachy Keen Colour talks about the launch of her new podcast and also gives tips for shooters to help out the Colour grade process.

Mark Toia is now one of the most sought after Director DPs in the world. On this episode we discuss his early beginnings as a photographer, his transition to commercial filmmaking and his recent move into feature films. Check Marks work on zoomfilmtv.com.au

Blackmagic Design announces their new 12k Camera. 

Aiden Kelly is one of the world's leading remote pilots and the co-founder of XM2. He shares how he started out flying remote helicopters and running a hobby shop, which led to building XM2 into a global remote head company with offices in Australia, the US, the UK, and Korea. We talk about the early days of drone cinematography and how XM2 expanded into arm cars, e-bikes, cable cams, and RC tracking vehicles. Aiden breaks down the challenges of flying on major films, including Tom Cruise's motorcycle cliff jump in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, high-speed car chases in James Bond, and stunt sequences in The Fall Guy. This episode offers a deep look at aerial and specialty camera work on some of the biggest action films in the world.

This episode is proudly brought to you by our technology partners Sony.
Produced by Deb Van Dieren, Hosted and Edited by Lucas Tomoana SOC.

Simon Chapman ACS chats about moving from Australia to Canada where his recent success in TV drama has seen him to go on to shoot Netflix series Spaceforce. 

Cinematographer Andrew Conder ACS talks with me about shooting with new COVID safety measures on a television production in Queensland, Australia. 

Canon just released their new flagship mirrorless camera the Canon EOS R5. I go through some of the features of this small camera that packs a lot of punch.

As a freelancer in the camera department we're not always working. Sometimes we're at home wondering what the hell we're going to do. If you're a bit stuck heres my tips of what to do  on your days off.

Something barely mentioned when starting out is the importance of on set etiquette. There is a mountain of eitquette to learn. So this episode I run through the basics to make your transition to the set life a lot easier. 

Keen to get into the industry but don't know how to get your foot in the door? Check this episode.

I have a chat with Ollie Davies from Drone FX to talk how he started in the film industry, safety precautions and how we can better utilise drones for story telling.

For you to get ahead in this industry, it's essential to be clear on what your goals are. I go through my own personal method of goal setting and how we can change the way we write them to affect our motivation.

Something not spoken enough about in the camera department is taking care of your mental health. One of my best mates, 2nd AC Danny Haneman, opens up about his struggles and how he personally deals with it to stay on top of his game.

I chat with Director DP Sissy Reyes, Camera Operator Cara Hurley and 2nd AC Rachel Sieger about gender diversity, why its important and what we can do to make a more inclusive industry.

Mandy Walker AM ASC ACS's stunning cinematography has captivated audiences around the world. From Australia to Elvis, Snow White, and commercials for global brands like Chanel, Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Audi — her work is bold, emotional, and always cinematic.

In this episode, Mandy shares how she carved her own path without film school, became a trailblazer for women in film, and developed her approach to storytelling on big-budget productions. She also talks through her work on Snow White — from camera tests to musical sequences, and how she lit the sets of Disney's latest feature.

She's an icon — and she's refreshingly honest about the challenges, the wins, and what it takes to keep pushing forward in this industry.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Red. For more information on the latest red cameras head to www.red.com.

Hosted by Lucas Tomoana
Edited by Raphael Segal
Produced by Deb Bauer

I sit down with Tim Jordin from Lemac Film & Digital to discuss working with rental houses and the latest trends in camera technology.

Buying a new camera is a big decision for your business. I sit down with Cinematographer Mark Broadbent to discuss the buying the right tools and what processes you need to be aware of before making your decision.

If you're new to the industry, then joining a cinematographers society is one of the first steps you should take. Join me to hear why these societies are important and how they can benefit your career development.