“My first job in film was as a trainee on a feature. I think...

“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)