Between shooting Driftwood and Lavender, I met Alexia and was invited to be DP on her and Sole’s first film. We shot it in Paris and, as is the case with every first film and probably every subsequent one, there were plenty of technical challenges to overcome. We arrived to find our Airbnb had been robbed the night before, and scrambled to find a replacement. Throughout the shoot there were grouchy Parisians who, grouchily, would or wouldn’t get out of our way. We didn’t think enough about shadows.



With regards to my own work as DP, I’m quite proud of the project. There are plenty of lessons I’ll take away from this (Lord knows I need a gimbal), but there are also some shots in here that I’m really happy with. The City of Light is unsurprisingly kind to cinematographers.



All said and done, despite the difficulties, I remember this as the first shoot where I actually had a good time. The cast and crew were lovely, and I’ve found some lasting friendships thanks to this film. Alexia and Sole above all worked hard to create a production rooted in thoughtfulness, which I greatly admired, and which is a lesson I hope to take with me.