James Stittle

Images

Education

Equipment

My Equipment/Kit: Blackmagic Cinema Cameras - Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 and BMPCC6K

I can use: Canon Cameras, Sony Cameras, RED Digital Cinema Cameras, Blackmagic Cameras, Arri, Sony A7r II, Sony Cinema Line

About me

I’m an award-winning DOP/Lighting camera operator with almost 20 years’ experience in film, television, music videos and branded content. I started my career as a location scout for films and TV dramas, but I soon realised my passion lay with cameras. I took the scenic route to get where I am. No film school, I’m self-taught. I learn on the job and what I don’t know I’ll meticulously research, which means I have a broad and expansive knowledge and can creatively problem solve on the spot. This also means I’m flexible, not stuck in my ways, I’m always open to input from others. I thrive on constantly coming up with interesting solutions to push what's achievable with real-world budget and crew restrictions.

I love capturing moments, tiny snapshots between people, so fleeting that sometimes they’re missed. I take care over every frame – like an artist does with each painting. I am obsessed with parallel lines, symmetry and expansive wides. A visual storyteller who brings peoples’ stories to life – documenting the now or capturing the imagined. I don’t want to be the star, the shot should never take away from the action or dialogue unfolding on screen.

I’m a multi-skilled team player and have a wide experience of different aspects of the industry, which means I think outside the box. I love to foster and encourage safe working environments with collaboration at their heart – collaborating is the best part of filmmaking to me. Feeding off other people’s passion and enthusiasm, there’s nothing like working in a diverse crew. I have boundless energy and enthusiasm on shoots, always happy to go that extra distance to deliver the best quality film we can.

I have a dark sense of humour, and try to see the funny in everything. I like to be a calm, calming, reassuring presence on shoots which, of course, can sometimes be stressful places. I am hands-on and technical in practice – I am the one who makes and fixes things.

From filming more than a mile underground in mines around the world to documenting war-torn Syria and South Sudan, my focus and passion is narrative work and documentaries. And I’m always ready to go and first to breakfast.

Outside of filming, you can find me eating, making something I could probably buy more easily, or on a long walk with my wife and our dog – pausing regularly on route to cultivate my passion for urban and rural landscapes, and, of course, for a quick snack.

License & Passport

Skills

Secondary Job Title	Cinematographer
Job Titles	Director, Camera Operator, Cinematographer, Director of Photography (DOP), Videographer, Photographer, Camera Supervisor, Aerial / Drone Operator
Years in industry	6+ years
Organisations / Memberships	BECTU (UK), Shooting People (UK)
Work Permits	Canada