Originally published on panavision.com
The accomplished director of photography reflects on a career that spans documentaries, features, series, and a decades-long tenure as an educator at the AFI Conservatory.
“If there’s a rule, I would say you have to be relentlessly positive,” says cinematographer Stephen Lighthill ASC. “What you’ve planned on almost always is modified by circumstances, and circumstances can change radically.” His wisdom has been well-earned through a career that began with documentary camerawork before branching into narrative features and acclaimed series. In this video, he offers advice for advancing on a career path, stresses the importance of being nice to everyone along the way, and reflects on the inspiration he finds in supporting the next generation of cinematographers through his role as Cinematography Discipline Head at AFI.
