Hunger was the first collaboration between Director Steve McQueen and Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt and buy did they create a visual masterpiece. Long sweeping shots, many that never move, that tell a riveting story and give the viewer the time to not only contemplate the image, but delve into the story on a level most fits never even get close to. The images in this film serve as a reminder of the importance of a carefully crafted frame and are each beautiful in their own way, one after the next. For more insight into the making of Hunger, make sure to check out Sean’s podcast episode where he discusses the process of meeting and working with Steve.

Next up on The Spotlight we have The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)! Director Peter Jackson made history with The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, becoming the first person to direct three major feature films simultaneously. His continued collaboration with Director of Photography Andrew Lesnie A.C.S. on all three movies made for some stunning visuals that truly captured their unique story. The Two Towers won 2 Oscars at the 2003 Academy Awards (Best Sound Editing & Best Visual Effects) and received 4 other nominations, including Best Picture. 

On The Spotlight this week, we couldn’t think of a better film to showcase than BOSTON STRANGLER (2023)! It’s such an incredibly beautiful film it was a truly hard decision to pick just a few frames to display. Writer/Director Matt Ruskin and Director of Photography Ben Kutchins, ASC created an absolute masterpiece with this one. Every frame is a tutorial in the art of storytelling thanks to the outstanding work of one of the finest operators in the business, A Camera Operator and friend of The Op Ari Issler, and phenomenal B Camera/Steadicam Operator Nick Mueller! We hope some of these images inspire all of the operators, cinematographers, and storytellers out there because we know they sure inspired us! Check out more incredible frames below.

Bringing you back to 2019 and the film that everyone was talking about, and still is today. Parasite director Bong Joon-Ho collaborates with cinematographer Hong Kyung-Pyo to create some breathtaking frames. The film won 4 Oscars in 2020, including Best Picture, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Achievement in Production Design, and Best International film, as well as tons of other awards. Check out The Spotlight page as we continue to highlight the incredible work of filmmakers, cinematographers, and operators alike over the years.

Lawrence Sher ASC and A Cam Operator Geoff Haley, SOC created some stunning frames in this film and we couldn’t go without highlighting their work! The film won 4 Oscars in 2020 as well as Oscar, ASC, and BSC nominations for cinematography. Geoff won the SOC Camera Operator of the Year Award and The BSC Operators Award for his outstanding contribution to the film. Visit The Frames page to catch some of these cinematic images and many more on The Op. www.theop.io/frames