Joel Schwartz - Director of Photography

As a Los Angeles native, a San Francisco Art Institute grad, and a 2nd generation film and tv cameraman, joining the camera department has been a natural progression for me, and I’ve been lucky enough to have the best seat on set (on the dolly).  After many years of working with and learning from some of the finest DP’s and directors in the industry, I picked up the lighting bug myself and started working as Director of Photography for Netflix, Fox, Universal, Warner Bros, CBS, and TNT.  Many of my recent experiences as a DP have involved working as additional cinematographer, shooting principal photography for both network and streaming platforms.  The challenge of adapting to, and matching the style of, another cinematographer has taught me to be flexible and focused, letting the established tone of a production lead, while always looking for ways to make each scene unique and compelling.  The joy of collaboratively telling a story through the juggling act of compelling lighting, improvisational camera movement, and the management of time and human resources is the real alchemy of filmmaking.  I believe in tailoring the cinematography to support the storytelling goals of the film, and I know the importance of scaling the work to the needs of the project.  Few things on a set are as satisfying as the look on a director or producers face when they see their vision take shape before them, so please reach out if you are a like-minded professional.  Together, we can get it done.

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I am available for work on feature, television, and other formats.