Female Cinematographers

Think of the world's great directors, producers and actors and you can mention loads of women. Why is this not the case in cinematography? In protest at this state of affairs, Dazzle Films put on a special screening called Lipstick On The Lens, which showcased the work of five up and coming female DOPs. Afterwards, Making Movies spoke to Nanu Segal, who shot 'No Deposit, No Return', a humorous film about a desperate woman who holds up a sperm bank, to find out more.

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How did you become a DP?
I decided that becoming a DOP was what I was going to do when I was 22, after I left university. It seemed like a good mixture of the creative and the technical. So I called myself a trainee and went after work doing just that. Then I called myself a 'Camera Assistant', then a 'Clapper Loader' and then a 'Focus Puller'. When I had the confidence to do the next job I just changed my job title. Confidence has a large part to do with it, no one else is going to tell you what to do.

How did you gain experience shooting on film?
I went to the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, which was brilliant. My work experience up until then had been about how a camera works; at the school I learned how to light. In fact it was more than that, they teach you how cinematography is used to tell stories. You learn how to collaborate too.

Do you think you have a distinctive style?
No. I try to create a look that fits in with the story I am trying to tell.

Which cinematographers do you admire?
Roger Deakins, Seamus McGarvey , Remi Adefarasin, Gordon Willis, Darius Khonji (Se7en). Oh - and, of course, Christopher Doyle (Chungking Express).

Next page • "What do you do if the director asks for a piece to look more cinematic?"