Cinematography in Canada Since 1957

#SimonPierreGingrasCsc @spgspgspg

CHAPTER I - BEGINNINGS //
- How curiosity slowly became cinematography -

Hi! SPG is a short for Simon-Pierre Gingras and I`m hailing from Montreal. I speak fluent French and English.

So, when people ask me how I became a cinematographer, they often expect a straight line. It wasn’t.

In the early 2000s, I was studying Marine Biology, first in Canada and later in Australia. I was fascinated by wildlife, sharks and the endless mysteries hidden beneath the surface. Looking back, I realize I wasn’t just studying nature. I was learning how to observe.

In 2004, back in Montreal, that curiosity found a new outlet: photography. I was obsessed with light, composition, faces and the quiet moments that often say the most. A camera became my excuse to look closer. I shot everything I could from food to street photography, but I kept finding my way back to fashion and portrait…

By late 2009, moving images slowly took over. Cinema brought together everything I loved: observation, emotion, rhythm, collaboration and storytelling. It felt less like changing careers than finally finding the language I’d been searching for all along.

Today, after all those years behind a camera, I still approach every project with that same curiosity that first drew me toward the ocean.

Over the next two weeks, I’ll be taking over the CSC Instagram account reflecting on my path as a cinematographer and how we see, listen and keep learning through the craft of visual storytelling.

Thank you for following along. I hope you’ll enjoy the journey!

(carousel // artists in photographs @peterpeteroffcl @chromeo @moffattariane)

#EmmaDjwa #AssociateMemberCsc @emmadjwa

I love being a cinematographer and camera operator, I always have. I feel so privileged to be paid to do a job that lets me play pretend. (Full of whimsy as the girlies say…)

Little Emma would be stoked. With any luck, the next round of little girls can start their careers seeing women succeed as technicians and know our jobs are about skill, not gender.

I’m so grateful that @416cw invited me to share (and encouraged me to post.) Thank you all for following along.

I love the CSC. It is so valuable to have a place to celebrate Canadian talent and deep dive on cinematography. And It’s a honour to be an associate member, and be a nerd amongst some of the film industry’s best talent.

Until next time

#emmadjwa #AssociateMemberCSC @emmadjwa
Elle EPK S1

Shooting socials is a brand new world! It’s satisfying to try and find a shot that works for both 9x16 and 16x9 - my challenge to myself was to fill the edges of the frame with new info so seeing the same video on instagram and youtube could be interesting. I’d keep both framelines on my monitor (5in SmallHD on my fx6) to maintain the image and be constantly thinking of socials. I think this is a big question for all of us that believe in visual storytelling - How does the medium change when the viewing platform changes? Would love to hear your thoughts!

This first still was done by photographers @kickassjess and Justine Yeung. We lit together then I did a video version and Jessica did the still version.

Starring @leximinetree @chandlerlkinney Zac Looker @gabbypolicano @jacobmoskovitz

Senior Unit Publicists: Carole Appleby, Michelle Welygan

#emmadjwa #AssociateMemberCSC @emmadjwa

@416cw says not too take myself too seriously, and I don’t! But boy do public posts heat up the imposter syndrome!!

1. I worked for a lamp op for 2 years in the midst of my camera work. Not enough to be great, but as a chance to learn what it takes to light a set, and how to host an 18k party.

2. I own an fx6, and it’s brilliant. My Monday - Friday is focused on operating union work, but my fx6 kit allows me to trust my setup when I take on docs, something I underestimated until this camera. It also allows me to do EPK work, which has been a fabulous part of my income and my work.

3. Hiring techs for skill is the only way to do it. Femme techs are often fantastic at their jobs. To hire properly, you have to have the context of the industry. Hiring crew means supporting them and creating an environment they succeed in. I back my crew through contracts, learning and being clear what environment the set is.

#femaledp #cinematography

#emmadjwa #AssociateMemberCSC @emmadjwa

Lovers (2024)

This was a fun one! Director @joywebs and I played with reflections at the cinematography intensive. By visually trapping the characters in a reflective surface we helped to emphasize their emotional turmoil.

A satisfying first for me was mixing anamorphic and spherical lenses. I was worried the difference in lenses would pull the audience out, but it was seamless!

Dir. @joywebs
Produced by. @cfccreates & the CSC
Starring. Golden Madison & Bella Cabellero
Cam Op. @claire.sanford.cinematographer

#emmadjwa #AssociateMemberCSC @emmadjwa
Are We Done Now (2023)
Feature
Couldn’t find my overheads so here’s a spec sheet because we had 2 time periods and 3 different looks.

Starring: Gabrielle Miller, Favour Onwuka, Elliott Ramsey, Nathalie Farrow, Giacamo Baessato, Jennifer Spence & Camille Sullivan.

Executive Producers: Jack Ong, Gosha Wen, Ben Immanuel, Ben Lu, Richard J. Lewis, Franco Pante, Pieter Stahtis
Producers: Ben immanuel, Kimi Aledandra Bernie Yao, Troy Mundle
Writer/Director: Ben Immanuel
1st AC: Sabrina Burnett
2nd AC: Nathalie Taylor
Gaffer(s): Mike Lightfoot & Libby Olson