Cinematography in Canada Since 1957

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

Episode 6 of Season 8 in the Flash was the first time I was given an entire episode to shoot instead of just handling second unit. And I couldn’t have have asked for a better calling card to be able to show what I am capable of.

Rather than a standard Barry Allen story, this episode completely shifts focus to his future children, Bart and Nora and takes place between two time periods: the future where the two are heroes in training, and the past, when Barry was in a coma after being struck by lightning. 

I had worked on the show as a daycall camera assistant since season 4, becoming a full time 1st AC for the B-camera in season 7 before becoming the 2nd unit DP for the first 5 episodes of Season 8. When I was given the script, I knew I couldn`t watch every single hour of the existing Arrowverse material. Instead, I pivoted my research toward the audience. I listened to video essays, fan breakdowns, and community commentary to get a genuine feel for how the audience received the show`s visual history. Understanding what tropes the fans loved, where they craved more cinematic weight, and how they responded to the early seasons gave me a clear emotional roadmap.

Perhaps my favorite sequence was Nora’s leap at the climax of the episode. We shot the stunt section on a rooftop in downtown Vancouver and matched her closeup in our greenscreen studio afterwards to maximize our time on location. I made sure to make notes of our lighting setup in the practical set to ensure a perfect match, with stunts providing a lollipop rig to have control over our actor`s rotation. Huge props to Jessica Parker Kennedy for being willing to get spun over and over for an amazing closeup.

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

How about an unusual detour? In 2010 I joined the ranks of ICG 669 as a 2nd AC and planned on saving funds to buy a camera to go into the world of corporate videography, but that’s not what happened. I did buy myself a Rebel t2i, fascinated at the time with what DSLRs would bring to the world of videography and quickly found myself in a different niche entirely. I had posted a photo of a snowy transformer to a forum I frequented at the time and made a new friend in someone who said, “That looks like Vancouver!” we got to chatting and he showed me a performance video he had of himself and we immediately determined that the next time he visited Vancouver from Finland we would set our sights on doing a collaboration.

From that unlikely beginning, I was brought to some local Vancouver circus events and started making friends, collaborating wherever the opportunity allowed itself. What started as an excuse to hang out with cool people soon started to evolve my own style and craft in ways that I wouldn’t be able to recognize for many years. It gave me a foundation to be able to create stories without dialog, even without a script.

I’m grateful for those days and the fun that I had with my friends, some of whom have become lifelong compatriots. It showed me a side of the world I previously never knew existed and simultaneously sharpened my skills in ways I might never have gotten the opportunity to if I had exclusively shot narrative film.

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

After spending the last three days diving deep into the world of Brother, I wanted to spend today shifting gears. One of the most rewarding parts of being a DP is the sheer variety of worlds we get to build. Stepping out of one visual language and entirely resetting for the next. I love sitting with a script and soaking I`m how it makes me feel. What colors come to mind and how do I build around them?

Today’s carousel is a bit of a miscellaneous collection from the vault, everything from crisp, symmetrical comedy framing and bright, sun-kissed exteriors to moody, highly stylized character close-ups. Perfect for cleaning the palette after the deep, oppressive blues of Brother

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

Early in prep, Director Sam Fichtner sent me references for the sequence of Nolan tripping out on the docks. I was excited and immediately sent him a sketch of the rig I wanted to build. The sequence relies heavily on a custom-built setup: a Panavision low-angle prism mounted directly to the lens, layered with a clear acrylic tray filled with water, and topped with a William F. Whites Perry Mirror. This allowed for the subject to be shot through water ripples and let Sam manipulate the image mid-take without disturbing the performance.

The ultimate creative breakthrough came from the elements themselves. Filming on the docks in a brutal −12∘C chill, the water in the tray began to actively crystalize and freeze mid-take. This happy accident introduced an unpredictable, evolving frost texture across the frame and gave our subject a ghostly, crystalline warp. The combined force of the grip and camera departments is not to be underestimated!

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

One of the things I wish I saw more of before taking the helm  is Cinematographers talking about their prep experiences. A well utilized prep can absolutely heighten what you’re able to do on a production through clear communication and discussion of priorities.

Of course, it is also extremely important to be able to bend to the whims of the day, but today I wanted to showcase some of the Brother prep.

Along with scouts and logistics meetings, a visual bible is one of the most important pieces of my prep. Whether that is a mood board to give my technical teams an idea of where to default or a full document detailing the intricacies of how I intend to approach the shoot. This document was put together after spending a great deal of time listening to the director’s priorities and absorbing references to make sure we were working towards a synergized goal.

With a document like this in hand, seen and approved by the creative team, it is incredibly easy to walk onto a set with confidence even before the first shot is in the can.

And since I`m in a room of Cinematographers: spot what`s special about the cover photo of this post ;)

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

In 2024 I was sent a script that really caught my eye. Brother is a compelling drama told through the lens of psychological thriller. Speaking with writer/producer Rebecca Roberts, I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of, given her philosophy on the approach to the craft of film making. Seeing it listed on the nominees for the 2026 Leo Awards made me so proud of our team.

Director Sam Fichtner and I spent a lot of time in prep developing the visual language for the film. We talked at length about the camera as a POV, about the family house as a character, about lighting motivation, lens plot, and really getting to know the characters in a way that let me use the light to help enhance what I knew they were going through (stellar performances also helped, which is no doubt why the film is also nominated for Best Casting!)

Having the opportunity to weave motivated cinematography into the foundation of the feature was something that I wasn’t always able to do with the financial restrictions of indie film making or the specifics of network television and it was an experience I will always be grateful for. I`m going to spend the next couple days talking about this film in more detail!

#MikahSharkey #AssociateMemberCSC @cinema_shark

Hello to the CSC members and followers, it is a great honor to be able to guest host this page for the next two weeks.

My name is Mikah Sharkey and I am a DP/operator based in Vancouver. My journey with cinematography first starts unexpectedly in the mid-2000s. I grew up mostly in Nanaimo and never expected a life in cinema to be a viable career path until I started working the camera for a hockey school I was instructing for.

After winning the gold medal in Skills Canada’s regional competition for film making in 2005 I pursued film school and entered ICG 669’s training program in 2009. At the time, my plan was to use the money from assisting to purchase a camera to jumpstart my own corporate video company. But I ended up falling in love with the craft of cinematography down to the core of assisting and would be a full time 2nd in 2010, then 1st AC while shooting my own projects on the side until 2021, using the opportunity to learn the craft of lighting from the incredible cinematographers I had the chance to work for. In 2013 I became our union`s first openly trans member.

My big opportunity came when Alwyn Kumst csc, sasc and I were talking in the woods on set on one rainy night. I told him the story of a short I had shot and he asked if I wanted the chance to shoot for one of our cast members. So, when Alwyn stepped away from Flash at the end of season 7, my work was already on the front of the mind of our producers who decided to first let me handle 2nd unit, and then the even episodes of the season.

It was a dream come true as someone who never thought a life in film was even something I could consider, and I hope to show my gratitude to my mentors and peers during my time as your host.