Whether we're strangers crossing paths or familiar faces, I appreciate your visit to my website. 

In the spirit of connection, I'd like to share a glimpse of both my professional and personal sides. Because, let's face it, people often prefer working with those they can relate to. So I decided I will try to show my more authentic self.

In a nutshell, I'm a female Cinematographer based in London, specialising in scripted content, and I'm eager to continue down this path. Originally from Poland, I made the decision to study Cinematography in the UK back in 2016 at UCA in Farnham. Now, the inevitable question: Was it worth it? (I've heard this at least 193 times.) The answer is a mix of yes and no. It undeniably pushed me beyond my comfort zone, tested my perseverance through difficulties, and equipped me with essential film basics. Was it necessary for my film journey? Perhaps not, but as Steve Jobs wisely said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards." Let's leave it at that.

I come from a creative background. As a child, I spent Christmas Eve sketching the toys I received, attempting to replicate the paintings in my uncle's house, and even capturing the essence of standing figurines during our visits. I used to urge my mom to draw them too and express disappointment when the drawings fell short of realism (I promise I've outgrown this phase). Growing up, I was always "that person" taking photoshoots of my girlfriends from primary school, creating portrait drawings of them when they annoyingly asked to draw them something 'nice’.

After a while, I decided to save up for my first DSLR (a Nikon D90) by selling hand-painted clothes with my mom on the Polish version of eBay. Subsequently, my interest in photography expanded, leading me to work with models from online platforms. Eventually, I made the decision to attend an Artistic college far from home. Moving out at the age of 16, I continued my education, delving into subjects such as Sculpture, Photography, Film, Graphic Design, Drawing, Painting, and many more.

I made my first film for a sculpture project, and our teacher was cool with us trying different techniques and media. It turned out to be an experimental video featuring noisy scenes, like blowing up a balloon or the sea making waves, but with the sound cut off. So, even though there was no actual sound, you could kind of 'hear' the noises metaphorically while watching. I don't exactly remember the task's topic, but I got a great mark for it, and the teacher really liked the idea. That encouragement motivated me to keep experimenting with digital media. 

While my art school was ending in 2015, my friend pulled me into my first film shoot—it was for a 48-hour competition. I was a production secretary, not really knowing what that meant at the time. It turned out to be an awesome experience, and the best part? We won the film festival (iyee)! Oh, and I met my current fiance there, making it a win in life too. Not long after that, we packed our bags and moved to England to dive into Cinematography studies.

In 2019, I had my first personal achievement when I won a Cinematography award for my student short horror film 'Phantom' at the Emigra awards. Though it's not widely known, it felt good and kept me motivated. That same year, I went to Italy and Kenya to make a ridiculous amount of amateur short films (nearly 20) during the Travelling Film Campus, and it took about three months. This experience boosted my confidence since I was always behind the camera. It taught me to handle pressure, improvise, manage time well, and maintain a good workflow. I also developed a love for African culture and the idea of doing thorough research. Even today, when we travel, we dive into the local culture to create films inspired by the surroundings and always true stories!

Then, COVID hit... and honestly, it wasn't as tough on me as it was for many others. I shifted to remote work and tried freelancing for the first time during the 'COVID breaks.' Managed to handle several small projects and saw it as a pretty productive period for both work and personal growth.

I kept working on cinematography projects and short films until 2022. In 2023, I decided to step up my game and learn from experienced cinematographers. While I was rewatching for a third time “Kind Richard” film as I liked the story so much, I received a call about my next upcoming opportunity.  I am always truly inspired by films based on real stories by the way and thats def my favs. Early on, I got hands-on experience as a DOP Trainee on Paramount's Bob Marley - One Love film, shot by Robert Elswit ASC. He mentored me during the shoot. Shortly after, I had another stint as a DOP Trainee on the Netflix production ‘’1670’’, learning from Nils Crone FSF. It taught me a lot about the DOP workflow both on set and in preparation. Both experiences were enriching, boosting my confidence in visualising a story and learning from individual approaches of other Cinematographers. 

I am very gratefull for 2023, it was definately my best year so far and cannot wait to progress more in the upcoming year. 

In 2024, I'm committed to working on my first feature film, "Blessed by Sunlight." It's an expansion of our short film from Kenya in 2022, spurred by its success at international film festivals. 

My resolutions for 2024 include advancing in my cinematography journey, bringing my debut film to life, and enhancing my workflow and teamwork skills. I particularly enjoy the pre-production phase and invest a lot of time and effort into it. I'm also looking forward to collaborating with up-and-coming directors to create some artistic projects together! 

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I know people usually spend about 6 seconds on a CV or just watch a showreel, and that's okay—we're all busy. One of my new year resolutions is also to do less, but fully. It really means a lot that you're still here. Always interested in hearing your story too.

My e-mail: 

paulinamasternakfilm@gmail.com