Mike Potton photographed on a previous shoot

Cinematographer Richard Bluck NZCS, and 880 Productions NZ Ltd Partnership has very generously provided a training opportunity on the set of the Avatar 2 Pickups for two up-and-coming local cinematographers. Jess Charlton and Mike Potton from Wellington were the successful candidates for the 3 week positions and have both been very enthusiastic about the chance to immerse themselves in the latest technologies.

Jess Charlton: “It's going really well! It's been super inspiring and I have learnt so many things that I couldn't learn any other way.”

Mike Potton: “ Walking into the studio feels much like walking into the future, not just because of the film's genre but also the cutting edge nature of the workflow. It's been a bit like watching a magic show and learning piece by piece the secrets to how the illusion is put together. I've been able to observe how Richard projects a calm confidence in his decision making on set. Chatting to the wider crew uncovers more knowledge, it's been invaluable to drill down into technical details and to hear stories from their years of industry experience.”

Many thanks to Associate Producer/UPM Brigitte Yorke and her team for facilitating this placement under the umbrella of the NZCS Cinematographer Intern Program.