Cinematographer · Editing · Sound · Color grading
I shoot documentaries as if they were fiction. I look for angles, work with light and compose the frame the way a painter composes a canvas.
Documentary DOP reel
A selection of shots from documentary and fiction work – natural light, lit scenes, handheld, gimbal and drone.
Photography
How I see
I love films. And I love shooting them even more.
I specialize in documentaries, but I don’t shoot them the usual way. I don’t just record. Just as on a fiction film, I look at a scene the way a painter looks at a canvas.
I look for angles that let me work with natural light properly. When it’s needed, I light the whole scene to support the atmosphere. I think in shot sizes and choose the lens for what the shot should tell the viewer.
I started in high school as a runner on a feature film. Fifteen years of experience later, my work ranges from TV news stories and music videos, through story and screenplay, to the feature documentary Gravitation, which screened in sixty cinemas.
Read the article Visual identity as a carrier of the story (in Czech)
First I observe what the scene offers. I only refine the natural light and let the shadow on the near side of the face work for depth.
I don’t ask where to put the camera, but from where the story looks strongest.
Wides, mediums, close-ups. I shoot with the edit in mind, so there is no wasted footage.
Modern glass for the present, vintage optics for memories and reconstructions. Viewers won’t notice it consciously, but they feel it.
More than a camera operator
I don’t just shoot films. I edit them, mix the sound, grade them and prepare them for cinemas. Because I know what post-production will need, I shoot accordingly.
Image, light, composition. Handheld, gimbal and drone with an A2 license.
Rhythm and dramaturgy. I read the footage as a whole, not as a pile of shots.
On-set recording with DPA microphones and post-production – cleanup, foley, mixing and loudness.
DaVinci Resolve on a calibrated workstation. Color that carries the emotion of the scene.
Extensive experience preparing DCPs for theatrical distribution and festivals.
Stories a film budget would never allow. I write novels under the pen name NullMason.
Selected work
Under the pen name NullMason
Film taught me how to tell stories. Sooner or later, though, it always runs into the budget – even the smallest idea costs money. Words have no budget.
Under the pen name NullMason I write novels across genres, from dark urban fantasy to romance. I draw on real life and on dreams I have been writing down for years. I publish the books for free, chapter by chapter, as they are written – for now in Czech.
Hire me
I love filming and it fulfils me, so I’m happy to give it everything outside my own production company too. You can hire me together with my equipment. I shoot all over the Czech Republic, most often in Prague, and I’m glad to travel anywhere in the world. I work in English and Czech.
Documentaries and short fiction films only. I don’t shoot commercials.
I know how to work, and I’m not looking for a quiet corner to stare at my phone. I have fifteen years of experience. I’m used to editing my own footage, so I don’t shoot anything unnecessary. I don’t just turn up to capture content – I look for angles that make it interesting.
I like to laugh, stress is foreign to me and I bring a relaxed atmosphere to the set. When a less experienced production gets stuck, I help out.
Includes
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If the production has no colorist or sound engineer, I’ll grade the footage and finish the sound to the director’s wishes. After a few short tests I can estimate the total post-production cost quite accurately.
I’ll send you a tailored quote based on the scope of the shoot. For multiple shooting days we’ll agree on a discount. Before the shoot I require a contract and a 50% deposit.
Equipment
An overview of the equipment I bring to a shoot and operate myself. You don’t need to know anything about gear – I’ll choose what the job needs.
Camera
Two identical cameras – main and backup, or a B-cam. A complete handheld rig, recording up to ProRes RAW.
Camera
Smooth moves, with a video feed for the director.
Lenses
A set of Sirui Vision Prime 1 cine lenses with a consistent look across focal lengths.
Lenses
Autofocus and stabilization without a crop (IBIS + electronic). Lumix glass isn’t sterile – it has a subtle “bubble bokeh”. I can soften the image with a PolarPro Gold Mist or NiSi Black Mist.
Lenses
Put together for sharpness around the center and a distinctive character. The work is slower, but the result is worth it. Recommended for narrative work and docudrama.
Aerial
I fly in the Open A2 subcategory and follow the regulations. The main camera has a Micro Four Thirds sensor with a 28 mm (FF equiv.) lens, the other two 70 mm and 168 mm.
Sound
As a documentary filmmaker I work with sound on my own equipment and can handle on-set sound myself.
Light
Interviews and fiction scenes sometimes need to be lit. I rig and operate the lights myself.
Post-production
Color and sound on a calibrated workstation, export for web, TV and cinema.
I don’t rent out equipment – it comes with me as part of my work on set.
Workshops and studio design
I have been teaching people to film since 2011. My workshops led clients to ask me to design studios for them – rooms with equipment where they can then shoot their own videos.
Designing a studio looks simple, but it is easy to sink a lot of money into it and still end up with something bland. That’s why I take care of both function and aesthetics: acoustics, light, sound and several camera angles, even in a small room. I always work within the client’s budget and I’m happy to work with very affordable gear.
We tried to improve the sound quality as much as we could from the very first episode, bought new equipment and invested heavily in quality. We couldn’t have done it without Petr Špetla’s help.
Fantastický podcast, YouTube comment
From an empty room to a finished studio, including training. A studio can be built even where it seems impossible at first – say, in a hall full of metal and echo.
A little often goes a long way. Lighting, sound, graphics and editing take the result to another level.
Filming, lighting, sound and editing for new filmmakers and for companies. I have also taught them at Megapixel, FotoŠkoda and the Biofilms rental house.
Projects
Behind the camera
FAQ
I’ll send you a tailored quote based on the scope of the shoot, the number of days and the gear. Just fill in the inquiry form. The base package is handheld with a Lumix S1II, a complete rig, an Easyrig and a lens set, up to ten hours on set including travel from Trutnov.
Documentaries – feature-length, series and travel documentaries – and short fiction films. I don’t shoot commercials.
Yes. I can direct documentaries and fiction scenes myself. When needed, we can bring another director or other crew members I recommend on board.
All over the Czech Republic, most often in Prague. I have my own car and arrive with the complete kit. Travel is charged at CZK 10/km.
Yes – travel is part of the job and I enjoy it. We’ll arrange flights, accommodation and transport of the gear for each project.
Yes. I work with Czech and international crews, in the Czech Republic and abroad. On set I work in Czech and English, and all pre-production communication can be in English too.
Two Lumix S1II cameras, an Easyrig, a DJI RS4 gimbal, cine, modern and vintage lenses, a DJI Mavic 4 Pro drone with an A2 license, a sound kit with DPA and DJI Mic 3, and Nanlite, Redhead and Neewer lights. The full list is in the Gear section.
No, I’m not a rental house. I bring the gear and operate it myself as part of the shoot. You don’t need to know anything about gear – I’ll choose what the job needs.
Yes. I edit, grade in DaVinci Resolve on a calibrated workstation, do sound post-production and prepare DCPs for cinemas and festivals.
Before the shoot we sign a contract and a 50% deposit is paid. For multiple shooting days we’ll agree on a discount.
Inquiry
Write me a few lines about the project – what the film is about, when and where you’re shooting and what you expect from the camera. I’ll get back to you with a tailored offer.
Thank you! Your inquiry has arrived and I’ll get back to you soon.
Contact
The quickest way to reach me is by phone or email.
