Should be a simple question to answer, right? You tell the team where you want the lights, you point the camera in the right direction and you make sure to not lose sight of the action in your viewfinder. Easy.

Yeah, not quite that simple, we know, but even if you add to the above a bunch of technical terms and talks of aesthetics, you may still not have the full picture (pun intended). Cinematographer Sean McDaniel has some insight that might surprise you. Interesting stuff for any filmmaker – not just the ones behind the camera.

We previously posted a video in which Sean tells us a bit about how he became a cinematographer. More videos in the series will be posted shortly, so keep checking back – or even better, simply sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Sean McDaniel has been working as a cinematographer for over a decade on narrative, documentary and experimental films. He furthered his studies as a cinematographer while acquiring his MFA in Film Production at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and his work has screened in numerous film festivals around the world including the Cannes Short Film Corner, Palm Springs Film Festival, LA Shorts Film Festival, HollyShorts, and the Vancouver International Film Festival, among others. He was a USC selection for the 2014 A.S.C. Heritage Award, which looks great on paper, sure, but more importantly speaks to his passion for telling powerful stories through his work behind the camera in support of his collaboration with talented directors.

You can watch Sean McDaniel’s reel here.