CVP: Full steam ahead
Posted on Feb 18, 2025 by Admin
At 26 years old, Christophe Carcelle knows his limits, yet his CV is quickly filling with a host of impressive projects. We speak to the burgeoning cinematographer about seeking challenges, learning on the job and going beyond his comfort zone
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Christophe Carcelle doesn’t shy away from a challenge. At 15, he began a career in film. At 23, he landed his first gig as a DOP (working with Kelsey Grammer and Elizabeth Hurley, no less). Now 26, he already boasts an impressive assortment of credits, from sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars: The Last Jedi to Turkish indie Kum Zambagi.
Born and raised in France, Carcelle was ambitious from a young age – first wanting to be an architect before pivoting to cinematography. Others encouraged him towards film, so he signed up for a summer course and tested the waters. “Instinctively, on all the projects throughout those six weeks, I was always behind the camera as the DOP,” he recalls. After being hired as a production assistant on Tell Me How I Die, “I just threw myself on set,” he says – all before attending film school.
After three years at a Parisian university, Carcelle immediately moved abroad and sold himself as a focus puller, though he admits he had little experience. “‘I have to just get on as many sets as possible,” he thought, “so whether they were free gigs, low-paying gigs, I just got on as many sets to meet as many people as I could.”
Through a stroke of luck – as well as his extensive networking efforts – Carcelle was offered an opportunity not often extended to young filmmakers: DOP on Christmas in Paradise, directed by Philippe Martinez and starring Kelsey Grammer, Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus. “I think the [previous] DOP had a medical emergency and had to drop out,” Carcelle describes. “My friend called me on a Wednesday night and asked, ‘Do you want to do this’? I showed up to set the next day, and it was a bit surreal.”
Getting stuck in
Christmas in Paradise presented its fair share of pressure on 23-year-old Carcelle, who approached the role with a healthy dose of self-assurance. “I had no idea what I was doing in that position,” he reveals, “but I went with the mentality of: one’s career is so long, and I have nothing to lose. If I get fired tomorrow, hell, I can say I’ve tried.”
Carcelle shot the film in London and on location in the Caribbean, with his gaffer the only familiar face when going into the project. “That was the only condition I had,” he explains. Late to join the crew, he chose not to rock the boat too intensely. “I knew I couldn’t overstep; they’d already been shooting for three days, so I had to go with the flow,” he shares. “Obviously, I wanted to add my own touch, but I knew I was probably not experienced enough to take too much of the lead on the creative side.”
The shoot itself wasn’t all smooth sailing, with Carcelle’s camera acting up during night scenes. He noticed an issue where darker areas of the frame were noisy, so he performed a few tests to pinpoint the problem. “That night, we shut all the curtains and doors, and shot on every setting to find the issue. It didn’t matter what we tried, nothing worked,” he recalls. “We realised the sensor struggled a bit, probably due to being an older camera. I think the heat and humidity played a part, too.” Their solution was simple: add more light at night.
When he’d initially taken the job, “everyone told me I was crazy,” he laughs. “On the contrary, it taught me a lot, and the fact that I survived it, delivered the film and everyone was happy with it – that boosted my confidence as a DOP to go, ‘I can handle this’.”
Learning a new language
After Christmas in Paradise, Carcelle was admittedly a little surprised when the job offers didn’t come pouring in. “It was a bit of a reality check,” he says. During this phase, he found an independent film – shooting in Turkey with an entirely Turkish cast and crew – and applied to be DOP. At first, he faced some pushback from the director Mehmet Demir Yilmaz, who was concerned over potential language barriers. “We spoke for about ten minutes on the phone, and I sold him on my vision for the film.” From there, it was full-on.
Carcelle shot the film Kum Zambagi in an area called Yumurtalık. “I’d always felt that my style was documentary-influenced – so using a lot of natural spaces and lighting,” he explains. “Yumurtalık is a spectacular scene. We were getting these beautiful reflections of the sun on the water and all this bright colour in our shots. It was a cinematographer’s paradise.”
Because he’s not fluent in Turkish, Carcelle again requested his own gaffer to speed the lighting process. “I needed someone I could communicate clearly with but also someone I could trust, who knows my visual style,” he describes. With everyone else, Carcelle ‘reinvented’ his communication skills. “I learned to rely more on the universal language of film.”
Yilmaz gave Carcelle ample room for self-expression, allowing him to explore his own ideas – an invaluable experience for a young DOP. “The doors opened, and it was like, ‘Let me show you what I can do’.” While the film premiered in Turkey, it has yet to secure global distribution.
All in the kit
Although starting out with RED cameras – purchasing his first RED KOMODO from CVP – Carcelle also favours Sony’s offerings. He used the VENICE on Kum Zambagi and the BURANO on a short film called Angela. “When Sony announced the BURANO, it was exactly what I was looking for,” he elaborates. “We turned to CVP for help and were among the first to use it. We owe a lot to CVP for making that happen.”
Carcelle also calls himself a ‘big lens addict’, frequenting rental houses to test the latest releases. “The lens bar at CVP and at BSC Expo is always a great place, where you have the luxury of a library of lenses to play around with.” He also recalls winning the CVP giveaway at BSC 2023, which awarded him his first film light, the Aputure 600c Pro. “That came in handy because lighting can be expensive, and at the time, I was focused more on getting camera pieces than lighting pieces.”
Lastly, Carcelle attends CVP’s Education Festival annually, using it as yet another networking opportunity. “That’s where CVP’s strength lies – they are the most connected network in cinema. Their clients spread throughout every brand in the industry.”
Having signed with Undercranked Represents, Carcelle has a full agenda ahead of him – including four unreleased short films, a music video and a number of potential projects, the details of which are still under wraps. “I’m always creating, whether it’s through cinematography, writing or producing,” he admits. “I’m excited for what’s to come.”
For more information about Christophe Carcelle visit christophecarcelle.com. To learn more about CVP’s work, call 0208 380 7400 or visit cvp.com
This article appears in the February 2025 issue of Definition
