It was a pre-light and camera-test at a dark bar in Brisbane’s The Barracks. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t in control, which always scares me. I had one chance to frame up and prove myself. “This job will all be about reflected light,” the Creative Director, Daniel Sumich, explained, jet-lagged, and fresh off a flight from Beijing, before taking an instant disliking to the wardrobe girl’s selection and immediately tearing off into town for some re-shopping. I’d passed.

Daniel is one of the best property creatives in the world today. He knows composition and photography and direction. He also respects your space and gives you plenty of room to contribute as a Director/DP. For Illumina, we had some mood boards to work off but it was pretty much run and gun from first light to twilight, with hair, wardrobe and make-up. In post, Daniel supervised the edit, signed off and jumped back on a flight back home. We’ve remained friends ever since.