I've been a lumberjack, a farmhand, a psychiatric nurse, and a rock singer. I once decided to be Michaelangelo Antonioni but I became a floor-sweeper instead….in an obscure "industrial" film company. Other duties included feeding the boss's Great Danes. One day the plumber came to change a ball-cock and discovered the dogs didn't like plumbers. He was left with 2 matching holes in brow and throat .(.they had big jaws those dogs) Ball-cock installation would never be the same again.
And me..I decided enough was enough and began freelancing as a camera assistant, .specializing in fear and violence.

Then came my first job as a cameraman in 1976. This demanded that I propel myself for hours on my back in a Scottish peat bog..with a huge 16mm camera on my chest to keep it out of the slime (don't ask). My 2nd oeuvre was about silage-making.
I'm damaged…as all fully built characters should be.

I'm now a versatile and seasoned DoP… with directing skills and experience.
I know 16/35mm film, digibeta and pain. I know wine, dogfood, naturalism, naturism and fantasy. I know HD . I lit 2 HD feature films recently…and also the BAFTA winning family show "Shoebox Zoo"…which is a heady mix of lowtec live action,and hitec CG magic and animation. I'm experienced in "hostile" environments (polar, jungle etc) and I understand that even in docs. the camera always lies. I try to tell the best lies…lies that are truthful, useful, passionate or beautiful..and I always hear the soundtrack and see the edit while I make pictures.

I've worked alongside many great DoPs…Chris Menges, Oliver Stapleton, Philippe Rousselot, Dick Pope, Remi Adefasarin etc. etc. I've combined their example with my own documentary intuition to become a well-travelled and well-rounded cinematographer (though I'm not football-shaped, and have a blistering cross-court forehand if anyone's for tennis)
I still enjoy working as 2nd unit DoP. and on the successful childrens film "The Little Vampire" I also directed the chase sequences, bluescreen and flying plates…a large chunk of the film in fact.

Above all I like the collaborative process of film-making. All those jostling egos, all those slightly slippery people writhing in the same creative pit. I love the fun and the fear…and I'm now quite at ease with large dogs…

Visit Jan's own website: - www.janpesterpictures.co.uk