When a photographer hands you the camera to tell the story of their own shoot, that’s a different kind of trust. This October, Jonathan Thorpe, one of the most respected photographers in the DC area, asked me to film the behind the scenes of his 15th annual Halloween shoot. I’ve been doing this for over 14 years, and it still humbles me every time someone who lives and breathes this craft wants me on their set.
Why It Means Something When Photographers Bring You In
Photographers are the toughest audience there is. They notice the light falling off a cheek, a horizon that’s a degree off, a cut that lands a beat late. When another photographer brings me in, they aren’t just looking for someone to point a camera. They’re trusting me with their name and their clients.
Over the years I’ve been brought in by photographers across the DMV, New York, and Baltimore to handle the video side of their work: event coverage, livestreams, interviews, and behind the scenes. Every one of those calls comes from a specialist who could have picked anyone. I don’t take that lightly. You can see one of those projects in my post on producing content for Vanessa Joy and Gary Hughes.
15 Years of Halloween With Jonathan Thorpe
Jonathan left a career in optometry in 2009 to go all in on photography. Today he’s a Westcott Top Pro and a Tamron Image Master, and every October he builds a full horror production from scratch: concept, set, makeup, talent, and lighting. Nobody assigns it to him. He does it because he loves it.
This year he went after a different kind of horror, one built around self image instead of monsters: a plastic surgeon who has turned on the patients he used to treat. He shot it on a Nikon Z8 with a Tamron 35-100mm f/2.8, lit with a Westcott FJ400 through a gridded octa as the key and three more FJ lights shaping the rest. I’ll leave the story for the video.
Turning a BTS Request Into a Short Feature
Jonathan asked for some behind-the-scenes footage. I wanted to give him more than that. Instead of just rolling B-roll, I treated it like a reality show: sit-down interviews with Jonathan and the SFX makeup artist before the shoot, quick check-ins while they worked, and a recap after the final frame.
That structure gives the edit a beginning, middle, and end. Viewers meet the people, see what they’re up against, watch it come together, and hear whether it worked.
What This Shoot Says About Commercial Video
The same approach works for businesses. A behind-the-scenes video of your team, your process, or your product often connects better than a polished ad alone, because people buy from people. Plan the story before the cameras roll, interview the right people, stay out of the way while they work, and cut it short enough that people actually finish it. Here’s a look at a full day of commercial production.
That’s how I approach commercial video for clients across Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland, whether it’s a brand story, a product launch, or a day in the life of your team. See my commercial video services.
Let’s Tell Your Story
If you want your business filmed by someone other photographers trust with their own work, let’s talk. Book a quick call here: https://www.ckingmedia.com/schedule-online-meeting-half-hour