I’ve been a lumberjack, a busker, a poet and a psychiatric nurse. All valuable skills for a Director of Photography.
I shoot Features and TV Drama…and some Docs work, including An Idiot Abroad, the popular comedy travel series with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington. I also produce, direct and shoot corporate films.
Jan Pester recent Work
In Vancouver I’ve just done the first principal photography on Imposters, a neo-noir comedy drama series for Universal Cable Productions/Bravo directed by Adam Brooks. The Lady in the Van, a Nicholas Hytner film written by Alan Bennett and starring Maggie Smith was in theatres recently. I’m proud to have photographed the 2nd Unit Yorkshire scenes on this. I also shot 2nd unit work on the upcoming BBC TV series The Secret Agent directed by Charles McDougall. I photographed Swansong , a comedy-thriller feature film with Eva Birthistle, directed by Douglas Ray. I photographed
The Wicker Tree a quirky “film fantastique” by the late Robin Hardy, director of the original cult success The Wicker Man with Sir Christopher Lee. I’m in preliminary shooting and preparation on a Canadian film with Nicolette Saina with the working title of Castle Papier
I’ve got a very very broad background ranging from music videos through “serious” docs (eg. National Geographic) to commercials, low-budget features, TV Drama and major movies like Aliens and The Mission.
I photographed the Bafta-winning TV drama series Shoebox Zoo and in 2008 was EMMY nominated for Best Single Camera Photography on the international children’s drama series Dinosapien.
Jan Pester Details
I’ve got a Master of Arts degree but I trained on the job as a Camera Assistant… on Film. In the 80s and 90s I worked as a documentary cameraman and director, often in hostile environments (jungle, polar etc). I also got a reputation as a Steadicam Operator and spent years working alongside many many great cinematographers at international level.
I have also directed 2nd Unit on feature films, notably The Little Vampire
I have bases in Glasgow, London and Vancouver. I’m a DoP (and Operator) member of IATSE 669 and have a
Canadian Permanent Resident Card.
This means I qualify as a Canadian DoP for Canadian Co-Production Treaty work.
I get on well with all kinds of people. I take work seriously and I like to have fun doing it.
