John Ker is a cinematographer whose narrative work has been making waves on the international festival circuit. His recent films have screened at prestigious events such as the Berlin International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Beyond the world of festivals, his visual storytelling has earned recognition from the Berlin Commercial Awards, One Point Four, and Vimeo Staff Picks.
With a signature style that blends emotional intimacy with atmospheric precision, John continues to push the boundaries of visual storytelling. In this interview, he discusses his approach to cinematography, the creative decisions behind Julian and the Wind, and the delicate balance between realism and beauty in his work.
We’re grateful to John for taking the time to speak with us and for generously sharing his insights with our readers.
IMAGE: JOHN KER
1. Julian and the Windpremiered at TIFF and was selected for Berlinale’s Generation program—what do you think it is about your cinematography that helped elevate the film to such major international stages?
We chose to shoot Julian and the Wind on 16mm motion picture film, which made it stand out from a lot of other projects shot digitally. Shooting on film gives a feeling of nostalgia that can’t be recreated otherwise. We wanted this film to have a timeless look, and we were able to achieve that through the cinematography—combined, of course, with excellent production design and wardrobe.
2. What specific visual strategies did you use to translate the emotional themes of the story into a cinematic language that feels both intimate and universal?
We wanted the camera to feel alive, as though it was reacting to the characters. To achieve this, we shot the entire film handheld, never using a tripod or dolly. By taking this approach, the camera could respond to the characters in the scene and add a layer of intimacy—as though we were there with them, not just observing.
3. You’ve worked on several award-winning shorts and features—how did your past experience, especially with festival-caliber films like Succorand Two of Hearts, influence your approach to this project?
I think what I’ve learned from the success of my past projects is to keep things light and quick. Don’t get bogged down in the details. The more emotionally connected you are to the story, the more it translates into convincing performances on screen. With limited budgets and resources on films like this, the simplest and fastest solution is always the best.
4. Connor Jessup is known for creating layered, emotional narratives—what kind of visual challenges did this film present, and how did you solve them?
The most challenging aspect of this film visually was that it takes place almost entirely at night. Creating convincing “night light” is always a major challenge for cinematographers—especially on a tight budget.
How do you make a scene look dark, while still being able to see the characters and have them look good? This was especially tricky since we were working with low ASA 200 film, which meant we had to light all of the scenes but still keep them feeling dark. In the end, the approach we settled on worked well, and I was happy with the result.
5. Were there any particularly complex scenes—either technically or emotionally—where you felt your cinematography pushed boundaries or took a creative risk?
There’s a scene in the film where Arthur discovers Julian sleepwalking outside in the snow. Instead of creating a soft moonlight effect, we decided to use hard, direct light, as though it was coming from a streetlamp or some other man-made source. Working with hard light is difficult because it creates strong shadows that can be hard to manage.
But I felt it was a more realistic approach than using a “pleasant”-looking light source. It’s always a risk to make things look realistic rather than beautiful, and there’s a fine line between what looks real and what looks bad. I think with this film, we made it look good.
6. Your work often feels poetic and precise—how do you strike a balance between technical perfection and storytelling spontaneity?
I think technical perfection comes from years of experience—it becomes second nature after a while. The spontaneity comes from letting go of all that and just being present in the moment to make a shot work.
7. When you see the film with an audience, is there a shot or moment where you feel most proud of what you accomplished visually?
The opening scene, where Arthur and Julian are in complete darkness, is my favorite. It has a sense of intimacy that feels real. The lighting is a bit eerie, and you can’t quite place where you are or what’s going on. I haven’t seen many other films with this look, so I was proud to have created something that felt truly different.
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