How to document vulnerable human stories straight out of war zones, conflicting areas, or high-risk situations? What is ethical and what is not? How can you ensure your own safety while heading straight into the epicenter, armed with your gear and a strong determination to capture meaningful shots? Timothy Wolfer has the answers based on his own vast experience as a freelance cinematographer, photographer, and journalist. In a video interview with CineD’s Graham Sheldon, he shares his insights on finding stories, filming in high-risk areas, navigating ethical challenges, and collaborating with fixers on location. At the moment, Timothy is situated in Beirut amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iranian proxy forces. It’s not his first time documenting stories in high-risk zones: he was in Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, filmed the January 6th U.S. Capitol attack, and has worked in locations ranging from areas affected by natural disasters to war zones. Regardless of the location, he always has only one thing at heart: to get out there and capture the history unfolding as he sees it. Image credit: Timothy Wolfer Filming in war zones: why? In the interview with Graham, Timothy shares how it started. He was always passionate about telling human stories, and most of all – of refugees and displaced people. As a filmmaker, he wants to give these people a platform to talk and come to the heart of their issues and problems. Sadly, migration is often a consequence of wars...
Published By: CineD - Yesterday