About

Contact

naim@naimsutherland.com

604.722.2469

Making motion pictures for films, commercials, and music videos has been my full time pursuit and passion for over two decades.

I am a "story first" filmmaker. I work to find a point of view from which to base visual decisions.   The story, and the emotional subtext of scenes guides my thinking on camera placement, lighting, lens and colour choices.

I like to create a visual journey for the audience, taking them on a ride.  I think cinematography is best when it is bold and evocative, but grounded firmly in story.  In this way I am able to explore stylistic elements for projects to give them a striking, unique and unforgettable look, while avoiding style for its own sake.  


I've never really had very large budgets, so my approach is to focus on prep so that complex elements can be thoroughly worked out before going to set. That way I know each piece of equipment that will be used on each location. We don't need to have a bunch of lifts standing by, if we need one, I know where and when it will play.

I'm also a pro technology filmmaker. I'm not scared of AI, Unreal, or any tool. I've been fortunate to work with a lot of cutting edge technology. Understanding the benefits, drawbacks, expensive pitfals and opportunties of each tool makes me an effecient collaborator. I have been fortunate enough to have won several awards over the years, including Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture at the 2016 Leo Awards for the feature film "Charlotte's Song", as well as the 2015 Vancouver Short Film Festival Best Cinematography Award, and the 2014 Leo Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Drama.

My images have aired  on television all over North America and Korea, and have screened at top tier festivals and in a dozen countries across the world.  The projects I have worked on have won over 20 Leo Awards, and awards of distinction from festivals all over the world. They have screened at TIFF, Cannes, Tribeca, Fantasia, Buson, Clermont Ferrand, Telefilm Not Short on Talent, Telefilm Short n' Sweet, Telefilm The Shortest Day, on Air Canada, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and as part of the Cineplex Odeon pre show.

Series

Two Sentence Horror Stories Seasons 2 & 3

Scout & The Gumboot Kids Season 2

Sports Television

Feature Films

The Lake / n'-ha-a-itk

The Cannon

Charlotte's Song - Dark Fantasy

Feed The Gods - Horror/Comedy

The Beast of Bottomless Lake - Comedy

Cannibal Lipstick - Horror

You, Me, & Love

Shorts

Anxious Oswald Greene - Dark Fantasy/Comedy

Woodman - Fantasy

A Ghost Within - Drama

Alchemy and Other Imperfections - Sci Fi/Fantasy/Comedy

Mina.Minerva - Comedy

Dancing Cop - Musical/Drama