People Don’t Hire CVs. They Hire People.

A few years ago I believed that if my work was strong enough, the right projects would find me.

I was wrong.

Of course the work matters. It has to be good. You have to know what you’re doing. But I gradually realised that very few jobs are awarded purely on the strength of a CV or a showreel. Most projects come down to something much simpler:

Trust.

And trust doesn’t come from a PDF.

The Myth of “If It’s Good Enough, It Will Speak for Itself”

There’s a romantic idea in film that excellence rises naturally to the surface. That if your images are strong enough, or your credits impressive enough, the phone will ring.

In reality, people hire collaborators they feel comfortable with.

Directors often return to the same DOP not because there aren’t other talented cinematographers available, but because they already know how that relationship works. They know how problems are handled. They know the temperament under pressure. They know the energy on set.

Familiarity reduces risk.

Film sets are stressful environments. When a director is choosing a cinematographer, they’re not just choosing a visual style — they’re choosing a working relationship.

That’s personal.

Networking Isn’t What You Think It Is

The word “networking” can feel transactional. It conjures images of forced conversations and self-promotion.

But in this industry, real networking is far more natural.

It’s:

• Talking about cameras because you’re genuinely interested.

• Turning up to screenings.

• Catching up with people you haven’t seen in a while.

• Sharing knowledge without an agenda.

• Suggesting a coffee instead of another email thread.

It’s being present.

The Directors UK Screening of Del Toro’s Frankenstein. A good place to meet people.

The jobs rarely come from a cold submission. They come from someone remembering you. From a previous conversation. From a sense of who you are.

Proximity Builds Probability

There are moments that, on the surface, don’t seem significant.

A conversation at an expo.

A technical discussion in a WhatsApp group.

A short exchange after a screening.

None of these guarantee work.

But they build familiarity.

And familiarity builds probability.

When a director is deciding who to call, they’re more likely to reach out to someone who feels real to them — someone they’ve spoken to, someone whose temperament they understand, someone who didn’t just exist as a link on a website.

Personality Is Not Secondary

As cinematographers, we can become obsessed with kit, format, lenses, lighting philosophy.

But directors don’t hire equipment.

They hire people who will stand next to them for weeks under pressure.

They hire people who can interpret ideas without ego.

People who can stay calm when the day runs away.

People who can collaborate rather than compete.

Your reel might get you considered.

Your personality gets you hired.

Your reliability gets you rehired.

The Long Game

None of this means chasing every room or trying to impress everyone.

It means understanding that relationships are the infrastructure of a career.

You can’t control who hires you.

But you can control:

• How you show up.

• How you communicate.

• Whether people feel comfortable around you.

• Whether you are someone others would choose to spend 12 hours a day with.

In the end, people don’t hire CVs.

They hire people.

And that’s something far more human — and far more interesting — to build.