Become the industry’s top Unit Stills Photographer: tips from ‘Hidden Figures’ photographer Hopper Stone

An open-hearted and a “kill ‘em with kindness” kind of guy, Hopper Stone sat down for a chat with Nicola Dove from the Unit Stills Directory to talk about his career journey and offer some wisdom for the younger emerging generation of stills photographers on how to be the best stills photographer you can be. Hopper began his photography career in 1988, working as a photojournalist covering social and political events worldwide. By 1997, however, he took the leap into unit stills. Since then he’s been awarded the prestigious Publicists Guild Award for Achievement in Television Unit Still Photography in 2012 and nominated for the same award for Motion Picture Still Photography in 2019 and 2020. Hopper worked on a…

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Advice from BAFTA winner Kevin Loader: Publicity Mistakes to Avoid as a Producer

BAFTA-winning British producer and director Kevin Loader sat down over a virtual coffee with Nicola during the monthly Stills Soiree as part of the Unit Stills Directory.  Kevin is one of the UK’s most experienced producers. His long list of credits include Death of Stalin, Elizabeth, Nowhere Boy, The Lady In The Van and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (and photographed by the directory member David Gennard). Kevin spoke about publicity mistakes producers tend to make in relation to unit stills that can jeopardise the success of a film, and what to do to avoid that. He also shared valuable insight on the ‘first look’ still and why it’s so vital for a film’s journey. Make or break your…

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How to stand out as a stills photographer: In conversation with Top Gun: Maverick unit publicist Michael Singer

Still soirees are monthly online meet-ups, where stills photographer Nicola Dove has conversations with industry guests such as other successful stills photographers, publicists, producers and directors. Here is a taste of the July 2023 Soiree with Michael Singer. Michael Singer is one of the industry’s top unit publicists with an impressive list of credits like Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jerry Maguire, The Fast and The Furious, Tim Burton’s Batman films, The Bourne Identity, Confessions of a Shopaholic and many (many) more. Recipient of the 2014 Les Mason Lifetime Achievement Award from the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild, Michael has also published a dozen books about film, as well as 14 annual editions of the reference book…

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