In this episode, cinematographer Gayle Ye joins host GG Hawkins for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation about artistry, identity, and what it means to lead with authenticity as a DP. Gayle, who recently won a Canadian Screen Award for Paying For It and Late Bloomer, breaks down their creative process, from building visual language to managing crew dynamics. As the youngest and first queer, gender-fluid person of color to win a Daytime Emmy for lighting design, Gayle shares how they use their voice and position to advocate for meaningful change in the industry—on set and beyond.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Gayle Ye discuss...

Gayle's path from shooting webcam videos in high school to winning a Daytime Emmy

How their background in editing informs their cinematography

Visual strategies and “cinematography pillars” used in Paying For It

Shooting intimacy scenes with care and collaboration

Why being a “Dream Manager” is a key part of being a DP

The role of mentorship, advocacy, and representation in Gayle’s career

Building visual tone in dramedy series Late Bloomer

Advice for underrepresented filmmakers breaking into the industry

Memorable Quotes:

“I preferred to be on set for 14 hours than in a dark room for eight.”

“I'm not here to just show up and throw all my cool shot ideas. I really need to immerse myself in the story.”

“If I made it, then it’s an Asian and queer film. It doesn’t matter what the content is.”

“A DP is also a Dream Manager—negotiating between vision and budget.”

Guests:

Gayle Ye

Resources:

BIPOC TV & Film

Canadian Film Centre

Scriptation

GoodNotes

Artemis Pro

Sunseeker App

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