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Bio
NYC Cinematographer || Content Creator. Worked on movies like Jurassic World and Godzilla.
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Recent posts
This new micro short was created in collaboration with @jonspanonyc and us here at Shortcut Pictures.
Written and acted by Jon Spano, we decided to film this micro short outdoors rather than the typical office conversation scenes casting agents are used to.
To get something unique for Jon, we worked together and chose to film him and his scene partner Kerry along a New York waterfront while doing a classic walk and talk style shoot. Something typically seen in today's procedurals like Law & Order.
We love crafting unique narrative scenes for actors looking to get something different than seen elsewhere here in NYC. If you're looking to get your film off the ground, send us a message! Rather than waiting, book a free call with us today and let's chat about getting that idea created.
#microfilm #tvshow #filmmaking #actorlife #filmproduction
24 Jul 2026
New Micro Short Coming Soon!
Something we at Shortcut Pictures dont see often are scenes featuring a walk and talk. Much like you'd catch on a procedural such as Law & Order, this classic scene style brings something new but familiar to an audience.
With the help of writer and actor @jonspanonyc , we sought out to film at the actual locations seen in today's TV shows here in New York City. Jon's vision was to potentially shoot in an outdoor location and after some location hunting, we found a river side location in LIC looking towards the Manhattans midtown skyline.
We're excited to share the final scene soon!
If you're looking to get your film off the ground, send us a message! We're always looking to create!
#microfilm #filmmaking #actor #production
17 Jul 2026
A scene featuring both Patrick Owen and Britain Lonie from an indie film created in Brooklyn, NY by us here at Shortcut Pictures.
Based on an idea Patrick had in mind, this scene was written and developed from concept to finished scene in just 2 weeks. Written and Directed by John Gionis and lensed by Ian Degner, this scene was created to have an independent film look and feel.
Filmed locally on a rainy day, we shot this scene on location in a bar in Greenpoint with 3 cast members and a small crew.
We here at Shortcut Pictures look to help build films from small scenes, to short films, to almost anything you can think of to get your ideas from concept to finalized edited film, in just a couple weeks. We strive to create work that feels pulled from a film or even a TV series.
Contact us today to help get your film off the ground!
#movies #indiefilm #actors #cinematography #shorts
23 Jun 2026
This micro film was created by Shortcut Pictures for @erinnelizabethosullivan and her vision of filming a procedural TV show much like FBI.
Written by Erinn and in collaboration with Shortcut Pictures, we set out to find a location that gave us the backdrop of NYC all the while giving the overall look a sleek shine of an upscale hotel lobby.
Once the world was created with production design and set dressing, cinematographer Ian Degner (@activater_ ) was able to light the space to accentuate the characters without standing out and pulling focus away from the action. We're left with a film directed by John Gionis (@john_e_gionis ) that feels pulled right out of a Dick Wolf universe.
🎬 We at Shortcut Pictures look to build micro films and more from the ground up with your ideas!
📩 Contact us today to get your film off the ground! After all, why take the long road?
#tvshow #filmmaking #actors #independentfilm #movies
19 May 2026
A small taste of the work we're creating at Shortcut Pictures.
This scene here with Patrick and Brit was based on a loose idea that Patrick had in mind. After a development meeting with him, we wrote this scene to meet his goals. Two weeks later, he had a finished product for his reel.
We filmed this scene at a local bar in Williamsburg in a couple of hours with a small crew and spent a couple of weeks putting it all together.
Shortcut Pictures looks to help build a film from the ground up with your ideas. We want to create works that feel real to what you would see on TV or even a movie theater.
Contact us today to get your film off the ground!
#microfilm #indiefilm #movies #actors #shortvideo
06 May 2026
Introducing Shortcut Pictures. A Brooklyn based production company created by @activater_ and @john_e_gionis with the goal of producing micro film productions and more.
💡Whether you're looking to create a short film, a scene for your demo reel, an interview, or most anything you pitch to us, Shortcut Pictures is a one stop shop to turn your ideas into reality.
🎬 Shortcut Pictures is a full service production company helping write, direct, location scout, light, shoot, edit, color grade, and create a soundscape to build your world. On top of this, we film on location to keep things as fresh as possible as we strive to give you the most realistic world of filmmaking without all the extra strings that can come attached elsewhere.
📩 DM or email us to setup a free discovery call. Email address in the bio.
🗓️ Take your idea from concept to finished product in weeks instead of months or years!
Looking forward to creating!
05 May 2026
God Bless Cinematographers 🎥 Amazing how lighting and lenses shift the energy in a scene. Thank you @activater_ & @guy_chachkes for capturing this deeply dramatic scene with my 14 year old co-star. And @lisamaciel13 for the playful direction.
Wonderful working with all of you through @denisesimondsc coaching 🤩
💄 @bridieartist 🙏🏼😍
#actor #demoreel #scene #costar #brooklyn #cinematography #set #nyc #incharacter @wilhelmina_rockymountains @heymantalentagency #filming #nycfilm
09 Aug 2025
Photography where I can, Cinematography when I can.
One day at a time. One step at a time.
@danamayday 📷
08 Jul 2025
A little scene I captured the other day. (Didn't screen record the actual scene for reference, but you can see what I was going for here.)
Location was an "overgrown tunnel". The style reference was "National Treasure" meets "Indiana Jones". We had cement walls with pipes that we decked out with trees and foliage to help fill the scene making it look overgrown.
Lighting was simplistic to a certain extent. Had a permanently dimmed soft key on at all times (underexposed subjects by a stop or two) but amplified it with a flashlight in the scene from the actors bouncing the flashlight off the keys diffusion. Took a 200w rgb fixture putting it through an Aputure Spotlight SE with a foliage type gobo for some light rays above that were seen through a simple haze machine giving a hair light in the same process. Also added was a nanlite tube above the 2.35 frame to show off the foliage a little more through the haze. I set this to a warm/yellowish color as if the tunnel had an old light fixture still on.
Camera was a Sony Fx9 with using an Atomos Shogun to record. Lenses used were Rokinon's 85mm T1.5 and 135 T2.2. Shot at a 2/2.8 split. No filters. White balance was around 4400 to give our off-site colorist more flexibility. I'm happy with what's in camera using a LUT that essentially is rec 709 but a stop underexposed so that I can overexpose the sensor by a stop to help with the noisy shadows in post.
#sony #sonyfx9 #Rokinon #aputure #atomos #reel #scene #behindthescenes #filmmaking #cinematography #cinema #movie #moviemaking #actor @reelarc @_janethuey_ @mishabouvion @ian_degner
02 Apr 2024
New Day, New Scene.
Loving getting to do some of these scenes that are a little more challenging to do in such a short time. Looked fantastic. Images pulled straight from camera with a basic 709 LUT that is 1-2 stops under exposed. Generally we light for two stops under-exposed using the LUT so the "negative" has a little more information in the shadows however we'll flip this to save highlights when needed but I tend to let highlights go as I sometimes like a harder hit from the "sun" or similar.
Reference: "Game of Thrones" + "House of the Dragon"
Time of day: Morning/Afternoon
Camera: #Sony Fx9
Lenses: #Rokinon 35mm, 50mm, 85mm (T2)
31 Jan 2024
Some of my work the passed few months.
Love creating light and shadow. It can be exhausting in the way I have to work, but some of the results for these scenes have been absolutely great.
It's such a fantastic challenge to have only 2 hours to listen, block, light, and shoot an entire scene from scratch. Having just 2 hours has really taught me what corners I can cut to get it all "in the can" and still achieve some rad results. 🎞️🎥🎬
Will share more in the future.
#cinematography #lighting #cinema #directorofphotography #dp #scene #behindthescenes
22 Jan 2024
Bodega Cats Are Just 🤌🤌🤌
#fujifilmx100v #bodegacat #cat #catsofnyc
26 Oct 2023
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