Pierre Chemaly

Pierre Chemaly was born in a mining town Africa. Joined the navy after high-school and secured a post at the naval photo/film unit in Simons Town near Cape Town. He completed the service as an Able-Seaman with a trade in photography. A documentary screening at the navy base about photographer Ansel Adams inspired him to study further and applied to California Institute of the Arts. He matriculated into the film/video program, studying cinematography, photography and lighting under his mentor Kris Malkiewicz (From the Lodz Film School in Poland) It was an arc from cold technical photography of the navy, to the warmth and sensitivity of cinematography as an art form. He also studied under film director Alexander Mackendrick (Sweet smell of Success and The Lady Killers) and Ed Emshwiller an experimental/art film-maker know for "Sunstone" and many avant-garde films. Wanting to learn more about professional motion picture cameras he contacted Bob Dunn at Panavision. During a tour of the facility, he noticed an anchor tattooed on Bob's arm. Discovering that he too was a navy man, soon found himself in the office of vice president Jack Barber and secured a part time job while continuing his studies. After graduating, he was hired full time at Panavision, by CEO Jac Holzman (Founder/CEO of Electra Records who signed the Doors, Queen, Bread and many other artists) At Panavision became certified as a Camera Technician servicing the full Panavision/Arriflex fleet of cameras. Since the Panavision days, he has photographed and directed films, working mainly in the United States, as well as Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. His work includes film, photography, digital art and painting. He recently completed a Master's Degree in Photography at Falmouth University in the United Kingdom.