Cinematographer Annika Summerson on shooting the award-winning feature film “Mogul Mowgli”

DOP Annika Summerson is nominated in the 2020 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) Best Cinematography category for her incredible work on the feature film Mogul Mowgli. Read on to learn more about Annika, her journey in filmmaking, and this exciting project shot with Riz Ahmed, director Bassam Tariq and producer Bennett McGhee.

Q: Annika, firstly, for readers who might not know you, can you tell us a bit about yourself, how you got started in the industry and what inspired you?

I'm originally from Sweden, Stockholm, but have been based in London for almost 18 years now. You never lose your roots though but you're starting to feel multicultural at a certain point, like several nationalities at once.

I started by moving to Australia to study film and TV production at university and realised in the first few weeks that it was the camera department I belonged to. I had always taken stills on my dad's Omega-1 that I then used to develop in a lab at my high school. The smell of the chemicals still makes me really happy.

When I moved to London I started working as a lighting trainee and eventually as a spark and that's how I started to learn the technical side of lighting. It felt so big and mysterious that I knew I had to really learn it by doing it. I never really knew much about the film industry as a whole, how it worked and what it was like until I started working. I feel a lot of the time that I fell into it but I think a million small decisions take you where you want to be eventually.

Q: “Mogul Mowgli”, one the latest projects you worked on, received critical acclaim internationally, share with us how you got involved and did you expect this kind of success?

I got involved in Mogul Mowgli when Bennett McGhee, who I had shot the feature film VS. for a couple of years ago, recommended me to Bassam Tariq, the director of Mogul Mowgli. We ended up having a few meetings and eventually Bassam decided to invite me on board his journey. Mogul Mowgli was a wonderful film to make. It was terribly hard and a fast shoot but ultimately, I met some really interesting and amazing people from a very different background to mine and I feel grateful that they invited me into their world and how much they taught me about their culture.

Q: Tell us about the creative process - what was your initial reaction when reading the script/brief and how it shaped your approach to the cinematography of “Mogul Mowgli”?

I always start by talking extensively to the director and usually you get the job because you have similar aesthetics, so you already start from common ground. We shared visual references and watched films and slowly you start to get closer to a style that you want to achieve. The script kept evolving throughout prep as well as while shooting but the style was something we held onto when other things were changing.

 Q: How did the look and feel influenced your decisions on the camera package and lighting style?

The way I light is to think about how I want the light to feel and then I recreate that step by step by starting with the biggest lamp and adding the other sources. I also design a colour arch for the film after discussing the story and the meaning of each scene with the director. Where do we want to start and where do we want to end? I colour code my notes since I find that easier to visualise. I also think of the script as a whole in terms of energy and how the energy will change from scene to scene and this manifest itself in the camera movements. I also write a couple of keywords for each scene that signifies what it means to me so if you ever lose your way on set and you have reached peak tiredness you can always remind yourself what you're trying to convey with each scene. It's a cheat-sheet so to speak.

Q: What equipment did you use? Tell us more about the prep and testing process and what made this kit combo right for this film.

 We opted to go for an Alexa Mini because we both know that camera so well and we wanted to experiment in different ways but with a tool we felt confident with. Our shoot was only 20 days, so we needed to have some things we knew were solid, tried and tested. We paired the camera with Cooke Panchros from Pixipixel which are beautiful glass with some aberrations along the edges which we wanted to embrace. Shooting it in 4:3 was also an early stylistic choice since we wanted to make Riz' character trapped in his body, as well as suffocated and misunderstood by his culture. We wanted to box him in. Riz came down to the test room and was rehearsing his raps while I hung different fabrics on him and tested different coloured backdrops, as well as lenses and lighting gels. We did also try the Sony Venice at this point, but we decided it was for another project. 

Q: What was your biggest challenge when shooting “Mogul Mowgli”?

 Our biggest challenge was probably keeping track of the script changes and the improvisations while keeping consistency. While all of those things enriched the film and made it what it is, we weren't aware that that's how the creative process would be until shooting. We had to find our feet and go with it, try to adjust to it daily.

Q: Tell us about your amazing team on the project and your collaborations on set.

By my side I had gaffer Ben Manwaring, focus puller Jason Wingrove and DIT James Hogarth. And brilliant Susanne Salavati did second unit for me. They are all long-time collaborators who I trust and love working with. It's so important to have a talented but also friendly crew to lean on when you're diving into a low budget indie feature. Production designer Francesca Massariol and costume designer Grace Snell are very talented, and I'm so pleased they worked on it too.

Q: Only 7% of British feature films are being shot by women – what is your experience and what’s your advice for women getting started in the industry?

The statistics of women working in the industry are shocking but I can feel it's changing, slowly. The newer generation is welcoming and wants a more balanced workplace I believe.

Q: You are a member of illuminatrix. Tell us more about the female DoP collective and the impact it had on your career and development.

Illuminatrix has been a brilliant thing to be part of, not only for the technical help and sharing of advice and crew, but also for moral support and encouragement. Women are incredible at supporting each other, it was just a matter of us all to find each other. I'm so thankful to Vanessa Whyte and Catherine Goldschmidt to have created this platform for us. The number of times I hear 'I have never met a female DOP before...'. Now they know where to look.

 In order to get into the industry, there are now a few more mentorships to apply for, as well as skillset positions. I think that finding someone you look up to that can give you advice can be very helpful. And I would encourage anyone to shoot, shoot, shoot because there is so much you can't learn until you do it practically. Find like-minded friends and start creating in your own time.

Q: Finally, you’ve worked with Pixipixel’s team on a couple of projects including “Await Further Instructions” and “VS.”. Do you have a favourite / go-to kit that you always request? (And do we meet your expectations? 

Pixipixel has been great at supporting me throughout my career with both equipment as well as advice. If I have any questions I just call, and Toby or Vince answer all my questions and come with helpful suggestions. I always look forward to popping into the office for a chat, a cup of coffee or a test. I tend to use different lenses depending on the project so haven't got a 'standard kit' as such but like to experiment if I can. How will I otherwise learn?

Q: What is next for you in your career?

I have recently shot a feature film on 35mm called Censor which is premiering soon. I'm currently in TV world by shooting 10 episodes of Breeders with Martin Freeman for Sky FX. I have a few projects lined up for next year, both TV and indie films, that I am very excited to start working on as soon as we're in 2021.

I'm a forever student.

Follow and connect with Annika Summerson at @annisummerson and annikasummerson.com.