On this episode of Roll The Credits, Christina sits down with cinematographer David Bolen.
David shares the path that led him to cinematography — from growing up in Toronto and discovering arthouse films at a young age to developing an instinctual approach centered on subjectivity, emotion and seeing the world through a character’s point of view.
He talks about why he sees cinematographers as “emotion seekers” rather than technicians, how he finds the visual language for a documentary by spending time with its subjects, and why emotional precision matters more to him than technical perfection.
David also dives into his longtime creative partnership with director Lance Oppenheim and the making of Primetime — including throwing out the shot list, giving Robert Pattinson the freedom to explore, and experimenting with everything from Alexa and DV cameras to tube cameras and even a colonoscopy camera.
He also reflects on learning to trust his instincts, staying creatively vulnerable on increasingly large sets, why bigger budgets don’t necessarily make better projects, and the importance of remembering that the experience of making films with people you love matters just as much as the films themselves.
David's credits include:
YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING (2026)
PRIMETIME (2026)
UNTOLD (2021-2026)
RORY MCLLROY: THE MASTERS WAIT (2026)
WILD BOYS: STRANGERS IN TOWN (2026)
ANDY KAUFMAN IS ME (2025)
OCTOPUS! (2025)
THE PYTHON HUNT (2025)
SPERMWORLD (2024)
THELMA (2024)
CHEF’S TABLE: NOODLES (2024)
…and many more.
Follow David's work below:
https://www.davidbolen.com
