John Shier

John Shier is a BAFTA & EMMY winning natural history cinematographer who specializes in long-lens behavioral sequences, motion-controlled daytime and nighttime timelapse techniques, aerial and land-based gimbal filming and dynamic landscape cinematography. John has traveled throughout the world working for a wide variety of clients including: Disney Nature, The BBC, BBC Earth, Silverback Films, National Geographic Channel, The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, PBS and National Geographic WILD.

A naturalist as well as a cameraman, John’s passion is working with wild animals in their habitats and he relishes working in remote and challenging wilderness locations. He is an experienced climber and skier and has extensive experience working for extended durations in arctic and alpine environments.

John is familiar with a variety of camera systems including the RED Dragon, Sony F65 & F55, the Phantom Flex, etc. He’s also worked extensively with mobile gimbal platforms, both on the ground and in the air with drones and is an experienced Shotover gimbal operator. Over the past half-decade John has helped push the boundaries of motion-controlled timelapse, bringing new kits to the ends of the Earth and helping to design novel tools to create previously impossible images.

Equipment

John offers a comprehensive list of cinematography equipment available for rental:

  • Red Dragon Camera Package
  • Telephoto Zoom & Prime Lens Kit
  • Cine-Prime Lens Kit
  • Ronin Gimbal Kit Including Easy Rig / Serene Stabilization Vest, Wireless Director/Operator
  • Monitoring Equipment & Wireless Focus Control
  • Extensive Timelapse Motion-control Kit Including two 3-Axis Systems
  • DSLR TImelapse Kit Including Optimized Timelapse Lens Set

Awards

BAFTA Nomination 2017 Best Cinematography

Nominated for ‘Best Photography – Factual’ British Academy Film and Television Arts awards for work on Planet Earth 2 – Mountains.

BAFTA Nomination 2017 Best Cinematography

Nominated for ‘Best Photography – Factual’ British Academy Film and Television Arts awards for work on Planet Earth 2 – Deserts.

EMMY Award 2016 Outstanding Cinematography

Won ‘Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary and Long Form’ for work on Wild Yellowstone – The Frozen Frontier, Nat Geo WILD/Brainfarm.

Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

Won ‘Best Cinematography’ for work as principal cinematographer on Wild Yellowstone – The Frozen Frontier, Nat Geo WILD/Brainfarm.

International Wildlife Film Festival

Part of Team that won ‘Best Cinematography’ and ‘ Best Feature’ for work on Enchanted Kingdom 3D.

EMMY Award 2013 Outstanding Cinematography

‘Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary and Long Form’ for work on Untamed Americas.

BAFTA Award Best Cinematography

‘Best Photography – Factual’ British Academy Film and Television Arts awards for work on Yellowstone, 3 x 50’ series by BBC.

EMMY Nomination 2010 Cinematography

Nominated for ‘Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Cinematography – Nature’ at the 2010 Emmy Awards for work on Yellowstone.

Jackson Wildlife Film Festival Award 2009 Best Cinematography

Nominated for ‘Best Cinematography’ for work on Yellowstone.

Best Cinematography International Wildlife Film Festival

‘Best Cinematography’ for work on Yellowstone.

Emerging Filmmaker Award

Received Michael Brinkman Emerging Filmmaker Award.

Selected Credits

Seven Worlds

Seven Worlds

IN PRODUCTION
SEVEN-PART SERIES BY BBC
Cinematographer

Dian Fossey – Secrets In The Mist

Dian Fossey – Secrets In The Mist

IN PRODUCTION
MINISERIES BY TIGRESS FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Cinematographer

The Perfect Planet

The Perfect Planet

IN PRODUCTION
SEVEN-PART SERIES BY SILVERBACK FILMS FOR BBC
Cinematographer

Hostile Planet

Hostile Planet

IN PRODUCTION
SEVEN PART SERIES BY PLIMSOLL FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Cinematographer

Planet Earth 2

Planet Earth 2

SEVEN-PART SERIES BY BBC
Cinematographer
Mountains, Deserts, Islands and Grasslands Programs

Oceans

Oceans

SEVEN-PART SERIES BY BBC NHU for BBC1
Cinematographer
Forests Episode

Mountains

Mountains

THREE-PART SERIES BY BBC NHU for BBC 2 / PBS
Cinematographer
Rocky Mountains & Andes Episodes

Our Planet

Our Planet

IN PRODUCTION
SEVEN-PART SERIES BY SILVERBACK FILMS FOR NETFLIX
Cinematographer

Grizzly Empire

Grizzly Empire

SPECIAL, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FILM & TV
Cinematographer & Field Producer

Wild Yellowstone

Wild Yellowstone

TWO-PART SERIES BY BRAINFARM FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD
Cinematographer

Bears

Bears

FEATURE FILM, PRODUCED BY ALASTAIR FOTHERGILL AND KEITH SCHOLEY FOR DISNEY NATURE
Cinematographer

Enchanted Kingdom 3D

Enchanted Kingdom 3D

3D FEATURE FILM BBC WORLDWIDE
Cinematographer

Life Story

Life Story

SEVEN-PART SERIES, BBC/DISCOVERY CHANNEL CO-PRODUCTION
Cinematographer

Wild Planet – North America

Wild Planet – North America

SEVEN-PART SERIES PRODUCED BY WILD HORIZONS LTD FOR DISCOVERY CHANNEL
Series Producer Huw Cordey
Cinematographer
Mountains, Deserts, Freshwater, Plains and Opening Episodes

Untamed Americas

Untamed Americas

FOUR-PART SERIES BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FILM & TELEVISION FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL
Series Producer Karen Bass
Cinematographer
Mountains, Deserts, Forests and Coasts Episodes

Yellowstone

Yellowstone

THREE-PART SERIES BY BBC & ANIMAL PLANET
Produced by Andrew Murray, Paul Stewart & Nathan Budd – BBC Natural History Unit
Cinematographer