The Lighting Pros who are defining the future of Cinematic Lighting

Originally from Wisconsin, USA, Michael Bauman moved out to Southern California in the early 1990s to attend the American Film Institute. Mike always had a passion for set lighting and was excited to pursue his passion and begin his career in Hollywood. He has been working as a gaffer/chief lighting technician in the motion picture industry for over 30 years. With well over 100 film projects to his credit, close to 50 as a gaffer/chief lighting technician, his lighting expertise can be seen in a wide range of films including Phantom Thread, for which he was the lighting cameraman, and as gaffer for Vice, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Iron Man 1 & 2, Good Night and Good Luck, Ray, Training Day, Munich, The Master, Cowboys & Aliens, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, among many others.

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Originally from California, USA, Rafael E. Sánchez studied at Moorpark Jr. College. His career started as Key Grip where he learned how to “shape light”. He is a proud member of IATSE local 728 for almost 30 years, and of IATSE Local 600 for nearly 16 years. He has made films around the world with incredibly talented cinematographers, directors, and set lighting technicians. He has been working as a gaffer/chief lighting technician in the motion picture industry for over 30 years. These feature films are just a sample of the some of the work he has done that have been the most challenging and fulfilling – “Galaxy Quest”, “Sideways”, “Walk The Line”, “Pirates of the Caribbean I, II, III, IV and V”, “The Ring”, “Lone Ranger”, the Oscar nominated for Cinematography “Nebraska”, and the most recently wrapped “Joker: Folie ‘a Deux”.

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Originally from Brighton, England, Martin Smith started his career in the film industry in 1999. Working as a trainee for AFM lighting, he spent the next few years working with some of the biggest Gaffers in the industry. Progressing from rigging to shooting Martin gained a comprehensive knowledge of electrical safety, power distribution, lighting, rigging and running an effective team. In 2005, Martin secured the Best Boy position on the movie “Around the World in 80 Days” as his career took off, he’s worked consecutively as a second unit gaffer and for the last 10 years as the main unit Gaffer on some of the largest productions. Currently, Martin is working as the Gaffer on the Mission Impossible franchise.

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Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Erin Nelligan started her career in entertainment by lighting for theatre and dance in Vancouver before moving onto live events and touring/live music. She lived and worked in Leeds and London for a couple of years but moved back to Vancouver just in time to rig the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. For years Erin lit projects big and small, all-over North America. Once making the transition to film, she has flown starships, hunted vampires and busted ghosts, while constantly growing her skills as our industry grows through technological and cultural revolutions. Erin also teaches classes on consoles, networking, and system design, to students in college, and to veteran set lighting technicians.

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Originally from Dublin, Ireland, James McGuire pursued a formal education in electrical engineering and shortly thereafter entered the film industry. He is a highly skilled and accomplished professional in the field of lighting and electrical work. With 35 years of experience and expertise, James’ portfolio includes a diverse range of projects, from small-scale independent films to large-scale blockbusters. He is known for his adaptability and versatility, effortlessly transitioning between genres and styles to provide the perfect lighting solution for each unique production. His attention to detail, collaborative spirit, and dedication to perfection have made him a trusted collaborator among directors, cinematographers, and production designers.

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Originally from Houston, USA, Adam Harrison was part of the Texas filmmaking community in the mid 1990’s. After joining I.A.T.S.E 728 in 1999, he stayed focused on working as a Set Lighting Technician during the early 2000’s. Transitioning over to the rigging side of lighting Adam has completed twenty feature films as a Rigging Best Boy during a fifteen-year period. In 2015 he stepped up as a Rigging Gaffer and has worked on some of the largest blockbusters during the last eight years, such as: Spiderman: No Way Home, Top Gun: Maverick and many more.

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Originally from Permet, Albania, Ediola Pashollari holds a Master’s in Business Administration (UK), a Master’s of Arts in Political Science (UK), a Master’s in Entreprenology (USA) and also a Bachelor’s Degree in LLB (UK). She has over 18 years of working experience in the non-profit organization leadership and management industry. She holds advisory and leadership positions in several regional and international organizations, like: World Assembly of Youth (WAY), Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC), World Youth Institute (WYI), International Journal of Youth Economy, World Association of Visioneers and Entreprenologists (WAVE), and others. She is an experienced public speaker, and she has delivered various keynote speeches, papers, presentations, and conducted several workshops, trainings, and consultations on empowerment and leadership of young people and related youth issues. Due to her contribution and dedication towards youth empowerment and leadership, she has received numerous medals and awards from governments and organizations from around the world.

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