- the GBCT
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Stepping Up: Amy HC Wilson’s journey from 2nd AC to Director of Photography
Making the leap to Director of Photography rarely has a single moment of confidence or certainty. For Amy, it was a long, thoughtful journey shaped by years of assisting, self-doubt, preparation, and ultimately, commitment.
Amy admits she wanted to make the move around five years before she actually did.Yet despite this momentum, the decision to formally step up took time. Amy admits she wanted to make the move around five years before she actually did. “It’s terrifying, especially financially,” she says. “You overthink everything – where your life is at, what the industry looks like, what support is around you.”
That turning point came after working on The Diplomat: Series 1. The seven-month shoot was a period of reflection. “I kept thinking,”maybe this is the last one,’” she recalls. By the end of the series, something clicked. “It was such a brilliant job, I felt it was time to end my assisting career on a high and start the next step”. As the months rolled into Christmas, she knew the time had come. She stopped actively looking for assisting work and finally made the ultimate commitment: selling her kit. “That was the proof to myself”
Owning the Title
One of the hardest parts of stepping up wasn’t the work itself, but the identity shift. “As assistants, we’ve worked with many DOPs that we look up to,” Amy explains. “Suddenly I’m doing that job. It’s a huge commitment and responsibility to your peers.”
At first, others helped bridge the gap. A couple of Christmas party’s ago, a friend became her unofficial mouthpiece, telling others, “Amy’s a DOP now.” Confidence grew with experience, recently she stood up at Operators’ Night when DPs were asked to stand – despite a surge of imposter syndrome.
“What fights the fear is that I love the role” she says. “I hope I’m a good HOD. I’ve worked with people I respect, and I want to make people feel the way they made me feel, when I was assisting” Amy believes assistants bring a unique insight to leading departments – knowing what to take on, what not to, and understanding the pressures of high turnaround schedules. “It’s a role to be proud of and to take seriously’
Choosing Her Own Route
The journey to DOP is different for everyone. Amy didn’t formally call herself a focus puller, despite doing focus pulling work when asked – short films, the odd commercial and cover days & step-up days on films and HETV. “I never actively sought work as a focus puller,” she explained. “I enjoyed it when the opportunities came but my brain capacity outside work was always focused on shooting shorts as a DP.”
Amy also felt a deep respect for the craft. “I didn’t feel I could call myself a focus puller and do it justice in the way the people I worked with did” She also spent a period of time pursuing Steadicam, using it on her short films to gain hours in the rig and even doing some commercials.
She knew that stepping up always came with a step backwards, and chose to put that energy into developing her voice as a cinematographer instead. “After so many years of shooting short films, it felt like the natural and right step for me to take, I felt I had grown into the role of a DOP as much as I could before making it official”.
The First Break
Amy’s first TV show came last year – and not where she expected. A message arrived saying she’d been recommended for a BBC project by a DP she’d previously worked with. A meeting and recce followed, then the job itself.
The moment carried the weight of a 14 year journey. She’d worked with the recommending DP as a trainee and loader years earlier. “You never know who will recommend you,” Amy reflects. “If someone likes you and they trust you – it’s then time to prove yourself.”
The show was Waffle’s After School Club, a spin-off of Waffle the Wonder Dog, with a strong existing audience on iPlayer. “I never expected a BBC show to be my first ‘professsional’ job as a DP,” she says. The experience came full circle when she was later offered Series 2. “I’m very proud to be invited back” That first job also led to conversations with agents, ultimately gaining representation with Berlin Associates, and an article in Cinematography World Magazine (Issue 206 March/April 2025). “One TV credit wasn’t a huge amount” Amy acknowledges, “but they could see my trajectory.”
Building the World of Waffle
Working with children and animals comes with its own challenges – we all know the saying.. For Amy, success came down to preparation. “Our biggest challenge going into the shoot was pace, our camera and lighting approach was streamlined as much as possible in prep so we could be seamless during the shoot, and it worked well.”
The brief called for warmth, cosiness and authenticity. With six-year-old performers, a dog at the centre of it all, the approach was reactive and fluid. “We wanted to capture their authenticity” she says. “We needed to be ready for anything during the take.”
Equipment
Two cameras were essential, and A-camera operator Guido Cavacuiti helped lead the charge in a fast-moving environment.
Cameras used were the Alexa Mini’s paired with Panavision PCZ 19–90mm zoom lenses and rolling spiders in the main location, allowing the team to work at pace without constant lens changes.
Amy speaks warmly of her crew, many of whom she’d grown up with in the industry. Her Gaffer, Martin Cox, someone she’d previously worked with, joined the project to support her and will return for Series 2. “Finding a gaffer I worked with so cohesively was a relief” she says. “I learned so much.
A Safe First Step
Looking back, what Amy appreciated most was the environment. “For my first job, I felt safe” she says. “The production company took a risk on me, and gave me the perfect amount of trust” The project was fun, meaningful, and something people were proud to be part of. “Several of the crew’s children watched the original show. My nephew’s a big fan.”
What Comes Next
Amy hopes this chapter opens the door to more – particularly film. “I’d love to maintain a mix of HETV and Film” she says. “I’d love to do a film soon where I can really get stuck into creative prep”
She’s candid about the emotional shift of stepping into a new role. “I didn’t foresee missing being on set as much, missing my peers that I’d spend so much time of set with. You go from being an experienced camera assistant to, starting again as the ’newbie. The identity change and fresh start can be isolating” She’s open about wanting mentorship. “I’d love an established DP to take me under their wing. It can be a lonely place.”
Redefining the ‘Right’ Path
Amy is passionate about challenging rigid ideas of progression. “I grew up in the camera department where it’s expected you move through every role. I assisted for near on 14 years”
While she didn’t officially label herself as a focus puller or operator, she did the work and understands the roles deeply. “Everyone’s journey looks different and their time in each role varies. I’m very proud of my 14 years as a camera assistant and I’m proud of my journey. I don’t think skimming a role takes anything away from that.”
As Amy continues to find her footing as a DP, one thing is clear: the care she brings to her crew, her work, and her craft is deeply rooted in the years she spent learning from others – and that foundation is already shaping the kind of HOD she is becoming.
