World Class Cinematographer Sathish Shankutty
It’s been said that great cinematographers always know where to set the camera for the best shot. After seeing some of Sathish Shankutty’s work, one automatically puts him in the category of great cinematographers. Each of his carefully laid out shots tells the viewer that he not only has an eye for perfect and natural composition but he seems to intuitively understand how the placement of the camera can actually propel the story forward.
Sathish was born in India and has been watching the world through his imaginative mind’s eyes since he was a boy. If you get a chance to see his reels or better yet, the movies that he has shot, you will be able to grasp that his whole existence is based on visual reality, that is, beauty, colors, light and how they are intertwined with humanity. He has quite a lengthy resumé filled with films that he was the lead cinematographer on. The list is too long to go through each project here but the ones we are going to mention all hold the same qualities as far as cinematography is concerned. His work motto must contain the words: thorough, precise, realism, fantastic and among others, competency. He knows what he is doing and each film he shoots confirms that fact.
Currently, Sathish is the cinematographer on the documentary Escape From Freedom, which will be released this year or early next year. Last year he was the lead cinematographer on over twelve films, a TV series and a TV movie. And it looks like this year is also going to be very busy for Sathish because the quality and efficiency of his work is in such high demand.
Even though Sathish can also direct films like The Catch in 2018, he prefers to be behind the camera — literally behind the camera. For instance, the beautiful cinematography in the movie Curtain Call and Hemlock was pure Sathish and he has a lot to be proud of in those films. The lighting was realistic and the superb images captured by his camera fit the stories like a well-made glove. Sathish also was Director of Photography on, among other films, Desert Sai, which was directed by Katlego Makhudu. His dramatic shots add depth and texture to an already compelling story. This thriller takes place in the heart of the desert where we see that two men are chained, unable to escape the overbearing heat of the sun and are apparently awaiting their death. Sathish definitely has an eye for cinematography and the skill to produce beautiful results.
