From work on international Hollywood Feature Films, TV shows, Music Videos to TV commercials or branded content, Lewis realises your vision in every sense.
As Director at Wonderfilm Pictures, Lewis Andrews has had the privilege of collaborating with numerous top-tier industry professionals on some of the most iconic film and streaming shows in history. From Paramount’s “Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” starring Tom Cruise, to Netflix’s “3 Body Problem,” Lewis regularly travels internationally for shoots, whether in stunning locations or on set in studios around the world. His experience spans managing large-scale production crews of hundreds to working with small, tight-knit teams. Lewis thrives on collaboration across every department, building enduring relationships with some of the best film producers in the industry. These connections often become lifelong companions in his endeavors at Wonderfilm.
Lewis works closely with XM2, one of the world’s largest and most successful aerial cinematography companies, on productions such as Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, James Bond: No Time To Die, Fast & Furious 9, Cinderella, and Secret Invasion – Marvel. Managing heavy-lift aircraft for cinematic purposes is a formidable task that requires a team of experienced professionals to pilot, operate, and maintain the drone’s integrity during use.
With limited flight times, Lewis oversees the technical aspects on-set, including the camera gimbal attached to the drone. Whether flying in close proximity to cast members, such as Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, or capturing action-packed stunts with extensive pyrotechnics in Fast & Furious 9, the role demands versatility and the ability to respond swiftly to the fast-paced demands of shooting environments with tangible consequences. XM2 not only manufactures but also develops state-of-the-art film tools in-house, with their global team innovating in the motion picture industry. Lewis has engaged with XM2 in various VFX roles, including operating arrays that XM2 has flown, leveraging their engineering expertise to support custom payloads.
Throughout Lewis’ freelance career he has often utilised his passion for camera and cinematography to shoot and direct his own Music Videos, Commercials and branded content for clients such as Nike, Puma, and Sony Music. His abilities have been adopted in the TV world, particularly on VFX plate shoots where he has been tasked with capturing additional photography along side the DOP and Visual Effect Supervisors, which have been cut into the final edits. Lewis has worked on some exciting projects and with a range of cameras from his own RED Komodo X and RED Komodo 6K, RED DMC2 Helium, to smaller cameras like the Sony FS6 and Sony A7S Mk ii.
As well as a natural handheld style which Lewis leans towards, he has always loved steadicam as an art of camera movement, which he is has imitated with his developed skill for camera operating on a hand held gimbal. His first gimbal was the Ronin which he used on many of his freelance shooting projects and was first properly recognised in a personal of his The Princess of Symmetry by a creative figure at Sony music who later hired him to shoot a music video for eclectic grime group Vibbar for their music video Sweden. His preferred set up for long haul shoots is to use a handheld 3 Axis stabilised gimbal with a Ready Rig or Easy rig. This combined set up can be leveraged for short distance, smooth tracking shots from a Segway. Lewis once perfectly balanced the Ronin 2 in an interview at Pinewood with XM2 which landed him a gig as a Drone Tech Assistant on the Fast & Furious 9 movie for the Fast saga.
Lewis has captured thousands of HDRIs on set using Wonderfilm Pictures’ VFX equipment, including specially engineered nodal camera heads like the Nodal Ninja 5. These tools help capture detailed 360° and panoramic photography quickly, even under tight deadlines and varying light conditions. He uses PTGui to process these captures, ensuring high-quality and consistent results.
Handling a 50% Chrome/Matte gray ball in front of cameras may seem straightforward, but it’s an essential part of VFX supervision. Wonderfilm Pictures produces these VFX balls in-house, ensuring quality and consistency.
Terrabytes of photogrammetry data are crucial for reconstructing assets or environments in post-production. Lewis ensures comprehensive coverage and detailed asset recording using equipment ranging from Lidar to drones.
Lewis is passionate about data management, emphasizing the importance of organized, quickly accessible data. He has developed sophisticated FileMaker systems to manage and track data effectively, enhancing productivity and efficiency on set.
FileMaker is central to Lewis’s on-set and post-production workflow, using his custom databases for capturing slates, camera notes, measurements, VFX details, and set diagrams or photos. He has developed his own VFX databases and database systems on FileMaker Pro to track on set work, post VFX shots, manage vendor bids, and produce daily reports, and systems to name assets and track file paths on SSDs or online servers during VFX shows.
Despite its mundanity, Lewis values lens gridding for its precision. He meticulously creates detailed reports from the Lens Grid sessions, capturing necessary data for editorial and tracking purposes. Using a specialized micro crew, he ensures every capture is seamless, paying close attention to the dolly’s length, the floor’s flatness, the light distribution, and required focus pulling sequences or grain.
Lewis has had the privilege of assuming supervisory responsibilities on the sets of productions from companies like Netflix, Amazon, and BBC Science. He has directed his own sprite units and managed supervision duties alongside his primary role as Lead VFX Data Wrangler. His tasks include directing sprite units with multiple background supporting artists, managing blue screen elements, and ensuring the VFX department meets creative criteria and briefs. Lewis has collaborated with well-known VFX DOPs and aerial cinematographers to capture background plates for CG creatures. The plate shoots he oversees often fulfill narrative requirements in Visual Effects shows with full CG creatures and mixed CG/live-action sequences. His expertise extends significantly with experience in operating cinema cameras such as RED and Sony, adding value in smaller-scale crews, including his television projects.
In the locations department for productions like Jolt for Amazon Studios, Lewis was involved in securing permissions and ensuring compliance with legal standards, aligning the filming locations with the project’s needs. His responsibilities for Fast & Furious 9 for Universal Studios included logistics coordination, on-site management, and overseeing the restoration of locations after filming. Lewis contributed to the management of transportation and setup for large casts and crews, addressing on-site operational needs, and restoring sites post-production. His involvement supported the smooth execution of these projects, facilitating effective production processes.
