Screen credits have included Hollywood Feature Films, Record-Breaking Netflix Movies and Series, Factuals and Documentaries.
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 for shoots, whether in international locations or in studios around the world.
Lewis has worked with large-scale production crews as well as small, tight-knit teams. Collaborating across every department, Lewis has built strong relationships with some of the best studios in the industry. These connections often become repeat clients on multiple shows.
Lewis has worked 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 requires a team of experienced professionals to pilot, operate, and maintain the drone’s integrity during use.
Lewis works on the technical aspects of the camera gimbal and 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.
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 tech work on arrays that XM2 has flown.
Throughout Lewis’s 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 alongside the DOP and Visual Effects Supervisors.
Lewis has shot some exciting projects with a range of RED Digital Cinema cameras; the RED KOMODO-X and the RED DSMC2 HELIUM 8K. His other go-to cameras have been the Sony VENICE, Sony FX6 and Sony A7S II.
As well as a natural handheld style which Lewis leans towards, he has always loved steadicam as an art of camera movement. He has developed skill for camera operating on a hand held gimbal.
His first gimbal was the DJI Ronin which he used on many of his freelance shooting projects, and was first properly recognised in his short film The Princess of Symmetry. This film captured the attention of Sony Music who later hired him to shoot a music video for eclectic grime group Vibbar for Sweden.
Lewis worked in the locations department for the productions Jolt (Amazon Studios) and Fast & Furious 9 (Universal Studios).
The locations department secured permissions and ensured compliance with legal standards, aligning the filming locations with the project’s needs.
Lewis Andrews, founder of Wonderfilm Pictures, has worked closely with VFX Supervisors who pioneered some of the world’s earliest CGI on films like The Terminator (1984) and the Oscar-winning film Gladiator. He has also worked with VFX Producers on the award-winning show Game of Thrones.
Lewis has cultivated an extensive network of VFX relationships in the film and TV industry with VFX Producers, Supervisors, On-Set Crew, Vendors, and Compositors.
Lewis’s on-set role as VFX Lead Data Wrangler primarily supports the essential contributions of the VFX department; from artists and compositors to 2D and 3D specialists, riggers, and lighters. Lewis’s background in various creative fields and his passion for detailed workflows enrich his roles within VFX.
Within his role as Lead VFX Data Wrangler, Lewis Andrews captures all the necessary on set data required by VFX artists to create stunning visuals for feature films, TV, factuals, and documentaries.
Lewis shoots and processes HDRIs using equipment like the Nodal Ninja 5 and PTGui software, ensuring high-quality 360° and panoramic photography. He uses 50% chrome/matte grey balls for lighting references, which Wonderfilm Pictures produces in-house for consistent results.
In photogrammetry, Lewis employs a variety of equipment, from Lidar to drones, to gather crucial data for reconstructing environments and assets. He emphasises meticulous data management, having developed sophisticated FileMaker systems to organise and track data efficiently, boosting on-set productivity.
Lewis customises FileMaker Pro databases to log VFX work, including slates, camera notes, measurements, and on-set diagrams. For post-production, he designs databases to manage assets and file paths on SSDs or servers, and track VFX shots, vendor bids, and daily reports for VFX producers.
Lewis is also committed to lens gridding, creating detailed reports from lens grid shoots that capture necessary data for editorial and tracking. He ensures precision in every capture, considering factors like dolly length, floor flatness, light distribution, and focus requirements.
Lewis has had VFX Supervisor responsibilities on set of Netflix, Amazon, and BBC Science productions.
Lewis has taken on VFX Supervisor roles such as directing his own sprite units with multiple background supporting artists, managing and shooting 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. Lewis often works on plate shoots which fulfil 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 television projects.
Lewis is dedicated to streamlining data management, ensuring that information is well-organised and quickly accessible. He has developed advanced FileMaker systems to manage and track data efficiently, significantly enhancing on-set productivity.
Lewis builds custom FileMaker VFX databases to log on-set VFX work, including capturing slates, camera notes, measurements, VFX details, and diagrams or photos.
In post-production, he designs FileMaker databases to name and track assets and file paths on SSDs or online servers during VFX shows. He also creates databases to track VFX shots, manage vendor bids, and produce daily reports for the VFX producer. This meticulous data management facilitates smoother workflows and more efficient post-production processes for feature films and TV shows.
Wonderfilm Pictures offers RED KOMODO-X VFX Arrays, ideal for large-scale productions needing practical VFX plate shoot solutions, whether aerial or ground-based.
We collaborate with a leading engineer to meticulously design our array assemblies from scratch for various film industry applications. These range from heavy-duty stabiliser heads to drones with crucial payload capacities.
At the heart of our ultra-lightweight VFX Array platforms are three RED KOMODO-X Cameras, the latest in the RED KOMODO series. The RED KOMODO-X captures stunning detail with its 6K sensor at 80 FPS and 16.5+ stops of dynamic range.
Our VFX Array produces a stitched plate with a combined 160° field of view (FOV). We maximise coverage using the RED KOMODO-X 6K Sensor and Zeiss 21mm CP.3 XD lenses, producing a combined 65.5° FOV per camera.
Drawing on our extensive experience with large-scale VFX shows, our VFX Arrays are designed with large VFX vendors in mind, featuring a 25° FOV overlap for precise, seamless stitching.
In a horizontal configuration, three RED KOMODO-X cameras, each with a 19.9MP sensor and 6144 × 3240 effective pixels, produce a combined 18432 x 3240 stitched plate.
Our arrays use three identical Carl Zeiss 21mm CP.3 XD lenses to ensure top-notch imaging and VFX plate composition. Zeiss’s XD technology allows for reliable stitching and accurate lens distortion mapping.
Our VFX Array rigs are built for major productions, featuring custom hardware for full remote operation within 1500 ft. This includes R/S, FIZ, Playback, and Timecode functionalities.
Lewis has a range of VFX kit to make VFX magic happen, from DSLRs, Nodal Ninja Head, Sigma 8mm Fisheye Lens and more.Â
Lewis is dedicated to data management, ensuring the importance of well-organised and quickly accessible data. He has developed advanced FileMaker systems to manage and track data efficiently, enhancing productivity on set.
Lewis has captured a vast collection of HDRIs on set utilising Wonderfilm Pictures’ advanced VFX gear, including specifically designed nodal camera heads like the Nodal Ninja 5. These tools enable the swift capture of detailed 360° and panoramic photos, even when facing tight deadlines and varying lighting conditions. To process these captures, he uses PTGui, ensuring high-quality and consistent results.
Lewis customises FileMaker VFX databases to track on-set VFX work, such as capturing slates, camera notes, measurements, VFX details, and diagrams or photos taken on set.
For post-production, Lewis designs FileMaker databases to name and track assets and file paths on SSDs or online servers during VFX shows.
He also creates similar FileMaker databases to track VFX shots, manage vendor bids, and produce daily reports for the VFX producer.
Photogrammetry data is essential for reconstructing environments and assets during post-production. Lewis ensures thorough coverage and detailed asset recording by using a range of equipment, from Lidar to drones.
Managing a 50% chrome/matte grey ball is a crucial aspect of VFX supervision. Wonderfilm Pictures manufactures these VFX balls internally, ensuring they meet high standards of quality and consistency.
Lewis highly values lens gridding for its accuracy. He meticulously compiles detailed reports from lens grid shoots, capturing essential data for editorial and tracking purposes. He ensures seamless capture, paying close attention to the dolly’s length, the floor’s flatness, light distribution, and the necessary focus pull or grain sample.
lewis@wonderfilmpictures.com
+447528 481199
