Cinematography : The Cinematographer’s Process, Small Bite #15: Reflection and Lessons Learned by Lindsay Thompson

Every project ends, but the process doesn’t. Once delivery is done and the dust settles, take time to learn from the journey before you move to the next one.

Review the full arc

Pull your notes, stills, lighting diagrams, and look cards into one folder. Revisit what worked, what broke, and what surprised you. Study the shots that still move you — and the ones that fell short — to understand why.

Debrief with your team.

Schedule short postmortems with your director, gaffer, editor, and colorist. Ask what helped them most and what slowed them down. These conversations often reveal small workflow tweaks that save hours later.

Build your personal playbook.

Turn your discoveries into reusable assets — reference frames, LUTs, lighting setups, gear lists, templates. The best cinematographers refine their process between projects, not during them.

Archive the lessons, not just the footage.

Alongside your backups, store annotated stills, look at evolution notes, and BTS lighting photos. These are gold for teaching, pitching, and prep on future work.

Keep relationships alive

Send thank-yous to your crew and post partners. A quick follow-up, even weeks later, reinforces trust. The best crews reassemble not by luck, but by leadership.

Rest and reset

The process takes a lot out of you. Give yourself space to recover, reflect, and refill the creative well before diving into the next story.

Indie micro checklist

– Debrief notes and lighting diagrams archived

– Team postmortems done and feedback logged

– Look and gear references saved for next project

– Thank-you emails sent to crew and post team

– Personal creative reset planned

Question for the Lounge

What’s one lesson or workflow change you’re carrying forward into your next shoot?

Next up:

This wraps The Cinematographer’s Process series — but we’re not done yet. Next, we’ll kick off a brand-new series: The Cinematographer’s Transition – From One-Person Band to Working with a Crew.

We’ll explore how to build trust, delegate without losing your touch, and step confidently into leadership on set. Stay tuned for Part 1 next week!