Cinematographer in Paris
James Coote is an English-speaking cinematographer and director of photography in Paris. He shoots fashion, beauty and luxury campaign films for brands including Balmain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Loewe, Valentino and Adidas, works in English and French, and travels across Europe from his bases in Paris and London.
Why hire a bilingual DOP in Paris?
Most luxury campaigns shot in Paris are commissioned in English and crewed in French. A cinematographer who is native in one and fluent in the other removes a layer between the director, the agency and the crew: lighting notes, set changes and schedule calls happen once, not twice. James has worked both ways round, with international directors on French sets and with French directors for international brands.
What kind of films does he shoot?
Campaign and brand films, fashion films, beauty and fragrance films, lookbook and e-commerce video, music videos and commercials. Studio builds and location work. He also lights LED-volume virtual production, as on the Balmain Pre-Fall 2022 film directed by Norbert Schoerner. See the fashion film, watch and jewellery and music video pages for detail by format.
Does he only work in Paris?
No. Paris is the main base and London the second; the work is wherever the production is. James shoots across Europe with local crews and rental houses, and quotes travel days separately so a shoot in Milan, Berlin or Lisbon costs what it costs, with no Paris premium hidden in the day rate.
How does a production usually bring him on?
Directly, by email, with the brief, treatment or deck, the dates and the location. He reads the references, talks through the look with the director, and comes back with a lighting and camera approach plus a quote by the day or the project. Production companies, agencies and brands all book him directly; there is no agent in between. Details on hiring and rates.
Does he bring crew and kit?
He works with regular crew in Paris and can recommend crew in London and elsewhere in Europe. Camera and lighting are rented per job from the rental house that suits the production, so each film gets the package it needs rather than whatever a DOP happens to own.
What is IN.TANGIBLE?
James is co-founder of IN.TANGIBLE, a Paris studio for luxury image production and post, including 3D previsualisation and e-commerce content. Cinematography bookings and studio productions are separate: you can hire James as a DOP on your production, or brief the studio to produce the whole piece.
Selected credits
- Jaeger-LeCoultre — Made of Makers · dir. Killian Lassabliere · prod. Players Paris
- Balmain — Pre-Fall 2022 · dir. Norbert Schoerner · prod. La La Land
- Loewe · dir. Netti Hurley · prod. Object & Animal
- Valentino — Holidays · dir. The Bardos
- Adidas — Americana, with Jain · dir. Jason Yan Francis · prod. Standard Films
- s.Oliver · dir. Heiko Keinath · prod. Tarifa Productions
- Numéro · dir. Colin Solal Cardo · prod. La Pac
- Celio — Jeans 2021 · dir. The Bardos · prod. Cinq Etoiles
- Polo & Pan — Tunnel · dir. Zite & Léo · prod. Téléphone Maison Films
- Selah Sue — Hurray · dir. Alice Kong · prod. Partizan
- Duñe x Crayon ft. Ichon — Pointless · dir. Alice Kong · prod. Partizan
- Flèche Love — Mitote · dir. The Quiffs · prod. Les Mauvaises Filles
Contact
james@intangible.tv · contact page · full profile · selected work