Panavision | Nickel Boys DP Jomo Fray on lenses and camera movement

Posted on March 7, 2025 in Behind the Scenes by Panavision

Director RaMell Ross’ feature film Nickel Boys continues to earn accolades, including a Spotlight Award from the American Society of Cinematographers for director of photography Jomo Fray.

With the movie, Fray explains, he and Ross “wanted to invite the audience into the body and the eyes of a Black boy during the Jim Crow South. Where someone looks or doesn’t look quite literally can be the difference between life and death.” To create that visceral connection with viewers, the filmmakers framed the movie from the first-person perspectives of its two lead characters, Elwood and Turner (portrayed by Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson, respectively). In this video interview, Fray speaks to his collaboration with Ross, their choice of Panavision VA prime lenses for the project, his own journey toward cinematography, and the personal philosophy that underpins his work.

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