Captown DoP
Robert Payton - DoP
Robert Payton has been working in the Film & Television industry since 1985. Following two years at film school, he worked as a lighting cameraman on the staff of the BBC in London until 1991. There his credits included films for documentary, music, drama, and light entertainment programmes. His directorial debut came in 1990, on the BBC Science Series ‘Short Circuit’. This series attracted worldwide co. production, as well as a Royal Television Society nomination for ‘Best Educational Programme’.
Since leaving the BBC in 1991 he has worked both as a film director and director of photography, concentrating on commercials, and travel / documentary areas. His programme credits for British television include: Great Journeys, Victoria Wood, Arena, Great Railway Journeys, Global Sunrise, Under the Sun, Forty Minutes, and Network First. In the USA his work has been screened on PBS, A&E, NBC, Fox, Discovery, Biography Channel, The History Channel, & BBC USA.
His open and unflappable temperament make him the perfect choice when filming with high profile celebrities, or challenging environments. He has a proven track record in talent management and has worked with celebrities as varied as Mel Gibson, Roseanne Barr and David Beckham.
Recently Robert has been involved in numerous award winning advertising campaigns as Director of Photography for blue chip companies like Volkswagen, Sainsburys, ASDA [Wal-Mart], McDonalds, British Telecom and General Motors. He was a finalist for the Cinematography award from the BTAA, and winner of The Creative Circle pencil for an anti domestic violence campaign.
He also has a growing reputation for food and tabletop cinematography having recently shot for Buitoni, Miracoli, and joining the short list of filmmakers approved to work with Nestle, Kraft Foods, and Mc Donalds.
During a seven year working relationship with Watchmaker Productions, he has directed and filmed seven one-hour travel films for the ‘Clive James - Postcards’ strand. His film ‘Clive James meets Mel Gibson’ won the documentary award at The New York Film Festival. He has produced and directed 16 short films for BBC2, a Comedy Pilot for BBC2 and two series of lifestyle documentaries also for BBC 1.
He has directed and photographed a 90 minute DVD and TV Film on British musician and songwriter Chris Rea, and a one hour fly on the wall profile for BBC1 of England goalkeeper David Seaman, following his high profile exit from the 2002 World Cup in Japan.
He is equally comfortable shooting on film or video, and has shot in over 50 countries worldwide.