Hailing from the vibrant city of Johannesburg in South Africa, Tristan Schäfer has left his footprints across numerous continents, having spent significant time in Asia, North America, Africa and Europe.
His journey towards understanding diverse cultures and perspectives began in the meandering rivers of South Africa, where kayaking adventures as a youth unveiled a myriad of rich experiences. "It really opened my perspectives to so many different locations, people and cultures," recalls Tristan. "It gave me a unique viewpoint and appreciation of just how many different stories Africa has to offer." Through photography and filmmaking – hobbies he took up when he was only eight years old – Tristan was able to share these narratives with a wider audience.
"Whether it was running around the neighbourhood filming nature documentaries of the local wildlife with a little camcorder, or using the limitations of film to really hone my compositional skills; I loved to give people an emotion, a feeling that could take them into someone else's shoes," he says.
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Tristan Schäfer
Fresh out of California's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in 2014, preceded by a directing and screenwriting degree from South Africa's AFDA, Tristan honed his craft by writing treatments and directing, shadowing some of South Africa's renowned commercial directors, including Greg Gray and Keith Rose at Velocity Films. This opened the door to an array of commercial projects, and this experience helped shape his approach when it came to founding his own company, Old Soul Films, a year later.
Today, the Canon Ambassador counts a Golden Lens award and a Loerie nomination among his achievements, as well as screenings at international film festivals, recognition in filmmaking magazines, and commercial work published in over 35 countries.
Specialist areas: Commercials, documentary, fashion, wildlife
Favourite kit: Canon EOS R5
Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM
As time went on, Tristan developed Contentual, a content advisory and expertise agency that guides other creative teams in the content creation process. "Having this explorative approach really opens a diverse way of approaching projects," says Tristan. "Quite often, I use techniques from other styles and mediums to shift the way I shoot. For example, I can bring a documentary approach to a commercial project to add more authenticity."
Known for his explorative approach, Tristan has been sought after by global brands including Adidas, Netflix and Apple, and has worked with celebrities such as David Beckham and singer-songwriter Tems. "I have been fortunate to have worked with some amazing people over the years, but those collaborations would not have been possible without first building trust amongst my peers and clients that I could deliver at a high level," he says. "Most of the shoots came about from referrals or existing relationships that were built over years."
Tristan says one of the secrets to his success is to go into every shoot with the same level of professionalism, regardless of whether he's shooting for a high-profile brand or a small independent business. "My approach is always the same – it revolves around creating something that best represents what message the client is trying to get across," he explains. "There always needs to be a deep understanding of who they are trying to speak to, and what they are trying to say."
How did your time at AFDA and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts influence your creative philosophy and style?
"My university years really helped me to hone in on my approach and understand more about the tools I could use to express creatively. I studied at AFDA for three years and learned all my fundamentals. I was fortunate enough to win multiple awards during this time for the short films that I wrote and directed. In my fourth year, I got the opportunity to go to Chapman University's Dodge College in California on a brief exchange programme. This really opened my eyes to the global approach to filmmaking. It made me realise that the stories we have in Africa are as relevant and interesting as the Hollywood stories we watched on TV growing up. It also taught me self-belief and how to find stories in unlikely places."
How do you prepare for a shoot?
"I like to plan as much as possible to remove as many challenges as I can on the day. You can plan more for some projects than others, but at a minimum, I always try to see the location beforehand, to check where light will fall throughout the day. I also check the weather forecast for the shoot day. Aesthetically, I look at what colours, compositions and textures the location has to offer. If there are people involved, I try to meet them beforehand to build some rapport and get a sense of who they are – this goes for both documentary subjects and models. Lastly, I make a shot list and relevant visual references for priority shots: 'need to haves' and 'nice to haves'. That usually sets most shoots up for success."
What impact did winning so many accolades so early on in your career have?
"These achievements really propelled my career forward. It gave me personal confidence in my work and potential clients the confidence to trust that I could deliver, even at a young age. This allowed me to grow relatively quickly and expose myself to larger projects."
One thing I know
Tristan Schäfer
"I think with experience comes calmness. Shoots are still as stressful and intense as they were when I was younger, but having more 'creative tools' gives me the time to think and solve problems in a way that I wouldn't have been able to do earlier in my career. So, my advice to those looking to break into the industry is to just immerse yourself fully in what interests you, and explore and experiment. But while doing this, remember to get feedback – without it, you won't know what is working and what isn't."
Instagram: @tristschafer
LinkedIn: @tristanschafer
Tristan Schäfer's kitbag
The key kit that the pros use to take their photographs
Cameras
Canon EOS R5
Whether you shoot photos, video or a mixture of both, the EOS R5's uncompromising performance will revolutionise your creativity. "The EOS R5 is my go-to camera for most projects and my daily workhorse," enthuses Tristan. "I love how it becomes a seamless extension of me. It also performs in any conditions, from the deserts of the Kalahari to big studio setups."
Canon EOS R5 C
Delivering 8K video and 45MP stills in a lightweight, compact body that features active cooling, it's no wonder the EOS R5 C is Tristan's "run and gun documentary setup". He adds: "The form factor allows for so many rigging options, and also works seamlessly when combined with, for example, the Canon EOS C70 for multicam production."
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
This DSLR still has a special place in Tristan's kitbag. "This camera basically shaped my career into what it is today," he says. "I really have put this camera through its paces and it has never let me down. It has been on way too many projects to even mention – from China to the USA."
Canon AE-1 Program 35mm
"This is the camera that got me into photography," recalls Tristan. "My dad used to own one, and I managed to get my hands on one a few years ago. I love the idea of shooting on film every now and then. It creates this freedom through constraint, by making each shot I take very intentional and thought out."
Canon Auto Zoom 814 Super 8
Featuring the world's first 8x f/1.4 zoom lens, this video camera enables Tristan to capture retro-style B-roll. "I love the sound of the film clicking through when you hold that record trigger," he says.
Lenses
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM
A professional grade zoom lens with up to 5-stops of image stabilisation and a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture. "My go-to lens for 90% of situations," says Tristan. "It just gives so many options for shooting both video and photos. The wide aperture also gives great depth of field when you need help in low-light situations."
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
A firm favourite of Tristan's, this lens is typically suited to landscape and architecture photography. It is part of the Canon professional L-series flagship range, designed for robust handling and resistant to dust and moisture.
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Ideal for many genres, this versatile lens boasts a fast, fixed aperture for shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh. Tristan says it is one of his favourite lenses. "It's commonly used for macro photography, but I love it for portraiture, and product and food content," he adds.
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