Fowler Films

Fowler Films I am a cinematographer and steadicam operator in eastern Tennessee. Being part of the collaborative process is one of the more rewarding aspects of my job.

Commercial and narrative work take up most of my time, but documentary and industrial work is always enjoyed.

Had the chance to spend a few weeks in Tokyo shooting for A Life Reimagined, a documentary about Japanese photographer G...
04/09/2026

Had the chance to spend a few weeks in Tokyo shooting for A Life Reimagined, a documentary about Japanese photographer George Masa, the man whose vision and focus helped create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail.

We were there to trace Masa's origins, digging through national archives and shooting interviews with researchers who helped unlock access we never would've had on our own.

Small crew, years of research by director Paul Bonesteel, big story.

Alexa 35, anamorphic lenses, and a whole lot of walking through downtown Tokyo.
Beautiful country. Could've stayed a lot longer.

Directed by Paul Bonesteel.

Capturing moments like these, when everything briefly lines up in front of the lens, is what keeps me coming back to the...
01/26/2026

Capturing moments like these, when everything briefly lines up in front of the lens, is what keeps me coming back to the work.

Six frames from a film we shot a while back.

The conditions weren’t exactly doing us any favors, but that tends to sharpen your instincts. You make fewer choices, but you make them on purpose.

A lot of this came down to slowing things down, committing to frames, and trusting that simple decisions usually age better than clever ones.

Still like how these turned out.
When you are under pressure on set, do you simplify or push harder?

Not sure what to say here. It’s pretty.
12/30/2025

Not sure what to say here. It’s pretty.

You can't tell every story and still sleep at home. Travel is a key part of what I do, and often a big part of the plann...
12/10/2025

You can't tell every story and still sleep at home. Travel is a key part of what I do, and often a big part of the planning for a project. AdventistHealth, primarily on the west coast has hospitals in very rural areas like on the Mendocino Coast, CA, and giant metropolitan areas like Glendale CA. This project was telling the story of the comparable level of care one would receive in a rural hospital with the support of a system like AdventistHealth. It was great to meet the people in those areas, and see the work they do for their patients.

Shot on C300mk3 / Cooke Panchros

I've only lived where snow is rare. Here in the south we might get a couple inches once a year. (except for random years...
11/13/2025

I've only lived where snow is rare. Here in the south we might get a couple inches once a year. (except for random years where 3in shuts down the city and ) So we travel to where it snows. Sometimes that is a long way away, like Zermatt Switzerland. Other times it's on this continent, up in maple syrup land, but where milk comes in bags. (Wellington Ontario) But each time we enjoy the change.

We have time to recalibrate, to focus on different things, and add some texture to our lives. I still think about filmmaking and visual storytelling and love that part. We sit and watch the snow, all while we know we don't need to buy a snowplow, because I'm married to someone from northern Minnesota, and she LOVES shoveling snow. (not a joke. loves it)

Leaving Phoenix for Louisville after a fun awards show shoot. Waking up 3am is less of a habit id like to make, but it d...
11/05/2025

Leaving Phoenix for Louisville after a fun awards show shoot. Waking up 3am is less of a habit id like to make, but it does allow for some breathtaking views as we fly east to meet the sun, and say goodbye to moon.

Off to help and others teach some Steadicam skills.

I still like flying. Maybe not in the same way I used to, but there's still something special about the process, jumping...
11/03/2025

I still like flying. Maybe not in the same way I used to, but there's still something special about the process, jumping through the hoops, learning the changing rules, dealing with luggage, and still going to a new place across the country in just a few hours.

Flying give me the chance to work almost anywhere, meet new people, and tell new stories. So I'm ok with the hassle for now.

Night shoots, day-for-night, even day-for-day. Tight schedules. A crew that showed up and made it happen.This film was p...
09/16/2025

Night shoots, day-for-night, even day-for-day. Tight schedules. A crew that showed up and made it happen.

This film was proof that preparation pays off. Brynn, our director, had sharp ideas and the flexibility to pivot when a brand-new location came up at the last minute. I brought my own visual angles to the mix, and when things needed quick adjustments, years of on-set experience helped us stay on track.

The end result? A sharp, tense story that connected with audiences and found its way into festivals. That’s the kind of chaos that makes filmmaking worth it.

🎬 Shot on ARRI with Cooke Panchro lenses, mixing handheld, dolly, and a touch of Steadicam.

A beautiful part of the world. Amazing that we as humans are able live in places like this, and if we can't live there, ...
09/11/2025

A beautiful part of the world. Amazing that we as humans are able live in places like this, and if we can't live there, we can visit!

RETIREMENT! Nope. not me, but these folks that live at the ACTS retirement community in Maryland were awesome to work w...
09/10/2025

RETIREMENT!
Nope. not me, but these folks that live at the ACTS retirement community in Maryland were awesome to work with. We met retires teachers, engineers, a WW2 pilot and someone from one of the 3 letter agencies.

The goal was to capture a slice of what life is like at the ACTS community. The challenge was to fit in with the busy schedule of the facility and the real people featured in the commercial. NO PROBLEM! We've been doing that for years. We planned out what we needed, brought in our wonderful people and got some great moments showing them having a great time.

Friday guessing game. Guess the location, and 2x Bonus points for the closest to the capture date. This is 4 of 4 photos...
09/05/2025

Friday guessing game.
Guess the location, and 2x Bonus points for the closest to the capture date.
This is 4 of 4 photos.

STILL the Friday guessing game. Guess the location, and 2x Bonus points for the closest to the capture date. This is 3 o...
09/05/2025

STILL the Friday guessing game.
Guess the location, and 2x Bonus points for the closest to the capture date.
This is 3 of 4 photos.

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Chattanooga, TN

Telephone

+14235953808

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Let’s bend reality!

It’s all about people.

Well, people and bending reality. When you first met that person you fell in love with, or came over the hill and saw the most beautiful landscape, or visited that cute farmers market in a small town. We remember it differently than it was. We glamorize things, and add details that were not there because that moment was special to us.

Filmmaking is like that for me. It is a strange career. I want to shoot a scene or moment in a way that makes it special. Makes it memorable. Sometimes reality is what we’re looking for, so just a pretty scene is enough. Other times we pull out all the stops to make reality something just a bit more memorable.