Documentarian Jennifer Cox Becomes First DP to Use ZEISS Nano Prime Lenses

What was your path to cinematography and documentary?

It was not a direct path for me at all. I started out studying Architecture, with a minor in Fine Art. When I began working for architects, I realized it wasn't my world. At the time architecture had become more focused on semiotics and literary criticism than form, space, and light.

Around that same time, I attended a Robert McKee seminar on screenwriting. The way he discussed a narrative journey in a screenplay resonated with me. His description of the screenplay paralleled the concept of narrative architecture where your character becomes a proxy of experience, leading you on a linear trajectory through space and time. He even used the same language about compression and expansion that we did in architecture. The use of space is analogous to creating a visual language or motif in film. However, I was hesitant to commit to film because it seemed indulgent and not financially viable.

I ended up working as an artist assistant and fabricator for ten years before finally attending graduate film school at Columbia University. There we had the same the discussions about space and how it impacts your character. That language from architecture school stayed with me.

How did you land on cinematography?

I don't come from a photography background. Many in my family are involved in the arts, but I wasn't a shutterbug. While studying directing and writing, I didn’t want to ever be afraid of the camera or to not know how to speak to my DP. I started volunteering on various projects as a camera assistant, loader, or 2nd AC. Spending time in the camera department made me fall in love with cinematography. As the means to make films becoming more accessible, I started doing everything myself, often working as a one-woman band on many projects.

How did you get your hands on the Nano Prime lenses and what was the first project you shot like?

I met Jean-Marc Bouchut from ZEISS literally the day before shooting the Beatles Fan Fest. He showed me the Nanos, and I immediately asked about borrowing them. I believe I was actually the first DP internationally to use them, outside of a ZEISS-branded piece.

This Beatles Fan Fest documentary (which is still in the making) is about the longest-running Beatles Fan Fest, which just celebrated its 50th year. The event took place at the TWA terminal, where the Beatles first arrived in the US en route to the Ed Sullivan Show. Some of the modern attendees had been present back in 1964. They shared all kinds of stories–like getting Ringo Starr to sign their arm then having it permanently tattooed.

The Fest is a real community where attendees have grown up and grown old together, still relishing the music. It was beautiful to shoot people dancing like they were in their 20s again. The Fest takes over the hotel with various performances, presenters, book vendors, and memorabilia sales. Our crew had to hit the ground running, shooting non-stop for 12-13 hours.

How did the Nano Primes come into play?

I didn’t have a chance to test the lenses ahead of time. The first time I used the Nanos was on that set. I was super nervous. On recent projects, I had been working a lot with Canon Cine Primes and comparatively the barrel of the Nanos is much smaller, which I was happy about. That meant it was also a lot closer to the film plane. The camera had been set up by a previous operator and the follow focus was too far forward for these lenses. There wasn’t time to change it, because right away there were performances we had to capture. So, I just ripped off the front rods and used my hand.

The travel distance for bringing something into focus was comfortable, so I was able to operate fine without a follow focus. The only problem was at first, I might reach for the barrel, overshoot because the Nanos are so much shorter, and catch my hand in frame.

Even so, I immediately loved the way the lens felt in my hand and the way it came into focus. I was so surprised and grateful for that. The Nanos performed exceptionally well, being so light and easy to swap focal lengths out. They helped me up my game from the start, providing gorgeous, crisp, yet gentle imagery.

I am very particular about how a lens comes into focus, and the Nanos delivered with an extremely gentle fall-off. They felt like an extension of my own vision, enhancing my connection to the subject without interference. The minimum focus allowed me to get really close to the subjects' faces, maintaining a sense of intimacy. Despite initial nerves, the experience was rewarding, and I was grateful for the results.

What did you use the Nanos on after that? How was it different?

Next, I shot a short doc for Free Arts, an amazing non-profit that brings arts education to NYC’s underserved youth. It was great being around the kids and witnessing their creative literacy, especially in the context of dwindling arts education in public schools. With my background as an artist assistant, the project really spoke to me.

I chose the Nanos again because we were shooting with young people from all over the city, with many different backgrounds, and the lenses have great versatility with different skin tones. They handled the variety of complexions well, responding beautifully without requiring constant adjustments.

During this project I tried to play with how the lenses flared. I found the Nanos flare to be, again, gentle. The way they reacted to a direct light hit was graceful. During that last scene in Times Square, I follow a young woman around while all the crazy different light sources would bokeh or gently flare. I wish I’d had even more time to try it out! 

Tell us about the third film, for the PEN America Courage Award.

The Courage Award from PEN America focuses on correcting disinformation. This year’s recipients are Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, and I was flown out to Atlanta to film them. They are two Georgia election workers, a mother and daughter, who were targeted by Trump and Giuliani. Their case is potentially ongoing, so it was a very rushed timeline, and I only had about an hour and a half to film them. I had to be super tight and organized.

I wanted a very pure look and feel, that would let who these women were come to the fore. I aimed for a pure and lyrical approach, emphasizing their presence rather than retraumatizing them by retelling their stories. We created a lighting setup that lent a sense of portraiture, without feeling overly lit. We had a very shallow depth of field and the fall off looked just great. The Nanos helped create a feeling of luminescence, making the subjects appear lit from within. The lenses helped serve as a beautiful intermediary between my subjects, the sensor, and me.

What is characteristic in how you approach your work?

I prioritize embodying my clients' needs and desires, from on set behind the lens, to the final edit. This mindset informs everything from music to shooting style, camera movement, lens choices, and lighting. My work spans nonprofits and the design industry, translating clients' aims into compelling visual narratives. I ensure that I bring my clients' visions to the foreground as much as possible.

Being a documentary DP can be analogous to directing. You have to think through scenes, character introductions, and the visual language that communicates specific messages. It's about being intentional and adaptable, constantly thinking on your feet, which is the beauty of documentary cinematography.

I recall Jay Holben, on Cinematography Salon, said that lenses are an analog intermediary between your subject and you the cinematographer. I always do a lot of research and I try to get inside their stories as much as possible when taking on a project. I am very sensitive to how a person is moving through the filming space. When you are a documentary cinematographer, especially doing a lot of verité work, you also need to be an athlete as well as an emotional conduit. I am a triathlete; I never want my body to get in the way of being able to capture the story. Even a DSLR on a Ronin gets very heavy after hour fourteen.

What is next for you?

I'm involved in several projects right now. One that I'm particularly excited about involves working as one of several DPs on a piece with a similar approach to "Boys State" and "Girls State." We'll have six DPs, each following one character over a long weekend. This project will be less interview-focused, which I find refreshing. I love lighting interviews and the challenge they bring, but my favorite work is more dynamic, visually engaging, and on your feet.

I'm also directing and shooting my own project, which explores what else documentary can be. It's inspired by CPB’s Fogo Island Process which loosely uses filmmakers and film language as a kind of tool – in this case to perhaps broker peace in a divided family. It's a big experiment that might fail, but I'm excited to explore its potential.