Maya Bankovic

I shoot movies. That means I spend my days choosing which lights and texture of light will look best for a scene. I decide where to hide lights out of the shot while still getting the desired effects, and which lens focal lengths to use to get the photographic composition I'm after. All the while, I have to communicate a certain creative tone for the scene and move a story forward.

I didn't pursue science in high school because I thought that I was pursuing a career in the arts. But I use science every minute of the day and have had to learn a lot about physics on the job! This includes such things as understanding optics as well as understanding the technology in the devices we use in the film industry. For optics I had to learn such things as how or why a lens is flaring or distorting or giving me the angle that it is. I had to learn the science behind light and color so that I could make sure lights are placed in the best place to give the best effect. Physics in particular is essential to understanding how to achieve the cinematic techniques we use as visual storytellers.