Today we’d like to introduce you to Chuck Hatcher.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Chuck. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My interest in cinematography started when I was in college at Stephen F. Austin State University. I was majoring in photography when I noticed a class called “Introduction to Cinema.” I decided to take the class and discovered how much fun it was to shoot a film. From that point on, I was hooked. The next semester, I transferred to UNT (NTSU) because they had an RTF program. After graduating, I entered the professional world of filmmaking as a freelance grip/electrician. Over the next few years, I was fortunate to get on a few jobs that led to other jobs. I worked on commercials, industrial films and several movies shooting in Dallas. After a few years working as a grip, electrician and gaffer, the urge to shoot so strong, I had to go find clients that would allow me to shoot and light. Having worked a lot with my main mentors, Bob Dracup (Gaffer) and Philip Pfeiffer (Cinematographer) for several years, I had the skills to take the next step.
The ’90s brought me the opportunity to experiment and hone my skills with Karaoke music videos, which led to shooting music videos for major label artists including Collin Raye, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Allison Krause, and many, many others. One of the music videos I shot won the 1998 CMA Video of the Year. I cannot express how much FUN it was to shoot those videos. During the ’90s, I was hired, for the first time, as 2nd Unit DP for “Children of the Corn IV”. The end of the ’90s brought Napster which decimated the music business as we knew it, and especially cut the budgets for Music videos by 50-90%.
The early 2000s brought me an opportunity to shoot many episodes for The Discovery Channel shows “The FBI Files” and “The New Detectives”. In between shooting those shows, I continued shooting commercials and corporate films.
In the mid-2000s, I was offered an opportunity to shoot and direct jingle spots for a local producer. The film/video business was evolving and work was getting “spotty” so I decided to take the gig. Over the next 5-6 years, I traveled the country shooting and directing over 1500 of these. My kids were in college and this work “paid the bills”.
2008 finally brought me the opportunity I had been wanting… I was hired to be the Cinematographer on the feature film “Pearl” set in the 1930s. It was a fantastic experience that led to me shooting a couple of more features including, “Charlie: A Toy Story” and “Don’t Look in the Basement 2.”
Since then, with my kids through college and my financial responsibilities lessened, I decided to refocus on the reason I got into films, to begin with, shooting narrative. Lately, I have shot a bunch short films that have won many awards at film festivals all over the globe and I am having a blast! I am always looking for my next feature film to shoot and continue to shoot commercials. In addition to all that, I am also shooting stills again and enjoying every minute. It’s still so much fun to create images, both motion and still.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A career as a freelance cinematographer is not a smooth road, but there is not a more rewarding career I could have chosen. There are ups and downs, both professionally and financially, when you chose to be freelance (self-employed). The most challenging thing right now is the internet has COMPLETELY reshaped our business and has made it VERY challenging to make a living without a side gig. I feel very fortunate to have been able to make a living as a cinematographer for all these years.
Tell us about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I am a freelance cinematographer. I specialize in shooting narrative films, documentaries, commercials, and music videos. I am most proud of the music videos and feature films I have had to pleasure to shoot. What sets me apart for others is my ability to immediately see how to shoot a scene and also create a mood with light and lens choices.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are several mentors I give credit to that helped me along in my career. First is my photography professor at SFA, Dr. Neil Roach. He recognized my ability and encouraged me very early on. Next, is Bob Dracup. Bob was the Gaffer I worked with early in my career. He taught me to light with hard light and is the foundation I use to this day. My other mentor was Philip Pfeiffer. Phil is a cinematographer I worked with on many shoots with early in my career, including Born on the Fourth of July. Phil taught me how to lead my team with passion and how to get your crew to “buy-in” to your vision.
Others who were instrumental in my success as a cinematographer are directors Steven T. Miller and Brad Murano of Opticon Entertainment/Film Xero, director Norry Niven of Niven Films and 1000′ Squid, who allowed me to run with some crazy ideas early on, director Scott Hadden who was one of the first to let me shoot anything, director King Hollis of South Road Pictures who trusted me to shoot his very first feature film and the late great director Steven Goldmann of The Collective (Nashville) who took me to the top of the music video world. There are others, but none as influential as these.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1546 Waterford Dr.
Lewisville, Texas 75077 - Website: www.chucdp.com
- Phone: 972.333.6071
- Email: chuc@chucdp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chucdp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chucdp
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