#45 - Tavis Pinnington - What Makes Narrative Film and Commercial Work So Different

Tavis is a cinematographer whose work spans across feature films, short-form narratives, documentaries, and commercial projects. His films have been officially selected for film festivals including Anak (MIFF 2022), Lakad (MIFF 2023) and Nursery (Flickerfest 2024). Tavis recently completed production on his second feature film Westgate (Directed by Adrian Ortega) due to be released mid 2025.On this episode, Tavis shares the difference between commercial and creative filmmaking and how narrative work allows for deeper artistic authorship, why commercial jobs require letting go of creative control, and what it really means to collaborate with directors and agencies. We explore how intuition shapes shot choices, how being present and photography act as creative resets, and the realities of building a career in the film industry without losing your voice. Tavis also reflects on visual storytelling, navigating post-production detachment, and finding creative fulfilment beyond the final product and so much more.-00:00 - Intro01:38 - Creative Ownership & Letting Go07:49 - Commercials vs Narrative15:36 - Recognition & First Feature at MIFF28:25 - Curiosity & Staying Inspired35:23 - Momentum, Action & Manifestation41:20 - Photography, Collage & City Life49:34 - Exploration & the Creative Process53:55 - Why Cinematography?56:30 - Visual vs Narrative Driven Films59:00 - Drawing inspiration1:03:00 - The Industry Shake-Up1:10:07 - The Blockbuster Formula & the Shift in Storytelling1:24:49 - Outro & Final Thoughts-Follow Tavis on Instagram: @tpdop----Follow Future History on Instagram: @futurehistoryxFollow Wayne Lim on Instagram: @wayofwayne