Masters of Light: Filippo Chiesa

Where? Parma, Italy
When? Since 2001
What? Filmmaking – DOP
Favourite equipment? Maxima 3 – Maxima Furiosa – Sony Alpha 1

Hello everyone, my name is Filippo Chiesa. I was born in Parma, Italy, and for more than two decades I have worked as a cinematographer and director of photography, steering productions that blend poetic storytelling with state-of-the-art technology. I have extensive experience in shooting and color grading. I am part of the “Collettivo Chiaroscuro (CCS)”, the very new association of professional Italian cinematographers. I’m actively involved in both artistic and technical decisions on set. I seamlessly transitions between high-budget and low-budget productions.

In 2023, I was nominated for an Emmy Award in the “Outstanding Cinematography” category for the American series Italy Made With Love, which aired on PBS.

Although I’m not particularly enamored with technology for its own sake, I believe it is essential to be well-versed in what the market has to offer to best communicate my personal vision.

What is your main field in cinematography?

I focus primarily on documentary features, art-driven TV series and short branded narratives. These formats let me apply a “dramatic-yet-grounded” visual style: intimate enough for vérité moments, yet cinematic enough to hold up on the big screen. My comfort zone ranges from agile, one-person shoots in remote environments to orchestrating multi-camera, big-crew studio days.

What equipment do you use?

My kit is built around compact full-frame mirrorless bodies such as the Sony α1, paired with cine primes like the DZOFILM Arles to keep the rig nimble without sacrificing character. These cameras are for me the most versatile choice, even on feature productions, given their exceptional image quality, dynamic range, and the ability to move quickly without the overhead of bulkier cinema systems—perfect for adapting to the evolving pace and style of modern cinematography.

Which Maxima products have you used?

I travel with two Maxima 3 and have recently embraced the bi-color Maxima Furiosa as my main key light. This two-fixture combo covers almost every lighting scenario I encounter on documentary sets and small dramas.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your favorite lighting strategy?

My approach begins by identifying the scene’s natural or logical light source, then shaping it to heighten emotion. The Furiosa, blasted through half-grid or bounced off ultra-bounce, gives me a lush, wrap-around key while still holding a solid T-stop. A gelled Maxima 3—often spotted through its Fresnel—acts as a motivated edge or accent, adding three-dimensionality without calling attention to itself. Because both units are ballast-free, I can reposition them in minutes as blocking evolves.

What are the characteristics of Maxima that you enjoyed most?

Maxima fixtures deliver a rare combination of output, color purity and ergonomics. Their extra-silent, all-in-one design means no umbilical cables or external ballasts cluttering the floor, while CRI/TLCI values hover around 100 across the CCT range. The intuitive on-board interface and rock-solid build make them the undisputed “kings of the hill” on fast-moving sets, and the spectral quality translates to fewer color tweaks in the grade—music to any colorist’s ears.