Director of Photography

Christopher Jenkins

How did you come to be a part of the film crew?

The fact that I love spanish people, and the spanish culture. That initially drew me. And it also mattered that this was a true HD project. But mostly it was the challenge of shooting something that I myself might be disturbed by, but something that is also beautiful, in its way.

Where you familiar with the subject matter?

I saw my first bullfight when I was 17. At that time, I was the one in the ring who would stand up and cheer when the matador got knocked down.
Obviously, I was older and wiser by the time I shot on this film.

What was most challenging aspect of this work?

At times the camera helped me to separate myself from some of the violence. I didn't have much time to ponder the brutality that was happening while shooting. But when I had time to sit and watch the bullfights, I had time to contemplate the suffering, that was sometimes hard.

The camera?

Yes, the F900 (HD camera) was a different animal. It can be very bulky for the kind of shooting we needed to do on this project. But these shoots, overall, went very smoothly compared with other, international shoots I've been on. Stephen as a director is adaptable - that kind of thing makes a huge difference on these kinds of productions, the ability to create a cohesive team that can adjust to changes on the fly.



How do you feel about the subject matter and your participation in the movie now that it's over?

I will forever be confilcted about the idea of killing beings for entertainment. I find it very strange, coming from a background of wildlife programming. Previously, I had always done camerawork to help protect these animals. Now, to be in a project where there's no question that the animal will get hurt, and probably die, was unique. 



What do you think of David?

I like him a lot. He's an incredible person. I was lucky to see both sides of him. Aside from his incredible physical talent, he's a very kind individual, with an almost a mysterious aura about him. He has a way with animals that I'm fascinated by. Whether it's horses, bulls, or cats..he seems to have an understanading of animals. They seem to befriend him.