The CW original series Kung Fu follows the life-changing decision of Chinese American college student Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) to trade her life as a student for one of martial-arts mastery, which she applies to cleaning up crime in her hometown of San Francisco. The series was given its signature look by Season 1 cinematographers Lindsay George and Neil Cervin, CSC, NZCS, who worked with Panavision Vancouver to build an equipment package around Panavision G Series anamorphic optics and Panavised Alexa Mini cameras. That approach has continued through Kung Fu's third season, which saw cinematographers Christopher Charles Kempinski and Geoff Wallace alternating episodes and expanding their palette to incorporate Primo Close Focus primes. Here, Kempinski and Wallace discuss the optical qualities that allowed the series to move in exciting new directions.
Panavision: How would you describe the look of the series?
Christopher Charles Kempinski: I consider it natural yet also somewhat forced. We like to bring the camera to the action or bring the action to the camera, and because of the need to be efficient during the fight sequences, I learned to light the room to give directors, the cast and the stunt team the freedom to move in the space. The production designer, Bridget McGuire, made that process simple and was always on board when designing sets and locations.
Geoff Wallace: I looked at it as maintaining a style that had been established by some great cinematographers ahead of me on this series. One of the greatest aspects of this show is the creative concept of developing different realms the characters visit, each with its own unique look and style. That's where I found I was really able to be creative and give each realm its own feel visually.
Were there any particular visual references that provided inspiration?
Kempinski: The show itself is a grounded family drama with fighting. Season 2 really started exploring the spiritual and mystical aspects. That said, I set out to try to ground everything spiritual and fantastical in camera, with minimal VFX. Most of the references were from ancient Chinese folklore. The reds and blues from tablet art and ancient scrolls, along with the tones and framing, helped in shooting each scene and accenting our locations.
Wallace: For me it was about keeping the look and feel that has done this series well, established in Season 1 by Neil Cervin and Lindsay George, and continued in Season 2 by Lindsay and Chris. When it came to the realms, I let the script guide me and used references from movies past that I felt had a look that would work well with our story. For example, for the Abandoned Wasteland,' I used references like Jarhead, Three Kings and The Book of Eli.
What brought you to Panavision for this project?
Kempinski: I was brought into Season 2 by the very talented Lindsay George, who did the first season, and Joe Menendez, the producing director. The lenses and aspect ratio were established in the first season, but I couldnt have been more thrilled. Panavision has supported me since my early transition to DP, and I know the quality of glass and service is capable of overachieving at the highest level. Also, the ability to modify or machine specific pieces to help make specific shots possible is invaluable. The compact periscope was one tool we kept for the run of the show. Knowing we could put a 17.5mm lens right on the ground allowed for some dynamic shot designs. Most low-angle prisms won't let you use anything wider than a 40mm.
Wallace: Panavision is a world leader in our industry and always looking to advance our creative ambitions as cinematographers. One of the driving forces for using Panavision is the great selection of optics that are just not available anywhere else.
What optical characteristics did you see in the G Series that made them the right match for Kung Fu?
Kempinski: I love the look of these lenses. The trademark blue streak made our Season 2 finale what it was. The minimal breathing when focusing is perfectly imperfect,' to borrow a phrase Phil Lanyon [CSC] used when we were comparing Star Trek and Kung Fu. The lens distortion and pinpoint focus is just perfect, and how the background falls out and falls off is amazing. The look of the show is baked in with the G Series lenses as soon as the lens is up on the camera, the look is there.
Wallace: The G Series lenses were a great option for us that worked well with all the creative realms while still maintaining a clean overarching look for the main storyline. They provide clean skin tones and a slight softness that takes the edge off the look of modern digital cameras.
Kempinski: For Season 2, we ordered a 35mm Primo Close Focus for a specialty shot, and Joe Menendez absolutely fell in love it. That's when we began talking about a hybrid approach for Season 3. Adam Osten at Panavision Vancouver did a great job of sourcing a set of Close Focus Primos. We quickly established a style of blocking with the camera chasing the action or the action coming to the lens; the Primos became an essential part of this, allowing us to start wide, move the camera into an over-medium that would push to a close-up, and still leave room for the dramatic scene to push into an ECU at the end. They also helped with fight sequences, giving us an extra stop and change for slow motion and off-shutter. I need to give A-cam 1st AC Terry Garnett a shout out, as he was constantly using the entire focus wheel, starting at 50 feet and ending each shot at nine inch mins, nailing it every time. If you're shooting in Vancouver, definitely check if he's available!
How does this project differ from others in your career?
Wallace: As a cinematographer, a show like this is unique because it has everything, from fight scenes to love scenes, creative dimensions i
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
15/05/2026
Join Calrec at MPTS 2026 | May 13-14 | Stand A40 | Olympia, London We're looking forward to meeting up with customers and partners at this year's Media ...
15/05/2026
Against that backdrop, IAB UK has added retail media to its Gold Standard. Jan Pitt, Commercial Director at ABC, spoke with Liv McCullagh, Retail Media Lead at ...
15/05/2026
Further to RT 's statement released yesterday and in the interest of full transparency, with the full permission of Derek Mooney, we are now publishing the ...
14/05/2026
At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...
14/05/2026
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...
14/05/2026
New articulations, ostinatos, Motion Scoring Articulation Sets & more
Sonuscore's flagship cinematic string library has just been treated to a significa...
14/05/2026
World-class studio opens on T rkiye's Aegean coast
P r Recording & Residence have announced their official opening, introducing a new world-class reside...
14/05/2026
Now supports channel layouts up to 9.1.6
Nugen Audio have just released an update for their AI-powered dialogue intelligibility and compliance tool. Set to ...
14/05/2026
New recordings & one-key chord tool
UVI have just announced the release of Orchestral Suite 2, a ground-up redesign of their all-in-one symphonic orchestra ...
14/05/2026
Two new arrivals & expanded factory content
Rob Papen's all-encompassing plug-in and virtual instrument collection has just been treated to another upda...
14/05/2026
Embed QR codes into DAW sessions
FSK Audio's latest plug-in doesn't process audio, but serves as an organisational tool that allows QR codes to be e...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and ef...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO...
14/05/2026
Code of Silence has won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series at Sunday night's ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
The series, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis and w...
14/05/2026
Vivid Broadcast was embracing remote production long before it became the industry norm. Now, with Calrec's True Control 2.0-enabled Argo M and Type R conso...
14/05/2026
Comscore Reports First Quarter 2026 ResultsRESTON, Va., May 14, 2026 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating...
14/05/2026
RT is today publishing the earnings of its top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025, ahead of the publication of RT 's Annual Report 2025 later this year...
14/05/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
14/05/2026
The high-stakes chase thriller from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Matt Charm...
14/05/2026
Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...
13/05/2026
13 May 2026
VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 1Q26: Revenue 17.0%, EBITDA 17...
13/05/2026
Thousands of props donated from Skys longest-running original seriesWednesday 13 May 2026
How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs'...
13/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 13, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that I...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season FOX'S POWERFUL NEW SERIES PIPELINE FUELS A BREAKOUT SEASON WITH RETURNING HITS AND BOLD NEW STORYTELLING ACROSS ...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
12/05/2026
The latest drama underscores Sky's continued investment in regional production and Welsh creative talent.Tuesday 12 May 2026
Wales takes the spotlight in S...
11/05/2026
As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...
11/05/2026
Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...
11/05/2026
New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance
Bastl Instruments have announced the Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modellin...
11/05/2026
Compact sampling workstation gains new features
1010music have announced the blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWl...
11/05/2026
Performance-focused sequencer with microtonal control
Berlin-based KOMA Elektronik have announced Monoplex, a new 42HP Eurorack sequencer designed for hands...
11/05/2026
Boasts wireless control from mobile devices
The latest iteration of IK Multimedia's compact amp and effects modelling pedal expands on the capabilities ...
11/05/2026
Spans traditional orchestral and experimental sounds
Sonora Cinematic have recently released the third instalment in their Transfigured Orchestra series, de...
11/05/2026
Our exhibition coverage
Watch all our SUPERBOOTH 2026 video coverage in one place. Check back to this page regularly as we will be updating with more video ...
11/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is participating in the Equity Forum Ge...
11/05/2026
Bounteous Acquires Cartesian to Accelerate Enterprise AI
May 11, 2026
Business Assurance
News
Acquisition enhances deep data and analytics capabil...
11/05/2026
11 May 2026
VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board and Chairman, Reaffirming Confiden...
11/05/2026
Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, May 11, 2026 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company ) t...
The CW original series Kung Fu follows the life-changing decision of Chinese American college student Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) to trade her life as a student for one of martial-arts mastery, which she applies to cleaning up crime in her hometown of San Francisco. The series was given its signature look by Season 1 cinematographers Lindsay George and Neil Cervin, CSC, NZCS, who worked with Panavision Vancouver to build an equipment package around Panavision G Series anamorphic optics and Panavised Alexa Mini cameras. That approach has continued through Kung Fu's third season, which saw cinematographers Christopher Charles Kempinski and Geoff Wallace alternating episodes and expanding their palette to incorporate Primo Close Focus primes. Here, Kempinski and Wallace discuss the optical qualities that allowed the series to move in exciting new directions.
