Cinematographer · Paris
Cinematographer in Paris
Raphaël Molina, cinematographer and director of photography (DoP) for fiction, commercials, music videos and documentaries. Based in Paris, available across France, the UK and Europe.
Fill in the form or call me on +33 6 60 82 31 80
Let’s talk about your project
A film in the works?
Tell me about your project in a few lines: format, dates, location. I’ll get back to you with my availability.
Play the 2026 showreel ▶Cinematographer in Paris
I am Raphaël Molina, a cinematographer based in Paris. My job is to turn the intentions of a director, a production company or a brand into images. Framing, lighting, the choice of camera and lenses, the texture and colour of the image: the cinematographer, also known as the director of photography, is responsible for everything the audience sees on screen.
I work on short fiction films, commercials and branded content, music videos, documentaries and event coverage. Every project calls for a different look, but my approach stays the same: understand what the film is about before talking about equipment, then build an image that serves the story instead of showing off.
I hold a film degree from Université Paris 8 and took part in the Égalité des chances programme at ENS Louis-Lumière, one of France’s leading film schools. Most of what I know, though, I learned on set: as an intern on the Netflix series Family Business, at a camera rental house, and then as an electrician and gaffer on feature films, series and commercials. This dual background, camera and lighting, is at the heart of the way I work.
A cinematographer for every format
Short and feature fiction films
Fiction is the core of my work. I have shot many short films, including Nébuleuse by Titouan Stéber, Orchis and Devant mes yeux by Julian Aïdan, Stendhal by Eulalie Leroy and Yohann Turi, Les profondeurs d’un cri by Michèle Déra and Arcane sans nom by Maxime Flourac. On a fiction film, I get involved from the shot list onwards: every choice of focal length, camera movement or contrast should say something about the characters and where they are going.
Commercials and branded content
For a brand, the image has to be beautiful, clear and true to a visual identity. I work with agencies and production companies on commercials, social media content and corporate films, in the studio as well as on location. My experience of virtual production shoots in front of LED walls also means I can support productions that choose these newer techniques.
Music videos
Music videos allow a lot of visual freedom and often mean doing a lot in very little time. I like to look for a strong identity: colourful lighting, a distinctive camera movement, an image texture that follows the music. As part of lighting crews, I have also worked on music videos for artists such as Rauw Alejandro, Kyan Khojandi and Barack Adama.
Documentaries and event coverage
Documentary work means staying discreet, working with the light that is already there and being ready for the unexpected. I shot the aftermovie of the Château Perché festival in 2025, and I cover events where responsiveness matters as much as image quality.
What a cinematographer does, from prep to grade
A cinematographer’s work starts long before the first shooting day and ends well after the last one. This is how I organise it on a project.
Pre-production
Reading the script or brief, discussing references with the director, location scouting, the technical shot list, choosing the camera, lenses and filters, a lighting plan for each location, the equipment list and putting together the camera and lighting crew. Good preparation saves time and money on set: this is when most of the decisions are made.
On set
On set, I lead the camera department, camera assistants, gaffer, electricians and grips, and make sure every shot matches the intention defined in prep. I operate the camera myself on most projects, which keeps me close to the actors and the staging. I also keep a constant eye on the schedule: a beautiful image is only worth it if the day is made.
Post-production and colour grading
The image is finished in post-production. I attend the colour grade with the colourist or editor so that the colour stays true to what was planned on set, and I work with the DIT on data and rushes management upstream, so that nothing is lost between the shoot and post.
Strong lighting experience
Alongside my work as a cinematographer, I work as a gaffer and electrician on feature films, series and commercials: the Netflix documentary series Outreau, un cauchemar français, Y a-t-il un dealer dans l’avion ? for Netflix, the feature film Là où on s’aime, il ne fait jamais nuit, and the commercial Petite sœur for the Fondation Abbé Pierre, directed by Arnaud Desplechin.
Working alongside other directors of photography has given me an in-depth knowledge of LED, tungsten and HMI fixtures, power distribution and lighting control. Behind the camera, this experience translates into realistic lighting plans that are properly sized and quick to rig. These shoots are shown on the Gaffer & electrician page.
Recent work as a cinematographer
A selection of films I shot. Each page shows the full film, its stills and the crew.
NébuleuseShort film · 2026 · Titouan Stéber
OrchisShort film · 2026 · Julian Aïdan
StendhalShort film · 2026 · E. Leroy, Y. Turi
Devant mes yeuxShort film · 2026 · Julian Aïdan
Itération48-hour film · 2025 · V. Lavastre, T. Samson
Château PerchéAftermovie · 2025 · Titouan StéberItération, shot in 48 hours for a film competition in Paris in 2025, won the award for best actor and was nominated for best direction and best film. All films are on the home page.
Equipment and crew
I own a professional camera kit, with lenses and accessories, which keeps logistics simple and lets each production adapt the budget. For bigger projects, I work with Paris rental houses to put together the right package: cinema camera, lens set, grip and lighting.
Depending on the scale of the shoot, I bring a trusted crew, camera assistants, gaffers, electricians, DIT, or work with a small crew for lighter productions. Either way, I am fully equipped for any audiovisual project, from prep to delivery.
Based in Paris, available across France, the UK and Europe
Based in Paris, I shoot in the Île-de-France region and all over France. I also have accommodation in Lyon, Montpellier and Vannes, which makes shoots in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Brittany regions easier to organise. I hold a driving licence and have a vehicle, so I can travel easily with my equipment.
I speak fluent English, including the technical vocabulary of the set, and I am happy to work with British and European productions, in France or abroad. If your production is coming to France, see also my page for international productions looking for a director of photography in Paris. This page also exists in French.
Paris is one of the busiest filmmaking cities in Europe, with camera and lighting rental houses, studios, post-production facilities and experienced crews all within reach. Working with a cinematographer who is based there and knows this ecosystem saves precious prep time: equipment tests can be booked quickly, crew members are people I have already worked with, and practical questions about locations, permits or transport are easier to anticipate. Whether your shoot takes place in a Paris apartment, a studio in the suburbs or a village in the south of France, I can help you plan the camera and lighting side of it realistically.
How to choose a cinematographer
Choosing a cinematographer is first of all choosing a point of view. Before talking about equipment, watch the showreel and the full films: is the lighting consistent from one shot to the next? Does the image serve the story, or is it only trying to impress? Has the cinematographer worked on projects close to yours in format, budget or tone?
Then come very practical questions that matter as much as talent: the ability to keep to a schedule, to size a crew and an equipment list to the budget, and to talk with the producers as easily as with the director. A good first conversation usually makes this clear.
That is why I always suggest a call or a meeting before committing: we talk about your intentions, your references and your constraints, and I then send you a clear proposal for the crew and equipment you need. For a first film or an established production, the goal is the same: an image that lives up to the project, with no bad surprises on the shooting day.
Let’s work together
Are you preparing a short film, a commercial, a music video or a documentary and looking for a cinematographer in Paris? Send me a few lines about your project: dates, locations, format, an indicative budget and your intentions. I will get back to you with my availability and a first proposal for the technical setup.