François Schmitt

Director of photography

About François



DOP, camera and steadicam & stab operator, second unit director.

35 years of professional, around the world experience.

Good knowledge in editing and data workflow (computer studies).

Languages spoken are french, english, italian, spanish, german.

Extreme conditions filming experience: ski, alpinism, paragliding & air sports, car/motorcycle, underwater, horse riding.

Worldwide and particular filming destinations like Svalbard, Himalayas, Amazonia, Africa, Brazil, India, Australia, USA, New Zealand, Timor Leste, Iceland, ...

Fast and efficient, concerned with production expenses. having self-owned company. Focused on team spirit, from very small to heavily organized crews. Self owned, 30 years old Belgium based company, dealing with invoices, able to fulfill production needs in specific adminstrative, production or co-production issues.




Filmography

Film

2014-2015 : “L'insoumise”, Jawad Rhalib
2013 : “7, rue de la Folie”, Jawad Rhalib
2012 : “Certifié Halal”, Mahmoud Zemouri (DOP second unit)
2007 : “Artefacts“, Gilles Daoust (camera operator, second unit)

Documentary

2016–2017 : “Afraid to remain silent“, Jawad Rhalib.
2014 : “Les hirondelles de l'amour”, 120', Jawad Rhalib.
2013 : TV serie, ”Echappées belles, routes mythiques”, France 5,
            (Mexico, USA).
2010 : “EU Election Observation Mission”, Christian Alvarez, (Ethiopia).
2007-2010 : TV serie, ”Echappées belles, routes mythiques”, France 5,
            (India, Syria, Jordania).
2007  : TV serie, “Carnets de voyages”, Arte, (Iceland, Cuba, India).
2006-2007  : TV serie, ”Les nouveaux explorateurs , Canal +,
            (Scandinavia, Niger, Peru).
2004-2005  : TV serie, “Le sens de la marche”, grandes randonnées,
            (Finistere, Basque country).
2003 :  TV serie,“Les regards de Sagarmatha”, , Everest, Henri de Gerlache.
2001 : “Apartheid, dix ans après“, Jawad Rhalib.
2000 : ”Vietnam Now“, Jawad Rhalib.

DOP/director

2015-2016 : Running footage/edits for Toyota & Lexus.
2014 : "TrainWorld", introducing the new train museum, Brussels.
1996-2013 : Series clips “Yamaha Scooters, bikes, quads, snowmobiles”, 
             (France, Spain, Sweden, USA, UK, Belgium).
2011 : “Chemins de rêves”, national railway's steamtrain, (Belgium).
2010 : ”Somewhere”, Rurhof resort, horse riding, (Belgium).
2009 : ”Just riding”, 13’, horse trekking Wyoming, (USA).
2006 : “Bierzet airport, passenger terminal”, (Belgium).
2004 : “Tripy GPS motorcycle roadbook”, GPS, (Belgium).
2000-2002  : ”Verbier ‘00 “ (ski), Téléverbier lifts s.a. (Switzerland),
            :”Jetraid“ (jetski raid), 3 éditions, (Senegal,Mauritania,Guinea- Bissau),
              incl. TV broadcasts « Moteur »
            : Car & motorcycle races for TV broadcast « Moteurs » (RTL/TVI, Belgium).
            : Jetski races “EJSBI tour“, european championships.
1998-1999 : Paraglide, hanglide, skyfall, skysurf, ballooning, gliding, aerobatics
            competitions, on behalf of Federal Aeronautical Association (FAI).
1997 : “World Air Games” (paragliding/hangliding), competition broadcasts for
            FAI / TWI / Eurosport, (Turkey). 
1996  : ”World Air Test Games” paragliding/hangliding), test races for TV broadcast.
1995 : “Up in the sky“ (paraglide), UP gliders (Germany),prize of artistic achievement,
             St-Hilaire festival '95 (France).
            :“ Trailer”, french free flying federation, (France).
1994 : “Le pays des quatre vents” (paragliding), Alpes de Haute Provence region,
            prize of originality St-Hilaire festival ’94 , (France).
1993 : “Larger than life“ (paraglide), world championships ’93, (Switzerland),
            public prize, St-Hilaire festival ’93 (France), grand prize Torello ’93 (Spain).
1988  : “Verbier Style” (ski), short movie , prize of comedy, Juans les Pins ’89
            (Switzerland,France)

Short movies, camera operator.

 “Buckle up“, Joachim Weissmann, DOP on part of shoot.
“30' par jour“, Samuel Lampaerts, DOP
“Snuff movie”, Olivier van Hofstadt
“L'ange et la marionette”, Eric Figon
“Le pays de la fleur noire”, Eric Figon
“In Mortem”, Daniel Coreman
“La malédiction du Dr Schnitzel”, Eric Figon
“Cleaners”, Bertrand Jacques
“Le veilleur”, Frederic Brival