Filming in War Zones and High-Risk Situations – An Insightful Interview with Cinematographer Timothy Wolfer

by Mascha DeikovaToday

How to document vulnerable human stories straight out of war zones, conflicting areas, or high-risk situations? What is ethical and what is not? How can you ensure your own safety while heading straight into the epicenter, armed with your gear and a strong determination to capture meaningful shots? Timothy Wolfer has the answers based on his own vast experience as a freelance cinematographer, photographer, and journalist. In a video interview with CineD’s Graham Sheldon, he shares his insights on finding stories, filming in high-risk areas, navigating ethical challenges, and collaborating with fixers on location.

At the moment, Timothy is situated in Beirut amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iranian proxy forces. It’s not his first time documenting stories in high-risk zones: he was in Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, filmed the January 6th U.S. Capitol attack, and has worked in locations ranging from areas affected by natural disasters to war zones. Regardless of the location, he always has only one thing at heart: to get out there and capture the history unfolding as he sees it.

Filming in war zones: why?

In the interview with Graham, Timothy shares how it started. He was always passionate about telling human stories, and most of all – of refugees and displaced people. As a filmmaker, he wants to give these people a platform to talk and come to the heart of their issues and problems. Sadly, migration is often a consequence of wars and military conflicts, making them a frequent starting point for Timothy as he pursues his goal. However, his work extends beyond these contexts.

For his first documentaries in this field, Timothy started out “small.” (And that’s a piece of advice he has for all aspiring filmmakers sharing his passion). He traveled domestically around the US, heading for hurricanes, earthquakes, and the aftermath of other catastrophes. As he recalls, Timothy’s first real experience in the documentary area was the Haiti earthquake in 2010. Around four days after the disaster, he hitchhiked there and put together a feature film about the orphan evacuations. From then on, Timothy developed a general goal for his films: finding the stories, linking them to the news, but also looking at the deeper issues.

A couple of words on safety and workflows

Another important topic that Timothy Wolfer and Graham Sheldon discuss in the video is the filmmaker’s safety, and Timothy explains how he works. His kit is always packed and ready to roll. However, it doesn’t only include the traditional camera setup, microphones, and further filmmaking gear:

Obviously, we’re in a war zone, so I have a bulletproof vest and helmets and I always bring two sets of those, so that if I hire a fixer or someone like that, they can also be protected.

A quote from the video interview with Timothy Wolfer

Timothy’s usual approach is to get to one of the hot areas and start slowly, not jumping to filming immediately. It’s a valuable tip he recommends: always find a safe place to stay and make sure you feel comfortable first. Timothy then organizes a good translator and driver, if needed, and takes care of proper documentation from the local authorities. Only then, when everything is settled, does he go out and start looking for stories.

Also in this video interview

Timothy and Graham also dive into a variety of topics and tips, crucial for anyone willing to work in war zones and high-risk situations. They discuss:

• The ethical questions (for instance, how to preserve radical honesty by showing both sides of the conflict; or how to decide when it’s time to stop filming and help instead);
• How to be in the right place at the right moment;
• Pictures he is usually after;
• Approaching people in difficult situations and interviewing them;
• The safest workflows to film on location;
• Collaboration between reporters and fixers and the importance of establishing trust between them.

Watch the full video by clicking the thumbnail at the top of the article.

Filming in war zones and high-risk situations: what’s your story?

Filming in war zones and high-risk situations is not easy, and Timothy Wolfer admits it. It requires training, patience, courage, and passion. However, this career can be very fulfilling in the sense of doing something meaningful. I guess, in the end, that’s enough of a reason to pursue it.

What about you? Have you ever worked in war zones, conflict areas, or other high-risk situations? What could you add to Timothy’s experience? Or, if not, would you like to follow this kind of path? Why? Please, share your story with us in the comments below.