Drew Dawson was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan. After finishing college with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in Studio Art, Drew delved into freelance camera work as a photographer, and later as camera assistant on many independent feature films. His love for film grew as learned filmmaking on set. Drew moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to further pursue his passion for cinematography and filmmaking, quickly learning from cinematographers Autumn Durald ASC, James Laxton ASC, Alexiś Zabe ASC, Christopher Blauvelt and many more. ​Drew prides himself on being able to adapt to the needs of each individual project and strives to tap into the core emotive qualities of the subject at hand. He has found that he is compelled by the concepts of impressionism and surrealism, as they relate to story. Drew works as a Cinematographer on commercials, music videos and other scripted projects and recently has been leveraging his skills to direct content created in Unreal Engine.

Drew Dawson

Drew Dawson was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan. After finishing college with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in Studio Art, Drew delved into freelance camera work as a photographer, and later as camera assistant on many independent feature films. His love for film grew as learned filmmaking on set. Drew moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to further pursue his passion for cinematography and filmmaking, quickly learning from cinematographers Autumn Durald ASC, James Laxton ASC, Alexiś Zabe ASC, Christopher Blauvelt and many more. ​Drew prides himself on being able to adapt to the needs of each individual project and strives to tap into the core emotive qualities of the subject at hand. He has found that he is compelled by the concepts of impressionism and surrealism, as they relate to story. Drew works as a Cinematographer on commercials, music videos and other scripted projects and recently has been leveraging his skills to direct content created in Unreal Engine.

Available to hire

Drew Dawson was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan. After finishing college with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a minor in Studio Art, Drew delved into freelance camera work as a photographer, and later as camera assistant on many independent feature films. His love for film grew as learned filmmaking on set. Drew moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to further pursue his passion for cinematography and filmmaking, quickly learning from cinematographers Autumn Durald ASC, James Laxton ASC, Alexiś Zabe ASC, Christopher Blauvelt and many more. ​Drew prides himself on being able to adapt to the needs of each individual project and strives to tap into the core emotive qualities of the subject at hand. He has found that he is compelled by the concepts of impressionism and surrealism, as they relate to story. Drew works as a Cinematographer on commercials, music videos and other scripted projects and recently has been leveraging his skills to direct content created in Unreal Engine.

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Language

English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Beginner

Work Experience

Cinematographer / Camera Operator at Freelance / Independent Projects
January 1, 2017 - Present
Cinematography, camera operation, lighting design, and cross-functional collaboration on feature films, documentaries, and festival selections. Hands-on leader with a proven track record of leading teams while remaining deeply engaged in the creative and technical process.

Education

Bachelors of Communications at Oakland University
September 1, 2003 - April 1, 2008
Minor in Studio Art

Qualifications

Freelance Filmmaker
April 1, 2009 - January 30, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Gaming, Software & Internet, Computers & Electronics