Recall

John B. Barrett grew up in Laguna Beach, CA, where he developed an early appreciation for the outdoors – a lasting influence on his use of natural light and visual rhythm in photography. His passion for filmmaking began in childhood; he’d borrow his father’s camcorder to shoot action scenes with friends.

After graduating from the film program at CSU Fullerton, John landed his first industry experience interning on IMAX documentary film productions. He expanded his toolkit quickly, first as a drone operator, then by studying the art of Steadicam. While a career in cinematography was always his destination, these specialized skills opened doors that helped him grow within the industry. In 2018, he completed the ASC Masterclass and Steadicam Gold Workshop, learning from mentors including Caleb Deschanel, ASC; Kramer Morgenthau, ASC; Jerry Holway and Rey Reyes. He is now a member of IATSE Local 600.

Building on their past commercial work together, John and director Jennifer Massaux approached Recall as an opportunity to push creative boundaries and lean into more stylized, character-driven storytelling. Massaux’s script follows a near-future woman who adopts an AI child as human connection collides with technology.

As cinematographer, John shot the film on the RED V-Raptor XL with IronGlass MKII rehoused Soviet-era lenses, specifically chosen for their dreamy character and used to reinforce the story’s dystopian theme. John employed a controlled color palette with contrast-rich blacks to shape the emotional tone of each scene. Recurring visual techniques such as short side framing were used to reflect the emotional dissonance between characters. The film features striking visual effects by Other NYC and standout sequences, including a driving scene achieved through poor man’s process using CRLS bounce boards and wet glass under a tented 12× setup to create convincing movement. John also operated the camera and performed all Steadicam work throughout production.

John’s always got a project cooking, from commercials and music videos to collaborative films and experimental visual art pieces. He’s a familiar face at gear expos and indie film festivals, constantly engaged with the creative community. His work draws influence from Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC; Linus Sandgren, ASC; and M. David Mullen, ASC and is driven by a desire to create visuals that feel alive and intentional, always in service of making the audience feel something.

You’ll recognize his sense of humor by the plate on his Sprinter van that reads PAN UP.