For over a decade, Dominican DP Sebastián Chelin and Gaffer Franmiris Lombert have forged a powerhouse visual partnership, collaborating on projects like Bantu Mama (streaming on Netflix) and Travis Scott’s music video, Yosemite. Their latest feature, Insular, follows a refugee who survives an illegal boat trip and struggles to adapt to life in the raw, isolated beauty of the Dominican coast. On-location shooting required innovative lighting solutions, so the duo relied on FilmGear®’s F-Series lights to withstand heavy rain, rocky shores, and brutal winds.
"During tests, we noticed something interesting—the F9K outperformed another light with the same wattage," says Chelin. "The reflector’s construction made a real difference."
Insular’s visual tone was shaped through a deliberate embrace of immersive international cinema. Inspired by films like Antonioni’s L’Avventura and La Notte, the Brazilian thriller Bacurau, and the surreal Swiss Army Man, Chelin and Lombert set out to create a raw, organic world. “Instead of forcing artificial lighting, we worked with natural light, deep shadows, and the textures of the environment.” he says. The F-Series played a critical role in maintaining consistency in extreme conditions, ensuring every shot aligned with the film’s minimalist aesthetic.
“We had to navigate rough terrain—no paths, no tracks.” recalls Lombert. A local coconut salesman, Alex, used a machete to clear a trail for the team as they set up in dense jungle. “The FilmGear® lights were incredible—lightweight yet powerful.” Lombert says. They enabled the team to shoot in caves, across unpredictable landscapes, and, perhaps most impressively, recreate sunlight inside a cave with precise adjustments. “It was an intense, unforgettable experience.”
Dominican cinema is still finding its voice. Since the film law was introduced in 2010, the country has produced 30 to 40 films annually—a significant achievement for such a small Caribbean nation. “Our biggest challenge is unlearning Hollywood conventions,” Chelin explains. “We often reference big-budget films, but we work with smaller crews and tighter budgets. Bon to Mama was a turning point—I realized we need to embrace our own storytelling methods and use the resources we have to create something uniquely ours.”
For Insular, this meant harnessing the coastal landscape’s raw beauty and blending it with natural elements to create a true sense of isolation. By minimizing artificial light and letting the environment speak for itself, Chelin and his team made a film that felt deeply authentic. As Framiris puts it, “Dominican cinema is one of contrast. One second, you’re in paradise—then boom, a rainstorm hits, and you can’t see in front of you. That’s not just the weather; it reflects bigger social and cultural contradictions. You have to adapt—fast.” The F-Series made this vision possible, proving itself as a reliable lighting partner.
We take pride in our lights being engineered by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Talking with Sebastián and Franmiris gave us valuable insight into not just their creative process but also how our work at FilmGear® helped realize their vision. If you want to grow your own lighting arsenal, contact our team at info@filmgearusa.com or call (323) 780-8880 for more information!
