Luke Watson graduated from Columbia College Chicago in May 2026 with a BA in Film and Television.
His main focus has been cinematography, with a mastery of the technical aspects of camera systems, lighting, and leadership skills. This allows room for him to be more creative with lighting and camera, opening the project to be more unique under Luke’s vision.
He has been creating/shooting movies for over 5 years and helping others make their projects come to life through lighting and camera.
Luke Watson was born in Fishers, Indiana, with a hearing condition called microtia atresia. Throughout his life, he has shown a preference for the more visual side of things, like exploring the sprawling woods of Indiana rather than sitting indoors listening to music or watching TV.
Over the years, he developed a liking for movies, not for how they made him feel emotionally or auditorily but for how they looked visually. Luke was always interested in the idea that he could create his own world/reality through filmmaking and use that as a vehicle to say what he can't express through his words.
Luke’s style has evolved greatly over the years, influenced by Wong Kar-Wai’s use of color in his scenes and the telephoto lenses that bring intimacy to the Safdie brothers’ visual style in their movies. Luke’s style of cinematography, most of the time, is shaped and molded by the director’s style and vision of the story. However, Luke’s influences in cinematography do bleed through, with naturalist-motivated lighting and a mix of surrealism to make his visuals more intriguing for the audience to observe.
Luke graduated from Columbia College Chicago, class of 2026, and is ready for the next chapter in life on his great filmmaking journey. Luke began his career 6 years ago and is now hungry for the next projects he will be working on as a fully trained cinematographer.