David’s First Short Film as Director of Photography

Blog by Jada Parrish | News | 05/26/25

David’s been behind the camera for most of his life, but this was a whole new experience.

We recently flew to Los Angeles so he could be the Director of Photography (DP) on a short film called Real Robbers—written and directed by Austin Zajur and Gabriel Rush.

David’s First Short Film as Director of Photography - Jada And David Parrish

What started as a small project quickly snowballed into a full-blown production with a cast and crew of about 30 people, all working together to create a 20-minute film about two robbers who break into a mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

David’s First Short Film as Director of Photography - Jada And David Parrish

If you’re not familiar with filmmaking, the Director of Photography is the one responsible for shaping the visual style of the film. David collaborated closely with the directors to plan camera angles, lighting setups, and shot composition. He also managed the camera crew, gaffer, and grip team to help bring the directors' vision to life. It’s a big job. And working on set is intense.

We filmed for four back-to-back 12-hour days to bring the 22-page script to life. David shot everything on a RED Gemini and pulled off some incredible shots using a Dana Dolly and an Easyrig.

David’s First Short Film as Director of Photography - Jada And David Parrish

He worked closely not just with the directors but also with the 1st Assistant Camera (who handled focus pulling and camera setup) and the gaffer (who helped craft lighting that matched the tone of each scene).

And I got to be on set too—doubling as the set decorator and behind-the-scenes photographer. (Yes, that’s a real job, and it’s so cool.) I got to document the entire process and capture David absolutely crushing it in his DP role.

David’s First Short Film as Director of Photography - Jada And David Parrish

The film is currently in post-production, but if you want to see updates and behind-the-scenes moments, check out @realrobbersfilm on Instagram.

This whole experience lit a fire under us. David and I met doing highschool theater - and this experience felt so much like that. Being on set and making a film has really inspired us to incorporate more motion into our work in a bigger, more intentional way. Pretty excited to see where that goes.