Meet The Pros

Justin Usami

Chief Lighting Technician/Gaffer

Justin Usami works as a Chief Lighting Technician/Gaffer in Los Angeles. He was born and raised in Nagoya, Japan and moved to Santa Barbara in 2018. He was president of both SBCC’s Film Community and UCSB’s Film Co-op before moving to Los Angeles in 2022. Since then, he has worked as a CLT with brands and artists like Outer Banks, Cosmopolitan, HOKA, NFL, Square, Popsockets, One Republic, Alec Benjamin, and Nessa Barrett. Additionally, he’s had the privilege to work with and be taught by the lighting teams from Euphoria, Oppenheimer, and Rebel Moon. Through that mentorship, he was able to join IATSE Local 728, the union for set lighting technicians, in 2024. He now owns his own business Umami Lighting and works with Light Force Rentals in Van Nuys.

Henry Grenier

Cinematographer and Camera Operator

Henry Grenier is a Cinematographer and Camera Operator with extensive technical expertise in the film industry. His career spans over a decade, during which he has worked on high-profile projects for major brands such as Warner Music Group, Amazon, and Angenieux lenses. A graduate of Syracuse University as well as studying at FAMU international in Prague, Henry has honed his craft with a focus on camera operating, cutting-edge film technology, and high-end cinema optics.

Erick Cancela

Camera & Steadicam Operator

Erick Cancela is a Camera & Steadicam Operator from Mexico City based in Los Angeles. After finishing his Master of Fine Arts in Cinematography at New York Film Academy, he decided to pursue the art of camera operating. Some of his work has reached renowned festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and the Directors Guild of America Awards. He has operated all kind of cameras and gear from 35mm film cameras to digital and Steadicam to Techno crane set ups.

Nick Higgins

Director of Photography

Nick was the cinematographer for the Academy Award winning documentary OJ: Made in America. He received an Emmy nomination in the non-fiction cinematography category for his contribution to this 8 hour film. His work has premiered frequently at Sundance including ESPN’s Lance and HBO’s The Lions Mouth Opens, The Crash Reel, Countdown to Zero & Robin Williams; Come inside my mind. Nick is a graduate of AFI’s Cinematography program, a licensed drone pilot and a member of the Academy’s Documentary Branch.