01Narrative short · 2023
North CarolinaAvailable for travel
Matthew Kalter
Gaffer
Chief Lighting Technician · Narrative & Commercial
Cinematic, story-driven lighting for narrative, commercial, music video, and independent productions.
Selected lighting work · Gaffer
2019Freelance since
09Verified award wins
NC + TravelProduction coverage
Lighting + CameraCross-department experience
Selected work
Lighting in motion.
Selected narrative, episodic, commercial, and feature credits.
01
02Episodic · 2021
Out of Touch
Lighting Director / Gaffer
03Feature · 2021
Ante Sundaraniki
1st AC - Second Unit
04Commercial · 2023
The Godfather Pinball
Gaffer
05Episodic trailer · 2019
Bucket of Blood
1st AC
06Commercial · 2022
Toy Story 4 Pinball
Gaffer
07Commercial / promo · 2023
Elton John Pinball
Gaffer
08
09Music video · 2022
Ain't Nobody Sees Them
Gaffer
10Public service announcement · 2022
Suicide Awareness PSA
Gaffer
11Music video · 2023
HIDDEN — Astros EL XIX
Gaffer
1248 Hour Film Project short · 2023
Rags to Beaches
GafferProject honors
Four Best Music Video wins
Utah Film Awards · London International Short Film Festival · Las Vegas International Film & Screenplay Festival · Zions Indie Film Festival
Ain't Nobody Sees Them · Gaffer
Award of Merit
Television — Program / Series (Student)
Out of Touch · Gaffer
Three award wins
Best Film · Best Directing · Best Cinematography
Rags to Beaches · Gaffer
Gold ADDY · Video
Elton John Pinball · Gaffer
My approach
I light for the frame,
not the fixture.
The goal is clarity, mood, and a set that can keep moving.
Ain't Nobody Sees Them · GafferAbout me
Technical depth.
Creative intention.
I'm a North Carolina-based gaffer—also formally known as a chief lighting technician—working across narrative, commercial, music video, and episodic production.
My background spans lighting, grip, camera, and equipment management, so I'm always thinking about what the lens sees, what the schedule can support, and how to give the DP options without slowing the day down. My experience includes equipment management at Elements Studios and owner-operated lighting work for productions of different scales.
Production operationsEquipment ManagementElements Studios · High Point, NC
Since 2019Freelance Gaffer / FilmmakerLighting · Camera · Grip
The approach
Built from the frame outward.
Strong lighting should feel inevitable, not imposed. Every choice begins with the story, the location, and what the camera needs to see.
Narrative
Story-first lighting shaped around blocking, lens choice, location, and the practical realities of the day.
Commercial
Controlled, intentional images with a lighting package and crew scaled to the production.
Lean production
A camera-aware, resourceful approach for shorts, episodic work, branded content, and small crews.
Selected credits
Production experience.
Selected credits from 2019 - 2024.
ProductionFormatRoleCompanyYear
ArjunFeature1st ACRaysun Productions2023
Ante SundaranikiFeature1st AC - Second UnitMithril Movie Makers2021
Bull CityShortGafferEdison Entertainment2023
Out of TouchEpisodicLighting Director / GafferIndependent production2021
Bucket of BloodEpisodic1st ACNorthern Lights Productions2019
Avatar: The Battle for PandoraCommercial / promoGafferJersey Jack Pinball2024
Elton John PinballCommercial / promoGafferJersey Jack Pinball2023
The Godfather PinballCommercialGafferElements Studios2023
Toy Story 4 PinballCommercialGafferElements Studios2022
La-Z-Boy AdsCommercialGafferElements Studios2022
Ain't Nobody Sees ThemMusic videoGafferEdison Entertainment2022
When You AroundMusic videoGafferIndependent production2022
Suicide Awareness PSAPublic service announcementGafferIndependent production2022
HIDDEN — Astros EL XIXMusic videoGafferIndependent production2023
Rags to BeachesShortGafferOne Take Wonder2023
Fixture experience
Fluent across
lighting systems.
I've worked across the major professional fixture ecosystems—from conventional tungsten and daylight units to modern full-color and pixel-based tools. The package follows the frame, not a fixed inventory.
Discuss your production ↗Modern LED
- Bi-color and full-color heads
- Pixel fixtures, tubes, and practical integrations
- Flexible mats and compact location units
Daylight & tungsten
- HMI and high-output daylight sources
- Tungsten Fresnels and open-face units
- Source Four fixtures and projection optics
Shaping & control
- Soft sources, frames, diffusion, and textiles
- Negative fill, flags, and grip control
- Packages scaled to location, schedule, and crew
Representative brands
ARRI · Aputure · Astera · Creamsource · DMG Lumière · ETC · Kino Flo · LiteGear · Mole-Richardson · Nanlux · Quasar Science
Representative systems and experience—not a complete inventory. Packages are built per production through owner-operated equipment and rental partners.
Start a conversation
Let's light
your next frame.
Share your dates, location, scope, and any look references. I'll follow up about availability and the right lighting package.