Some mentors teach you the rules. Others teach you how to break them. Geoff Boyle, NSC, FBKS did both. And he did it with a wicked sense of humor. "Mind the image, f*ck the numbers", he’d say whenever conversations drifted into resolution and other technical details he found far too tedious and unnecessary.
I was lucky to call him a mentor and a friend. His advice wasn’t just technical; it was practical, sharp, and always delivered with that signature only Geoff could give.
I remember a moment of sheer panic in the pre-production of a big TV ad shoot in Istanbul. I had confidently told the producer I knew exactly how to handle it, when, in reality, I had no clue whatsoever. In those dire moments, I did what I always did: call Geoff.
His response? A laugh, followed by:
"Calm down. Just do what you always do. Only bigger."
"Calm down. Just do what you always do. Only bigger."
And somehow, that was exactly the advice I needed.
The funniest part, when I arranged for Geoff to give a Masterclass at the Northern Film Festival a few years ago, he shared a story about his own mentor back in the day, who had told him the exact same thing.
Geoff’s impact went beyond his cinematography. He built a community. His Cinematography Mailing List (CML) that he started in 1996 (!!!) wasn’t just a forum. It was a space where knowledge was shared, ideas were challenged, and the next generation of cinematographers found guidance −to this day. He was also testing cameras (even when he was basically too sick to do so) from all brands and actively involved in the processes of The Academy Color Encoding System (ACES), which became the industry standard for managing color and digital files.
I'm incredibly saddened to write that Geoff passed away the day before yesterday, after his long fight with cancer.
He may no longer be with us, but his words, his humor, and his lessons live on in all of us who were lucky enough to know him. And in CML and through the community he built there.
Miss you, Geoff.
I'll always "mind the image and f*ck the numbers."
Geoff Boyle | July 20, 1950 - October 05, 2021
