In conversation with Stephen Bean
Stephen joined University College Cork in 1999 and in that time has made over 1000 films for the University, taught on a master’s program and run two multiyear evening class Photography programs and one on Photographic Lighting for Adult Continuing Education (ACE).
Stephen, what is standard day as University Cameraman?
I am usually in by 7:45am especially during the summer months when the sun rises early. My work is divided between advising clients and colleagues on their filming requirements, designing their film, then filming and editing it for them, whereby editing is by far the most time consuming. My job also includes aerial filming, which must be done at the weekends for Health and Safety reasons.
What has been your career highlight to date?
Documenting the fieldwork trips for various departments has always been a highlight. Whether it was with 3rd year Physics students and Prof Paul Calnan in 2012, using telescopes on top of a volcano in Tenerife to observe Black Holes or filming at the Kennedy Space center for the George Boole 200 anniversary in 2015.
Most recently I was tasked with documenting the renovation of the Honan Chapel from beginning to end. This was done over 9 months during the pandemic and necessitated climbing and exploring the building as the renovation progressed. You can view the rennovation of the Honan Chapel below;
Tell us about any challenges you encounter with the filming process?
My job demands flexibility and an understanding of the film process. I rely on natural light for filming, this means I have a timetable that is set by the elements.
Congratulations on The Cork Civil Landscape publication, tell us more about the book?
The Cork Civil Landscape was a collaboration between myself and Dr. Robert Fourie. We set ourselves the task of documenting a number of civil actions in Cork city over several years. Book 2 is now in development. Because of the sheer number of protests held in Cork over the years we had to make editorial decisions as to what to include. The book is available in Waterstones, The Glucksman Gallery and the Crawford Museum.
