Lael Utnik is an innovative cinematographer with extensive experience, successfully blending innovation with authenticity in his work. With a career spanning over a decade, he has filmed in more than 30 countries, nearly 900 television commercials, and 7 feature films, bringing a unique vision to each project. 

Lael's uniqueness lies in his ability to connect art and technology, allowing him to create visual experiences that not only appeal to the eye but also resonate emotionally to the heart.He views the camera not merely as a tool for documentation but as an additional character in the story, capable of feeling and responding to the dynamics of each scene. Lael believes that the camera should be an integral part of the narrative, ensuring it occupies a precise position in every scene to capture the emotional core of the story as accurately as possible.  With every project he films, Lael strives to create a profound connection with the audience, making them feel as though they are part of the story.

His work on the film "The Performance," an adaptation of a story by Arthur Miller about a tap dancer in 1937, was a creatively fruitful collaboration with director Shira Piven. Her vision contributed to create a unique way of storytelling that allowed use techniques that would provide authenticity to the cinematography and remain true to the 1930s era. For example, alongside the digital cinema camera, Lael used a vintage 16mm Bolex film camera from that time to create a realistic viewing experience of "here and now," while blurring the fourth wall of the film, allowing viewers to experience the story from a close and personal perspective.  

One of his standout projects, "Eva's Stories," was a revolutionary attempt to make historical events accessible to children through modern platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Lael chose to shoot entirely on an iPhone to lean into the platforms as welll as the narrative capture. In crafting this unique narrative, Utnik integrated behaviors familiar to modern children, such as taking selfies or focusing on non-essential elements, which added layers of authenticity to the footage. By utilizing a vertical format, Utnik not only engaged younger viewers but also provided a relatable perspective, immersing them in a harrowing historical context while maintaining a connection to their everyday realities. The impact of the project was enormous, reaching hundreds of millions of views worldwide and proving the success of this new medium.