Director of Photography · Florence, ItalyMatteoCastelli
Matteo Castelli is a Director of Photography based in Florence, Italy. Thirty years of films, commercials, documentaries and branded content, plus hands-on production support for international crews shooting anywhere in the country.
I've been doing this since I was a teenager. Different cameras, different places, same instinct: chasing the light, chasing the shapes it makes. Thirty years later that hasn't changed. What's changed is the experience behind it. Today I work as a Director of Photography on films, commercials and branded content, and when a production needs more than a cinematographer, I bring in the right people to make it happen in Italy.
Featured In / Worked With
Selected Work
Films, commercials, documentaries and branded content. Light that serves the story.
Cinematography & Production Services in Italy
Some productions need just a cinematographer. Others need a whole local setup. These are the three ways I usually end up on a call sheet.
Director of Photography for Film & Branded Content
I light the story, not the shot. The work starts before the camera rolls: reading the script, walking the location, figuring out what the light needs to say. Over the years that has meant short films, features, commercials for Dior, documentaries for Netflix, PBS, BBC and Vice. Each one needed a different eye. That's the part I still enjoy.
Camera Operation & Cinematography
Sometimes what a production needs is hands on the camera, not another voice in the room. I operate as well as light, when that's what works best. I shoot on Sony FX Cinema Line, ARRI, whatever the job calls for. My own kit is always packed and ready, which means we can move fast.
Interviews, On Set or Remote
Statements, expert commentary and testimonials, one camera or several, with B-roll when the piece needs it. I can stream the live camera feed into a Zoom or Meet call, so an interviewer anywhere in the world runs the conversation in real time while the footage records in camera at full quality. Teleprompter and professional microphones included. More on interview filming →
Editing & Post-Production
When a job needs the finished piece and not just the footage, I take it there: editing, colour correction and grading, titles and subtitles, music, sound mix, VFX. Same method as on set, with specialists I trust in each area and me supervising the chain for the client. See how it works →
Local Production Support for International Crews
For productions coming to Italy, I'm often the first local call. Crew, gear, permits, logistics: I handle what's in my hands and bring in colleagues I trust for what isn't. I've scouted locations all over Tuscany and coordinated shoots across half the country. My job is making the practical side stop being your problem.
Why Work With Me
I don't remember deciding to become a cinematographer so much as never stopping. A camera in my hands, then a better one, then a set instead of a bedroom. Thirty years later I still have the same enthusiasm I had as a teenager, just with a lot more experience behind it. I'm still chasing the same thing: light, and the shapes it makes. I'm not chasing a signature look. I'm chasing whatever the story in front of me actually needs.
Experience across genres and scales
Hundreds of sets: short films that won awards, branded content for Dior, documentaries for Netflix, PBS, BBC, The Washington Post and Vice, television in Italy and abroad. A two-person documentary crew teaches you speed. A forty-person commercial unit teaches you precision. Both taught me when to throw the plan away and follow the moment.
A production partner in Italy
If you're planning to film in Italy and need more than a cinematographer, get in touch. I work as a local production partner for international crews: I know which problems get expensive when you find them late, and I know the people who solve them. No commitment. Just a straight conversation about what's realistic for your production.
Talk About Your ShootAwards
Awards don't light a scene. But they tell you the work held up in front of people who watch films for a living. The full list is on the resume.
Let's talk about
your project.
Whether you need a DP for a shoot in Italy, production support for an international project, or just want to understand what's possible, get in touch. I get back to everyone within one business day.
- Phone & WhatsApp
- +39 333 649 4031
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- On Google
- Google Business Profile →
- Location
- Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Frequently Asked Questions
What services does Matteo Castelli offer?
I work as a Director of Photography on films, commercials, documentaries and branded content. When an international crew comes to Italy, I also handle the local side: crew, equipment, locations, permits, logistics. Some productions hire me for the image, some for the whole package.
Where is Matteo Castelli based?
Florence, Italy. That's home. But I've shot all over the country: Rome, Milan, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Sardinia, the Dolomites. I go where the production goes.
How can I contact Matteo Castelli for a production?
Phone or WhatsApp at +39 333 649 4031, or email at matteo@mela-online.it. I answer everyone within one business day. The first step is always a conversation, never a form.
What camera equipment does Matteo use?
My own kit is built around Sony FX Cinema Line cameras (FX9, FX6, FX30), Samyang V-AF cinema lenses and a full LED lighting package. When a project calls for ARRI or RED, I rent from Italian rental houses I've worked with for years.
Can Matteo provide a full crew for filming in Italy?
Yes. Thirty years in this business builds you a good phone book: gaffers, camera assistants, sound recordists, production managers all over Italy. I only recommend people I've actually worked with. All of them are used to international sets and speak English.
How do I hire Matteo Castelli as a cinematographer in Italy?
Write or call, tell me about the project, and I'll tell you if I'm available and what it would take. Day rate depends on the production: for branded content, documentaries and smaller shoots it usually includes my camera and lighting kit. You get a clear number upfront, before any commitment.