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    ZCreative Media

    For producers & agencies · Austin, TX

    Austin Director of Photography & Camera Crew

    Shooting in Austin or Central Texas? Jeff Zavala is a Texas-based director of photography and camera operator with 18 years in production. He arrives with his own camera, lens, audio, lighting and drone kit, for documentary, branded, corporate and unscripted shoots.

    Day rate with full kit: $2,500 for an 8-hour day, time and a half after · drone pilot available

    Check availabilitySee the kit
    • 18 years in production
    • Texas resident crew
    • FAA Part 107 drone pilot
    • Insured per shoot day · COI on request
    • Reply within one business day
    Jeff Zavala, director of photography, with a Sony A7S III on a DJI Ronin gimbal

    Roles

    How productions use us

    Director of photography

    Look, lensing, lighting and camera for documentary, branded and commercial shoots, from prep and scout through wrap.

    Camera operator / B-camera

    A second angle or extra unit alongside your DP. Tell us your A-cam, frame rate and LUT, and we match the settings before call time.

    Aerial unit

    Jeff is an FAA Part 107 certified remote pilot (certificate available on request). Airspace is checked before every flight, with separate aviation liability coverage.

    Interviews & small doc crews

    Interview lighting, wireless lavs, boom and a 4-channel recorder in one kit, so a two-person doc team can run without a separate sound cart.

    Owned kit, included with Jeff

    Gear list

    Camera

    • Sony A7S III

    Lenses

    • Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D
    • Sony G Master 16–35mm f/2.8
    • Voigtländer 50mm f/1.2
    • Sony G 90mm f/2.8 Macro
    • Sony FE 70–200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
    • Sony 200–600mm f/5.6–6.3

    Support

    • 2× Sachtler Ace tripods
    • DJI Ronin RS 2 gimbal

    Aerial

    • DJI Mavic 3 Pro

    Audio

    • Zoom H6 4-channel recorder
    • 2× Sennheiser SK 500 G4 wireless lavs
    • Rode NTG-3 shotgun with blimp
    • 2× Neumann KM 185 cardioid mics
    • Shure MoveMic Two wireless lavs

    Lighting

    • 2× Nanlite PavoTube II 30XR (4′ RGBWW)
    • 2× Nanlite PavoTube II 60XR (8′ RGBWW)
    • Dracast LED5000 bi-color Fresnel
    • 3× softboxes (2 rectangular, 1 octagonal)

    Film & documentary

    Selected credits

    Recent field work

    Holds & bookings

    Check availability

    Send the shoot dates, location and role. You'll get availability, a day rate and a COI timeline back within one business day.

    Only if you’d rather we call. Never used for marketing.

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    FAQ

    Questions producers ask

    An 8-hour day with Jeff behind the camera plus the kit listed on this page: camera, lenses, tripods, gimbal, audio and lighting. Time past 8 hours is billed at time and a half. Drone flights are scoped separately because they need their own airspace prep and aviation coverage.

    Yes. Liability coverage is provided for each shoot day on request, separate from the drone's aviation liability policy. A certificate of insurance (COI) naming your production can be issued within one business day.

    Yes. Jeff lives and works in Austin, Texas, so he counts as Texas resident crew for productions tracking the Texas film incentive.

    Yes. Jeff can shoot under your brand, uncredited, and hand the media over at wrap on your drives or ours.

    Most. The drone is a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, which can't be used on federally funded projects or for Texas state agencies. Ground camera work isn't affected. Airspace is checked before the shoot, and controlled airspace is authorized in advance.

    Yes. Inside the Austin metro there's no travel or lodging cost. Central Texas and longer trips are quoted per project.
    Check availability