About/Artist Statement

About:

Charles "Chuck" France is a Director/Cinematographer and Still Photographer that grew up in deep in heart of the Southwest Missouri Ozarks region. Surrounded by culture and the people of the Ozarks for his upbringing he brings a strong sense of family, community, humble attitude and work ethic to any project. "It is a privilege to be on set each day, so therefore we all should come together to tell stories, make art and become a small family during the process.  Hopefully some of those relationships that are made during the time, spills over into our everyday lives."

He attended and graduated from University of Northern Colorado with a degree in History with double minors in Psychology and Anthropology. He first starting in film production working in the production department, art department, G&E and camera in the Denver and Kansas City areas. He then worked as an award winning still photographer for a variety of new services, including The Associated Press, Getty Images Assignment, The Wall Street Journal, Time.com, Harvard University and The Kansas City Star. With the downturn in the news sector he served six years as the Chief Photographer for The University of Kansas in the Office of The Chancellor/Marketing Communications Department providing the university with stills, video and digital asset management.

He has done numerous editorial, reportage and corporate photography for clients across the globe.

Deciding to go back to full time freelance film production, he works as Director & Cinematographer on features, shorts, and television. He's a Rosco Ambassador, an a Friend of The American Society of Cinematographers. He is a mentee of two Emmy winner and four time Emmy nominated ASC Cinematographer, PGA Vision Award winner and named by Kodak as one of  the "Top 100 Directors of Photography in the World," Roy H. Wagner ASC - FRPS. 

A former 5 year Sigma Cine Ambassador and a current Rosco Ambassador, he is represented by Andrew Toth of ABL in Culver City, CA.

Artrist Statement:
 

I discovered my love of film and cinematography at an early age. Late at night I would get up, being quiet as possible so as not to wake my parents.I would go into the living room to watch television. As not to be discovered I would turn the sound all the way down, spending hours on end watching films without any sound. I fell completely and totally in love with the moving picture. As a detour in life before the moving picture, I spent many years as a full time still photographer focusing on photojournalism with the likes of The Associated Press, The Kansas City Star and Getty Assignment. I am an observer and recorder of moments. Those tiny moments that sometimes we don’t even notice in life. Film and the process of filmmaking can lead us to finding these small moments. The kinda of moments that may seem unnoticed without deep inspection. Spending years honing my craft to dance with light and shadows, I decided to move into the world of directing.

My interest is in small personal stories that examine relationships, happiness, joy but also somber tones that explore grief and the darker side of humanity. In the end I always enjoy leaving the film to the interpretation of the audience. A film should move you and make you want to see it again and again. It should provide you, perhaps with some tools for introspection into yourself and your journey in life. 

The late still photographer Eddie Adams says it best as this also applies to the moving image as well. “If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips out your heart, that's a good picture.

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