Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Hunting Matthew Nichols is an indie horror film that’s shot as a mockumentary/found-footage movie about a documentary filmmaker investigating her brother's disappearance 20 years earlier on Vancouver Island. Writer/producer Sean Harris Oliver and DP Justin Sebastian shot the horror film in 12 days, then independently released it into theaters.
Key Podcast Highlights:
-How cinematographer Justin Sebastian used Sony FX9 cameras on autofocus, shot archival footage scenes on period-correct cameras, and then physically digitized the tapes for documentary authenticity.
-Keeping the camera crew small and the lighting natural, so that the film’s characters could realistically pull off the documentary.
-Detailed scriptwriting by Sean Harris Oliver, such as specifying who holds the camera in each scene. Sean scripted the film with cleaner, more deliberate camerawork that degrades into chaotic, survival-mode footage as events progress.
-How the team pushed hard for theatrical release against distributor pressure to go straight to streaming. They self-funded distribution and budgeted for marketing from the very beginning.
Find where to watch Hunting Matthew Nichols in theaters and play the interactive game on the website: huntingmatthewnichols.com
Find Sean Harris-Oliver: seanharrisoliver.com
Instagram: @SeanHarrisOliver
Find Justin Sebastian: justinsimonsebastian.com
Instagram: @JustinSebastianDP
Listen to our episode with producer Ted Hope, who discusses similar approaches indie filmmakers can take to understand and control the entire filmmaking process from budget to shoot to distribution: camnoir.com/ep352
Show Rundown:
02:45 Close Focus
The Warner Bros/Paramount merger has been approved by shareholders. Meanwhile, Hollywood has circulated a petition, now with 4,000 names, in an effort to stop the merger.
13:04-01:02:59 Sean Harris Oliver and Justin Sebastian interview
**Go to camnoir.com/ep354 for show notes and links. **
01:03:19 Short ends
Kays’ short end: Corridor Digital has released new software that fixes greenscreen problems very well.
Ben’s short end: Adobe Premiere has completely overhauled its color grading system. You can play around with the new “color mode” in its beta version.
01:12:42 Wrap up/Credits
Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
Instagram: @illyafriedman @hotrodcameras
Host: Ben Rock
Blue Sky: @benrock.com
Instagram: @bejamin_rock
Producer: Alana Kode
All web and social media content written by Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays’ new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
Editor: Alana Kode
The Cinematography Podcast website: camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social
Hunting Matthew Nichols is an indie horror film that’s shot as a mockumentary/found-footage movie about a documentary filmmaker investigating her brother's disappearance 20 years earlier on Vancouver Island. Writer/producer Sean Harris Oliver and DP Justin Sebastian shot the horror film in 12 days, then independently released it into theaters.
Key Podcast Highlights:
-How cinematographer Justin Sebastian used Sony FX9 cameras on autofocus, shot archival footage scenes on period-correct cameras, and then physically digitized the tapes for documentary authenticity.
-Keeping the camera crew small and the lighting natural, so that the film’s characters could realistically pull off the documentary.
-Detailed scriptwriting by Sean Harris Oliver, such as specifying who holds the camera in each scene. Sean scripted the film with cleaner, more deliberate camerawork that degrades into chaotic, survival-mode footage as events progress.
-How the team pushed hard for theatrical release against distributor pressure to go straight to streaming. They self-funded distribution and budgeted for marketing from the very beginning.
Find where to watch Hunting Matthew Nichols in theaters and play the interactive game on the website: huntingmatthewnichols.com
Find Sean Harris-Oliver: seanharrisoliver.com
Instagram: @SeanHarrisOliver
Find Justin Sebastian: justinsimonsebastian.com
Instagram: @JustinSebastianDP
Listen to our episode with producer Ted Hope, who discusses similar approaches indie filmmakers can take to understand and control the entire filmmaking process from budget to shoot to distribution: camnoir.com/ep352
Show Rundown:
02:45 Close Focus
The Warner Bros/Paramount merger has been approved by shareholders. Meanwhile, Hollywood has circulated a petition, now with 4,000 names, in an effort to stop the merger.
13:04-01:02:59 Sean Harris Oliver and Justin Sebastian interview
**Go to camnoir.com/ep354 for show notes and links. **
01:03:19 Short ends
Kays’ short end: Corridor Digital has released new software that fixes greenscreen problems very well.
Ben’s short end: Adobe Premiere has completely overhauled its color grading system. You can play around with the new “color mode” in its beta version.
01:12:42 Wrap up/Credits
Host and editor in Chief: Illya Friedman
Instagram: @illyafriedman @hotrodcameras
Host: Ben Rock
Blue Sky: @benrock.com
Instagram: @bejamin_rock
Producer: Alana Kode
All web and social media content written by Alana Kode
Composer: Kays Al-Atrakchi
Check out Kays’ new YouTube Channel, Kays Labs, where he repairs old synthesizers.
Editor: Alana Kode
The Cinematography Podcast website: camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social
