We’re resharing a 2017 episode of our show with a heavy heart. Rodney Charters, ASC, CSC, NZSC passed away on September 13, 2026, at age 77. He was best known as the cinematographer behind the television series 24, as well as the shows Roswell and Shameless. Rodney also had decades of documentary and drama experience spanning New Zealand, Canada, and Hollywood.
In this episode, Rodney takes us all the way back: growing up in his father’s darkroom in New Plymouth and cutting his teeth as a sound recordist at the BBC. He learned to shoot on the fly as a documentary cameraman in 80 countries. Rodney talks candidly about the philosophy that shaped his camera work on 24, with full scenes shot in their entirety and actors given the freedom to find their own truth. From cheap secondhand fixtures to modern LED systems, Rodney perfected the craft of lighting, no matter the budget. It’s a wide-ranging, generous conversation with someone who genuinely loved this work until the end.
Illya’s personal note: Rodney took a particular interest in early days of Hot Rod Cameras and we became friends. I visited him on set for one of the final episodes of 24 and we worked together on several projects involving new technology for motion pictures and television. I was there in 2013 when he received a lifetime achievement award from the ASC. It was a wonderful evening where a thousand of his closest industry friends celebrated him.
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