🎬 LEGENDARY Mark Irwin, CSC, ASC: 50+ years Behind the Lens

In this episode of The Reel Dailies, we had the privilege of sitting down with someone who’s shaped the way we see movies—Mark Irwin, CSC, ASC. With a career that’s spanned 50+ years, across continents, and genres, Mark has worked on everything from The Fly to Dumb and Dumber—and he’s still not done.

"I've been doing this since 1973 and I'm going to keep doing it till I get it right."

This isn’t just a story about film—it’s about passion, grit, and the art of really seeing.

Where It All Began

Mark’s love for visuals started way before he ever picked up a camera. It began with a filmstrip projector, with family, a grandmother who never missed a photo opportunity. Then came high school projects, film school, and finally—his first real taste of the craft while working as a projectionist in college.

"The program was all about Marshall McLuhan, who said 'the medium is the message.' That blew my mind."

Something clicked. Film wasn’t just something to watch—it was a language, and Mark knew he wanted to speak it.

Cronenberg, Chaos, and Career-Changing Moments

Mark’s big break didn’t come with a long runway. He got a last-minute call to fill in for a cinematographer who’d flown to Paris. The job? A film by David Cronenberg. No pressure.

“Can you be in Edmonton? Today?”

That yes turned into a decade-long collaboration—Scanners, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, The Fly—the stuff of cult cinema legend.

"We kind of grew together... It wasn’t just waiting for the phone to ring—we followed each other."

One unforgettable story? The exploding head in Scanners. After a few failed special effects setups, the final shot came down to a prosthetic head, green mint jelly, and a shotgun.

"That’s what you see in the movie."

From Minefields to Laugh Tracks

Before Hollywood, Mark spent years shooting documentaries. Real stories. Real danger. Like the time he accidentally found himself shooting a sunrise in a Cambodian minefield.

"One guy shouted loudest of all in English: 'Minefield.'"

That kind of on-your-feet storytelling translated perfectly to comedy. Especially with the unpredictability of Jim Carrey on Dumb and Dumber.

"That was the first film I used two cameras on everything. Jim would ad-lib something brilliant and forget what he did. With two cameras, we had it."

Lighting Emotion, Not Just Scenes

Mark doesn’t light a room. He lights a feeling.

"In act one, show everything. In act two, start taking light away. In act three, the shadows should make the audience uneasy. That’s how you scare people."

And he doesn’t follow the textbook shot list either. Sometimes he’ll start with the emotional close-up, not the wide.

"Let’s do the close-up first. I’m the cinematographer. I can do that."

For the Next Generation

Mark has a message for young filmmakers. It’s not about your gear, your filters, or even your resume. It’s about how you see the world. It’s about having a vision.

"You can’t learn to shoot unless you know how to see."

Vision is everything. Not the algorithm. Not the trend.

"Do something different. Even if it’s Barbie. Even if it’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Tell stories with pictures that mean something to you."