Intimidated by Anamorphic Lenses? This Tutorial Series Can Help Demystify the Process

Demystifying the Anamorphic Process

Sent our way from Kevin Coyne, a director of photography who has shot award-winning projects for commercial clients around the world, this is a pretty cool resource that speaks directly to the likely huge class of aspiring filmmakers and DPs who want to explore the world of anamorphic cinematography.

And it makes sense too, as anamorphic lenses have become affordable and much more widely available over the past few years, with more filmmakers than ever before intrigued by the idea of experimenting with this cinematic format.

Still, confusion abounds with squeeze factors, workflows, and lens behavior, which often makes anamorphic shooting feel more intimidating than it needs to be. At least, according to Coyne, who has spent more than sixteen years working across commercial, branded, narrative, and documentary projects.

How to Shoot Anamorphic

This new “Shoot Anamorphic” project draws on Coyne’s experience to provide a clear, practical look at how anamorphic works and how filmmakers can use it intentionally in real-world production environments.

The goal of the project is to focus on how lens behavior, framing, and optical characteristics influence how work is experienced on screen, rather than on trends or gear hype. The breakdowns in the project include detailed lens tests as Coyne explores how anamorphic shapes perception, tone, and storytelling.

As you can find on his website, the project includes three core videos: an overview of how and why to use anamorphic, a breakdown of its defining visual characteristics, and a comprehensive lens test using Atlas Lens Co.’s Orion Series lenses.

Anamorphic as a Storytelling Tool

When viewed together, these elements can provide filmmakers with a helpful, grounded framework for understanding the format beyond surface-level aesthetics.

If you’d like to check it out, you can find it on Coyne’s website here.