Oli Cohen’s Work Behind the Camera and the Stories He Tells
From documentary filming and narrative cinema to humanitarian projects and Life Stories, Oli Cohen has built a career around real people, visual storytelling, and carefully shot human moments.
Introduction
Oli Cohen is a London-based cinematographer, photographer, and filmmaker.
His work covers several areas. Documentary films. Narrative projects. Commercial shoots. NGO assignments. Branded films. Photography.
Basically, cameras have shaped much of his professional life.
Cohen studied Philosophy and Sociology before moving deeper into filmmaking. He later trained in cinematography, earned an MFA from the American Film Institute, and joined BAFTA’s US Newcomers programme.
His work has also taken him outside traditional film sets.
He has photographed and filmed people affected by conflict, displacement, poverty, and other real-world issues while working on projects linked with organisations such as UNHCR and Save the Children.
More recently, he started Life Stories, a project focused on recording people’s personal histories on film.
That idea became deeply personal.
Quick Facts About Oli Cohen
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Oli Cohen |
| Profession | Cinematographer, photographer, filmmaker |
| Based In | London, United Kingdom |
| Main Work | Documentary, narrative film, branded content, NGO projects |
| Education | BA in Philosophy and Sociology |
| University | University of Leeds |
| Film Training | Advanced Cinematography at MetFilm School |
| Higher Film Education | MFA in Cinematography |
| Film School | American Film Institute |
| AFI Graduation | 2021 |
| BAFTA Connection | BAFTA US Newcomers 2021 |
| Current Work Style | Freelance cinematographer / DoP |
| Business Project | Founder of Life Stories |
| Languages Publicly Listed | English and limited working French |
| Known Interests | Photography, hiking, skiing |
Who Is Oli Cohen?
Oli Cohen works mainly as a cinematographer.
That means he helps decide how a film looks.
Lighting matters. Camera movement matters. Framing matters too.
But Cohen has repeatedly spoken about something beyond the technical side.
He wants people to connect.
That idea appears throughout his public work. His documentary projects often focus on real people, while some of his narrative projects deal with identity, suffering, fear, injustice, and personal strength.
His official professional material describes him as a London-based cinematographer working across the UK and internationally.
He has worked on television projects, independent films, NGO productions, branded content, interviews, and other filmed material.
It is a broad career.
Still, the human side stays visible.
Education and Early Training
Cohen did not start with a standard undergraduate film degree.
He studied Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Leeds.
That background makes sense when you look at his later work.
A lot of his projects deal with people.
How they live. What they believe. How society treats them. How personal experiences shape a life.
Cohen later moved into specialist camera training.
He completed Advanced Cinematography at MetFilm School.
Then came a bigger move.
He studied at the American Film Institute Conservatory, one of the better-known film training institutions in the United States.
Cohen completed an MFA in Cinematography in 2021.
His AFI period ran from 2019 to 2021.
That gave him formal training focused directly on camera work, visual choices, lighting, and production.
American Film Institute Work
AFI gave Cohen the chance to work on several film productions.
One documented example is Black Whole.
The American Film Institute credits Cohen as the cinematographer on the project, which was directed by Brett Calkins.
He also worked around traditional film equipment during his AFI years.
Industry coverage from that period included photography credited to Cohen showing AFI cinematography fellows working with professional 35mm film cameras.
So, his time at AFI was not simply classroom study.
It involved real production work.
Cameras. Crews. Sets. Lighting.
Actual filmmaking.
BAFTA US Newcomers Programme
In 2021, Cohen was selected for the BAFTA US Newcomers Programme in the cinematography field.
BAFTA created the programme for international creative professionals building careers in the United States.
Cohen joined the programme after finishing his MFA at AFI.
That placed him among emerging film professionals working across different creative departments.
His public career records also list links with organisations such as the Documentary Cinematography Alliance, Guild of Television Camera Professionals, and Society of Camera Operators.
Documentary Career
Documentary work makes up a large part of Cohen’s public portfolio.
His professional CV lists projects such as:
- The Pretenders
- History’s Greatest Lies
- Kaftar
- Tony – Jewish Care
- Kate Bush: Sorcière du son
- We Love Kylie
- Dispatches: Who’ll Do Your Job Now?
- Tarzan Revisited
- Breaking the Taboo
- We (too) Are America
- The Cities of Tomorrow
His work has been linked with broadcasters and production companies including BBC and ARTE.
Cohen has also worked on productions connected with companies such as CPB Films, JoParige Films, Quark Productions, IMG Productions, Make Productions, Resonate Films, Roche Productions, and Docside.
Documentary filming can be unpredictable.
You do not always control the setting.
Light changes. People move. Real events happen quickly.
A cinematographer has to react.
Fast.
Cohen’s documentary experience appears to have given him plenty of practice doing exactly that.
Humanitarian and NGO Work
Some of Cohen’s strongest public credits come from NGO work.
He has worked on projects connected with UNHCR and Save the Children.
UNHCR has published photography credited to Cohen documenting South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.
Save the Children materials have also carried his photography from international assignments, including work connected with Nepal and Malawi.
These are very different environments from a controlled commercial studio.
The people are real.
The circumstances are real too.
Cohen has also discussed meeting victims of torture through documentary-related work connected with human rights organisations.
That experience later influenced the type of stories he wanted to tell through narrative film.
Oli Cohen’s Narrative Film Work
Cohen has shot a number of fictional projects as well.
His professional credits include:
- The Actor
- Ragdoll
- Black Whole
- Don’t Leave
- Bound
- The Honeymoon
- Swansong
- Oblivious
- Morsels
- Close Encounters of the Literal Kind
- Spoon Fed
- Cortisol
His role varies between productions.
In some cases, he worked as the main cinematographer.
Other credits involve second-unit photography.
Independent sources also confirm cinematography work on films including Black Whole, Don’t Leave, and The Honeymoon.
Narrative film gives a cinematographer more control.
Scenes can be planned.
Lighting can be built.
Shots can be repeated.
But the emotional goal can stay similar.
Make the viewer feel something.
Bound
Bound is one of Cohen’s more personal creative projects.
He worked on the film with Nico Blanco.
Public film records credit Cohen and Blanco as directors and writers, while Cohen also worked on the visual side of the project.
The film deals with the persecution of gay men and was influenced by reports concerning anti-gay violence in Chechnya.
Cohen has spoken publicly about the thinking behind the project.
He wanted to deal with pain and injustice while still showing resilience and personal strength.
That tells you quite a lot about his approach.
Dark subjects do not automatically need cold images.
People still matter.
Their emotional experience matters too.
Commercial and Branded Work
Cohen does not work only in film and television.
His CV also lists commercial and branded productions.
Brands and organisations connected with his work include:
- Mars Petcare
- Save the Children
- Supersport
- Sightsavers
- Octopus Energy
- Crabtree & Evelyn
- CIF
- Virgin Limited Edition
- Olarro
- MDS
This side of his work is different from documentary production.
Commercial jobs usually need a tighter visual brief.
The message is planned.
The shoot often has clear brand requirements.
Still, good camera work remains the base.
Work on Award-Winning Productions
Some productions photographed by Cohen have received industry awards.
One example is The Climate Pledge 5 Year Anniversary Video.
Cohen was one of the cinematographers on the project.
The production received Telly Awards recognition in 2025, including awards in Corporate Image and Corporate Social Responsibility categories.
Another production, Moments That Matter, also received Telly Awards recognition.
Cohen and Jim Petersen were credited as Directors of Photography on that project.
There is an important distinction here.
These awards were given to the productions or specific creative categories.
They should not be presented as individual cinematography awards won personally by Cohen unless an award body states that directly.
Oli Cohen as a Photographer
Photography is another major part of Cohen’s work.
His portfolio has included categories such as:
- Behind-the-scenes photography
- Abandoned locations
- Africa in Black and White
- Africa in Colour
- Landscape photography
- The American Road
- Film-style frames
His images have appeared in humanitarian material and other public publications.
A London photograph by Cohen was also included in a Time Out London feature.
Photography clearly is not a side hobby only.
It runs alongside his film work.
Life Stories
Cohen later started Life Stories.
The idea is simple.
Record someone’s life properly.
The service creates documentary-style films about ordinary people, using interviews, personal photographs, family material, archive footage, and music.
The focus is memory.
A person does not need to be famous.
Their story can still matter.
Cohen has explained that video can preserve details a written document cannot fully capture.
Voice.
Expressions.
Pauses.
Body language.
The way someone laughs.
Small things become valuable later.
The Personal Story Behind Life Stories
The reason Cohen started Life Stories came from a painful family experience.
He has publicly explained that his sister became seriously ill and later died during the pandemic.
At the time, Cohen was living in Los Angeles.
He returned to Britain with filming equipment because he wanted to record her life story.
Part of his reason was her young son.
Cohen hoped the film could one day give him a chance to see and hear his mother speaking about her life as an adult.
Pandemic hospital restrictions changed that plan.
He was unable to complete the film before she died.
That missed chance stayed with him.
Later, it became part of the reason he started Life Stories.
The concept came from something real.
Preserve people while you can.
His Approach to Storytelling
A pattern appears across Cohen’s work.
He is interested in people first.
The camera supports that.
His public comments about documentary work, Bound, and Life Stories keep returning to empathy and emotional connection.
A technically perfect image means little if viewers feel nothing.
That seems to be his point.
Honestly, that also explains why his work moves easily between very different formats.
A refugee documentary and a branded campaign are not the same thing.
A fictional short and a family history film are different too.
But all of them involve people in front of a camera.
Cohen’s job is to decide how those people are seen.
Work Beyond Traditional Film Sets
Cohen’s recent work also includes filmed interviews and podcast production.
Professional industry listings describe him as a cinematographer and lighting-camera operator available for podcast shoots.
That fits his skill set.
Podcasts now often use full multi-camera setups.
Good lighting matters.
Framing matters.
Skin tones matter.
And interviews are something Cohen already knows well from documentary filmmaking.
Interests Outside Work
Cohen’s official profile lists several personal interests.
He enjoys:
- Photography
- Hiking
- Skiing
His professional profile also lists English as his main language and French at a limited working level.
There is little reliable public information about the rest of his private life.
That is worth respecting.
What Is Known About Oli Cohen’s Personal Life?
Public professional sources focus heavily on Cohen’s work.
Reliable sources do not clearly confirm his:
- Date of birth
- Exact age
- Parents
- Wife or partner
- Children
- Height
- Personal income
- Net worth
For that reason, those details should not be guessed or copied from unsourced profile sites.
His career has enough documented material without inventing personal facts.
Why Oli Cohen’s Career Stands Out
Cohen has worked across very different kinds of filming.
One day can mean documentary work.
Another may involve a commercial set.
Then there are narrative films, humanitarian assignments, photography, interviews, or personal history projects.
That range comes from years of camera work and formal film training.
But there is another thread.
People.
His projects repeatedly return to individual experiences and human emotion.
That is especially clear in Life Stories.
The equipment changes.
The reason for filming often does not.
Current Work
Cohen continues to work as a London-based freelance cinematographer.
His work can take place in the UK or internationally.
Recent professional material also points toward continued activity in interview filming, podcast production, commercial work, and personal documentary projects.
Life Stories now sits alongside that cinematography career.
It gives Cohen a way to apply professional documentary methods to family histories and everyday lives.
Final Thought
Oli Cohen’s career is built around cameras, but people sit at the centre of the work.
He trained seriously.
He worked internationally.
He has filmed documentaries, narrative projects, commercial productions, NGO stories, and interviews.
Then Life Stories gave that experience a very personal use.
The idea is basic, actually.
People disappear.
Their voices can remain.
For Cohen, filming can keep part of that story alive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Oli Cohen?
Oli Cohen is a London-based cinematographer, photographer, and filmmaker. He works across documentary, narrative, branded, NGO, and commercial productions.
What does Oli Cohen do?
He mainly works as a cinematographer or Director of Photography. He also works in photography, documentary filmmaking, interview production, and personal documentary projects.
Where did Oli Cohen study?
He studied Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Leeds, completed Advanced Cinematography training at MetFilm School, and earned an MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute.
Did Oli Cohen study at AFI?
Yes. He studied Cinematography at the American Film Institute Conservatory and completed his MFA in 2021.
Is Oli Cohen connected with BAFTA?
Yes. He was selected for BAFTA’s 2021 US Newcomers Programme in the cinematography field.
What films has Oli Cohen worked on?
His public credits include Black Whole, Bound, Don’t Leave, The Honeymoon, Ragdoll, The Actor, and several other narrative projects.
What is Life Stories?
Life Stories is a project founded by Oli Cohen that creates documentary-style films about people’s lives using interviews, photographs, archive footage, and other personal material.
Has Oli Cohen worked with charities?
Yes. His public portfolio includes work connected with organisations such as UNHCR and Save the Children.
