From ‘OBRAZ’ to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’: The Cinematic Vision of Djordje Stojiljkovic

Hello, FilmmakersWorld Community!

Today, we’re giving you an exclusive look behind the lens of an extraordinary creative mind: Djordje Stojiljkovic, SAS.

Djordje Stojiljkovic, SAS is a director of photography and creative producer known for his work on high-budget films and commercials. His expertise in visual storytelling, lighting, and VFX interaction has established him as a leading cinematographer in his region and beyond.

Born in Serbia, he studied at the Faculty of Drama Arts in Belgrade, honing his technical and artistic skills. He gained recognition for his cinematography in the sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD. It was shot on the ARRI Alexa 65 and praised for its stunning visuals. His work has been featured in American Cinematographer.

He has worked on films such as OBRAZ / The Tower of Strength, screened at major festivals. Other works include Izolacija (2024) and Sanctuary, currently in post-production. Beyond cinematography, he has directed short films. He also led a masterclass on VFX cinematography.

He is also a member of the Serbian Association of Cinematographers and a Nanlux brand ambassador.

We sat down with Djordje to discuss his journey, creative process, and the challenges of bringing ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ to life.

Hi Djordje, how are you? It’s been a while since we first connected through the FW community. We’ve had the chance to share some incredible cinematic works!

Over the years, we’ve witnessed your remarkable growth as a cinematographer. It’s been an inspiring journey to follow! Congrats, so proud of you man!

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Let’s take it back to the beginning—can you share more about your path? When did you first realize that becoming a director of photography was what you truly wanted to pursue?

I realized I wanted to be part of the filmmaking world at the end of elementary school. Initially, I was drawn to editing and later started working as a VFX artist, focusing on compositing. But during my time in high school—where, ironically, I studied economics—I discovered that cinematography was my true passion. It was the perfect blend of storytelling and technical artistry.

My background in VFX turned out to be incredibly useful. It helped me understand how cinematography and visual effects need to work together. I learned what will enhance the final image, and how to make life easier for the VFX team without compromising the visuals.

I also owe a lot to my father—his side job was event photography and videography. My first steps in visual storytelling were by his side. I didn’t just observe—I actively worked with him from a young age. I shot events, printed photos, and later edited the footage. Over time, I became a kind of one-man filmmaker, trained in multiple aspects of the process.

That early hands-on experience gave me a deep understanding of the entire production pipeline. This included capturing the image and delivering the final cut. It shaped how I approach filmmaking today. I always consider the bigger picture beyond just cinematography.

You’ve worked extensively in both commercial and narrative filmmaking. How do these different formats inform your creative process?

Narrative filmmaking is all about time—not just in storytelling, but also in execution. You have to be fast, efficient, and still deliver strong photography under tight schedules. There’s rarely time for perfection, so you have to rely on instinct and experience to make the right decisions quickly.

Commercials, on the other hand, often give you more time to craft a scene meticulously. There’s a stronger emphasis on aesthetics, and sometimes you get to experiment more. But the discipline you develop in commercials—knowing how to create polished, high-impact images under controlled conditions—helps a lot when working on a feature film, where the challenges are more unpredictable.

‘Kalki 2898 AD’ represents a significant milestone in your career. How did your previous experiences prepare you for the technical and creative challenges of such a large-scale sci-fi production?

Funny enough, working on smaller-budget feature films in Serbia actually prepared me well for a big production like Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin. When you’ve spent years running barefoot on rocky terrain, you learn how to move efficiently, avoid sharp edges, and make the best of what you have. Then, one day, you’re handed a pair of high-performance shoes—it makes the journey much smoother. However, the instincts and endurance you built from those tougher days still guide you.

That experience gave me the problem-solving mindset I needed for Kalki. No matter how many resources you have, things always go wrong on set. You need to think on your feet. That’s something I learned from independent films—how to make things work, no matter the limitations.

But working on a big-budget film can also be a trap! Just because you have more tools at your disposal doesn’t mean you should use them all at once. Sometimes, the simplest frames are the most powerful. I had to remind myself not to overcomplicate things just because the resources were there. Less is more—always. The key was knowing when to go big and when to let the story breathe through simplicity.

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging sequence in ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ and how you resolved it?

One of the most demanding sequences was the action scene between Amitabh Bachchan and Prabhas. We shot it on a controlled set, but we needed to maintain sun continuity to make it feel like a natural outdoor environment. Managing the lighting to match real sunlight, especially for long takes, was complex. We used a combination of large-scale soft sources and directional hard lights to mimic natural conditions. It was a balancing act between maintaining the realism of sunlight and ensuring it worked for the camera and VFX.

Another major challenge was shooting the vast night battle sequences. The set was built outdoors because no stage was big enough to contain it. That meant we had to deal with real weather conditions while lighting a massive area. We used multiple cranes—some carrying key lights, others strategically placed to create interactive lighting for VFX integration. Everything had to be seamlessly arranged to give both the actors and the digital artists enough visual information to work with.

You’ve also worked across different countries and cultures—have you noticed any significant differences in the approach to work? If so, how have you managed to maintain your artistic vision?

Every country has its own filmmaking culture, and even within India, I noticed big differences from state to state. Shooting in Mumbai felt very different from shooting in Hyderabad. The approach to team organization, workflow, and problem-solving varied, which was fascinating to experience.

If I compare India to Serbia, I’d say Serbia often operates with smaller budgets. Therefore, productions tend to be more compact and efficient. In India, the scale of everything is massive—huge sets, large crews, and a lot happening at once. It was a bit chaotic at times, but that’s part of the magic. If European productions are like a carefully conducted orchestra, Indian productions are like a jam session. Everyone is playing their part, but somehow it all comes together in the end!

You did a masterclass in VFX cinematography. As a VFX cinematographer, how do you balance technical precision with creative storytelling?

I’m really grateful to the Serbian Association of Cinematographers for inviting me to give a Masterclass on VFX Cinematography—it was a fantastic experience.

For me, atmosphere is everything. Before thinking about composition, VFX, or camera movement, I focus on building the right mood with light. The atmosphere is the story. Once that foundation is set, everything else follows naturally.

How has your understanding of lighting evolved throughout your career?

At the beginning, I was sometimes hesitant to use direct light. I always felt safer with backlight or soft sources. But over time, I realized that if direct light serves the story, it’s absolutely the right choice. Not every shot needs a perfect backlight!

My gaffer Zoran often jokes with me about this. Whenever we reach that moment where we have to use direct sunlight—either because the scene demands it or because we initially chose backlight for certain angles and suddenly find ourselves needing to work with the sun in full force—he smirks and says, “Ok, now Tonino Delli!” It’s his way of teasing me, referencing Tonino Delli Colli, the legendary cinematographer behind the sun-drenched, high-contrast looks of Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns.

Later, I also understood that sometimes it’s not about lighting the subject at all. Lighting the background, shaping silhouettes, or using negative fill can be far more effective in creating depth and mood. Eventually, you stop trying to make a “beautiful” shot and start thinking about how to best serve the story through light. And yes, sometimes that means embracing a full Tonino Delli moment!

Having served as cinematographer and director, how does this dual perspective influence your work?

When I direct, I focus on the bigger picture—performances, pacing, and storytelling. But sometimes, I catch myself paying less attention to the “perfect” cinematography because my mind is elsewhere. Then, when I’m in post-production, the DOP side of me gets frustrated, thinking, Why wasn’t I more of a cinematographer on set instead of a director?! (laughs)

But overall, wearing both hats makes me more efficient. I understand what a director needs from the cinematographer. When I’m shooting, I can anticipate how certain choices will impact the edit and final storytelling.

Your work has taken you from intimate dramas like ‘OBRAZ’ to grand sci-fi with ‘Kalki’. How do you adapt your visual approach to such different genres?

OBRAZ was the first feature film I worked on as a DOP, so it holds a special place for me. Even though it was my sixth feature to be completed and released, it was my first passionate, low-budget project. We focused a lot on portraits because the story was about emotions and decisions.

It was all about strong contrasts, chiaroscuro lighting, and a deep, intimate visual language. Shooting in Montenegro’s mountains and villages also gave us stunning wide shots that added to the film’s atmosphere.

For Kalki, I approached it similarly—emotion first, then scale. I love close-ups, especially profile shots, and Kalki gave me the perfect opportunity to capture those. But the big difference was that, for once, I had every tool imaginable to create the lighting exactly how I envisioned it—no excuses!

What camera and lenses did you use for Kalki 2898 AD, and how did they influence the film’s visual language?

For Kalki 2898 AD, I had the chance to shoot with the ARRI Alexa 65, which was an incredible experience. It was my first time using this camera, and I absolutely loved it. The large-format sensor gave us such a rich, immersive image, with insane depth and detail—perfect for the scale of Kalki. We paired it with ARRI DNA lenses, which had this beautiful organic quality, slightly imperfect in all the right ways, adding character to the visuals.

For the flashback sequences, we wanted a slightly different look, so we used the ARRI Alexa LF with Cooke Anamorphic lenses. The LF still had that large-format feel but with a slightly different texture, and the Cooke anamorphics gave a softer, more nostalgic touch to those moments. This mix helped separate the timelines visually, without being too obvious about it.

Shooting in large format really changes the way you compose. You get this amazing depth without losing the background, so close-ups feel grand but still intimate. It also forces you to be really precise with focus and lighting, especially in wider shots where you want that depth to work in your favor.

When it comes to lenses, I had a lot of options, but my favorites were definitely the 28mm and 65mm DNA lenses. The 28mm had this stunning wide look without feeling too exaggerated, and the 65mm was perfect for close-ups—it gave such a beautiful separation between the subject and the background. You really feel like you’re right there with the actor’s emotion on the big screen, almost stepping into their world.

That’s the magic of large format—it brings you closer, both visually and emotionally.

What advice would you give to emerging cinematographers who want to work on large-scale productions like ‘Kalki 2898 AD’?

Learn the fundamentals—lighting, framing, movement—but also make sure you understand the basics of VFX. Almost every big project today involves digital elements. Thus, knowing how to light a greenscreen, what rotoscoping is, or how to shoot for clean keying will make you a more effective cinematographer.

More importantly, it will help you communicate better with the VFX team and get the best results.

We’re nearing the end of this conversation—would you like to give us a sneak peek at your next project?

I just finished working on Sanctuary, a post-apocalyptic film with a more naturalistic, European/US-style approach—very different from Kalki. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

There are also several exciting upcoming projects, some in India, many in Europe—but I can’t reveal too much just yet!

Thank you, Djordje, for your incredible impact on the world of filmmaking and for continuously inspiring us with your artistry and vision.

Thank you fam for reading. If you wanna learn more about the work of Djordje Stojiljkovic, go check his Instagram page. In case you missed our previous mag piece, go check it out!

Much love!
FilmmakersWorld Team

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