It started behind the decks.
2010. A DJ with a camera, filming for the love of it — never once imagining it would become the rest of my life. It did. And like everything you love, it nearly broke me. Me and this craft fell in and out like a toxic relationship — I walked away, resented it, and came back every single time.
I've made the right moves. I've made plenty of wrong ones. What carried me through was never being the cleanest shooter in the room. It was the refusal to stay the same: reinvent, rebrand, rethink — and finally accept the strengths I had instead of hiding them.
I've never claimed to be the best cinematographer alive. I never will. But I'll promise you this — I will tell your story through real, raw emotion. I learned that in the dark. Depression and all. Some of the heaviest phases of my life became the most beautiful, because that's where I understood what emotion actually is, and how to make a camera feel it.
The rooms I earned my way into, I earned through people — building relationships most don't know how to build. The network was the craft long before the lens was.
Now the camera is only the beginning. I've gone deep into tech — not just making films for brands, but directing the whole vision: the work, the websites, the portals, the way a name is built and seen. Filmmaker. Creative director. Consultant.
I don't throw the word director around lightly — I'm not here pretending to be Spielberg. I use it the way it was meant. As an artist: someone who shapes what you feel before you know you're feeling it.
Based in London, working worldwide. Taking enquiries for 2026 and beyond.
Selected Artists
Ciara · Toni Braxton · Ne-Yo · Mario · Stefflon Don · Tems · Bryant Jennings
Selected Brands
Nike · Puma · Jordan · Urban Outfitters · Footlocker · JD Sports
Common Questions
Who is Director Essence?
Director Essence is Sukh Banwait, a London-based cinematographer and creative director with over 16 years behind the camera, filming celebrities, brands and agencies, music tours and luxury weddings across London, Los Angeles, Dubai and worldwide.
Which artists and brands has Sukh Banwait worked with?
He has filmed behind-the-scenes and documentary content involving artists including Tems, Ciara, Toni Braxton, Ne-Yo, Mario, Stefflon Don and Bryant Jennings, alongside campaigns for Nike, Jordan, Puma, Urban Outfitters, Footlocker and JD Sports.
Does Director Essence film weddings?
Yes. Sukh shoots cinematic, editorial luxury weddings — the same fly-on-the-wall eye he brings to artists and brands, applied to your day. Based in London and available across the UK, with destination weddings in Los Angeles, Dubai and worldwide.
Can agencies and brands hire Director Essence?
Yes. Sukh works with creative agencies and brands on campaigns, commercials and social content, and is available freelance for production teams. Selected clients include Nike, Jordan, Puma, Urban Outfitters, Footlocker and JD Sports.
Is Director Essence available in Los Angeles, Dubai and the US?
Yes. Sukh is based in London but works internationally and regularly films in Los Angeles, across America and in Dubai. He travels worldwide for celebrity, brand, tour and wedding work.
What kind of work does Director Essence shoot?
Celebrity and artist content, brand and agency campaigns, music tours and live shows, luxury weddings, and longform documentary — story-driven film that captures real, unperformed moments rather than promotional polish.
How do I book or hire Director Essence?
Send the details of your project through the contact page. Sukh takes on a limited number of celebrity, brand, agency and wedding films each year in London, LA, Dubai and internationally.
What camera and look does Director Essence shoot on?
Sukh shoots on Sony FX cinema cameras in S-Log3 and grades every project to his own cinematic look — the same FX ESSENCE colour family available free to creators in the CXLLAB tool on this site.