My name is Kay Oliver Madsen, I'm a cinematographer with a broad range of experience in the art and craft of visual storytelling. My narrative work has been officially selected for the Venice Biennale, Berlin Film Festival, Deauville Festival de Cinéma Américan, Urbanworld New York, Frameline San Francisco, Outfest Los Angeles, LA Film Festival, and many others.

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I've shot international campaigns, branded content, and promos for major brands such as Google, Microsoft, BMW, Toyota, Levi’s, Universal, Sony, Virgin Music, and the Sochi Olympic Winter Games, and collaborated on experimental art films and video installations that have been exhibited in renowned galleries and museums including White Cube Gallery London, Kaikai Kiki Tokyo, and Blum & Poe Los Angeles.

 

From bustling cities to towering mountains, serene deserts, and remote islands, I've been fortunate enough to work across the globe in countries such as the USA, England, Ireland, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Czechia, Russia, Namibia, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Malaysia, and Japan. What I find most rewarding about my work is the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, both in front of and behind the camera.

 

I lived in Los Angeles for a decade chasing indie features and mentoring aspiring cinematographers at a nonprofit focused on empowering young storytellers. These days I'm based out of Hamburg, Germany.

 

Recent work includes the feature film "American Skin", which tells the story of a grieving father's attempt to seek justice for his son. It won Best Film Sconfini at the 76th Venice international Film Festival. And the feature doc "The Invisible Ones" about Hamburg's first female detective in the 1980s, who had to defy a male-dominated police force to catch a notorious serial killer. It debuted in cinemas in 2024 and is now streaming on Amazon.