Desmond Gqitekaya Feature

Desmond Gqitekaya

DESMOND GQITEKAYA

GAFFER

Long-form and commercial lighting experience across international features, television series, second units and major advertising campaigns.

PROFILE

Desmond Gqitekaya has built his lighting career across feature films, television series and commercials, progressing from Best Boy Gaffer on productions such as Bloodshot and Black Beauty to leading the lighting department as Gaffer on One Piece Season 2, Beast, Raised by Wolves and Warrior.

His experience combines the scale and discipline of international long-form productions with the pace and visual precision of commercial work. Desmond has developed strong working relationships with a wide range of Directors of Photography and production companies, bringing calm, practical lighting leadership to set.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Gaffer credits include One Piece Season 2, Beast, Raised by Wolves, Warrior Season 1, The Widow and The Hot Zone Season 1.
  • Second-unit and senior lighting credits include King Shaka and One Piece.
  • Recent long-form work includes Live at the Hole, Strung, Yamkela, Niggies, The Heart Is a Muscle and Watching Over You.
  • Commercial experience includes H&M, Checkers, Garnier, Mediclinic, Pepco, Dove, Suzuki, Mr Price, Sony, Levi’s and Sanlam.
  • South African; English-speaking.

SELECTED DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Long Form

Stephen HambschMorgan GardinerDan WalshChris LotzJared PaisleyTrevor BrownMaddox UpshawNicole WhittakerPhilippe RousselotMotheo MoengRoss EmeryEric MesserschmidtGeorge AmosTrevor CalverleyStuart HowellJohn LeeDarren Cameron

Commercials

Dan WallaceKarlijn TiebotJared HindeTristan SmithStephen HambschShamier MagmoetLeonid KimFranz LustigDaniel WalshMaurice KoekemoerKabeer ShaikCaleb WareArnard PotgieterRoice NellPierre de VilliersMichael ClearyTobias Blickle

SELECTED PRODUCTION COMPANIES

Long Form

Film AfrikaMoonlighting FilmsOut of AfrikaBlue Ice AfricaMiss K ProductionsBTG ProductionsLife Size ProductionsWolflight FilmsPistoleros Films

Commercials

Life Size ProductionsWith MilkMatchstickGiant FilmsJuice FilmsMassifLamppost ProductionsMR FilmsCommunity Media TrustBang Bang FilmsPulse Films

SELECTED CREDITS BY FORMAT

Long Form

One PieceOne Piece Season 2BeastRaised by WolvesWarrior Season 1The WidowThe Hot Zone Season 1BloodshotBlack BeautyDead in the Water

Commercials

H&MCheckersGarnierMediclinicPepcoDoveSuzuki VitaraMr PriceSonyLevi’sSanlamSavanna

SELECTED STUDIOS, BROADCASTERS & PLATFORMS

Netflix

SELECTED GAFFING & LIGHTING EXPERIENCE

Live at the Hole

FMK Studios

Gaffer

Strung – Pick Ups

Blue Ice Africa

Gaffer

Yamkela

Life Size Productions

Gaffer

Niggies

Wolflight Films

Gaffer

The Heart Is a Muscle

Miss K Productions

Gaffer

Watching Over You

BTG Productions

Gaffer

One Piece – Pick Ups

Film Afrika | Netflix

Gaffer

One Piece – Season 2

Film Afrika | Netflix

Gaffer

King Shaka

Film Afrika

Gaffer – second unit

One Piece

Film Afrika | Netflix

2nd Chief of Lighting

Beast

Moonlighting Films

Gaffer

Raised by Wolves

Film Afrika

Gaffer

Warrior – Season 1

Moonlighting Films

Gaffer

The Widow

Film Afrika

Gaffer

The Hot Zone – Season 1

Moonlighting Films

Gaffer

Bloodshot

Out of Afrika

Best Boy Gaffer

Black Beauty

Out of Afrika

Best Boy Gaffer

Dead in the Water

Out of Afrika

Gaffer