MA graduates Justin Herrera & David Moench team up for docuseries Deep Dish
By MetFilm School
23 April 2025
After graduating from their master’s courses at MetFilm School Berlin, David Moench (MA Directing) and Justin Herrera (MA Cinematography) collaborated on an ambitious docuseries: Deep Dish.
The series, which explores the culinary harmony between remote communities and their environment, one dish at a time, gave Justin and David the opportunity to travel the world. We caught up with them to find out more…
Can you tell us a little bit about how Deep Dish began?
David: The idea originally spawned when Justin and I planned a holiday to the Lofoten Islands in January 2023. In the lead up to the trip, we decided we should film something there, since it’s such a unique location. I knew I wanted to shoot something related to food, and whilst looking for interesting restaurants in the area, I randomly stumbled across Holmen Lofoten.
After doing a bit of research, I learned about their unique approach towards food, community, and sustainability, and we began to flesh out the concept. We then reached out to Ingunn at Holmen, who promptly let us know that Holmen was closed in January! Nevertheless, she told us that if we ended up visiting, she’d be happy to meet us. With no specific plans in mind, we embarked on our vacation, and when we visited Holmen, Ingunn welcomed us with open arms.
There was such a strong synergy and alignment of values around what we wanted to create that it was immediately clear we had to return and shoot this episode. After a couple months of prep, we did just that, returning at the end of May (a much better time than in January, when there was only two hours of daylight!) and shooting the pilot over four days.
As a cinematographer, what unique opportunities or challenges come with shooting a docuseries?
Justin: The biggest challenge would be how unpredictable it can be. Before arriving at the Lofoten Islands, we were so excited to shoot in the Arctic Circle during the summer. The days are longer, and the sun stays around the horizon for hours, which makes for very flattering light. But the weather had other plans when we arrived!
I think we saw the sun for maybe an hour or two over the four days we were there. It was either raining or overcast, nothing else. So, right off the bat, the vision for the episode had to change.
Each interviewee mentioned how storms on the island could spur up within minutes, so David spearheaded the idea to lean into the ‘ugly weather’ to showcase their point. Because of this, I think we have a much more unique story – visually, at least. It also gave us the opportunity to approach the story differently, which in my opinion made it feel more truthful.
Did you plan the wider narrative for the series during the pilot, or is this still emerging as you develop each episode?
David: Shortly after shooting the pilot, we started thinking about potential locations for future episodes. To help with this, we focused on three elements that would drive each episode:
- The dish: presenting one dish, breaking down each individual ingredient
- The community: introduce the local community behind these ingredients
- The environment: showcase how the environment affects their way of life
Creating this framework was important to maintain a coherent structure, as you can easily get off track when visiting completely different parts of the world.
Given these challenges, how do you think Deep Dish has helped you grow in your craft?
Justin: It might be a boring answer, but this experience has helped me to hone my problem-solving skills the most. Travelling with all our equipment, and being such a tiny crew, it was kind of a nightmare to make everything fit in our suitcases, and to sort out the correct travel paperwork.
I think that’s the part of documentary filmmaking that gets swept under the rug – it’s a sweat-inducing logistical maze! But once you’re on the other end, it feels great, and you gain confidence in your ability to overcome these types of challenges.
Deep Dish also made me feel so grateful for the circle of collaborators I’ve built over the years. Without those crucial relationships, and the incredible donations from our friends and family, this project would just never have happened.
Ready to take the lead?
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Students will develop a strong creative voice while learning practical skills in working with actors, visual storytelling, script development, and production management. Through hands-on workshops, industry masterclasses, and collaborative shoots, you’ll direct your own projects while building a network across disciplines — all under the guidance of working professionals.
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