My DIT Cart: Dean Otusanya-Wood  

In this series, we regularly spotlight inspiring professionals in the film industry – highlighting their career journeys, projects, and the gear that powers their work.

This time, we’re catching up with London-based DIT Dean Otusanya-Wood, a valued member of digital service provider Digital Orchard, to talk about his journey into film, go-to DIT setup, and life on set.

Thanks for your time, Dean! First, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in the film industry? 

Dean: My name is Dean Otusanya-Wood, but people call me Dean O Wood for short. I’m based in South East London (West Wickham). My professional background has always been in film – it’s my one true passion. I got into the industry during sixth form, studying BTEC Media and doing freelance jobs and work experience, which increased once I went to Ravensbourne University.  

And how did you get into the DIT field? 

Dean: Becoming a DIT happened by accident initially, as I was asked to help data manage a short film, but thanks to my colourist background in post houses like Goldcrest, as well as freelancing, I ended up doing more DIT work. I then discovered and joined Digital Orchard through a recommendation from Mark Kozlowski.

What kind of projects do you work on these days? And what’s a project you’re particularly proud of? 

Dean: The types of projects I usually work on are a mix of feature films and TV series, primarily with Netflix or the BBC, with some other studios sprinkled in. The last project I just finished was a five-and-a-half month project for the BBC called Wild Cherry. It was a very challenging project with multiple locations and moves. The project I’m most proud of has to be working on Top Gun: Maverick – it was my first high-end job, and I learned a lot from the experience.  

We’re aware that every DIT’s setup varies. How would you describe yours, and what are the main bits and pieces?

Dean: My DIT setup really depends on the job. If we’re talking about an on-set job, I’ll tend to have the big adicam liners, two Flanders Scientific DM240 monitors, two Odyssey monitors, a Tangent panel, a Blackmagic switcher, an I/O box, M1 laptop, an EcoFlow, and magic arms (for the WCU-4 Iris handset from camera). For a near-set DIT setup, it’s a similar setup but without the switcher or I/O box. Instead, I’d use one monitor instead of two, perhaps one Odyssey, an M1 Mac Studio, EcoFlow, and Tangent panel. Overall, I adjust my setup to the requirements of the job and tend to keep my workstation as neat and compact as possible.

For video gear, I’d mainly use small Odyssey monitors, an Ultra Studio Monitor, Thunderbolt and USB-C cables, the keyboard, and other accessories. The Pomfort software I use are Livegrade and Silverstack. Livegrade is more for onset work (checking cameras, making any adjustments live and creating CDLs). For Silverstack, it differs per job but is mainly used for offloading and putting in metadata. I tend to have a UPS and EcoFlow for backup in case of any cuts in power, but I make sure that I have power on set at all times, either from a generator or house power. I don’t particularly have any special features at the moment. I just enjoy trying to keep things simple and easy so I know where everything is and adjust when needed.

Do you have a favorite component in your setup?

Dean: As mentioned above, I wouldn’t say I have a favourite component to my setup as I try to keep everything in its place so it’s easy to access and move things around. So I would say that my favourite thing is how adjustable my setup is as a whole.

What’s the latest addition to your setup?  

Dean: The Odyssey monitors have been a very welcome addition. I used my Flanders monitors for checking false colour and waveforms previously, but now have the Odysseys as dedicated correction check monitors, which has been very helpful.

Are there any memorable stories from set that you’d like to share?

Dean: One scary story involved my whole system going off because someone hard-cut my power from the generator. Nothing would turn on for half an hour, and then all of a sudden, everything came back on like nothing happened! Thankfully, nothing was lost.

What would you say is the most challenging aspect of being a DIT? And what’s the most rewarding?

Dean: The most challenging aspect is mainly the hours you do during the day and when you are asked to do more than you are capable of – especially when you’re working alone with no assistant or trainee. The most rewarding part is when you are going back and forth with the DOP, discussing ideas and working together to come up with the best look.

Is there anything we haven’t covered that you would like to add?

Being a DIT can be a great way to learn the industry technically and meet different departments you wouldn’t normally talk to. Those people can talk to you about how things work and how you can help them and work together more collaboratively. It also gives you invaluable insight regarding how a DOP thinks and operates, which I find particularly interesting. 

Thanks so much for sharing your story and insights with us, Dean!