Through Another Lens: Reflecting on Tim Franco’s UNPERSON

Through Another Lens:
Reflecting on Tim Franco’s UNPERSON

04/01/2026

Back in early 2021, Moktan Productions had the privilege of creating a short documentary for Seoul-based photographer Tim Franco, marking the release of his photo book UNPERSON. Published by The Magenta Foundation and distributed by Thames & Hudson, the book is a powerful collection of analog portraits, each one telling the story of a North Korean defector and their journey to freedom.

Shooting day: Tim Franco in his studio in Seoul

We approached the project with a small, focused crew and filmed everything over the course of a single day. It was a concentrated effort, and in many ways, the simplicity of the setup helped us stay close to the heart of the story. Our team took care of every part of the process—from planning and shooting to editing, and composing the music—with the aim of supporting Tim’s work with care and intention. 

As a deliberate decision to emulate the analog aesthetic of Tim’s photography, we choose to shoot almost entirely with natural light. Rather than crafting a staged and artificially lit look, we leaned into the raw quality of daylight, timing the shoot carefully to make the most of what the sun offered. Using simple reflectors, we shaped the light just enough to achieve a balance between naturalism and form, avoiding harsh shadows or flatness.

Creating a visual language that resonated with Tim’s work—deeply human, unvarnished, and real—was a key goal. The stories Tim captured in UNPERSON are not only sensitive in nature but also demand respect and care in how they're presented. It was important for us to make a film that supported the integrity of his portraits and the lives they represent.

One of the most rewarding parts of the project was seeing the finished prints of Tim Franco’s work—tangible, analog photographs that hold so much presence in person. Being able to contribute to a project of such weight and purpose, and to see the final work come together, was a real honor.

As our DoP reflected after the shoot:

“What stuck the most was seeing Tim’s dedication to his craft and his passion for creating beautiful and meaningful images. It was inspiring. At Moktan, we share that same mindset—always striving to do things as meaningfully, as beautifully as we can.”

Looking back, we are proud to have played a part in helping bring UNPERSON into the world, and we’re excited for more people to discover both the book and the stories behind it. Follow us on our social media channels for behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive content from this memorable shoot.

Watch the full short documentary below!