Australian director/DP Jeff Darling, who graced the commercialmaking roster of L.A. headquartered Believe Media for the past 15 years, died on Sunday (3/27) while surfing at North Palm Beach in Sydney. He was 60. 

Darling was pulled from the water unconscious by lifeguards.  Paramedics performed CPR on Darling but he passed away at the scene. Rescue workers were called to the area by a concerned beach-goer who saw a surf ski floating in the water.

Darling’s filmmaking family at Believe is grieving. “We are devastated by the passing of Jeff Darling,” said Believe Media CEO Liz Silver. “He and his wife are a part of the Believe family and our hearts are broken for Sarah and his children. We filmed hundreds of jobs with him all over the world--it has been a gift to witness his craft and dedication to telling stories that make an impact, but mostly to call him our dear friend.”

Believe executive producer Marc Benardout noted, “A family-man through and through, Jeff led with a gentle spirit and was beloved by our team and his crews. Jeff and I worked together for more than 15 years--we worked closely to nurture his career.” Benardout added that he deeply feels “the painful loss of a visionary talent and friend who had so much ahead.”

Darling’s intimate and poetic aesthetic crossed over many genres to connect with audiences and tell profound stories. As a filmmaker and friend, Darling exhibited a quiet and thoughtful spirit which nurtured compelling portraiture for hundreds of brands as he built deep relationships across the industry. 

Early in his career Darling established himself as an internationally acclaimed cinematographer in film, commercials and music videos, becoming the youngest person to earn the Australian Film Institute’s Best Achievement in Cinematography for his work on the feature film The Crossing, starring Russell Crowe. Darling had previously been nominated for the same award for Young Einstein, starring Yahoo Serious.

When Darling made the transition to directing, he was included in the “Best New Directors in the World” Showcase at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. Kodak has recognized his contribution to excellence in Cinematography with three honorary awards: the Kaleidoscope Salute to Music Video Cinematography, the Kodak Vision Award at the 1999 AICP Show New York, and for Excellence in Cinematography at the 2002 AICP Show New York. His work for Jaguar and Boeing are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. And Darling’s “Snapper or Shooter” piece for Huawei scored honors at The One Show in 2017.

Darling directed and shot over 150 commercials for global brands including Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy, GMC, Jose Cuervo, Qantas, Diners Club, Pernod Ricard, Maybelline, Jaguar, Coca-Cola and BMW. 

“A consummate professional, Jeff was a renowned director whose lensing pushed visual storytelling, charted groundbreaking styles and signature looks that were often imitated,” added Silver. “Jeff was immensely knowledgeable of the technical aspects of filmmaking and was relentless in cinematic exploration. His acumen, innovative drive, and genuine warmth will be enormously missed.”

Darling had recently completed principal photography on the film He Went That Way, a true crime story of a serial killer and his chimpanzee, starring Jacob Elordi and Zachary Quinto and produced by Benardout.  

“Admirably considerate of everyone, Jeff leaves a mark on us that’s impossible to sum up just in his work as he was a beautiful human. We will miss you, Jeff,” affirmed Benardout.