Dan Mindel is a South African/American cinematographer and frequent collaborator with J.J. Abrams. He has worked with Abrams as the director of photography on Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, and Star Trek Into Darkness, and he helped Abrams create his signature lensflares in the Star Trek films. Mindel has also worked with Disney as the director of photography on John Carter. He announced on April 22, 2013 that he will be the director of photography for Star Wars Episode VII.