Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 103 - IVAN SEN - DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re speaking with director Ivan Sen (LIMBO, GOLDSTONE, MYSTERY ROAD). In addition to directing his films, Ivan is simultaneously responsible for the editing, cinematography, sound, and a myriad of departments typically delegated to others—his being a one man crew is a frequent point of discussion, and we learn how shooting on his own (or with relatively few collaborators) allows him to capture the emotional moments elusive to the circus of larger productions. We learn how Ivan’s childhood moving around inland Australia informs the subjects of his films, and we discuss the power of place and its place in Ivan’s story development process. During our discussion of his latest film, LIMBO, Ivan reflects on the increasing sense of formalism in his work and why he feels more excited for and more sensitive to the filmmaking process now than when he was just starting out. Towards the end, Ivan also shares his thoughts on the state of the Australian film industry and on being aware of the market realities of filmmaking and film exhibition when developing a project.

We deeply admire Ivan’s films, and we were thrilled to be able to speak with him about them.

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Recommended Viewing: LIMBO

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 102 - LUKASZ ZAL - CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re speaking with cinematographer Lukasz Zal (THE ZONE OF INTEREST, COLD WAR, IDA). Born and raised in Poland, Lukasz yearned to express himself creatively in his youth, but it wasn't until he filmed a communion that he found his creativity was best practiced through cinematography. We also learn how Lukasz took over the role of cinematographer on IDA and how he and director (and fellow Pole) Pawel Pawlikowski worked together. He later reveals the humorous reason the camera finally moves at the end of the film, and we discuss how shooting the film in colour and then converting the footage into black and white affected the final images. Later, Lukasz shares his experiences working on DOVLATOV in St. Petersburg, and we take a moment to appreciate the rich cinematic and artistic traditions of the Russian people. Towards the end, we also discuss the practical challenges of shooting THE ZONE OF INTEREST and how director Jonathan Glazer’s idea of “Big Brother in Nazi Germany” informed the ultimate tone of the film.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 101 - WILLIE BURTON - PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, production sound mixer Willie Burton (OPPENHEIMER, LOVE & BASKETBALL, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) joins us to talk about his career and the world of audio. We learn how Willie’s love for all things audio began as a teenager in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and drove him to hitching a ride with a visiting minister out to California to pursue a higher education and deepen his knowledge in the field. After a string of odd-jobs and an engineering career in the sonar division of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Willie weathered years of rejection before gaining admittance into the sound union, becoming the first African-American in the local’s history, and finally began his long career in film and television. Throughout the episode, Willie remembers those who helped him advance in his career; among them fellow trailblazer Sidney Poitier, who gave Willie his first break sound mixing a feature on the Poitier-directed LET’S DO IT AGAIN. Willie later shares how he likes to prepare for a film, and we discuss some of the challenges Willie faced recording sound on OPPENHEIMER and TENET. Towards the end of our conversation, we ask Willie if he’s ready to hang it up, and we also learn about Willie’s involvement in a new educational program in Kansas City exposing young men and women to the world of filmmaking.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 100 - Colour - with Donald Mowat & Greig Fraser

In this special entry of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re celebrating the 100th episode of our second season by sharing our conversation about colour in film with former guests (and good friends) cinematographer Greig Fraser and makeup artist Donald Mowat. Greig discusses his endless search for the right lighting and camera combination to achieve a complexity and depth in skin tones he sees in 1970s-era American cinema, and we reminisce about the consistency in results born from the compatibility between tungsten lights and film stock designed for tungsten lighting. Donald also recalls the “Magenta Scare” when the red-adjacent colour became a point of fixation for filmmakers, and we consider the value of relying on the experts with whom we work. Throughout our winding discussion, some of the topics we cover include: actors’ skin tones changing under stress, the evolving politics of the makeup department, the diverse (and distressing) settings and screens in which dailies are viewed, the trouble with painting a set grey, the varying qualities of LED lights, the varying qualities of coloured gels, how Greig tests for skin tones, how Donald sneaks reference photos for his department, and watching really bad films while on a shoot. Also included: Technicolor-era trivia from Roger.

A huge thank you to everyone still listening to the podcast!

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 99 - ALFONSO CUARÓN - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Writer and director Alfonso Cuarón (ROMA, CHILDREN OF MEN, Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast to talk about his career and about filmmaking. Growing up in Mexico, Alfonso sought solace in the cinema, and he crewed and assisted on documentaries around the country throughout his youth, setting the foundation for his visual sensibilities by studying the photography of Ansel Adams and observing a DP manipulate natural light to shoot vegetables. After directing his first feature, Alfonso was brought to Hollywood by director Sydney Pollack to work on an episode of the anthology series FALLEN ANGELS, and Alfonso recalls for us his encouraging conversation with actor Alan Rickman that helped him overcome the petrifying pressure of shooting within the Hollywood machine. Alfonso later shares how director Guillermo del Toro convinced him to helm the third HARRY POTTER film, and he reveals which elements of the franchise he pushed to evolve and change. Alfonso also reflects on his relationship with visual effects, and we discuss why prep and bringing one’s collaborators into one’s process brings out the best in any film. Towards the end, Alfonso reflects on his experiences working on his upcoming limited series and shares his fear that television, not cinema, is the one conquering the other; however, despite this fear, we discuss the past, present, and potential future of filmmaking through an optimistic lens. 

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 98 - ETHAN HAWKE - ACTOR / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by actor and director Ethan Hawke (WILDCAT, BLAZE, BOYHOOD). James once worked with Ethan on WHITE FANG in Alaska, but before that, Ethan started acting in his youth in the theatre before landing his life-changing role on DEAD POETS SOCIETY. Throughout our discussion, Ethan reflects on his evolving relationship to film, art, and acting and shares a number of his thoughts on the nature of filmmaking. Ethan shares how he adjusts to the working style of different directors and what he’s applied to his own discipline of acting after directing a number of projects. We later discuss rehearsals, learning how director Sidney Lumet once adjusted a scene with Ethan because of having run through the scene with him, and Ethan shares why would never ask a director to change their preferred way of working. We also learn how Ethan developed and directed BLAZE and what the guiding principles were behind the direction of WILDCAT. An engaging conversation with a truly talented artist!

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 97 - MARK JOHNSON - PRODUCER

Producer Mark Johnson (THE HOLDOVERS, BETTER CALL SAUL, GALAXY QUEST) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. After growing up in Spain and a brief stint as an extra on DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, Mark worked in commercials in New York City before finding his way into the Directors Guild of America’s Assistant Directing training program. Mark later survived William Friedkin’s globe-trotting production of SORCERER, emerging from the dirt and mud having risen to the position of 2nd AD, and eventually broke into producing with director Barry Levinson’s DINER. During our discussion, we learn how Mark finds projects to produce and what he looks for in projects brought to him. Mark also reflects on the varying styles of directors and how he personally defines the responsibilities of a producer. We also learn how Mark shepherded GALAXY QUEST (a favourite of ours) into existence, and he shares a number of insights into the journey of its development, production, and release. We later learn how Mark first met writer Vince Gilligan and of their long-term professional relationship that led Mark to producing BREAKING BAD and BETTER CALL SAUL, and he reflects on the differences between working in television versus film. Mark is responsible for introducing us to director Denis Villeneuve before we worked together on PRISONERS, and it was a pleasure to be able to catch up with him in this episode. 

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 96 - GEORGE COTTLE - STUNT COORDINATOR / 2ND UNIT DIRECTOR

Stunt coordinator and 2nd unit director George Cottle (BARBIE, OPPENHEIMER, TENET) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. At 16, George spent a summer assisting stunt coordinator Greg Powell at Pinewood Studios, and his life has been dedicated to stunts ever since. George shares how he met the requirements for the British Stunt Register (while explaining what the organization actually does) and how the structure of the stunt department encourages the gradual but meaningful development of skills in its members. We also question George about his recent expansion into 2nd unit directing and learn how he coordinated the car chase in BARBIE using his daughter’s walkie-talkies. We later learn how new technologies and advances in visual effects have assisted the stunt department in safely executing elaborate stunts, and George reflects on the department’s modern pivot away from its historically machismo culture. George also reveals how he determines whether an actor can (or should) participate in a stunt, and we learn how he builds out his team when hired for a job. We also get George to reflect on the unique challenges of designing stunts for TENET amidst its many locales and its time-defying script.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 95 - RICK CARTER - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer Rick Carter (THE FABELMANS, AVATAR, MUNICH) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Despite growing up around Hollywood, Rick was a rebel, and it wasn’t until after dropping out of college and traveling the world as a hippy that Rick finally found his way into filmmaking. Rick shares why he fell into the art department and, throughout the episode, reflects on how he conceptualizes spaces with his fellow filmmakers before bringing them into our reality. Rick also reflects on the podcast itself—it being an archive of filmmakers of a certain epoch of filmmaking—and eagerly adds his own voice to its chorus. We also focus on Rick’s experiences working on director Steven Spielberg’s MUNICH and on the decision-making that went into finding the location for the staircase scene set in Athens.

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Recommended Viewing: MUNICH

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 94 - BILL BENNETT - CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Bill Bennett speaks with us about the world of commercial filmmaking. Born into a family of engineers, Bill came to love art through his mother’s own development as an artist, and he quickly changed majors in college to pursue his passion. Finding his way to LA, Bill built sets for commercials for years until breaking his way into camera operating and eventually cinematography in the field. Bill reveals how commercial filmmakers transitioned from film to digital formats and of his involvement in the development of the Arriflex 435 camera, a major breakthrough at the time. Bill later reflects on the impact of the Arri Alexa camera on the design of digital cameras at large and on the moment a digital camera demonstrated its value as a viable replacement for film cameras to him on a car commercial shoot. Bill also shares plenty of advice for young filmmakers looking to enter the world of commercial production and what his own views are on what makes someone stand out from the crowd. Towards the end, we discuss how commercial filmmaking is changing with new technologies like artificial intelligence and volume lighting systems.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 93 - DANIEL KALUUYA - ACTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we're speaking with actor Daniel Kaluuya (JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, GET OUT, SICARIO). A former class clown from Camden Town, Daniel describes his early initiation into the London youth theatre and arts scene up until being scouted to write and act on the popular British show SKINS. We had the pleasure of working with him on SICARIO, and he reveals how much the production changed his perception of acting and empowered him to try “doing nothing” in a scene. We learn about the discipline he applies during prep to inhabit his characters, and we discuss the particular challenges and responsibilities of playing Fred Hampton in JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. Later, Daniel discusses his preparation for GET OUT and reflects on his experience being the face of a film that blew up far beyond his initial expectations. Daniel also reveals what he learned about himself following a year-and-a-half-long sabbatical from acting after shooting SICARIO. Throughout the episode, Daniel shares his love for working with directors who have something to say and know what they need to shoot to say it.

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Recommended Viewing: GET OUT, SICARIO

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 92 - DON BURGESS - CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer Don Burgess (AQUAMAN, CONTACT, FORREST GUMP). Always the outdoorsman, Don spent much of his youth and young adulthood filming sports movies and learning the ropes while hanging off them on the side of a mountain. We learn how he fell in with director Robert Zemeckis in a pivotal meeting to shoot FORREST GUMP and how they typically prepare and work together through production. We also discuss Don’s night work on CAST AWAY and the difficulties of working on a tropical island. We reflect on deriving strength from longtime crew members, and Don reveals how, after the introduction of film incentives, he’s since developed local crews around the world. Later, Don gives us a recent example of when he was able to remotely DP a shot across the Pacific Ocean with his trusted New Zealand crew. Among his many illustrious credits, Don can also boast of surviving the 2nd unit on the arduous production of director William Friedkin’s SORCERER.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 91 - LIZA BAMBENEK - 1ST AC

1st assistant cameraperson Liza Bambenek (THE CURSE, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS, SICARIO) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. We get a full breakdown of the camera department in this episode, and we discuss the duties and responsibilities of the different positions with Liza. We had the pleasure of working with her on SICARIO and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, and we can attest to her expertise. From small town Minnesota down a winding path to Santa Fe, Liza reflects on her life and career throughout the episode, and we consider the qualities we find most helpful in a member of the team and the characteristics commonly found in the world of filmmaking that inspire us to keep creating. We also discuss the importance of mentorship and the strength and responsibility of admitting that you don’t know something to your teammates. Liza later reflects on the evolution of female representation in the camera department and in crews overall, and she shares how the Santa Fe film market has matured since its implementation of film incentives. 

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 90 - DENNIS MUREN - VFX SUPERVISOR

Visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren (JURASSIC PARK, TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast to discuss his lifelong craft. From playing with stop motion to working on the original STAR WARS, Dennis was interested in visual effects at an early age, and throughout the episode he reflects on the evolution of the field following the advent of computer generated imagery. We learn how Dennis prioritizes emotionality when building VFX into a shot and how he consults with a director and the crew  to come up with the best shots for the film. We also learn about the shift away from using models towards computer generated imagery and about the loss of certain aspects of reality that came with transition. We discuss the focusing power of deadlines, and Dennis later shares some advice for young filmmakers looking to breaking the field of VFX. Also included: how Dennis set up a prehistoric video call to coordinate the VFX of JURASSIC PARK across the globe with director Steven Spielberg in 1993.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 89 - ELLEN MIROJNICK - COSTUME DESIGNER

Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick (OPPENHEIMER, WALL STREET, FATAL ATTRACTION) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. A born and bred New Yorker, Ellen jumped right into costume design on a low-budget feature in New Orleans where she quickly (and easily) took to the role as the department head. She later spent two films working and studying under famed costume designer Sandy Powell before being recruited by director Adrian Lyne to work on FATAL ATTRACTION (one of many films in which she would work with actor Michael Douglass). During our discussion of OPPENHEIMER, Ellen shares the notes she received from director Christopher Nolan that informed her approach to the design of the film’s costumes and reflects on the challenge posed by needing to design costumes that could be shot in black-and-white in one setup and in colour in the next. Ellen also reflects on the challenge of designing the film’s costumes to seamlessly reflect changes in time without losing the characters across numerous decades of story. Towards the end, we discuss the importance of creating costumes that are not only right for the period, but right for the actors who need to wear them.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 88 - JOHN KNOLL - VFX SUPERVISOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, VFX supervisor John Knoll (THE BATMAN, ROGUE ONE, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) joins us to talk about his career and his craft. Despite growing up among an academic family of engineers, scientists, and medical professionals, John fell in love with the fantastic imagery of cinema and television, and he saw miniature work as his way into filmmaking. From cold-calling Industrial Light & Magic at 15 to later working for them, John reflects on his life as one who turns hobbies into professions, and we learn how John fuses technology with art in his work. John reveals, with great clarity, how slit-scans are actually composed and shares how he used the effect to generate the illusion of the Starship Enterprise entering and exiting warp speed. We later discuss the leadership responsibilities of being a supervisor, including giving negative feedback in such a way that elevates a collaborator’s work. Towards the end, we also discuss the enduring appeal of miniatures for audiences and filmmakers alike. In addition to his work in VFX, John (alongside his brother Thomas) invented Photoshop, the popular photo-editing software used around the world.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 87 - STEFAN DECHANT - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer Stefan Dechant (REBEL MOON, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, WELCOME TO MARWEN) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. We worked with Stefan on TRUE GRIT and JARHEAD, and it was great catching up with him. Like many other young boys of the 70s, Stefan became enchanted with STAR WARS, and (while attending school in Cincinnati, Ohio) lied his way to a gig working on JURASSIC PARK. His first love was storyboards, but he soon found his design and illustration skills best suited a career in art direction and production design. Stefan shares how his time drafting storyboards informs his approach to production design, and we also discuss the integration of emerging technologies in filmmaking today and tomorrow. We also hear about Stefan’s experience working with director Joel Coen and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel on THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH and learn how they carved the film’s expressionistic and abstract sets out of light.

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Recommended Viewing: THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH

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This episode is sponsored by Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 86 - DIANNA FREAS - SET DECORATOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by set decorator Dianna Freas (FOR ALL MANKIND, LONE STAR, THUNDERHEART). Studying illustration and fine arts at Syracuse and Parsons, she later attended NYU and found her skills well suited to set design. After an early career period working as a co-production designer alongside husband and production designer Dan Bishop, Dianna transitioned to set decoration full time. Throughout the episode, Dianna defines some of the myriad of roles within the art and set decoration departments. What are lead men? How does she work with a buyer? What does the set decoration coordinator typically oversee? Who keeps the books? Who's responsible for that lamp? The demarcations are many, the responsibilities are numerous, and Dianna maps it all out for us with clarity. We later extoll the virtue of flexibility, and Dianna gives advice to anyone looking to break into the art department.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox & the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 85 - HANS ZIMMER - COMPOSER

Composer Hans Zimmer (DUNE, INTERSTELLAR, THE LION KING) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Hans takes us back to his early career working the espresso machine for composer Stanley Myers and later making runs for director Bernardo Bertolucci on THE LAST EMPEROR before reflecting on his experience composing the score for the South Africa-set, anti-apartheid film A WORLD APART. We later discuss the purpose of score in a film and how Hans works to create an environment in which a director’s story can unfold, as does a cinematographer. We learn what Hans is really doing when he’s procrastinating, and we weigh the value of being original and being good. We also trade notes on working with director Denis Villeneuve, and Hans reveals his deeply personal connection to the score and story of THE LION KING. Towards the end, Hans opines that the Hollywood sound is really made in London, and he revels in the joy of conducting an orchestra that has played everything until he brings his original score to their stands.

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission & Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 84 - WIM WENDERS - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Writer and director Wim Wenders (PERFECT DAYS; WINGS OF DESIRE; PARIS, TEXAS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Early on in the conversation, Wim recounts waiting in the toilet stalls as a student in Paris and watching over 1000 movies in a year before realizing working in film was his way forward. Wim walks us through his first three features, including a disastrous visit to the Venice Film Festival, and reveals how those experiences led to the genesis of his first road movie: ALICE IN THE CITIES. After a winding trip through the American West, Wim was wooed by colour photography and reveals how he and late, great Sam Shepard willed PARIS, TEXAS into existence. Wim later reflects on wrestling with expectations on its followup, WINGS OF DESIRE, and the welcoming invitation to study toilets in Japan that led to the wonderful PERFECT DAYS, which he likens to a documentary about a fictional character. We also learn which of Wim’s many films is his favourite, and we venture a guess at the future of filmmaking and filmgoing.

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This episode is sponsored by Godox & the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 83 - PAUL SCHNEIDER - ACTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor Paul Schneider (BRIGHT STAR, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, GEORGE WASHINGTON). Growing up in a small town in North Carolina, Paul shares how working in film and television never crossed his mind until a pivotal viewing of Jane Campion’s THE PIANO. Attending film school following the encouragement and support of a high school teacher, Paul studied editing but found himself frequently cast in his friends’ short films, culminating in a performance in GEORGE WASHINGTON, shot entirely by his film school friends. Paul later shares how, to prepare for a role in Jane Campion’s BRIGHT STAR, he practiced his Scottish accent by studying a copy of TRAINSPOTTING. We later discuss the importance of a director having a clear vision for a film and loving a collaborative director who includes their crew and cast in their creative decision making process. Paul also reveals the secret character trait that informed his character in JESSE JAMES, and we discuss the emotional mathematics of the collaboration found in filmmaking that result in a film’s final cut.

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission & Godox

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 82 - GARRETT BROWN - INVENTOR OF THE STEADICAM

On this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with the inventor of the Steadicam: Garrett Brown (YENTL, THE SHINING, BOUND FOR GLORY). He not only invented the tool but also frequently operated it, breaking the new system in on MARATHON MAN, ROCKY, and BOUND FOR GLORY in a single summer in the mid-1970s. With just a high-school level of understanding of physics, Garrett was able (after a long, isolated week in a remote hotel) to think through the fundamental design of the Steadicam which is still used today—50 years after its invention. We learn about the biomechanics of the human body that informed the design of the Steadicam and of the four key aspects of the device that isolate the camera from its operator. Garrett later recounts the day he first used the prototype on BOUND FOR GLORY (its first ever use in a feature film no less!) and how the late cinematographer Haskell Wexler fought for its inclusion. Garrett also shares how Stanley Kubrick utilized the unique properties of the Steadicam while filming THE SHINING to move the camera “like a ghost” through the empty halls of the Overlook Hotel and chase the indefatigable child actor Daniel Lloyd across miles of carpet. Few people can claim to have changed the way we make movies, and Garrett is one of them.

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 81 - RICK HEINRICHS - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer Rick Heinrichs (GLASS ONION, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, SLEEPY HOLLOW) joins us in conversation on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. From doodling on his homework to drafting the fantastical worlds of Tim Burton, we cover the breadth of Rick’s career in this conversation. Rick shares with us his experience studying at CalArts and learning how to think creatively from filmmakers like Alexander McKendrick and others of his caliber. Rick later reflects on his time as a starting animator at Disney and his early work in the art department before making the full transition to working as a production designer. We reminisce about our time together working on FARGO and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, and Rick shares what it was like to initially work with the Coen brothers and bring the visions in their heads into reality. During our discussion of THE LAST JEDI, Rick shares what went into creating the relatively realistic feeling prevalent throughout the film and how everyone bought into Rian Johnson’s direction for its look. We also consider the importance of tone and the paramountcy of character under which we all ultimately labour. 

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 80 - JUAN JOSÉ CAMPANELLA - WRITER / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, writer and director Juan José Campanella (THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES, VIENTOS DE AGUA, SON OF THE BRIDE) joins us for a conversation about his career (of which we have been longtime and passionate fans). After moonlighting as a film student and watching odd-paired double bills at local theaters in Buenos Aires, Juan attended film school at NYU and eventually returned to Argentina after 10 years to continue his career. We learn how Juan and his team pulled off the stadium scene in THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES and why he conceived of the single-shot aesthetic for that particular moment in the film. Juan later shares how his longtime creative partnership with actor Ricardo Darín has developed over the years and what Juan saw in a performance of Ricardo’s that made him believe he was a formidable actor. Juan also shares his approach to rehearsals and how he’s helped actors justify lines that, initially, they have difficulty delivering. Towards the end, Juan reflects on the differences between television and film, the response towards a film based on its distribution strategy, and the changing tastes of audiences.

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Recommended Viewing: THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 79 - DAN BISHOP - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Dan Bishop (FOR ALL MANKIND, MAD MEN, PASSION FISH). From painting scenery on MY DINNER WITH ANDRE to designing the future on FOR ALL MANKIND, Dan has seen it all. We learn how he drew from history to design the world of MAD MEN, and he reveals when and how the series transitioned from film to digital. Later, Dan, after pointing out the tools of his trade were no different from Da Vinci’s for most of his career, reviews the relatively recent advances in computer software and hardware that enable him and his department to quickly and digitally construct and present design ideas. We later reflect on the quest to find the elusive “perfect location” and the varying levels of location scouts’ photography skills. We also discuss the alchemy that takes place when combining light, fabrics, and colours in a physical space and the benefits and drawbacks of working on set versus on location.

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 78 - PABLO HELMAN - VFX SUPERVISOR

Visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman (KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, THE IRISHMAN, JARHEAD) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born in Argentina, Pablo spent his youth playing music professionally and touring South America with his band before graduating from UCLA and working for several effects houses before ultimately ending up at Industrial Light & Magic where, for the past 27 years, Pablo has hung his hat. Throughout the episode, Pablo shares how he approaches implementing VFX into a film and how he works with directors and the various heads of departments during production to ensure the effects serve the story being told. Pablo also reveals how the de-aging technology used in THE IRISHMAN was developed, how it actually works, and why its development was led with the intent to preserve an actor’s performance. Later, Pablo shares several stories from working on KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, from scanning and reproducing a miniature oil derrick to wrangling digital cows. Towards the end, we consider how VFX is just another tool to use to create the reality of a film and discuss why you ultimately can’t escape from what you shoot.

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This episode is sponsored by the Dallas Film Commission & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 77 - PENNY ROSE - COSTUME DESIGNER

Costume designer Penny Rose (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, THE COMMITMENTS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Despite dressing actors at a local theatre (as a teenager) and later working alongside fashion designer Elio Fiorucci (as an interpreter), costume design didn’t occur to Penny as a career path until she found herself in the position (as the last-minute backup) on a commercial for director Adrian Lyne. Penny spent the next decade working with and learning from the preeminent English commercial directors of the time, following them into features and further developing her abilities as a costume designer. Penny later breaks down the costume department for us, and we discuss what qualities she looks for in her team members. We also learn how she builds out the look of a character with the director and the actor and of the diplomacy she exercises between the two when a disagreement arises. Towards the end, we reflect on the demands and pleasures of the vagabond lifestyle of a filmmaker.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & the Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 76 - DEB AQUILA - CASTING DIRECTOR

Casting director Deb Aquila (CODA, LA LA LAND, SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Deb grew up in an arts-loving family, whose encouragement to enter the field led her to attend NYU and study under Stella Adler. Pivoting into casting, Deb found herself working on the hit series MIAMI VICE for two seasons before growing into a veteran independent casting director. Deb breaks down what really goes on in the audition room and how she works with actors to bring out their best performances as she hunts for the right choice for a part. We learn how she works with directors after being brought on to a project, and she shares how a character can evolve over the course of the audition process. Deb later shares what her responsibilities are as a studio executive at Paramount and how she balances those with her responsibilities as a casting director. Towards the end, we discuss “casting” personalities, when hiring both the cast and crew, and the value of creating a safe space for actors to give their best performances during the shoot.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 75 - LUC MONTPELLIER - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Cinematographer Luc Montpellier (WOMEN TALKING, AWAY FROM HER, AUTUMN HEARTS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Hailing from rural Canada, Luc reflects on his childhood growing up with a deep love for film and later knuckling down to get into film school, both by building his portfolio and threatening the school with an endless stream of applications until his acceptance. We learn how the Canadian government supports its country’s film industry and how that support has evolved over time, and we consider the different pathways for young filmmakers to gain experience in both Canada and the United Sates. We later mine the fine details of Luc’s approach to shooting the deceptively “simple” WOMEN TALKING and how he and director Sarah Polley identified when and how to visually express the women’s story and their evolving characters. And, towards the end, Luc thanks us for responding to his email years ago following a difficult professional experience.

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Recommended Viewing: WOMEN TALKING

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 74 - LISA CHURGIN - EDITOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by editor Lisa Churgin (PITCH PERFECT, HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, GATTACA) to discuss her career and the craft of editing. Lisa shares with us the moment she discovered filmmaking after leaving suburban New Jersey for New York City and how she survived bouncing between employment and unemployment before landing an editing gig on THE WARRIORS and working for director Woody Allen’s longtime editor Susan E. Morse. Lisa later laments the general loss of the dailies process and the opportunity for younger editors to listen to the crew talk out production problems. Later likening editing to sculpting, Lisa reflects on the role of an editor and her place in the greater filmmaking process. We worked with Lisa on HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG and DEAD MAN WALKING, and she shares how she and director Tim Robbins approached the construction of the latter.  We also learn what the director-editor interview for a potential job is really about, and we bookend the episode heaping praise on dolly grips. 

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Recommended Viewing: HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, DEAD MAN WALKING

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 73 - INBAL WEINBERG - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer Inbal Weinberg (THE LOST DAUGHTER; SUSPIRIA; THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Despite her early love for European social realist films, Inbal embarked on the immigrant dream of making it in New York City and studied film at NYU before being asked by director Hal Hartley (her favourite filmmaker at the time) to design THE GIRL FROM MONDAY. Inbal reflects on working in America as a foreigner and how that perspective influences her design choices, and we discuss handling the Mediterranean personality infrequently encountered in American productions. She later speaks of the art department as the hub through which the vision of the film is communicated to other departments and the importance of maintaining open lines of communication throughout production. Inbal also shares how she and other production designers are fighting to stay involved in the evolving design process in the face of the proliferation of VFX across all departments. Topics also include: using time in prep to learn how to work with a director, the revolving door of information we accrue and abandon when transitioning between projects, and Inbal’s favourite episode of the podcast.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 72 - STEVE YEDLIN - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Cinematographer Steve Yedlin (GLASS ONION, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, LOOPER) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast to discuss the nuts and bolts (and truth!) of cinematography. We touch on Steve’s early-career projects and on the start of his enduring creative partnership with director Rian Johnson during their time at USC. Later, we consider the benefits and shortcomings of film school and which parts of cinematography can really be taught, and we reflect on the nature of luck in one’s career. Steve shares how he and Rian approached designing the look of THE LAST JEDI and LOOPER, and he shares why, during production, he avoids focusing on things that belong in the proper domain of post. Towards the end, we discuss Steve’s presentation (available on his website) concerning the nature of resolution as simply a tool of measurement and not a look maker, and we consider the seemingly newfound desire to “do it the old way” and the elusive definition of the word filmic.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 71 - DAVID OYELOWO - ACTOR / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by actor and director David Oyelowo (LAWMEN: BASS REEVES, THE WATER MAN, SELMA) to discuss his career and his craft. A television-addicted latchkey kid in his youth, David later spent several years with the Royal Shakespeare Company before embarking on his career on the screen with chameleonic aspirations. While discussing his performance as Seretse Khama in A UNITED KINGDOM, we consider the steep barriers to entry for a global audience to immerse themselves in the history of a period film set in a specific African country and the power of drawing an audience in to the story through the personal rather than the political. David later reflects on his journey to play Dr. King in SELMA, describing to us how the script’s focus evolved as new directors took over the project, what director Ava DuVernay said to financiers to finally get the project off the ground, and how he took inspiration from actor Daniel Day-Lewis to embody the essence of Dr. King’s character. We also discuss David’s directorial debut, THE WATER MAN, and how he leaned on his past collaborators to prepare for the project.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 70 - ZACH BRAFF - ACTOR / WRITER / DIRECTOR

Actor, writer, and director Zach Braff (A GOOD PERSON, GARDEN STATE, SCRUBS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Zach fell in love with the arts at an early age, booking one of his first on-screen roles in Woody Allen’s MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY and later cutting his teeth in production while PA’ing on music videos in the late 90s. He shares how the stars aligned to cast his first choices in every role on GARDEN STATE and what the impetus was to write the script in the first place. We later learn how Zach storyboards his films in prep and how he’s improved his ability to delegate during production by empowering his crew to solve creative problems. Zach also reflects on his experience crowdfunding WISH I WAS HERE and the challenges of servicing 50,000 backers while actually making the film. Towards the end, Zach shares some advice for young filmmakers, and we debate releasing films directly through streamers versus in theaters and the difficulties of marketing films in today’s marketplace.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 69 - CORD JEFFERSON - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Writer and director Cord Jefferson (AMERICAN FICTION, WATCHMEN, THE GOOD PLACE) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Cord tells us why he never considered a career in the arts and how he wrote his way onto a journalism beat after college. After transitioning into writing television and surviving the Hollywood shuffle, Cord shares why he wrote AMERICAN FICTION following a huge professional failure in 2020 and how he realized the film with the help of Rian Johnson’s production company T-Street in a risk-averse industry. We dive deep into Cord’s process and experiences as a first-time director and learn how he prevented the tone of the film from falling into farce. Cord later shares why he prefers the collaborative nature of filmmaking over the solitude of prose writing and why AMERICAN FICTION was the first screenplay he ever wrote purely out of passion. At the end, Cord preaches patience when asked to give a younger version of himself advice, and he dispels the myths surrounding writer’s block.

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Recommended Viewing : AMERICAN FICTION

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 68 - JAMES CHINLUND - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer James Chinlund (THE BATMAN, THE AVENGERS, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Reflecting on his childhood, James recalls to us noting the relationship between crowds of worshipers and the inner sanctum of the Cathedral of St. John in New York while squirreled up above in its attic. While discussing James’ earlier work, we consider the balance a set or location needs between stripping it to its bare essence for the scene while avoiding an overly minimal design more appropriate for the theater. As avid fans of THE BATMAN, we ask James how he worked with director Matt Reeves and cinematographer Greig Fraser over three years and through a global pandemic to bring Gotham to the screen in all its gloomy glory. James also reveals how he learned to overcome his mistrust of VFX while working on THE AVENGERS, and we ponder the future of production design amidst the current and looming advances in technology.

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 67 - ED MCDONNELL - PRODUCER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, producer Ed McDonnell (SICARIO, PRISONERS, INSOMNIA) joins us in a lively conversation about his craft and his career. After producing a play at age 12 in his neighbor’s garage, he survived two brief stints in Washington and on Wall Street before leaving it all behind to work in Hollywood. While charting his quick rise from assistant to executive, Ed shares the most important lesson he learned after being fired for failing to read the room during a meeting over an early draft of BEVERLY HILLS COP. Ed also discusses how he takes scripts out to directors and collaborates with them to tell the best story possible, and we later consider why we always prefer projects that promise ample amounts of collaboration over other opportunities to simply act as functionaries. Towards the end, we discuss the nature of sequels and also reflect on the value of the oft repeated question: “Do you really need that shot?”

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 66 - OLIVER STAPLETON - CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Oliver Stapleton (THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, THE GRIFTERS, MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE) joins us in conversation. In addition to his career as a cinematographer, Oliver is also the Co-Head of Cinematography at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK. Oliver credits his life in film to his mother and her steady hand as the family camera operator, and he shares how he created his submission film to gain admission into the NFTS after visiting the campus on a lark. We discuss how, as a cinematographer, one’s job is to help the director execute their vision rather than impose your own on a film, and Oliver reveals how he grapples with finding the best way to introduce young directors and cinematographers to each other in film school. Oliver also regales us with the many tales and insights that have stuck with him from his long career. Towards the end, with a look to his past, Oliver remembers once animating Spiderman in his youth, and with a look to our future, he predicts the future of filmmaking and moviegoing.

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 65 - REED MORANO - DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, director and cinematographer Reed Morano (THE HANDMAID’S TALE, I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW, MEADOWLAND) speaks with us in a career-spanning conversation. We learn how after being drafted into the position of family documentarian, Reed soon found herself drawn towards the world of filmmaking. Reed reflects on how she may or may not have gotten her first job as a cinematographer on Craigslist after film school and how shooting FROZEN RIVER changed her career. We discuss the types of projects Reed is approached for as a director and how the opportunity to tell a man’s story from her perspective drew her to direct I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW. Towards the end, we also discuss the noble folly of trying to save a script that just doesn’t work. 

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This episode is sponsored by FiileX

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 64 - ELLEN LEWIS - CASTING DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Episode, casting director Ellen Lewis (KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, GOODFELLAS) joins us to talk about all things casting—of which we knew very little before speaking with her. A disciple of veteran casting director Juliet Taylor, Ellen shares with us how they were first introduced and what she learned working with her for eight years. Ellen reveals how closely casting works with talent agents to find the right actor for a role and how some casting directors even directly negotiate an actor’s contract. We worked with Ellen on KUNDUN, and she recounts her global odyssey to cast the 14th Dalai Lama across four separate stages of his life. We later discuss setting actors at ease, both on set and in the audition room, and how we do what we can to lift the pressure under which actors must work. Ellen also admits to us just how far she’s willing to travel to go to set.

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Recommended Viewing: KUNDUN

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 63 - RIAN JOHNSON - WRITER / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, writer and director Rian Johnson (KNIVES OUT, STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, LOOPER) speaks with us about his career, and, in a pleasant change of pace, he even asks us a few questions! Rian first shares his childhood memory of attending a screenwriting seminar with his father and how that experience has since informed his craft. We later learn about the father-son story at the heart of LOOPER and reflect on the differences in crew cultures between different countries. We also reminisce over floundering in your 20’s and touch on Rian’s enduring creative partnerships with actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and cinematographer Steve Yedlin. While discussing THE LAST JEDI, Rian reveals which classic opera inspired the design of the throne room and under what conditions, atypical for effects-heavy filmmaking, enabled Rian and his collaborators to build extensive and grounded sets for its many scenes. Throughout the episode, Rian reflects on his abilities as a filmmaker, and we discuss the beauty of scenes that, despite being irrelevant to the plot, are emotionally correct within a given story.

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Recommended Viewing: LOOPER

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 62 - DECLAN QUINN - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Cinematographer Declan Quinn (HAMILTON, LEAVING LAS VEGAS, MONSOON WEDDING) speaks with Team Deakins on this episode of the podcast. A first generation immigrant from Ireland, Declan first reflects on his youth bouncing between America and his family’s home country. We then ruminate on Declan’s decision to spend part of his early career in Ireland and on the function of pubs as watering holes wherein a young filmmaker could, back when Roger and Declan were starting out at least, find a community with which to celebrate and commiserate over work and life. Later, Declan shares his experiences working with directors Mike Figgis and Neil Jordan and on the myriad of other films he helped bring to life. Towards the end, Declan describes the process of Broadway captures and how he filmed HAMILTON at the height of its popularity with its original cast.

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 61 - DALLAS FILM COMMISSION

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we sit down with two members from the Dallas Film Commission: Tony Armer, the commissioner, and Andrew Vela, a project specialist. We pepper Tony and Andrew with questions throughout the episode. What does a film commission office actually do? How do offices differ at the state and city levels? How do they help local filmmakers? And who’s responsible for incentives? Andrew and Tony (who is also one of the founders of the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida) also answer our many questions about festivals. Should you go to your local film festival? Is it worth submitting to the bigger ones? And which festivals should you even submit to? In between all our questioning, we also learn how Tony and Andrew came to work at the Dallas Film Commission and of the various responsibilities of their roles within it. 

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 60 - DAVID LOWERY - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Team Deakins speaks with writer and director David Lowery (PETER PAN & WENDY, A GHOST STORY, AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS) on this episode of the podcast. David credits his early childhood obsession with STAR WARS (despite having not seeing the films at the time) for his lifelong obsession with filmmaking, and he walks us through his early career working in independent film in Texas. We dive deep into the making of AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS and A GHOST STORY, learning how David developed the title for the former and how his collaborators pulled off the Ghost’s costume by utilizing the old-fashioned illusions of cinema for the latter. We also consider the danger of being beguiled by “cool shots” and how a good title can complement the tone of its film. We also touch on David’s favourite topic: film financing!

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Recommended Viewing: A GHOST STORY, AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 59 - KELLEY DIXON - EDITOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, editor Kelley Dixon (OBI-WAN KENOBI, THE GOLDFINCH, BREAKING BAD) joins us for a conversation about all things editing. Kelley starts by sharing her experience working in the MGM/UA mailroom and delivering script pages to the editorial department where she quickly found herself helping cut scenes. Kelley later describes learning the potential applications of visual effects if money is no object and how that insight expanded her way of thinking when approaching editorial problems on projects with relatively larger budgets. We discuss how editing can be used to bring the audience into the state-of-mind of a character and how Kelley works with a director to realize their vision in the edit. Throughout the episode, we debate whether or not editing is an invisible art, and we contemplate our favourite note: “Can you just make it better?”

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This episode is sponsored by Fiilex

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 58 - ERNEST DICKERSON - DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER

Director and cinematographer Ernest Dickerson (BOSCH, JUICE, MALCOLM X) joins us in conversation on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Having been exposed to photography as a young man by his uncle, Ernest first keyed into cinematography after watching David Lean’s OLIVER TWIST and later attended graduate film school at NYU. Ernest reflects on his professional relationship with Spike Lee and reveals how Spike generously delayed pre-production on MALCOM X to allow Ernest enough time to finish post on his directorial debut, JUICE. Finding himself frequently directing his directors, Ernest also shares how he saw his transition into directing as a natural progression of his career. We later discuss the value of doing your homework when brought on to direct television and the different professional expectations that are unique to the medium. At the end, we consider how creation is a patient search and the importance, joys, and benefits of studying film history.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 57 - FRANKLIN LEONARD - FOUNDER OF THE BLACK LIST

Franklin Leonard, the founder of The Black List, joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast for a fascinating conversation. Franklin, a Harvard-educated military brat, starts by recounting his many travels across continents and industries before finding his footing as an assistant in the motion picture literary department at CAA. Having transitioned into development, Franklin shares how The Black List was born out of an innate desire to do better in his job as a junior executive at the time. We learn how The Black List has since evolved and how Franklin’s experiences influenced those evolutions to address industry access issues. We later consider what makes a good script, the inherent subjectivity of evaluating art, and how a script appearing on the list can vindicate one’s interest in “weird” material. Franklin stresses how the ultimate goal should not be to get on The Black List but to get your movie made, and he exposes the psyops he executes to avoid leaking which scripts end up on the list.

The Black List is an annual list of the most-liked scripts circulating within Hollywood in a given year, and it has served as a valuable industry tool for filmmakers since its inception.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 56 - RYAN WHITE - DIRECTOR

Director Ryan White (GOOD NIGHT OPPY, THE KEEPERS, ASSASSINS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast to discuss his career and the field of documentary filmmaking. Born and raised in Dunwoody, Georgia, Ryan later enrolled in Duke University where he found his calling to direct documentaries after watching Agnès Varda’s THE GLEANERS AND I. After welcoming him on the podcast, Ryan starts off strong by revealing how he’s used previous episodes to study a particular department to help secure a job. He reflects on the state of the industry in which he came up that forced him to begin directing in his mid-20s and laments how today’s industry can delay a young filmmaker from taking their first steps towards starting a career by employing them to assist those already established. We later learn how Ryan prefers to shoot his documentaries as intimately as possible over several years and how he and his producing partner Jessica Hargrave have typically sold their projects to distributors. Throughout our discussion, we reaffirm the value of learning by doing, of believing in your stories and talents when leaving the nest, and of listening to your mother.

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Recommended Viewing: THE KEEPERS, GOOD NIGHT OPPY

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission 

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 55 - JOHN SAYLES - ACTOR / WRITER / DIRECTOR / NOVELIST

Actor, writer, director, and novelist John Sayles (MATEWAN, BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET, LONE STAR) joins Team Deakins on this episode of the podcast for a discussion covering his long career in filmmaking and in fiction writing. A true multi-hyphenate, John first describes his postgraduate journey from working in an Italian sausage factory to enlisting in the Roger Corman film factory. John reflects on his luck having his first three screenplays produced under the legendary filmmaker and on the lessons he learned shooting his self-funded first feature. Working chiefly in independent American cinema, John considers the times and the market in which he came up that facilitated his filmmaking and offers advice for young filmmakers today. Among the many other topics of discussion, we consider the following: how John decides which medium best serves a story, the benefits of cutting in your head during production, and how comfortable an actor may or may not feel working out of an Econo Lodge in West Virginia. 

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission 

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 54 - BILL HADER - ACTOR / DIRECTOR / SHOWRUNNER

Actor, director, and showrunner Bill Hader (BARRY, INSIDE OUT, THE SKELETON TWINS) joins Team Deakins to discuss his multi-faceted career in one of our funnier conversations. Reared in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Bill describes how he first rode into town despite an early setback being rejected from film school for being “too entertaining.” We later drive down memory lane as Bill recounts several exciting but terrifying stories of PA’ing on low-budget films around LA—stops include a seven camera setup (all pointed at a map), watching us wrap early on THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE (with envy), and learning what a controlled burn is (and maybe isn’t). Bill also shares his experience co-showrunning BARRY with Alec Berg, a discussion ranging in topics from “what is a tone meeting?” to which takes actor Henry Winkler consistently nails his performance. At the end, Bill discusses his post-BARRY aspirations and the longevity of classic films that, despite their imperfections, stand tall today on the merits of their craft.

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission 

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 53 - JENNY BEAVAN - COSTUME DESIGNER

Acclaimed costume designer Jenny Beavan (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, CURELLA, A ROOM WITH A VIEW) joins us for a conversation about her craft on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Hailing from England, Jenny shares how she fell in with the famed Merchant Ivory troupe, and she describes spending her early formative professional years traveling around the world and working alongside the legendary filmmakers. We later consider how, just as with real people, characters reuse clothing and how some costume pieces take on a life of their own. Jenny also reflects on how she adapts after having the wool pulled over her eyes on a project and how designing costumes is never about the clothes themselves but about the stories they tell. At the end, Jenny is generous enough to offer salient advice to budding costume designers.

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission 

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 52 - AVA DUVERNAY - WRITER / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we sit down with writer and director Ava DuVernay (WHEN THEY SEE US, 13TH, SELMA) for a lively conversation about her career and her craft. Ava credits her early love for cinema to her classic-film-loving, night-shift-working aunt, and she describes the lightbulb moment while on location of Michael Mann’s COLLATERAL that catalyzed her transition from running her own boutique publicity agency to filmmaking. Ava later shares David Oyelowo’s persuasive pitch to her to direct SELMA, what changes she made to the script to make the film within its relatively modest budget, and how Oprah lent her influence during the shooting of a pivotal scene. After Ava reveals her newfound love for dailies while shooting her latest feature, we consider the viewing ritual’s collaborative nature, its widespread decline in use, and Ava’s commitment to the process in her future projects. Plus, at the end, Ava tells us which photo of Roger inspires her the most.

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission 

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 51 - GREIG FRASER - CINEMATOGRAPHER - THE BATMAN - PART 2

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re sharing the rest of our previously live-streamed conversation between Team Deakins and cinematographer Greig Fraser diving into his work on THE BATMAN. We start by talking all things lighting, and Greig shares how he and his team used non-film light fixtures to achieve a natural look in the film. We later discuss the importance of on-set chemistry and how a great attitude can outweigh experience when crewing. Greig shares how his team worked to match the menace of the Batmobile with the truck in Steven Spielberg’s DUEL and how closely he worked with the art department during production. Greig also reveals which light best complimented Zoë Kravitz’s makeup, and he pulls into focus the potential applications of an adjustable depth of field in the Volume lighting system.

A link to the images mentioned in the episode can be found here.

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 50 - GREIG FRASER - CINEMATOGRAPHER - THE BATMAN - PART 1

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re sharing the first half of our live-streamed conversation between Team Deakins and cinematographer Greig Fraser focusing on his work on THE BATMAN. Greig describes to us what drew him to work on the project in the first place and how, even with COVID delays, he and director Matt Reeves still needed more time to prep. Greig reveals the early conversations he had with Matt about the potential applications of the Volume lighting system and how the interactivity of their intended lighting design precluded the use of bluescreen. We later consider the emotional impact of time of day and, in the face of recent technological advances, the irreplaceability of real actors. We discuss the film’s strength as a character piece and how those characters informed Greig’s design decisions, and we also pull back the cowl on the practicality of superhero capes.

A link to the images mentioned in the episode can be found here.

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This episode is sponsored by Falca & Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 49 - RUTH DE JONG - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Team Deakins is joined by talented production designer Ruth De Jong (OPPENHEIMER, NOPE, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA). A creative scion of the accomplished production designer Jack Fisk, Ruth explains how Jack recruited her to assist him on THERE WILL BE BLOOD and the subsequent ten year partnership in which he was her mentor. She later reflects on how she’s grown after each project as well as how to stay malleable after the train that is production leaves the station. Ruth also describes the invigorating responsibility she felt to deliver on OPPENHEIMER after director Christopher Nolan cut days from the schedule to balance the film's budget and the timely encouragement he gave her deep in production. She also shares her experiences working on TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN and how she worked off illustrations and paintings created by David Lynch to build and design the series’ many scenes.

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Recommended Viewing: OPPENHEIMER

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion & Dallas Film Commission & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 48 - RYAN COOGLER - WRITER / DIRECTOR

On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re sharing our thoughtful conversation with writer and director Ryan Coogler (BLACK PANTHER, CREED, FRUITVALE STATION). An Oakland native, Ryan reveals how film became his family’s second language and how his parents fostered his interest in cinema throughout his childhood. Later in our discussion, Ryan shares how he brought an athlete’s mentality to film school by always trying to score a touchdown every time he picked up the camera to prove to himself and to those around him that he could build a career in filmmaking. Ryan also reflects on creating CREED with Sylvester Stallone, praising him as “the perfect collaborator” and acknowledging how he couldn’t begrudge the creator of the ROCKY franchise for his cautiousness towards handing over writing duties for the first time in the franchise’s history. We also discuss how the filmmakers that broke through in the culture Ryan consumed in his youth influenced his professional direction and how, by relying on his crew, Ryan is free to focus on his actors.

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This episode is sponsored by Dallas Film Commission & Falca & TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 47 - BENICIO DEL TORO - ACTOR

Team Deakins speaks with actor Benicio del Toro (SICARIO, TRAFFIC, THE FRENCH DISPATCH). Benicio expresses his gratitude to the Stella Adler Studio for serving him as a bastion in which he weathered the storm of rejections he faced early in his career. We discuss the definition of heroes on screen and what it means to play them, and Benicio considers the different demands of acting in superhero films in comparison to more grounded projects. We walk down memory lane remembering working together on SICARIO. Towards the end, we reflect that no production is the same experience and not one was the experience we thought it would be.

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This conversation was recorded on May 2, 2023.

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This episode is sponsored by Falca & TrueCut Motion & Dallas Film Commission

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 46 - SARAH POLLEY - WRITER / DIRECTOR / ACTOR

Team Deakins sits down with writer, director, and actor Sarah Polley (WOMEN TALKING, STORIES WE TELL, AWAY FROM HER) on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. In the beginning, Sarah discusses her early career in acting and how she stepped away to focus on political activism. We later ask Sarah about the challenges transitioning from acting to directing, and she describes realizing that even if she didn’t consider herself an expert in the role, she recognized that she was the expert in the stories she was deciding to tell. At one point, Sarah credits director Atom Egoyan with setting the template for creating meaningful experiences making meaningful films which she applies to her own projects. Also revealed: which Sidney Lumet film Sarah found the most helpful to study while working on WOMEN TALKING.

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Recommended Viewing: WOMEN TALKING

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 45 - SANTIAGO MITRE - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Team Deakins enjoys a conversation with writer and director Santiago Mitre (ARGENTINA, 1985; PAULINA; THE SUMMIT) on this episode of the podcast. Santiago begins by telling us how he found his way to filmmaking at an early age and how his politically active family informed the subjects of his films. Later, we discuss using cinema to think about the problems of one’s country, and Santiago expresses his growing interest in exploring Argentinian history on-screen following his experience creating ARGENTINA, 1985. We also touch on the film’s global resonance today and its cathartic reception by Argentinean audiences. Towards the end, Santiago shares how he re-cast a major role in the riotous PETITE FLEUR and the lessons he learned from the film’s production that he applied to ARGENTINA, 1985.

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Recommended Viewing: ARGENTINA, 1985; PAULINA

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This episode is sponsored by Falca & TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 44 - PAUL MESCAL - ACTOR

Team Deakins sits down with actor Paul Mescal (AFTERSUN, NORMAL PEOPLE, GOD’S CREATURES) on this episode of the podcast. During our thoughtful conversation, Paul reveals the advice he received from actor Emily Watson and from his Gaelic football coach that he applies to his craft every day. We also discuss his work on AFTERSUN, and Paul heaps praise on the script and the direction of the film which attracted him to the project. We later discuss the pros and cons of shooting in and out of continuity, and we commiserate over the unproductiveness of scheduling scenes without considering their dramatic functions within the overall piece. 

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Recommended Viewing: GOD’S CREATURES

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 43 - MATT REEVES - DIRECTOR

Team Deakins sits down with director Matt Reeves (THE BATMAN, CLOVERFIELD, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES) for a fascinating discussion. Matt indulges our appreciation for the craft behind THE BATMAN and shares how he and his collaborators envisioned Gotham and Batman as a city and as a person that could exist within our own world. We discuss how Matt’s use of visual effects has evolved and the importance of references to maintain a level of reality in fully computer-generated shots. Throughout the episode, Matt reflects on how he spent much of his career learning how to have a career and how every new project is like enrolling in film school all over again.

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Recommended Viewing: CLOVERFIELD

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This episode is sponsored by Falca & TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 42 - DAVE CHAMEIDES - CAMERA AND STEADICAM OPERATOR

Today, Team Deakins is joined by camera and steadicam operator Dave Chameides (SNOWFALL, THE WEST WING, ER) on the latest episode of the podcast. During our conversation, we discuss the effectiveness of the cinematography in 1917 and Dave’s contribution to the creation of the final shot in ST. VINCENT. We also consider the responsibility an operator has towards the actors in front of the lens and the role of camera operation in storytelling. Towards the end, Dave also shares advice for anyone interested in steadicam operation as a possible career path.

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 41 - JOHN DE BORMAN - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Team Deakins is happy to share our conversation with cinematographer John de Borman (AN EDUCATION, THE FULL MONTY, THE MIGHTY) on this episode of the podcast. We discuss working with different types of directors and battling the increasingly complex logistics of modern filmmaking and the ballooning number of  crew sizes on projects. We also share our experiences working with actors of varying dispositions and the puzzles that arise during production to bring out their best performances. Finally, John offers advice for future cinematographers and highlights a skill he developed that elevated and enriched his work.

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This episode is sponsored by Falca & TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 40 - HELEN KEARNS - EDITOR

Team Deakins is happy to host editor Helen Kearns (GOOD NIGHT OPPY, THE KEEPERS, ASSASSINS) on this episode of the podcast. Helen reveals how earlier studio involvement in financing and distribution has affected documentary filmmaking, both in helpful and disruptive terms. We discuss the challenges (and comforts) of editing GOOD NIGHT OPPY during the pandemic and the finding the balance between telling a story and being honest when editing documentaries.

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion & Falca

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 39 - RUTH E. CARTER - COSTUME DESIGNER

Wake up! Today’s Team Deakins Podcast forecast: costume designer Ruth E. Carter (MALCOLM X, BLACK PANTHER, LOVE & BASKETBALL). In an insightful conversation, Ruth shares how she integrated 3D printing into the design and production of costumes for BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER and how she collaborates with the visual effects department to augment her designs. Ruth also reveals how she intuits a director’s potential reaction to costume ideas based on how they themselves dress. Finally, we clarify what are and are not a costume designer’s responsibilities, and Ruth advocates for the increased participation of the costume designer in pre-production and post-production. 

You won’t regret listening to this episode, “and that’s the double truth, Ruth!”

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 38 - PATRICK TRESCH - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Team Deakins is happy to have cinematographer Patrick Tresch (MY ENGLISH COUSIN, DIRTY GOLD WAR, MOTHER LODE) on today’s new episode of the podcast. We discuss gaining a documentary subject’s trust in the early stages of a project and the difficulties of filming someone who intellectually agrees to be filmed but subconsciously resists. Patrick also shares the insight he gained into how people relate with their environment after filming the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, and he reveals what it took to make his mother finally understand what it is exactly he’s doing.

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 37 - PETER SARSGAARD - ACTOR

Team Deakins is happy to host actor Peter Sarsgaard (THE BATMAN, BOYS DON’T CRY, JARHEAD) on today’s new episode of the podcast. Peter shares the types of projects he prefers to work on and the different forms of direction he finds effective. We learn how he became involved in THE BATMAN, and he recounts the grueling six-day-long shoot he survived to capture his pivotal scene in the film. We were so happy to speak with Peter, and we hope you enjoy what he has to say!

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 36 - STUART WILSON - SOUND MIXER - THE BATMAN

Team Deakins is glad to welcome back sound mixer Stuart Wilson (THE BATMAN, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, SPECTRE) to discuss his wonderful work on THE BATMAN. Stuart shares how his team used the film’s costumes to their advantage when miking the actors, and we learn how they utilized Catwoman’s wigs to hide mics when the catsuit often offered no other options. We also learn how Stuart juggled a myriad of mixes simultaneously to facilitate communication between the actors and the director between and during takes. We hope you enjoy the episode!

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 35 - RUSSELL CARPENTER - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer Russell Carpenter (TITANIC, TRUE LIES, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER) on this episode of the podcast. We dive headfirst into Russell’s professional relationship with director James Cameron, beginning with a chance encounter at a local TV station that led to Russell working on some of the biggest movies in history. Russell also shares his appreciation for the technical challenges of working on Cameron’s films and describes the sink-or-swim nature of filming TITANIC. We later discuss being submerged in anxiety when starting out and mustering the courage and discipline to put yourself out there. We also touch on developing a ‘cinematic immunity’ during production that instills the supernatural confidence needed to shoot a film. Wading through the years-long process of shooting AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, Russell describes the unique environment Cameron created to realize the film. Additionally, we compare working on smaller, less effects-heavy projects with the contrary and discuss the joys of knowing what you got on the day and the immediacy of that type of filmmaking.

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 34 - CAROLINE THOMPSON - WRITER / DIRECTOR

Team Deakins is happy to share our conversation with writer, director, and novelist Caroline Thompson (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BLACK BEAUTY, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS). We talk about the life of a screenwriter and the commitment Caroline demonstrated throughout her career. No other episode has featured this much discussion on animals and filmmaking! We cover working with horses on BLACK BEAUTY, apes on BUDDY, and birds in THE SECRET GARDEN. Caroline offers insight into the creative and logistical challenges of working with animals and of their unpredictable but inimitable benefits when compared to their digital counterparts. Towards the end of our conversation, Caroline also shares some straightforward advice for young screenwriters and filmmakers. Enjoy the episode!

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 33 - STEVE NICOLAIDES - PRODUCER

Team Deakins is pleased to share our conversation with producer Steve Nicolaides (BOYZ N THE HOOD, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, A FEW GOOD MEN). We discuss the shell game that is building and balancing the budget for a film before and during production, and Steve shares his thoughts on the role of the producer in post-production. At the end of our conversation, Steve leaves us with some wisdom for budding producers and production managers. We hope you enjoy the episode! 

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 32 - KATE MCCULLOUGH - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Team Deakins is pleased to share our conversation with the talented cinematographer Kate McCullough (THE QUIET GIRL, NORMAL PEOPLE, MONSTER). We talk with Kate about how she applies the skills she developed while shooting documentaries onto her narrative projects. We also dive into what she was looking for in locations and her strategies in framing and composition on THE QUIET GIRL. We had such a nice time speaking with Kate, and we hope you enjoy listening to what she has to say just as much!

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This episode is sponsored by TrueCut Motion

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 31 - KOKAYI AMPAH - LOCATION MANAGER

Location manager Kokayi Ampah (THE COLOR PURPLE, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, MILLION DOLLAR BABY) reunites with Team Deakins and shares his wisdom gleaned from his long career. Kokayi answers our many questions and details both the creative and logistical day-to-day work that goes into location management. He also shares how he views the role as a function in the greater filmmaking process. Towards the end of our conversation, Kokayi even asks us a couple of questions! There’s a lot to learn from Kokayi, and we hope you enjoy listening to him as much as we did!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 30 - CHAYSE IRVIN - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Team Deakins chats with the creative cinematographer Chayse Irvin (BLONDE,  BLACKKKLANSMEN, HANNAH) about filmmaking and his career. We discuss the benefits of preparing for a scene and then finding it on the day, and Chayse describes how he brings an audience into his work through his compositions. Chayse speaks on his ongoing collaboration with artist and director Khalil Joseph and the unique and artistically productive environment he creates. Roger and James also dive into Chayse’s work on Andrew Dominik’s BLONDE and the similarly unique challenges he faced when shooting the film. We hope you enjoy the episode!

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Recommended Episode Viewing: BLONDE, HANNAH

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 29 - BENJAMIN CARON - DIRECTOR

Today, we’re happy to share our lively and humorous conversation with director Benjamin Caron (SHARPER, ANDOR, THE CROWN). We discuss Ben’s early TV movie TOMMY COOPER: NOT LIKE THAT, LIKE THIS and the challenges he overcame to make it, as well as a reflection on Tommy Cooper himself. We also dive into Ben’s experience filming SHARPER and finding the right ending for the film. We hope you enjoy the episode! 

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Recommended Episode Viewing: TOMMY COOPER: NOT LIKE THAT, LIKE THIS

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 28 - BILLY WILLIAMS - CINEMATOGRAPHER

Cinematographer Billy Williams, BSC (WOMEN IN LOVE, ON GOLDEN POND, GANDHI) has seen it all, and he’s sharing a generous amount of that with us on today’s episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Billy reveals what it was like to work with the spirited and thoughtful Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda on ON GOLDEN POND as well as his thoughts on Ben Kingsley’s transformative performance in GANDHI. The advances in digital cameras and the effect on lighting design are discussed, and Billy recounts the difficulties of grading footage of a baby that, over the course of 12 takes of crying, turned purple. We hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

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Recommended Episode Viewing: WOMEN IN LOVE, ON GOLDEN POND, GANDHI

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 27 - ZAYNE AKYOL - DIRECTOR

Team Deakins shares our conversation with director Zayne Akyol (ROJEK; GULISTAN, LAND OF ROSES). Having shot two feature-length documentaries in dangerous environments, Zayne reflects with Roger & James on the therapeutic limits of filmmaking and the unique life experiences presented to documentary filmmakers. She speaks on her collaboration with her cinematographers and knowing when and what to shoot, even while soldiers shoot at their drone on its maiden flight over a land on fire. We hope you enjoy the episode!

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Recommended Episode Viewing: ROJEK; GULISTAN, LAND OF ROSES

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 26 - BVK - THE GERMAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS

Whether you’re listening for the first time or reliving the livestream, you’ll hear something new from this conversation between Team Deakins and members of the BVK (The German Society of Cinematographers). The origin of the Team Deakins Podcast is revealed, the balance between the creative and logistical demands of a shoot are discussed, and the pursuit of simplicity in one’s work is considered by both James, Roger, and members of the BVK. Roger further talks about the design of 1917’s shots, the definition of dark in THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, and sleeping on the floor of an office while in film school. There’s a lot to learn from this episode, and we hope you enjoy listening!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 25 - JIM PLANNETTE - GAFFER

Team Deakins had a great time speaking with the talented gaffer Jim Plannette (YOUNG FRANKENSTIN, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, BRAVEHEART).  We talk with him about working on films ranging in size from BRAVEHEART to MAGNOLIA, and he shares numerous stories from his career across a wide variety of films. He also speaks on his productive relationship with director Steven Soderbergh. Jim offers a lot of insight into the work that goes into lighting and how technology has changed the way a scene can be lit. Jim was such a generous guest, and we think you’re going to enjoy the episode!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 24 - DAVID DASTMALCHIAN - ACTOR

Team Deakins had a great time speaking with David Dastmalchian (DUNE, ANTMAN, PRISONERS)  and you won’t want to miss this episode! We get to learn his prospective as an actor on many subjects. We learn that he considers himself a “technical actor” being aware of being part of a many faceted collaboration, how he finds his characters and the importance of wardrobe, hair and make up in that process. We also touch on how vital it is to live a “normal life” to have experiences to draw from and put on screen. And he remembers a story from the set of Bladerunner 2049! It’s a wonderful episode that tells us a lot about acting but, thanks to his generous sharing, we learn about an interesting life journey as well! Don’t miss it!

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Recommended Episode Viewing: ANIMALS, ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 23 - DAMIEN CHAZELLE - DIRECTOR

OK, here’s the episode you’ve been waiting for! Team Deakins has an extensive conversation with the talented director Damien Chazelle (LA LA LAND, FIRST MAN, BABYLON). We talk about his approach to movie making and his experiences on his various movie sets. We learn how he likes to work with his collaborators as well as what is important to him in making a movie. It’s a great conversation and we’re happy to share it with you!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 22 - EDWARD BERGER & JAMES FRIEND - DIRECTOR & CINEMATOGRAPHER

On this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast, we connect with a talented filmmaking duo for a fabulous conversation. Director Edward Berger and cinematographer James Friend (YOUR HONOR, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT) tell us how they like to make their films using only a single camera. They explain how using one camera allows them a level of precision that isn’t possible on a multiple camera shoot. We also discuss the importance of understanding the perspective of the film that’s being made. For them, that perspective dictates where the camera is placed for every shot, and how the sequences are edited. Edward and James were wonderful guests, be sure not to miss it! Available now!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 21 - CASEY AFFLECK - ACTOR

For this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast, we have a delightful conversation with the brilliant actor, Casey Affleck (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS, GONE BABY GONE). Our conversation with Casey really shines a light on his dedication as an actor. We talk about the value of rehearsals, and the romantic notion of foregoing rehearsal in order to find it on the day. Casey is vert thoughtful when discussing the importance of connecting with a project emotionally, and making sure you are taking a role for the right reasons. We also share some fun memories from working together on THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES! Listen in to hear it all. Available now.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 20 - MANDY MOORE - CHOREOGRAPHER

The effervescent and talented choreographer Mandy Moore (LA LA LAND, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, DANCING WITH THE STARS) joins us in conversation for this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast. Mandy’s enthusiasm is infections, and her knowledge of dance is vast. She walks us through the ways she designs a dance for a single camera shoot, and how her methods change on a multiple camera one. We also dig into some of her most iconic work, including the stupendous twilight at Griffith Park sequence she arranged for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. We also spend some quality time gushing over the persistent genius of CABARET, and why it’s one of the all-time greats! Listen In! Available now!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 19 - MARTIN MCDONAGH - DIRECTOR

For this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast, we have a delightful conversation with the brilliant writer and director Martin McDonagh. (IN BRUGES, THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN) Martin tells us how he got his start as a playwright. He goes on to tell us all about the difference between writing plays and writing movies, especially when it comes to having control over the project. He also walks us through some of his experiences making his films, including where the inspiration for each of them came from. Martin is an absolute joy to talk to. Listen in, we know you will agree!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 18 - CRIS GRAVES - DOCUMENTARIAN

For this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast, we have a delightful conversation with the documentary producer and director, Cris Graves. Cris is a mover and a shaker, and her can-do spirit is infections. As she pivots her attention to launching her own narrative feature film, Cris tells us how she’s not willing to compromise her own vision and how her story has already become an inspiration for others. Listen in and let her enthusiasm for filmmaking grab ahold of you! Available now.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 17 - PEARCE ROEMER - ASSISTANT EDITOR

On this episode of The Team Deakins Podcast we are joined by the fabulous assistant editor Pearce Roemer (1917, TENET, X-MEN: APOCALYPSE). Pearce really understands the nuts and bolts filmmaking that goes on in the editorial department, and he tells us everything we want to know. We learn how Pearce got involved with the X-Men franchise, and has become an indispensable part of that team over the years. We also touch on a wide array of topics, including how Covid completely restructured the editorial workflow, screening the very first day of dailies for 1917, and even how solar radiation can lead to dead pixels in your footage! Don’t miss it!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 16 - CALLUM MCDOUGALL - PRODUCER

This week we are thrilled to be joined by the legendary producer Callum McDougall (1917, SPECTRE, INTO THE WOODS, SKYFALL). Callum tells us how his remarkable career in the film industry can be traced back to an afternoon when he got lost on the London subway system as a schoolboy. We also discuss how he climbed the ranks through the industry as an assistant director, and why that might be his favorite position on a shoot. Callum is a font of knowledge and experience. Listen in and hear him share some of his invaluable know-how! Available Wednesday, December 21st.

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 15 - ANDY HARRIS - 1ST AC

This episode is one you’ve been asking for. We welcome brilliant 1st AC Andy Harris (THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, 1917, BLADE RUNNER 2049) to join us for a conversation on the Team Deakins Podcast. We discuss all parts of his role as a 1st AC. He tells us how he reads a room and an actor to determine where to make make marks, and perhaps more importantly, where to not! We also dig into the differences between having your hands right on the camera versus working off of a monitor from far away. Andy is more like family than colleague to us by this point. Listen in to find out why!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 14 - MARTIN PARR - STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

This episode is a fabulous conversation with the outstanding still photographer, Martin Parr. Our wide-ranging conversation delves into Martin’s process in fascinating ways. Listen in to hear why he would rather take photos in a supermarket than a war zone. And when he and Roger get to comparing notes, we learn that when Roger goes out to shoot stills, he’s lucky to come home at the end of the day having snapped five pictures. Meanwhile Martin will have snapped over five hundred! Don’t miss our great discussion, it’s available now!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 13 - DAVID VALDES - PRODUCER

For this week’s episode, Team Deakins sits down for a great conversation with the fabulous producer David Valdes (UNFORGIVEN, THE GREEN MILE, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER). David tells us how he got his career started by sneaking onto a film shoot as a teenager. Eventually he found himself working on the Universal lot as a fireman, a position that doesn’t even exist anymore and has little to do with putting out actual fires. Before long, our discussion turned to David’s decades long relation with Clint Eastwood, who he made 18 films with. Listen in to hear our wide ranging conversation with one of the great producers in the business!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 12 - MONAYA ABEL - CAMERA TRAINEE

This week were are so excited to be joined by camera trainee Monaya Abel (EMPIRE OF LIGHT, THIS IS GOING TO HURT, CITADEL) on the Team Deakins Podcast. This is a great discussion since it’s a category not often heard from. As a newcomer to film production, she provides a different perspective and her enthusiasm for the world of filmmaking is infectious. We discuss how she works to keep morale up on set for herself, and her whole team. We also get to hear first-hand what it’s like to be the new kid on the block, and what surprised her when she came onto the set of a major production for the very first time. She also got us thinking about some of our early days in the business and how things have changed. With people like Monaya entering the world of production, movie making is in very good hands for the future. Listen in!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 11 - STUART WILSON - SOUND MIXER

Team Deakins is thrilled to welcome the magnificent sound mixer Stuart Wilson (THE BATMAN, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, SPECTRE, WORLD WAR Z) to this week’s episode of the podcast. We have a great conversation centered around the duties of the sound mixer, and his experiences on some wonderful films. Stuart explains to us how he’s developed an instinct for catching great moments in a scene, and all of the nuances involved in capturing an exceptional recording of the human voice. We also drill down on some fun tricks of the trade. Just where do you hide a bulky mic, transmitter, and battery pack on Catwoman’s skin-tight catsuit, and how could it possibly involve the NFL? Listen in to find out the answer to that question, and so many more!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 10 - MATTHEW HEINEMAN - DIRECTOR

For this week’s Team Deakins podcast, we sit down with filmmaker Matthew Heineman (CARTEL LAND, THE FIRST WAVE, A PRIVATE WAR) for a fascinating and enthralling conversation. Matthew tells us how he captured footage, and survived, in two situations where his life was literally on the line. First, among the drug cartel border skirmishes in Cartel Land, and then imbedded in a New York City emergency room for months during the outbreak and initial spread of COVID-19 for The First Wave. We also talk about one of the major aspects of making documentaries that most people never think about: casting. Matthew also discusses everything involved in making the leap from directing documentaries over to directing narrative films. Don’t miss it!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 9 - ALEX PRITZ - DOCUMENTARIAN

This week, Team Deakins is so happy to invite documentary filmmaker Alex Pritz (THE TERRITORY, MY DEAR KYRGYSTAN) to join us for a wide ranging conversation. Alex explains to us how his background in science spurred him into filmmaking, and still drives the larger questions his films attempt to ask. We also discuss the moral issues raised by documenting real life events - and perhaps more importantly, real people. And then we get into the importance of being 100 percent honest in grappling with those issues. Eventually, the conversation turns to a field we know almost too much about: how to maintain a healthy work/life balance when your spouse is also in the business!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 8 - MARK TILDESLEY - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Team Deakins is so pleased to welcome the fabulous production designer Mark Tildesley (NO TIME TO DIE, PHANTOM THREAD, SUNSHINE) to the podcast for a delightful conversation. Mark unpacks the role of the production designer, and delves into how he works with hyper visual directors like Danny Boyle, and more contemplative, internal directors like Michael Winterbottom. He also sheds some light on how the role of the production designer differs on a small, personal movie compared to a mega blockbuster franchise like James Bond. This is a delightful conversation that drills down on the real world nuts and bolts of filmmaking. Don’t miss it!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 7 - MICHAEL WARD - ACTOR

Team Deakins engage in a wonderful conversation with actor Micheal Ward (BEAUTY, TOP BOY, EMPIRE OF LIGHT). We cover a lot of ground including discussing his experiences on TOP BOY, working in television vs features and his viewpoint as an actor on a set. Micheal speaks of the importance of authenticity and the responsibility he feels as a black actor to provide opportunities behind the camera for others to learn the craft. He also shares some funny tales of auditioning and animal phobia. You won’t want to miss this episode!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 6 - RICHARD SHEAN - VIDEO PLAYBACK OPERATOR

Video Playback Operator Team Deakins gets into the world of the Video Playback Operator with Richard Shean (HARRY POTTER, WAR HORSE, 28 DAYS LATER, SUNSHINE). He explains that the job differs because of the requirements of the specific film as well as the working method of different directors. Richard is also very candid about his long journey to find what he wanted to do and we were impressed by his tenacity in face of drawbacks. He talks about working with Steven Spielberg and Danny Boyle as well. And we learn how the technology has changed the job. We covered a lot in this episode and were thoroughly entertained in the process!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 5 - KAMLAN MAN - SET DECORATOR

Team Deakins has the pleasure in this episode of speaking with a set decorator, Kamlan Man (NO TIME TO DIE, PHANTOM THREAD, SKYFALL).We explore the role of set decorator in depth and learn all kinds of things. We learn how small items can tell the story of a character, the steps for properly dressing a location and compare dressing built sets vs locations. We also discuss the set decorator’s relationship with the props department and definitely dive into the conversation of using practical lights and her relationship with the cinematographer. A full look at the job of a set decorator!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 4 - MAT BERGEL - PROPS

Team Deakins is so pleased to welcome props maestro Mat Bergel (ROBIN HOOD, HUGO, TRAINSPOTTING) to the podcast. Mat starts this conversation by detailing how he got into the movie business through managing restaurants, and landed in the props department. He explains why some of the hardest work for the props team involve eating, drinking, and smoking scenes. We talk about the different kinds of acting styles that relate to props, and why some actors latch onto them, while others seem to dismiss them out of hand. Then things get exciting with tales of jostled Faberge eggs, missing Rolex watches, and a stolen Picasso! You won’t want to miss this one!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 3 - TOBY JONES - ACTOR

In this episode, Team Deakins sits down with the talented actor, Toby Jones (TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, INFAMOUS, THE HUNGER GAMES, ATOMIC BLONDE). We touch on a lot of subjects during the conversation including the all important relationship between an actor and a director. We talk about what an actor needs from a director and the necessity of sharing a common vision with the director. Toby also speaks about the responsibility and the freedom of playing figures from history. And we drill down to some practical points such as how to use the props without relying on them and the different processes of different actors. A very articulate look into the work of an actor that you won’t want to miss!

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 2  ROD MCLEAN - ART DIRECTOR

Team Deakins looks into the role of the art director with the talented Rod McLean (BLADERUNNER 2049, ZERO DARK THIRTY, 1917). We have a lot of fun delving into his role and cover such topics of the advantages/disadvantages of shooting a location or set, the difficulties of a far location, working on small movies and the fragility of creativity. Rod is very generous in sharing his knowlege and experience.  A lot of information in one episode! Don't miss it!⁠

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 1 - RICHARD CHEAL - SPECIAL EFFECTS

Team Deakins is joined by Special Effects (SFX) Technician RICHARD CHEAL (THE BATMAN, SPECTRE, STAR WARS) and we learn lots about the world of SFX. Richard tells us how the SFX team collaborates with many departments in the aim of making the shot the best it can be. The relationship of SFX and the DP is examined. And we go into detail about many shots in THE BATMAN and learn what they entailed. It was a very thorough look at the many aspects of Special Effects. You won't want to miss this episode.

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Batman

EPISODE 163 - Byways

Team Deakins discusses Roger’s new book BYWAYS as we head into a hiatus from the podcast. In this episode, we discuss what taking stills gives to Roger that film does not, how he enjoys observing things and places, how there is no pressure to shoot anything specific, what he likes to take images of, and why he prefers to shoot in black and white. We talk about his time shooting for the Beaford Archive and developing his eye. He likes dedicating his day to shooting on his stills camera and he only takes iPhone photographs when he’s fishing. We discuss our incredible and collaborative experience working with Damiani, the publishers of BYWAYS.

IMAGES WE DISCUSSED: The Joy of Flight (72), Budapest Runners (116), and Lightning Strikes (131)

EPISODE 162- Roberto Schaefer - Cinematographer

Team Deakins is joined by cinematographer Roberto Schaefer (THE KITE RUNNER, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, MONSTER’S BALL) for a great conversation. In this episode, we discuss Roberto’s journey into the industry (a serendipitous one). Roberto talks about his experiences working with directors Christopher Guest and Marc Forster, both of whom he has collaborated with many times. We learn what Roberto’s approach was to lighting the film Best In Show and how he will not take a job if his initial reaction is clouded with doubt – he believes in following your instincts! We discuss the lighting cameraman, preserving a single vision while shooting multiple cameras, the rise of sky panels, shooting for television, and much more! 

EPISODE 161 - Peter Kohn - First Assistant Director 

Team Deakins sits down with first assistant director Peter Kohn (LA LA LAND, BIRDMAN, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) for a conversation. In this episode, Peter tells us how his father’s career in the industry influenced his aspirations and his taste in films– he loves watching and working on musicals. Peter shares stories from working on the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and Birdman, working with Gordon Willis, and doing smoke on the set of Ridley Scott’s The Duellists. Together we talk about what makes a successful assistant director, having a big first day on set, the many factors that dictate the shooting schedule, and even car work. Peter also sneaks in a few questions about 1917!  

EPISODE 160 - Sturla Brandth Grøvlen - Cinematographer

Team Deakins enjoys a great conversation with cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen (ANOTHER ROUND, VICTORIA, HEARTSTONE, RAMS). In this episode, we learn that Sturla attended school until he was 31, but over the course of the interview, we find out it was well worth it! Sturla talks about shooting Songs for Alexis, his first documentary film, and explains what Scandinavian Folk high schools are. He tells us that he didn’t show his work to the outside world until his final year at the National Film School of Denmark, which dared him to fail and allowed him to focus on developing his artistic sensibility. Together we discuss Victoria and how they decided to shoot it in real-time without cuts, working with harsh weather conditions while filming Rams, and Sturla’s visual inspiration for Heartstone. Sturla also tells about his experience working with Thomas Vinterberg (Episode 101) on his film, Another Round. Tune in! 

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Victoria

EPISODE 159- ROBERT EGGERS & JARIN BLASCHKE - Director & Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with director and cinematographer Robert Eggers and Jarin Blaschke (THE NORTHMAN, THE LIGHTHOUSE, THE WITCH). Robert and Jarin discuss their shared love of golden age fairy tale illustrations, the funny story behind the start of their collaboration, and the meticulous planning that went into making The Lighthouse. We learn how Robert transitioned from working in the art department on New York independent films to directing The Witch. Robert and Jarin talk about what it was like to work with Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, how they chose aspect ratio for The Lighthouse, how shooting for historical accuracy removes choices, and how films are about editing down not about creation. A wonderful conversation with excellent filmmakers! 

EPISODE 158 - HARIS ZAMBARLOUKOS - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (MAMMA MIA!, SLEUTH, MR IN-BETWEEN, ARTEMIS FOWL) in this episode. Haris shares his experiences working with director Kenneth Branagh, Paul Sarossy, and Phyllida Lloyd. Haris talks about learning the steps of observation, contemplation, and action during his time in film school at St. Martins and about learning how to contribute to the feeling of a film while studying at AFI. We share many stories about our dear friend Conrad Hall and Haris beaks down how he shot Steven Knight’s LOCKE in eight days. We discuss the idea of choosing a DP with whom a director could grow with or someone who could hold his hands and guide him as well as having trust in a director's ability to have an impact and to follow them every step along the way. Don't miss it!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Locke

EPISODE 157- MARK MANGINI- Sound Designer

Team Deakins converses with sound designer Mark Mangini (DUNE, BLADE RUNNER 2049, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, STAR TREK) about the world of sound. In this episode, Mark explains that his job is to tell stories with sound and to create universes that sonically don’t exist. He walks us through designing the sound for the war rig in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD as well as his close collaboration with director Denis Villeneuve on BLADE RUNNER 2049, and Tom Holkenborg on BLACK MASS. We discuss how Mark decides when to use a music cue or sound effect cue, how you can earn loud sounds by buying silence early on in a film, and the creative necessity and financial incentive to capture production sound on set instead of recreating it in post. We learn a lot in this episode!! You don’t want to miss it! 

BONUS: Use this link to download a sound file that Mark makes reference to when speaking of "Bladerunner 2049".

EPISODE 156 - PETER SUSCHITZKY- Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with cinematographer Peter Suschitzky (THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, DEAD RINGERS) for a great conversation. We learn that Peter started shooting at a very young age and was printing images in the darkroom at the age of 6! Peter tells us stories from working with the great directors John Boorman, Peter Watkins and David Cronenberg. Peter tells us about interviewing with George Lucas for Star Wars, why he hadn’t seen a single one of Cronenberg’s films before his interview for Dead Ringers, and his collaborations with Peter Watkins. Peter believes it is easy to fall into formulaic filmmaking if you work too much, and to him that is the enemy of creativity. We discuss still photography as it is a huge part of Peter’s life, and how to Peter, capturing a good still is very difficult (perhaps more so than cinematography), though satisfying when it works well. 

EPISODE 155- KEN LOACH & BARRY ACKROYD - Director & Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with director Ken Loach and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, SWEET SIXTEEN, CARLA’S SONG, LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD) in this episode. Barry (Episode 70) and Ken share memories from their many collaborations together and Ken is very open with us about his process. He tells us that the most important thing that the director has is the actor’s instincts. We learn what Ken looks for when casting his movies, why he shoots in sequence, what he looks for in a crew, what his rehearsal processes are like, and how everyone rides in the same minibus on his sets because he and his crew are one team. We learn how Ken’s experience at the BBC shaped his approach to filmmaking and why he didn’t go into politics. Ken tells Barry why he asked him to shoot Riff-Raff and how he believes Barry has a great skill for finding natural movement from a camera on legs and how it suited their collective ideas. Don’t miss it!

EPISODE 154- JOHN SEALE - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer John Seale (MAX MAD: FURY ROAD, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, RAIN MAN, DEAD POET’S SOCIETY) in this episode. John shares stories from his time working with director Peter Weir, Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, and George Miller. We discuss camera operating at length– how much John loves operating and believes it to be the most fulfilling job on set, how it is instinctive and how the position of the cameraman can be very important. John talks about the toughest challenge he and his crew faced during the production of The Perfect Storm as well as his experience working with natural daylight while shooting THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. We discuss the “imperceptible zoom” and the “what if system” and how shooting with multiple cameras can allow an editor to cut for performance rather than continuity. We laugh a lot on this episode, tune in!

EPISODE 153 - DARIUSZ WOLSKI - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the opportunity to speak with cinematographer, Dariusz Wolski (NEWS OF THE WORLD, THE MARTIAN, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN). We talk about his (and Roger’s) beginnings in music videos and his experiences working with both Tony and Ridley Scott. He tells us he learned to light 360 degrees while working with Tony. We learn a lot of his method of working with Ridley - how Ridley is not afraid of silhouettes and how he likes to draw the movie as a way of thinking and focusing. He shares his experiences on NEWS OF THE WORLD and well as PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. We also talk about the VFX on PIRATES and the experience of shooting movie 2 and 3 at the same time! He tells us his philosophy is not to control everything and even shares a few stories about Conrad Hall (what’s an episode without mentioning Connie?). A fun and insightful episode!  

EPISODE 152 - ALWIN KUCHLER - Cinematographer

Team Deakins converses with cinematographer, Alwin Kuchler (THE MAURITANIAN, STEVE JOBS, DIVERGENT). We cover a lot ground including his work with directors Lynne Ramsey and Danny Boyle. We talk about his intentions behind using both spherical vs anamorphic lenses, how he loves intense challenges and how he came across THE MAURITANIAN. We learn about his experience on RATCATCHER, working with Lynne Ramsay and how they worked instinctually since they had trouble understanding each other’s accents! He also shares his experiences working with Danny Boyle. And lots more! A great conversation that shouldn’t be missed!

EPISODE 151 - CILLIAN MURPHY - Actor

Team Deakins catches up with actor Cillian Murphy (INCEPTION, THE DARK KNIGHT, 28 DAYS LATER) and the result is a great conversation about many subjects including acting , working in the business and somehow balancing your life. We explore the idea of how living a normal life between projects is so important and using that in the work. We talk about many of his films and his approach to creating the character. He shares his experiences working with Neil Jordan, Ken Loach and Christopher Nolan. We learn that mastering an accent is “like going to a gym for your mouth”, we also talk about his relationship with the camera department and what he looks for in a director. We touch on the differences of shooting a film, acting on stage and working on a TV series.  Definitely not an episode to miss!  

EPISODE 150 - MÁTYÁS ERDÉLY - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with Hungarian cinematographer, Mátyás Erdély (SON OF SAUL, SUNSET, THE NEST) in this episode. Matyas has shot in the US, UK and Hungary and says he doesn’t feel there is much difference in his work wherever he works. He shares that he feels it is soul crushing to take a project just for the money if it is something you don’t connect with. He also goes into detail about his collaboration with Lazlo Nemes (SON OF SAUL, SUNSET) (Episode 113 of Team Deakins) and how they began thinking they would shoot SON OF SAUL on Steadicam but how and why changed their minds. He also shares how they chose lenses with the guiding core idea of using the limitation of visual information by focus. And we learned how he and Lazlo approached their next collaboration on the film SUNSET differently. A great conversation with a talented cinematographer!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Son of Saul

EPISODE 149 - JOHN TURTURRO - Actor

Team Deakins enjoys a great conversation with frequent collaborator, actor John Turturro (BARTON FINK, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, TRANSFORMERS). His stories made us laugh a lot in parts - especially when he describes his first professional audition with Michael Badalucco for DiNiro and Scorsese for the movie Raging Bull! He also shares what working with the great Robbie Muller taught him (“you don’t have to do more”) as well as his experience of working with Francesco Rosi and Pasqualino De Santis on The Truce, where he realized he was a part of the frame. We also talked a lot about his experiences working with the Coen Brothers including what his real-life inspiration was for his character in Miller’s Crossing and how he prepped for Barton Fink. He explains that while professional acting is great, once in a while, it’s good to get back to the responsible amateur in you! We cover lots of ground and it’s an episode not to miss!

EPISODE 148 - ROBBIE RYAN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins enjoys an interesting talk with cinematographer, Robbie Ryan (MARRIAGE STORY, I, DANIEL BLAKE, THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES). We talk about his teaming up with director Andrea Arnold and their relationship. We go into details on the film FISH TANK. Robbie shares Andrea’s approach, the experience of working with street actors, and why a lot was handheld. He also talks about the differences between working with Andrea and Ken Loach. We also touch on his experience of working with Noah Baumbach as well as Yorgos Lanthimos on THE FAVOURITE. And we had questions about the technical challenges on THE LAST DAYS ON MARS. A fun and interesting conversation!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Fish Tank

EPISODE 147 - DONALD BURT - Production Designer

Team Deakins delves into the craft of production design with the great production designer, Donald Burt (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, HOSTILES, MANK). We loved hearing about his path to the film business! We talk about his first movie as production designer, JOY LUCK CLUB - quite a film to start on! He shares his methods of working with a director and how he doesn’t want to draw attention to what he is doing and that he wants to be supportive and serve the story first. We also touch on how restrictions and limitations breed imagination, his approach to sets vs locations, and how you can’t be afraid of articulating a stupid idea. And, we also speak about the making of MANK, THE OUTLAW KING, and ZODIAC. As well as much, much more!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Mank

EPISODE 146 - CHARLOTTE BRUUS CHRISTENSEN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (THE HUNT, FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, A QUIET PLACE). We loved her account of how she learned the craft and entered the industry and her thoughts soon what it means to teach cinematography. We also talk about her various collaborations with the director Thomas Vinterberg. She also discusses the night lighting and the consideration of sound design on the A QUIET PLACE. We also touch on her directing and shooting the TV series mini series BLACK NARCISSUS. A great conversation with a talented cinematographer!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Submarino, A Quiet Place

EPISODE 145 - KRYSTY WILSON CAIRNS - Writer

Team Deakins has fun speaking with writer Krysty Wilson Cairns (1917). She and Roger compare times at the National Film School in London and discuss whether writing can actually be taught. Her love of writing comes through strongly and we learn she reads a book a week! She thinks that if a scene doesn’t work on screen, it wasn’t written correctly. Krysty discusses the core tenants of good screenwriting and goes into detail about the importance of collaboration with the director. She admits to stealing the experiences of people around her and not considering the budget when she writes. We had a lot of laughs and learned a lot about writing in this episode!

EPISODE 144 - AGNIESZKA HOLLAND - Director

Team Deakins covers many topics with Polish director Agnieszka Holland (MR JONES, EUROPA EUROPA, TO KILL A PRIEST). We learn how the politics of her time have influenced her work and how starting out on smaller projects taught her to make the scene work without extraneous shots. She shares her experiences on the films Angry Harvest, To Kill a Priest, Darkness, Europa Europa, and Charlatan. She speaks of her responsibility to the story versus historical accuracy and what she feels the role of the director is. A fascinating conversation with a talented director.

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Darkness, Europa Europa

EPISODE 143 - Neil Jordan - Director

Team Deakins has a great conversation with the remarkable director, Neil Jordan (THE CRYING GAME, THE BUTCHER BOY, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO). We’ve been fans for years, so it was a thrill to meet and speak with him. We had some sound issues, but we think the content more than makes up for that! Neil shares with us his perspective on filmmaking and his approach to creating the film. Neil has also had many novels published and we asked him about the difference between the genres of written works and motion pictures. We learn that he loves how movies immediately bring you into a reality without any explanation or exposition. We also speak specifically about his many movies and learn interesting details. A fascinating episode with an articulate filmmaker!

RECOMMEND EPISODE VIEWING: Any Neil Jordan film

EPISODE 142 - RICHARD HOOVER - Production Designer

Teams Deakins has a conversation with production designer, Richard Hoover (42, GIRL, INTERRUPTED, BOB ROBERTS). Richard talks about different methods of working with different directors and how he discovers what the director wants. He also illustrates his points with examples from Twin Peaks, Bob Roberts, Dead Man Walking. 42 and The Assassination of Jesse James and the approaches he took. He shares the use of a “look book” for the design and the particular challenges of working on period pieces. He tells us that the content of the scene definitely affects the design and how you can tell the story with the design. We asked about designing against your personal taste as well as what his greatest design challenge was. It’s a great look into the complex role of the production designer on a film. Don’t miss it!

EPISODE 141 - BRUNO DELBONNEL - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel. He speaks about his experiences working with Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, on Amelie and Delicatessen, respectively. We learn about how he achieved the look on Amelie and how, in France, it was the first film to involve a DI, and how the digital workflow has changed. When he chooses a project, he is not looking for the challenges as much as discovering the director’s vision and figuring out how to implement that. He also shares his experiences with working director Tim Burton. We speak of how he prepares his lighting and the importance of determining what you really need on a shoot and hearing what it is that production needs. It’s not about compromise but about finding the right method. And, of course, we speak about The Darkest Hour and the look. Not an episode to miss!

EPISODE 140 - ALEXANDER NANAU - Director/Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the pleasure of having an in-depth conversation with documentary director (who also shoots!), Alexander Nanau (TOTO AND HIS SISTERS, COLLECTIVE). We start with the importance of the documentary subject not being aware of the camera and Alex he goes about making his subjects comfortable. We also look at how the direction of the documentary can change during filming and how important it is to allow that to happen. He gives examples of this in Collective and Toto and his Sisters. Alex shares how he gave his characters cameras during the filming of Toto and his Sisters which allowed him access to special, intimate footage that would not have been possible with him in the room. He also speaks of how a project gets set up and his desire to direct fiction now. A great conversation with a talented filmmaker!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Toto and his Sisters, Collective

EPISODE 139 - TURNING THE TABLES - Sicario

Team Deakins has the tables turned on them. Editor Tom Cross (Episode 129) asks the questions and we focus on the film SICARIO. Tom asks us about specific scenes, including the tunnel sequence, the Mexico sequences, and the opening sequence. We talk about the importance of the first shots in a movie and what the original first shot of Sicario was originally planned to be. We break down a sequence that was shot both on stage and location. We also touch on how we work with editors and the importance of our relationship with them. We spoke of the cutting in Sicario as well as the film First Man, which Tom cut. An interesting, in-depth conversation about filmmaking!

EPISODE 138 - DANIELLE FEINBERG -Pixar DP/VFX Supervisor

Team Deakins speaks with Pixar lighting artist, Danielle Feinberg (WALL•E, COCO, RATATOUILLE). Danielle tells us about her time at Pixar, how computer animation is evolving and how each story demands different technical advances. She walks us through the process of making a film at Pixar, step by step. She also tells us how Pixar hires and what they look for in applicants as well as how the layout of the Pixar building is deliberate to promote communication. We learn that changes in the tools can alter the movie’s workflow. She speaks about working on Finding Nemo and her favorite creative moment in the jellyfish scene. We also get into the roles of camera operating and lighting in animation and the struggle to open up communication between the departments. Danielle really opens up the world of animation for us!

EPISODE 137 - JOE WRIGHT - Director

Team Deakins has a great time talking with director, Joe Wright (ATONEMENT, THE SOLOIST, DARKEST HOUR). He shares what he loves about films and how he loves the craft of it. He talks about the importance of casting correctly and how he works with actors and how important rehearsals are. We learn how he preps with a cinematographer and what he looks for in a cinematographer. Also, he shares why he chose to do The Darkest Hour, how he likes to work with the same crew and actors and how he learns from the process of making films. A fascinating conversation with a talented director!

EPISODE 136 - JESS GONCHOR - Production Designer

Team Deakins talks design with production designer, Jess Gonchor (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, TRUE GRIT, FOXCATCHER). He tells us how, early on, he learned the mistake of lighting the set and not the story which he’s never forgotten. We also talk about developing a color palette, what goes into his mood board, and using music references. He shares some of his experiences on The Siege, Capote, No Country for Old Men, Hail Caesar, as well as Lone Ranger and A Serious Man. We also learn how he approaches pitching his ideas to a director who has already lived with another idea for a long time. This episode is a really interesting look into the craft of production design!

EPISODE 135 - DARIUS KHONDJI - Cinematographer

Team Deakins talks with cinematographer Darius Khondji (UNCUT GEMS, ALIEN RESURRECTION, SE7EN). We talk a lot about light, specifically learning how to light and how he started to learn with natural light. He shares the experience of working with David Fincher on the film Se7en and how their collaboration allowed him to take risks. He speaks about how important it is to get to understand the director and how he sees visual style as a house that you have to find the key to unlocking and that he usually finds this key through the character. Darius tells us about working on the movies Lost City of Z, Uncut Gems, My Blueberry Nights, and Amour. He also shares his thoughts on working in features and television. A wonderful glimpse into the eye of a great cinematographer!

EPISODE 134 - RICH KLUBECK - Partner and Literary Agent UTA

Teams Deakins has an in-depth conversation with Rich Klubeck of UTA. We cover a lot of ground on the subject of filmmaking - from the difference of putting together an independent vs studio film when a project needs to be cast and the considerations in casting. He defines and explains the principles of packaging a project and conveys how putting together a film is an art form. We talk about how to budget and Rich gives us a step-by-step guide to getting financing and what he thinks about when looking for funding. We ask about the role of film festivals and the future of movie distribution. We learn what he does when a new script from an unknown director comes across his desk and much, much more! An incredible guide to getting a movie off the ground!

EPISODE 133 - DOMHNALL GLEESON - Actor

Team Deakins has a great time speaking with actor, Domhnall Gleeson (STAR WARS, NEVER LET ME GO, THE REVENANT). He tells us how his father being an actor (Brandon Gleeson) showed him it was a career that could be done, with hard work. He shares that a well-run set is his favorite place to be and the feeling of loss when a film doesn’t land. We talk about his experience of working with the Coen Brothers in the film, True Grit as well as working on the film, Ex Machina, and with Alicia Vikander. We reminisce about the experience of working together on the film, Unbroken, including his having to starve for the start of the movie. He also shares what he has learned, like not having to be in pain to get a good performance and relating with the crew as an actor. And lots, lots more! You won’t want to miss this episode!

EPISODE 132 - CARROLL BALLARD - Director

Team Deakins has the pleasure of speaking with director Carroll Ballard (WIND, THE BLACK STALLION, NEVER CRY WOLF, DUMA). We learn how he got involved in the project that became the film, Black Stallion, how he worked with cinematographer, Caleb Deschanel. We also discuss the particular challenges of that film. Carroll talks about the difficulties of working with animals and children as well as working with wolves and caribous in Never Cry Wolf, geese in Fly Away Home, and cheetahs in Duma. We also learn about how he met the extreme challenges of shooting the film Wind. We learned a lot in this episode!

EPISODE 131 - DENNIS GASSNER - Production Designer

Team Deakins sits down with production designer, Dennis Gassner (FIELD OF DREAMS, JARHEAD, SPECTRE, 1917) and examines all things movie design! Dennis shares some of his methods - using smells to complete the set and boiling down a film to one word and working from there. He also talks about working at Zoetrope and working on such films as The Hitcher, Field of Dreams, Water World, Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, and Spectre. He speaks of working with directors Joel and Ethan on many films as well as his thoughts on previs, choosing projects, and always working for the story. A fascinating conversation with a very experienced production designer!

EPISODE 130 - NIALL MORONEY & ELAINE KUSMISHKO - Art Directors

Team Deakins talks to Art Directors, Niall Moroney and Elaine Kusmishko (1917, MARY POPPINS RETURNS, BEAUTY & THE BEAST). We start with what an art director does and the difference between a supervising art director and an art director and learn how the art department interacts with all departments on a film. We also break down the challenges of the film 1917 and how they met them. They share how much they had to learn about trenches, how they created them, and reconstruct the original land when the film ended. We also talk about using models on 1917 and why they were so helpful. They also share the way the night town set was envisioned and built. It’s a wonderful examination of the role of the art department in filmmaking as they give specific examples of the issues they face and then solve.

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: 1917

EPISODE 129 - TOM CROSS - Editor

Team Deakins enjoys a great conversation with editor, Tom Cross (FIRST MAN, HOSTILES, NO TIME TO DIE). He shares what he learned from working with different editors when he started out and tells us of the different styles of individual editors. We also talk about the fact that it’s not unusual to have multiple editors on films these days and we learn how the work is divided up. He shares his working experiences with director David O’Russell, Scott Cooper, and Damien Chazelle. We discuss working in different formats, creating the style of the film, inserts as the “unsung heroes of movies” and what good editing actually is. And much, much more! A great insight into the world of editing!

EPISODE 128 - PHEDON PAPAMICHAEL - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer, Phedon Papamichael (TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, FORD VS FERRARI, NEBRASKA). In this episode, Phedon shares his experiences working with James Mangold and Alexander Payne and we discuss what makes those relationships so successful. We learn that Phedon took up photography at a very early age and together we talk about his transition from stills to the moving image and shooting his first short film with one of John Cassavetes’ cameras! Phedon tells us about his time shooting for Roger Corman’s company and how free he was to experiment stylistically. Phedon talks about collaborating with Aaron Sorkin on their most recent film Trial of the Chicago 7 and the challenges of making a courtroom drama visually engaging. Phedon shares some great advice for young filmmakers, but you’ll have to tune in to find out! Don’t miss it!

EPISODE 127 - GERD NEFZER - Special Effects Supervisor

Team Deakins speaks with special effects supervisor, Gerd Nefzer (BLADE RUNNER 2049, RED SPARROW, HUNGER GAMES). We start by talking about what the special effects department covers and how it varies per film. We talk about the challenges of creating atmosphere and how he approached that on Blade Runner 2049. Specifically, we examine the differences in using mist or smoke for the atmosphere. Of course, we discuss what is covered by SFX and VFX and how this is determined. We go into detail on the challenges that the sea wall sequence in Blade Runner 2049 offered. Gerd also shares details of the effects on the film, The Girl in the Spiderweb and he tells us how important planning is and knowing what the camera position will be for his work. A really great conversation with a special effects master!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Girl in the Spiderweb, Blade Runner 2049

EPISODE 126 - DAVID GROPMAN - Production Designer

Team Deakins speaks with production designer, David Gropman (FENCES, LIFE OF PI, THE SHIPPING NEWS). He tells us why he loves shooting on location vs sets, his reaction to specific colors, his relationship to the producer, and the challenge of working within the budget. He talks about his experiences with directors Lasse Hallström, James Ivory, and Ang Lee. Since he worked with Ang Lee on the movies Taking Woodstock and Life of Pi (two very different movies!), he talks about his approaches to the films and talks about designing for a 3D project. And we learn some specifics about the shooting of Life of Pi, such as the tank work and working as a production designer with the VFX team! We also touch on the differences between working on big budgets vs smaller budgets as well as the differences between working on long-form TV vs feature films.

EPISODE 125 - SCOTT COOPER - Director

Team Deakins has a great talk with director, Scott Cooper (HOSTILES, BLACK MASS, CRAZY HEART). We learn that he started out as an actor and how that has helped him when he became a director. He talks about the immediate recognition, on his first directed film Crazy Heart, that directing was his path and not acting. He shares his belief that you make a film 3 times: when writing it, when shooting it and when editing it. He talks about shooting with a single camera, how he works with actors, and how he wants to create space for the actors to take big chances. He tells about the experiences of working on each of his films and says he likes to push himself in unsafe places. A very interesting look into the process of a director!

EPISODE 124 - SEAN BOBBITT - Cinematographer Team Deakins has an interesting conversation with cinematographer, Sean Bobbitt (JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH, WIDOWS, 12 YEARS A SLAVE). We cover a lot of ground, starting with his beginnings in news coverage. We learn how cinematographer Billy Williams set him on his path and he shares his experience of shooting the film Wonderland and working with director, Michael Winterbottom. We also talk about his experiences with directors Steve Mcqueen and Neil Jordan. He also shares how he mixes color temperatures to create depth and interest, how he works in prep and how he lights a set. An in-depth conversation with a talented DP!

EPISODE 123 - DION BEEBE - Cinematographer

In this episode, Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer, Dion Beebe (CHICAGO, COLLATERAL, INTO THE WOODS, MARY POPPINS RETURNS). He starts by telling us about his failure as a focus puller and then shooting a film as a DP for the first time at age 24! We talk about how it’s hard when you are starting out to consider compromising, but as you learn more about the collaborative nature of filmmaking, it becomes easier, as well as the idea that getting worked up on a set will never help you achieve your goal. Dion speaks about the difficult balance of knowing when and how you need to work with what you’re given and when to stand firm. We also cover learning to light, prepping for a film, and setting the look with the director. Dion also shares his experiences of working with Rob Marshall who taught him a lot about musicals and Ang Lee, shooting with a high frame rate. We cover a lot of ground in this episode!

EPISODE 122 - CHRIS CORBOULD - Special Effects

Team Deakins has a great conversation with Special Effects wizard, Chris Corbould (SKYFALL, INCEPTION, STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII: THE LAST JEDI). We start by learning of his first experience - working on the movie TOMMY - quite a way to begin! He also walks us through some of the bigger special effects he’s been responsible for. We learn how it is decided whether to use SFX or VFX, the amount of testing necessary for each SPF, the difference of working on SPF for small and large films, and the biggest challenges he’s ever faced. He also shares his experience of working with Sam Mendes and Chris Nolan. We also discover that he is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest explosion on set! An in-depth conversation with a real master!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Skyfall, Inception

EPISODE 121 - JOSHUA JAMES RICHARDS - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a lot of laughs in their conversation with cinematographer, Josh Richards (NOMADLAND, GOD’S OWN COUNTRY, THE RIDER). He shares with us his struggles in film school and what it gave to him ultimately. We also learn about how he started with director Chloé Zhao and how their working relationship developed and how they work together now. We talk about the shooting of Nomadland and God’s Own Country. He frankly tells us of his journey in finding cinematography and his path. A fascinating, open conversation with a talented DP.

EPISODE 120 - MIKE RADFORD - Director

Team Deakins speaks with long-time friend, director Mike Radford (ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, IL POSTINO, MERCHANT OF VENICE). He shares his film school experiences and how he came to direct his first film ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, on which he worked with Roger. He and Roger share memories of that film as well as 1984, which was another film on which they worked together. Mike tells us about the huge controversy he started with what he said at the British Film awards show for 1984 and the experience of working with actors John Hurt and Richard Burton. We talk about his experiences with actors Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons on MERCHANT OF VENICE and we learn a lot about IL POSTINO and the challenges that entailed. A refreshing and very frank conversation with a talented director!

EPISODE 119 - LEE SMITH - Editor

Team Deakins sits down with editor, Lee Smith (1917, SPECTRE, DUNKIRK, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES). He shares with us his thoughts on a lot of subjects: how working on bad films helps you learn, that the rhythm of the cut is instinctive and how you use the cut to create the rhythm, how his approach depends on the director and the differences between directors. We talk about how “finding it in the editing room” is not our favorite approach, editors being on set, the editor being a fresh eye, and working on the fractured time structure in Dunkirk. He also speaks of his work on the films Dunkirk and 1917 as well as his thoughts on cutting action sequences, using split screens unwisely and continuity. It’s a great episode that really delves into the craft of motion picture editing. Don’t miss it!

EPISODE 118 - MANDY WALKER - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a fun conversation with cinematographer, Mandy Walker (AUSTRALIA, HIDDEN FIGURES, MULAN). We cover a lot in this episode, including the shooting of the film TRACKS and the unique challenges it presented. We also learn about her experience on Jane Got A Gun where she came in at the last minute and had to work on the fly. She shares her thoughts on static camera work vs a moving camera, how you find the right camera style for a film and her thoughts on VFX. Mandy also speaks of shooting the film Mulan and her love of the Alexa 65. A great talk with a wonderful cinematographer!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Tracks

EPISODE 117 - PETE CAVACIUTI - Steadicam operator

Team Deakins speaks with Steadicam operator, Pete Cavaciuti (1917, EYES WIDE SHUT, NOW YOU SEE ME 2). Of course, we learn a lot about what the Steadicam is, what training is needed, what you can do with it and what you can’t, and that being a Steadicam operator is a way of life! Pete also shares his experiences with Stanley Kubrick on the film EYES WIDE SHUT and talks about his most challenging shot. He also talks about his experiences on KUNDUN, SKYFALL, 1917, and BLADE RUNNER 2049. A great look into a very specific skill!

EPISODE 116 - PABLO LARRAÍN - Director

Team Deakins sits down with director Pablo Larraín (JACKIE, NERUDA, NO). He shares with us the experience of his first film flopping and all that he learned from that, as well as the “rules” he sets for each individual film and the power of breaking these rules. He talks about his process, his avoidance of storyboarding, his dislike of multiple cameras, and remembering that films based on actual people are still works of fiction. According to Pablo, “when you are shooting, you’re fighting the script, when you are editing, you are fighting the shoot”. We learn a lot about the production of the movie “Jackie,” the production design, the shooting design, and why he chose to shoot in 16mm film. A fascinating look into the mind and process of a talented director!

EPISODE 115 - BILL MACDONALD - UCLA Cinematography Department

Team Deakins converses with Bill McDonald of the UCLA Cinematography Department. We learn about the UCLA program and the difference between the undergraduate and graduate programs. He shares what UCLA looks for when admitting students and how they work to bring out the students’ native talents. The students learn all the different areas of film production since this increases their ability to collaborate with other departments in the future. We talk about the pricing of the school and the difference between state and private schooling in film. Bill also shares that film school is not best for everyone and the importance of finding the film school with the approach that works best for the individual. A great lesson in film schools!

EPISODE 114 - JOHN TOLL - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great talk with cinematographer, John Toll (LEGENDS OF THE FALL, BRAVEHEART, WIND, THE THIN RED LINE, RAINMAKER). We start on a humorous note as we learn how he started in the business and learned on the job! We talk about his time as an operator and his eventual switch over to working as a DP. He recalls his time working for Conrad Hall as an operator and what he learned and also speaks of the different methods of working as an operator in England. We learn about his first big break to shoot the behind-the-scenes footage on ET which was never seen. He also shares why he chose to shoot WIND (his first feature as a DP), even though he tended to have bad seasickness! We learned about the difficulty of shooting WIND on the water and in boats, which is even more impressive when you consider it was his first time as a cinematographer! John’s humorous way of at looking things will have you laughing! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Wind

EPISODE 113 - LÁSZLÓ NEMES - Director

Team Deakins speaks with László Nemes, director of SON OF SAUL and SUNSET, in this episode. He speaks of what he learned from the Hungarian film director Béla Tarr and why he doesn’t believe in film schools, feeling it doesn’t create curiosity among students. He shares the difficulty of setting up the film, Son of Saul, and how it finally was financed. He speaks of the value of state sponsorship of movies and being able to make films that have to compromise greatly. We learn about his relationship with his DP, Mátyás Erdély, and how they work together. It’s a fascinating discussion with a passionate filmmaker! RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Son of Saul

EPISODE 112 -RODRIGO PRIETO - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with talented cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto (THE IRISHMAN, AMORES PERROS, BABEL). We learn that he is a lover of the trickery of moviemaking and also haunted mansions! A frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese, he shares his experiences on their various films. We talk about working with multiple cameras and the importance of taking that into account when designing the sets. He speaks of his start in Mexico, his move to LA, the importance of developing your own taste and style, and how simplicity can be so powerful. He also tells us of his collaborations with Julie Taymor, Curtis Hanson, and Pedro Almodóvar, his use of LUTS, and his thoughts on VFX. You won’t want to miss the eloquent thoughts of Rodrigo!

EPISODE 111 - PAUL SAROSSY - Cinematographer 
Team Deakins speaks with Paul Sarossy, a frequent collaborator with director Atom Egoyan, in this episode. Paul’s credits include THE SWEET HEREAFTER, REMEMBER, and AFFLICTION. We learn how Paul started by shooting news and what skills that gave him right off the bat. Of course, we speak about his collaboration with Atom Egoyan and learn how they work together. We break down a lot in the film, The Sweet Hereafter, and learn a lot! He shares that he thinks prep normally revolves around figuring out one thing and the rest “you just deal with”. We also touch on his working on two movies based on Russell Banks movies in a row, operating the camera, working with a non-linear time structure, digital technology as being subtractive vs additive, and the difference of working in TV and on features. And much, much more! A great conversation!

EPISODE 110 - KAZU HIRO - Prosthetic Makeup

Team Deakins speaks with the very talented prosthetic makeup and effects designer, Kazu Hiro (BOMBSHELL, DARKEST HOUR, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON). We learn a lot in this episode. Kazu leads us through the process of prosthetic makeup and very patiently answers our many questions. He shares with us his work on the films Bombshell, Darkest Hour, and Benjamin Button. He also tells us about his experience of working with Akira Kurosawa! We now know about face casting, applying makeup on top of prosthetics, and the testing that is done before shooting. A great conversation with a great artist!

EPISODE 109 - TURNING THE TABLES - 1917

Team Deakins gets the tables turned on us led by esteemed still photographers, Alex Webb (Episode 30) and Rebecca Norris Webb. They ask us questions about the film 1917. We talk about the one-shot concept and how we worked to not make it a gimmick. We examine the choice of camera and lens and we compare this choice in still work and motion picture. We talk about collaboration, the last shot of 1917 and the trees that bookends the movie. We also speak of the impossibility to explain the power of a photo. We even got into a little discussion of the lighting of the film Chinatown! It’s a fun episode you won’t want to miss!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: 1917

EPISODE 108 - PETER DEMING - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the pleasure of talking with cinematographer Peter Deming (LOST HIGHWAY, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, SCREAM 2). A frequent collaborator with director David Lynch, Peter shares how he started working with David and their very particular style of working together. We learn a lot about the shooting of the film Mulholland Drive and really love having the chance to ask all our questions. He also explains what “lens whacking” is and when you might use it. Peter tells us how he works differently when shooting film or digital and talks about shooting dark scenes. We cover a lot in this episode so don’t miss it!

EPISODE 107 - PAUL LAMBERT - VFX Supervisor

Team Deakins has a great conversation with Paul Lambert, VFX Supervisor (DUNE, FIRST MAN, BLADE RUNNER 2049). He walks us through the world of VFX and reveals the complexities. We talk about the VFX on Blade Runner 2049 and how some of them were achieved. He shares how he figured out the transparency of the character Joi. He also talks about his work on the film, First Man and tells us how a lot was accomplished. We talk about what makes a VFX shot work and what makes it fail. We also touch on the importance of continuity of lighting between the elements of the shot, the importance of the placement of the focus and the difficulty of scheduling the amount of time needed to create the shots. A fascinating look into the world of VFX!

EPISODE 106 - CARTER BURWELL - Composer

Team Deakins speaks with composer Carter Burwell in this episode. Carter is known for his work on NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, CAROL, and WONDERSTRUCK. We talk in-depth about the experience of working with the Coen Brothers which is where he started his career in composing for film. Working with the Coens is a good challenge because they don’t repeat themselves so it’s new territory every time. He also shares about working with Sidney Lumet on Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead which was a unique experience. We learn how the composer can be asked to help save a scene that isn’t working with the score and how you can do that. We learn a lot about the craft of composing in this episode!

EPISODE 105 - CHRIS MENGES - Cinematographer

Teams Deakins speaks with the talented cinematographer, Chris Menges (MICHAEL COLLINS, THE KILLING FIELDS, KES). We talk at length about his start in documentaries and what you learn from shooting documentaries - learning to force the image, working in impossible situations, looking and noticing light and making sure you get the shot. He also shares his experiences of working with director Ken Loach and the rules that they set as well as working on The Empire Strikes Back, The Killing Fields, and Waiting for the Barbarians. Chris talks about directing “A World Apart”, the difficult transition back to DP work after directing and covers the subject of adapting books to screen and why it doesn’t always work. A fascinating conversation with a visual master!

EPISODE 104 - TONY JANNELLI - Head of Graduate Cinematography Studies at NYU

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer Tony Jannelli who is the head of the graduate cinematography department at NYU. He walks us through the structure of NYU film school and how the filmmaking is taught. He speaks of how important it is for a young filmmaker to find their own taste and intuition and how NYU works to develop this in their students. After speaking with him, it was clear why so many great filmmakers come out of NYU!

EPISODE 103 - SANDY POWELL - Costume Designer

Team Deakins talks with the celebrated costume designer, Sandy Powell (THE FAVOURITE, VELVET GOLDMINE, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE). We delve into many things, such as how a costume designer helps the actor find his/her character, being mindful of the silhouette and shape of a design, and working with a director multiple times. She shares how she chooses her projects, how she works with color and approaches designing instinctively. She tells us about her different experiences with the director Todd Haynes and what the projects entailed. We also cover finding clothes versus making them, working with actors, doing a period project and how strict you are, and how to get past a block. And much more!

EPISODE 102 - DYLAN GOSS - Aerial Cameraman

Team Deakins talks with aerial cameraman, Dylan Goss (DUNE, BLADE RUNNER 2049, SICARIO). We have the opportunity to look closely at this very specialized area. We look at the technical aspects and how they have changed. And we talk about when he is brought in, how he figures out what is needed, and the importance of his understanding of the script. We discuss the work he did with us on the films Sicario and Blade Runner 2049, including the array rig we had to develop to meet the needs of VFX in Blade Runner 2049. He also shares his experiences on the TV show Devs and we talk about the differences between drone work and helicopter work. It’s a great look at the complex world of aerial photography!

EPISODE 101 - THOMAS VINTERBERG - Director, Screenwriter

Team Deakins has a great conversation with director and screenwriter Thomas Vinterberg (THE HUNT, ANOTHER ROUND, THE CELEBRATION). As one of the co-founders of Dogma 95, he explains the thought behind the movement and tells us what it was like shooting under the rules as well as why he moved on from it. We also learn who they asked to be in the movement and who declined. He shares with us his experiences shooting his movie “The Celebration” and how tough Dogma was on the actors. “Limitations are the greatest source of inspiration”, according to Thomas. He also shares his experiences on many of his movies and why he likes to choose very different subjects to tackle. It’s a really fun conversation with a very articulate and humorous individual. Don’t miss this!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Another Round, The Celebration

EPISODE 100 - ALEXEY RODIONOV - Cinematographer

For our 100th episode (we can’t believe we’ve reached this!), Team Deakins has a special conversation with Alexey Rodionov, the cinematographer of one of our favorite films, COME AND SEE. We have the opportunity to go behind the scenes on this movie and ask everything we’ve always wanted to know. The more we learn, the more our admiration for the film grows. He shares they had many limitations in terms of money and equipment, but they did have the luxury of time. VFX was not an option so they had to figure out how to do everything in-camera. Some of the stories from the making of the film are quite amazing - like the use of real bullets in the scenes. We also delve into his other movies such as ORLANDO and THE PARTY and his approach. It’s a great conversation with a great talent!

EPISODE 99 - FRANCES MCDORMAND - Actress, Producer

Team Deakins gets the chance to catch up with a long-time friend, actress, and producer Frances McDormand (NOMADLAND, THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI, FARGO). It’s a great conversation that hits lots of topics! Fran shares with us the difference for her between acting in theater and in film, what her approach is to acting, and how she learned and added to her craft over the years. She has lots of stories of her experience on the film Blood Simple which was an early experience with a lot of learning and where she met Joel Coen, her long-time partner. We also talk about working with less structure, improv, and playing a femme fatale. Fran shares her experiences on Nomadland, Olive Kitteridge, Mississippi Burning, and The Man Who Wasn’t there. We touch on how she chooses her roles and how she likes to mix things up with “palette cleansers”, playing a supporting role as well as how she feels she is a partner with the camera operator. And more and more! A great discussion with the always interesting and fun Fran! Don’t miss it!

EPISODE 98 - KEITH WALTERS - Prop Master

Team Deakins sits down with property master Keith Walters and goes into depth about the role of props. Keith’s credits include NEWS OF THE WORLD, SICARIO, TRUE GRIT and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. He gives us insight into the role of the prop master, what it entails and how he approaches it. He shares how he researches for period pieces, the danger of aging down props too far, and how he finds material for period movies. We get details on the props in No Country For Old Men and how the iconic air gun weapon of Chigurh was conceived. He also gives up some insights into working on both Sicario movies and the unique challenges of the movie, Lincoln. We learn lots about the role and job of props in film during this episode!

EPISODE 97 - BENOÎT DELHOMME - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a memorable conversation with cinematographer Benoit Delhomme (AT ETERNITY’S GATE, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, THE SCENT OF THE GREEN PAPAYA, THE PROPOSITION). We talk about many things, including working with Julian Schnabel on At Eternity’s Gate.  We learn about their working relationship, his dance with Willem Dafoe, and hiding the crew to keep them out of shot. Because Benoit does amazing things with color, we talked a lot about his approach, how he sees colors when he reads a script, and discussing color with Julian. He also tells us about shooting the film The Proposition - the difficulties of working in the Australian Outback, the difficulty of the heat, and the movies that influenced the shoot. We discuss the importance of the DP finding the first shot of the day. Benoit’s wonderful humorous outlook kept us laughing as we covered a lot of ground!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: At Eternity’s Gate, The Proposition

EPISODE 96 - BEN COOKE - Stunt Coordinator, 2nd Unit Director

Team Deakins looks into the world of movie stunts with Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director, Ben Cooke (MULAN, 1917,  SKYFALL, CASINO ROYALE). We learn about the different areas of stunt work and the different experiences of being a stunt double or a stunt coordinator on a film. He talks about his experience of stunt doubling Daniel Craig in the Bond movies and tells us all about the huge stunt in Quantum of Solace and how learned he was doing it just the day before. We also talk about the stunts in Snow White and the Huntsman. Other areas we covered were working with locals in a large stunt sequence, the most undervalued aspects of a stunt job, dealing with an actor who wants to do all his own stunts, and creating stunts that fit into the tone of the movie. As he was the stunt coordinator on the film 1917, we dived into that experience in detail. We learned a lot about this area of filmmaking in this episode - don’t miss it!

EPISODE 95 - EMMA PILL - Location Manager

Team Deakins sits down with Location Manager extraordinaire Emma Pill (1917, SPECTRE, INCEPTION, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM). In this episode, we learn lots about the function of the location department and the importance of their role. She tells us she sees her job as walking a tight rope between the production world and the real world and how she learned early how important it is to be honest with the owners of locations who often don’t know what the reality of having a film crew in their home or building will be like. We learn about the importance of coming up with solutions to locations with logistical problems, how she became an expert on Moroccan locations, how she deals with schedule changes, and the importance of having a signed contract for the location. She also goes into the details of being the location manager on Bourne Ultimatum, Blade Runner 2049, and 1917. A great deep dive into the role of Location Manager!

EPISODE 94 - SHAUN CONWAY - Gaffer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with Australian gaffer Shaun Conway(MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, MULAN, ALIEN:COVENANT). He shares not only the basics of the job of a gaffer, but he also goes into detail about working with different cinematographers and how important it is to quickly learn their working style and preferences. He tells us about his experiences of working with DP Mandy Walker and the various movies they’ve collaborated on. He also shares the challenges of filming Mad Max: Fury Road and Alien Covenant. In the latter movie, he worked closely with the production designer so lighting could be placed in the set as part of the design. We talk about the different styles of lighting and what they require. A detailed look at lighting through the eyes of a gaffer!

EPISODE 93 - SKIP LIEVSAY - Sound Designer/Editor/Mixer

Team Deakins has the chance to catch up with the guru of sound, Skip Lievsay (GRAVITY, ROMA, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN). We use the opportunity to learn the different roles and responsibilities in the sound department, from onset mixer to re-recording mixer, sound editor, and sound designer. He shares with us some experiences on the films, True Grit, Inside Llewyn Davis, No Country for Old Men, and O Brother, Where Art Thou. We learn how the sound was conceived and executed for the movie Gravity. He also talks about working with Robert Altman and his love of sound. He even gets into the different sound formats and why one format might suit a movie better than another as well as choices of mics on the shoot. A great look into the world of movie sound!

EPISODE 92 - BOB YEOMAN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with cinematographer Bob Yeoman (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, MOONRISE KINGDOM, SPY). He’s a frequent collaborator with Wes Anderson and he walks us through how they work together. We learn their way of prep and how they collaborate on the set. It becomes clear why their work together is so special. We should warn you that after listening to this episode you will want to be part of their collaboration! He shares with us how Wes works with actors, how he negotiates his lighting with Wes and breaks down specific scenes on the film Darjeeling Limited. He also touches on his experience with Paul Feig, the problems of working with multiple cameras and operating the camera. You won’t want to miss his story about the film shot on the 27mm lens! A fun, informative episode!

RECOMMEND EPISODE VIEWING: Darjeeling Limited

EPISODE 91 - TURNING THE TABLES - FARGO

Team Deakins gets the tables turned on them in this episode. Cinematographer Joshua James Richards (Nomadland, The Rider, God's Own Country) turns the spotlight on us and asks questions about the movie Fargo. We speak about specific shots and how they were done. We also talk about covering wider subjects, how a camera move can add to the strength of the scene, working with different directors, and the importance of cinematographer supporting the performances using natural light, and what limitations can give to a movie. We cover a lot of ground, including finding inspiration, the Coen Brothers’ unique talents, as well as the importance of the DP understanding editing. So we go into detail about the movie Fargo as well as many broader topics. Josh was thorough!

PDF Clip List can be found here.

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING - Fargo

EPISODE 90 - BRADFORD YOUNG - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with cinematographer Bradford Young, (ARRIVAL, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, SELMA), for a great conversation. We talk about many things - among the topics are his belief that the cinematography must always serve the story, how he chooses his projects, what his process is on starting a film, his lens choices, and his desire to shoot it the way you want rather than fixing it in post. He shares his experiences on Arrival and that it was his first experience working with storyboards and also speaks about his work on Star Wars. We learn his unique way of lighting where he blacks everything and then adds light, “subtracting is adding”. And much, much more. You won’t want to miss this conversation with a true artist.

EPISODE 89 - GUY HENDRIX DYAS - Production Designer

Team Deakins sits down with production designer, Guy Hendrix Dyas (INCEPTION, GEMINI MAN, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE). We cover many subjects, including the importance of drawing and illustrating for Production Designers, the need for learning the director’s visual language, forming a relationship with a new director, and the sadness he feels at the end of each project. Guy shares his experiences of working with Terry Gilliam, Shekhar Kapur, and Chris Nolan. He breaks down the set in Inception that was in the snow and the challenges that it brought and talks about the Japanese influence on the design of Inception. We also get into the design of the films Agora and Elizabeth: The Golden Years. A very interesting looking into the world of the Production Designer!

EPISODE 88 - SEAMUS MCGARVEY - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a fun conversation with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (ATONEMENT, ANNA KARENINA, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN). He shares what he loves about filmmaking - the collaboration, the democracy of ideas that grow stronger as you define, and how the medium of film is a great medium for social exchange and political change. He talks about the differences of working with varying directors - such as Les Blair, Michael Winterbottom, Sam Taylor Johnson, Tom Ford, Oliver Stone, and Joe Wright. He likes the terror of not working with a locked-in storyboard or shot list! We even get into the experience of shooting television and learn what he likes and what he doesn’t like. We cover a lot of ground in this episode and, since it’s Seamus, we shared a lot of laughs along the way!

EPISODE 87 - GREGOR WILSON - Production Manager

Team Deakins speaks with Gregor Wilson, (JUSTICE LEAGUE, PRISONERS, MAN OF STEAL), and looks closely at the role of production manager. Gregor tells us that one of the first important things he does is hiring the right crew and working to lock in the budget. We learn about Bond companies and the function they fulfill. Gregor shares his experience on Prisoners - his witnessing the relationship between Denis and Roger, his surprise at the cable costs of the camera crew, and the role the weather played in the shooting of the film. He also talks about mistakes that can be made in his role, the importance of stress management, and dealing with the long hours of production. We also delve into keeping up with new technology and dealing with rebates. A deep dive into the wide-ranging role of the production manager!

EPISODE 86 - CALEB DESCHANEL - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with cinematographer Caleb Deschanel for a great conversation. We learn about his experiences on the BLACK STALLION, BEING THERE, THE RIGHT STUFF, AND THE NATURAL. We talk about the key to being really good in the craft (recognizing a better idea), watching the actor do the performance for the first time, working with operators, the importance of crew choice for a DP, and the difference of operating a camera with the wheels. We also explore the critical relationship between DP and Director and how greatness is not always obvious in the making of something. A wide-reaching conversation that you don’t want to miss!

EPISODE 85 - MICHAEL LERMAN - Assistant Director

Team Deakins has a great conversation with assistant director, Michael Lerman (1917, DOCTOR STRANGE, SKYFALL). Michael breaks down the job in detail starting from the beginning in prep through the shoot. He tells us it starts with the schedule which is a challenge that never ends during the production. He shares the importance of location scouting for the director, cinematographer and production designer, as well as his role of protecting the director’s time so they can spend the time they need with the many departments. He talks about the need of being both a “director’s AD” as well as a “producer’s AD”. We also discuss the importance of marrying 2nd unit and main unit and how this applied to the opening sequence of Skyfall. We cover a lot of ground in the episode so don’t miss it!!

EPISODE 84 - MATTHEW LIBATIQUE - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer Matty Libatique (A STAR IS BORN, BLACK SWAN, MOTHER!). In our conversation, he shares his experiences of working with director Darren Aronofsky as well as working with director Spike Lee. He touches on the importance of proper exposure in your footage and learning from each film that you make. We also learn about his experiences in the DI process and working on the film A Star is Born. We talk about lighting the frame or framing the light, shooting super 16mm on Black Swan, lenses, and much, much more! You won’t want to miss this episode!

EPISODE 83 - DAVID MULLEN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the opportunity to talk with cinematographer David Mullen(THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, NORTHFORK, TWIN FALLS IDAHO). We learn lots of specifics about the shooting and lighting of the film Northfork. He really breaks it all down for us. We also speak in detail about the different ways of flashing film and why you would do it, as well as the ways of taking color out of the visuals on a film. He also shares the difficulty of storyboards that were created without the input of the cinematographer. We cover shooting anamorphic - why and the differences between spherical shooting, his experience of negotiating for a DI finish in the early days of the DI, and how he oversees the look when shooting the packed schedule of television. We learned a lot when talking with David!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Northfork, Akeelah and the Bee 

EPISODE 82 - JEFF NICHOLS, ADAM STONE - Director/Cinematographer Team

Team Deakins has a great conversation with the collaborative team of director Jeff Nichols and cinematographer Adam Stone (MUD, LOVING, TAKE SHELTER). We learn about how they found each other, how they work together, and how that collaboration has grown over the years. They share their preference for shot lists over storyboards and their specificity when choosing locations (and how they drive the location department crazy!). Jeff, who also writes his projects, speaks of not adding camera direction in his scripts. We also talk about the difference in shooting for television and features and the different opportunities found in long-form storytelling. A great look at a close collaboration!

EPISODE 81 - LARRY SHER - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer Larry Sher (JOKER, GARDEN STATE, THE HANGOVER). We learn a lot about his many experiences with Todd Philips, including the movies The Hangover and The Joker. We talk about how color is an integral part of his work and how he loves location shooting with the mixtures of light, and how important it is, early on, to settle on what evening, dusk, and sunset mean light-wise. He shares his thoughts on operating, shooting with two cameras, working on big movies, and the differences in shooting film or digital. A lot gets covered!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Hangover

EPISODE 80 - MARY ZOPHRES - Costume Designer

Team Deakins sits down with Costume Designer, Mary Zophres (FIRST MAN, LA LA LAND, TRUE GRIT). She shares how she works with actors, large amounts of extras, the production designer, and the DP. She describes the thrill of seeing the actor become the character in the fitting room. Camera tests are important since “your eye tells you different things than the lens does” and she tells some of the things she has discovered through camera tests. She also describes dressing Jeff Bridges on The Big Lebowski, researching First Man and her experience on La La Land. We learn a lot about how the costumes can add so much to the storytelling.

EPISODE 79 - HARRY GRUYAERT - Still Photographer

Team Deakins speaks with the acclaimed stills photographer Harry Gruyaert. What a great conversation! We learn that when he started, he directed and shot for Flemish TV and he explains why he changed his path and became a stills photographer. He shares the importance of intuition in his work and finding your own way of seeing and style. We love what he does with color so we speak a lot about color and how he uses it, and he speaks of when he would use B&W over color. He also goes into detail about his early work in Morocco and how he relates to the subjects of his photographs. He shares what he was thinking when shooting specific shots and tells a wonderful story about his photo with the Magritte painting. He’s an artist that works for his own pleasure without concerning himself about how people will react and we certainly love the results he achieves!

EPISODE 78 - CHRIS MILLER & PHIL LORD - Directors, Writers, Producers

Team Deakins speaks with another long term collaborative team - Phil Lord and Chris Miller (CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, THE LEGO MOVIE, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE). We cover a lot of topics, including the difference between directing live-action and animation, how they work together, the biggest disagreement they’ve had, and the challenges of directing comedies. We learn about the making of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Last Man on Earth TV series, and the process on Spiderman - Into the Spider-Verse. We also learn their take on the possibilities in animation. A really interesting look at a very successful collaborative team!

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: Last Man on Earth (TV), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

EPISODE 77 - ED LACHMAN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a great conversation with Cinematographer, Ed Lachman (CAROL, FAR FROM HEAVEN, DARK WATERS). We talk about many things, including his working with Robby Mueller and what he learned from him, his feeling on operating the camera, and finding your language with the director. He also shares his working process with director Todd Haynes, with whom he has collaborated many times. We go into depth on the movie “Far from Heaven” (one of his collaborations with Todd) from finding the look, the inspiration from Douglas Sirk films, and the use of colors. We also touch on the differences in using gels with film & with digital, his choice of lens, getting the look he wanted in “Dark Waters” and working with Paul Schrader. And much, much more!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Far From Heaven

EPISODE 76 - MIKE LEIGH & DICK POPE - Director & Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the pleasure of sitting down with the long time collaborative team of Mike Leigh and Dick Pope (MR. TURNER, NAKED, SECRETS & LIES). What a great conversation! Mike shares with us his method of working and delineates the difference between his work and that of the directors John Cassavetes and Ken Loach. We learn the importance of having the right location and being able to return to the location during the course of the shoot. As the film is an “ongoing investigation” of what it will be according to Mike, Dick shares how amazing the experience is when he sees the blocked scene play out on location for the first time. Mike speaks on his way of working with actors. We also learn why on the film Peterloo, which involved a lot of scenes with a lot of extras and battles, they chose not to do storyboards. Both Mike and Dick talk about the specifics of their collaboration and how it has strengthened over years. A fascinating look into a very special relationship between a director and cinematographer.

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Secrets and Lies

EPISODE 75 - JOHN WELLS - Director, Producer, Showrunner

Team Deakins has a great conversation with John Wells, a director, producer and showrunner of such television as ER, WEST WING, THIRD WATCH, SOUTHLAND, and SHAMELESS. John spells out the responsibilities of the position of showrunner on television, and we get to ask all the questions for which we’ve always wanted to know the answer! We learned a lot about the process in television series - how far in advance the scripts are done, the actors' ownership of their role, the importance of cinematographers in episodic TV. We also learned how much of the story is known at the start of the season and how the scripts change during the season. John also gives a thoughtful opinion on the effect of streaming on future moviemaking. We talk about writing a villain successfully, ensemble movies, and much, much more! Don’t miss this episode!

EPISODE 74 - ADAM ARKAPAW - Cinematographer

Team Deakins catches up with cinematographer Adam Arkapaw (ANIMAL KINGDOM, ASSASSIN’S CREED, TRUE DETECTIVE). We learn a lot about the Australian film Animal Kingdom and how it was shot. Adam also tells us what he does during prep, how he works with a production designer and how he likes to give space to the actors. He also talked about something Andrew Lesnie once said to him and how it affected him. We also speak about how he chooses his projects, and his experiences on Macbeth, The King and True Detective. He shares his experiences in television and compared it to his film work. A fun episode with lots in it!

EPISODE 73 - ROB HARDY - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with English cinematographer, Rob Hardy for a great, in-depth conversation. We cover many subjects, including his work on BOY A with John Crowley, the experience of the movie, RED RIDING with Michael Winterbottom, and his frequent collaboration with Alex Garland on the films EX MACHINA andANNIHILATION. He also talks about working with a Steadicam, operating the camera, mixing light sources and his choice of lenses per project. We even get into his experience on MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. And we don’t forget to talk about the series DEVs.  It’s a special inside look at how he works and thinks. You don’t want to miss it!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Boy A, Devs, Ex Machina

EPISODE 72 - “BIGGLES” (JOHN HIGGINS) - Gaffer

Team Deakins sits down with Biggles (John Higgins, if you want to be formal) an accomplished gaffer that Roger has a long past with.  Biggles talks about working with Ozzie Morris and different lighting styles. We get into a discussion about brute arcs, what they are and the difference in the light they produce. Roger and Biggles reminisce on their experiences together on 1984, MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON, WHITE MISCHIEF and 1917. Biggles also shares some experiences with Chivo (GRAVITY and Sven Nykvist and Richard Attenborough (CHAPLIN) and talks about how he works with DPs and the importance of trust. Of course, we talk about the big lighting rig on 1917 as well as the scenes lit only by the character’s torches (flashlights). We got into the subject of new technology in lighting and the importance of being realistic when choosing the lights to use for a project - if there are hostile conditions, far better to go with something dependable. A wide-reaching episode you won’t want to miss!

EPISODE 71 - DEDE GARDNER - Co-President Plan B Entertainment

Teams Deakins speaks with Plan B co-president, Dede Gardner (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, MOONLIGHT). We talk about the careful selection by Plan B of the projects they choose and how the company’s goal is to protect the original intention of a film throughout the process. Dede tells us her process in choosing projects to back and that she chose to become a producer because it allowed her to spend the longest time on a project. We talk about the strange world we create when we shoot a movie and how each movie is a situation that doesn’t repeat. She speaks at length on her working relationship with Jeremy Kleiner, Plan B’s other co-president. We also covered the importance of recognizing when you are working on the wrong incarnation of a movie and the need to step back and start again. We also covered the movie Selma, working in television, balancing work and family, how important conviction and passion are and much more! So much information in one episode!!

EPISODE 70 - BARRY ACKROYD - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with esteemed cinematographer, Barry Ackroyd (BOMBSHELL, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, THE HURT LOCKER). We covered many topics, including his work with the director Ken Loach and Ken’s approach to moviemaking. We also learn about his work with Paul Greengrass and he tells us about how certain scenes were shot on United 93. Barry talks about lighting a space and how he enjoys limitations. We also talk about handheld operating and how he achieves what he does with a handheld camera and he shares his feelings about operating in general. He tells us how he chooses his projects, his thoughts on operating, his experience of working on Captain Phillips and his feelings about electronic viewfinders. A great conversation!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: United 93

EPISODE 69 - TURNING THE TABLES - No Country for Old Men

Team Deakins has the tables turned on them! Cinematographer Greig Fraser and actor Josh Brolin ask the questions in this episode. We covered a lot about the movie and looked in detail at seven scenes in the movie. The conversation also went in some unplanned areas - we learned, among other things, how Greig hates the script slug line “evening”, what it was like working with Kelly McDonald, how important trust is when working on a film, and what the experience of shooting No Country for Old Men was like for Josh. Happy accidents, our favorite scene in the film, and the relationship between actor and DP were also talked about. And much, much more! There is a companion PDF for this episode that lists the clips we discussed and when they appear in the film. Don’t miss this special episode - there’s a lot in it. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF.

REQUIRED EPISODE VIEWING: No Country for Old Men

Episode 68 - ANTHONY DOD MANTLE - Cinematographer

Team Deakins talks to talented cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, DOGVILLE, T2 TRAINSPOTTING). We cover many subjects, including his work in documentaries and political films, his experiences in India, how he started with still photography and why he moved to motion picture, and his early experiences of focus pulling. He tells us at length his involvement with dogma films and what that means and how he likes to start from a new place for each film. He breaks down a lot of the shooting in the movie “The Command” and gives us the tip of how where you put the focus helps greatly in marrying different formats. A fascinating discussion with a great cinematographer!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Command

EPISODE 67 - DAVE DILIBERTO - Post Supervisor

Team Deakins sits down with long time friend and post supervisor, Dave Diliberto (O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU, THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE). We talk about a lot of subjects, including his start with the Coen Brothers, the difference of working with the Coens and with other directors, and we go in to challenging post of the film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”. We also speak of what super 35mm means in a film post and the difficulty involved in re-mastering titles. Dave leads us through mixing, the different deliverables on a project and his reaction to the phrase “We can fix that in Post”. A great look at what happens after the film is shot.

EPISODE 66 - ANDREY ZVYAGINTSEV & MIKHAIL KRICHMAN - Director & Cinematographer Team - Part 2

Team Deakins continues their epic conversation with Andrey Zvyagintsev and Mikhail Krichman, celebrated Russian collaborative team of director and cinematographer. This is the second part of a two part episode. We learn a lot about the shooting of the movie, Leviathan and the weather challenges they faced. Andrey shares that he doesn’t re-watch his films and also entertained us with the story of his very first experience shooting a 16mm film when he was young. He’s come a long way since then, let’s just say! We also speak about independent film financing in Russia vs state funded and their feelings on film vs digital. And Mikhail tells how Roger unknowingly participated on The Return! A great conversation with talented filmmakers!!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Return, The Banishment, Elena, Leviathan, Loveless

EPISODE 65 - ANDREY ZVYAGINTSEV & MIKHAIL KRICHMAN - Director & Cinematographer Team - Part 1

Team Deakins have an amazing conversation with the Russian collaborative team of Andrey Zvyagintsev and Mikhail Krichman (LOVELESS, LEVIATHAN, THE BANISHMENT). We have been avid fans of their films for years and so this was very special to us. Their films are: The Return, The Banishment, Elena, Leviathan and Loveless. We speak about so many things that we had to make two episodes from the result! In this episode we learn about their unique collaborative process of 20 years, their experiences on The Return, The Banishment and Elena. We speak about VFX, how Andrey works with his actors and how they battle unpredictable elements, like children and weather. A great conversation with true masters of filmmaking!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Return, The Banishment, Elena, Leviathan, Loveless

EPISODE 64 - JON KILIK - Getting the project off the ground

Team Deakins is happy to welcome producer Jon Kilik back again with a specific subject - how to get film projects off the ground. Because films are different, we look at the different ways you can move forward. Jon tells us about the need to be flexible without compromising the vision, how often compromises can be opportunities, and if you can’t bring the film’s operating price down, you might have to wait and do a smaller project first. He also walks us through the process of finding distribution for a film. We talk about how to deal with a project that is financed from many sources and how to structure this. He also touches on the weight a name actor adds to a project, how the process of filmmaking is making the project better everyday and dealing with stress. We’re so glad that Jon came back and delved into this subject with us!

EPISODE 63 - TURNING THE TABLES - The Assassination of Jesse James

The tables get turned on Team Deakins in this episode with Greig Fraser asking us the questions, focusing on the film “The Assassination of Jesse James”. Greig asks questions on 7 clips of the film. There is a companion pdf with this episode (see the link below) that lists the approximate time these clips appear in the movie with images of the first and last frames. We get into specific breakdowns of these shots as well as talking about the experience of working with the director, the lyric nature of the book and how that influenced the film as well as the incredible music track from composer Nick Cave. Greig had done his homework and had plenty of questions for us! He led us through a great discussion of this film. Click here to download the companion pdf.

RECOMMEND EPISODE VIEWING: The Assassination of Jesse James

EPISODE 62 - DODD VICKERS - Location Scout/Location Manager

Team Deakins again looks into the complexities of locations in the scheme of production with location scout and manager, Dodd Vickers (THE GLORIAS, SHARP OBJECTS, SUPERFLY). We talk with Dodd who shares with us how to find locations, things that have to be considered for locations and working with the budget. He also talks about how he needs to get into the director’s head, how the location department are the ambassadors of the film and the importance of getting to know the location neighborhood and the people living there. We also touch on reusing locations, remembering logistics when looking for locations and the difference in locations for film and TV. And much more!!

EPISODE 61 - JASON HALL - Writer, Director

Team Deakins has a great conversation in this episode with writer and director, Jason Hall (THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AMERICAN SNIPER). He takes us through the experience of writing the script for American Sniper. He literally had to wrestle for it! He talks about finding the story and dealing with the changes in the script during the course of find its way to the screen. He also walks us through the making of Thank You for Your Service, a movie that is a favorite of ours. We talked about how he approached it as a first time director and how he prepped for the movie. We learn about the casting of the movie and that he worked to surround the actors with things that resonate the truth. And the very important piece of advice that Taylor Hackford gave him during the editing period. He also talks about working with Spielberg, balancing commercial appeal with a meaningful story and the idea of directing a script he hasn’t written. We covered a lot of ground!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Thank you for your Service

EPISODE 60 - BILLY O’LEARY - Gaffer

Team Deakins sits down with frequent collaborator and friend, gaffer Billy O’Leary (THE IRISHMAN, BLADE RUNNER 2049, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS). It’s a wonderful walk down memory lane and we learned a lot too! He defines the role of gaffer and walks through what he does in prep and how he works with different DPs. He also talks about his love of NOT relying on big lights and working up lighting gags. He likes restrictions and having to think outside of the box. He talks about some specifics on Shawshank Redemption, Blade Runner 2049, Hudsucker Proxy, Barton Fink and Fargo. When asked what his gaffer’s nightmare is, he not only told us but let us know it was a waking nightmare - he did experience it! A fun and informative conversation that we think you’ll like!

EPISODE 59 - JON KILIK - Producer

We had the opportunity of sitting down with a producer we’ve had the pleasure of working with, Jon Kilik (FOXCATCHER, THE HUNGER GAMES, BABEL, DO THE RIGHT THING). He clued us in on a few subjects - whey there are so many producers on projects, how the producer credit has been devalued, and the difference in the producer roles in movies and TV. We learned that there’s always a way to figure out how to get a movie made and how he chooses projects. He also shared his experiences of working with Spike Lee with whom he has been a frequent collaborator. And that’s just a few of the subjects we got into! A great episode you won’t want to miss!

EPISODE 58 - JOEL EDGERTON - Actor, Director

Team Deakins has a great conversation with Joel Edgerton, (THE KING, BOY ERASED, LOVING), about his craft as an actor, director and writer. We learn why heroes should have a bit of villain in them, finding fun in every character and what he considers when choosing projects. We talk about his work with his brother, Nash Edgerton, what an intricate puzzle fundraising for a project is in Australia, the creative solutions in moviemaking in response to restrictions, and what he likes in both big-budget movies and smaller budget movies. He shared that he likes characters who make a mistake and have to opportunity to right and either do or don’t. We also talk about his role as a director and how it differs from being an actor on set. We talked about so much more - you’ll just have to listen to the episode!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Gift

EPISODE 57 - TURNING THE TABLES - Shawshank Redemption

In this episode, we get the tables turned upon us! Greig Fraser leads the conversation and asks US the questions. He starts by diving into our collaboration process and then moves onto the movie SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. In addition, he chose 5 clips from the movie to discuss. We list and describe the clip in an accompanying PDF file for this episode that can be accessed by the link below. We also strayed from the movie discussion to talk about choosing the format of a movie, why one shoots anamorphic, choosing the camera for 1917, the pressure on the DP when trying to wait for the right light and the joy of seeing the performance as you are shooting. It’s a fun episode which Greig skillfully leads. Don’t miss it. Use this link to download the PDF file.

REQUIRED EPISODE VIEWING: Shawshank Redemption

EPISODE 56 - THOMAS NEWMAN - Composer

Team Deakins sits with Tom Newman, (1917, SKYFALL, WALL-E, AMERICAN BEAUTY), and learns lots about the world of the composer.  He tells us about learning to be a collaborator, his experience with directors like Robert Altman and Sam Mendes, how he deals with last minute editorial changes after the music has been composed and the difference between composing for Live Action and Animation. He also speaks of working in television, how binge watching changed theme music on TV shows, the musical challenge on the film, 1917 and his feeling that creativity is chaotic. And that’s only scratching the surface of what we got into during the conversation! A great episode with a talented composer!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: 1917, Shawshank Redemption

EPISODE 55 - RACHEL MORRISON - Cinematographer

Team Deakins converses with cinematographer Rachel Morrison in this episode. She speaks on many subjects - telling us about working with director Ryan Coogler, how the way she works with the gaffer differs on features and TV, her like of imperfection. She also shares that she strives to share as much information as possible when working, including sharing the look book with her crew. We learn about the shooting of MUDBOUND and the challenges on that film. And a lot more! A great episode!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Mudbound

EPISODE 54 - ED SOLOMON - Writer

Team Deakins talks with writer Ed Solomon, (MEN IN BLACK, BILL & TED’s EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, NOW YOU SEE ME 2), in this episode. We learned a lot about the craft of writing! Ed talks about the differences in writing for TV and features, writing on spec versus adapting material, writers block, and how his script of the original Bill and Ted changed his career. He also shares the experiences of working with Gary Shandling, making writing “actable”, loving the blank page and writing for Steven Soderbergh. He speaks openly on all aspects of writing which makes this a very interesting episode!

EPISODE 53 - JOE REIDY - Assistant Director

Team Deakins speaks with an amazing AD, Joe Reidy (THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7, THE DEPARTED, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, CASINO). He leads us through the many aspects of the role of Assistant Director - from Scheduling, his prep, AD breakdown, dealing with extras and his relationship with the line producer and creative producer. He speaks of working with specific directors, such as Marty Scorcese, Sidney Lumet and Oliver Stone. He delineates the various positions in the AD department and feels that “running the set is setting the tone”. Everything you wanted to know about the role of the AD and more!! An information packed episode!

EPISODE 52 - PATRICE VERMETTE - Production Designer

Teams Deakins enjoys a great conversation with Production Designer, Patrice Vermette (DUNE, VICE, ARRIVAL, PRISONERS). He goes through his working process and talks about his relationship with the Director and DP. He shares his opinion on building sets or using locations, color palettes, and the traits he likes in a director and DP. He gets specific about his work on the movies: Enemy and Sicario. He also speaks of what he wants from his team and the filmmaking community in Montreal. We had hoped to finally get an explanation of the ending of the movie Enemy, but were disappointed once again! Despite that, there’s still great information in this episode so don’t miss it!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Sicario

EPISODE 51 -ANDREW PATTERSON - Director

Team Deakins was excited to talk with emerging director, Andrew Patterson. After seeing his debut film, VAST OF NIGHT, we knew we wanted to talk with him. He leads us through the long path of getting his movie made, talks about his casting and the very interesting cadence of the dialogue of the film. He also speaks about wanting to make a movie that doesn’t start to looked aged but the look stays contemporary and what he did to achieve that. He also shares how he maximized his resources, what his first hires were and what he learned from his first film. A really interesting conversation with a very interesting filmmaker!

REQUIRED EPISODE VIEWING: The Vast of Night

EPISODE 50 - JOSH BROLIN - Actor

Team Deakins sits down with long time friend, actor Josh Brolin (TRUE GRIT, AVENGERS: ENDGAME, ONLY THE BRAVE, MILK). We learned so much from him - how going into law is similar to being an actor (who knew?) and how acting is like golf (learned something new!). He also tells us how his interest in human behavior drew him to acting and he shares the very funny story of his audition for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. He speaks of his experiences working with the Coen Brothers, he tells us what was involved in his THE AVENGERS role and shares how he was convinced to do SICARIO. He also goes into how he relates with the camera crew, his prep for films and how he uses instagram as a platform for his prose. And that’s only a part of what we talked about! Don’t miss it!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: No Country for Old Men

EPISODE 49 - NICOLETTA MANI - Script Supervisor

Team Deakins has the pleasure of talking with script supervisor, Nicoletta Mani (1917, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- FALL OUT, THE QUIET ONES). We get the chance to discover the wide range of this role in production from the breakdown of the script, day breakdown, script timing, editor notes, continuity and much more. We learn how the script supervisor acts as a conduit to the Editor and their relationship to the director and the other departments. We also talked about handling a shoot with multiple units and multiple cameras. We delved into continuity and when it matters and when it doesn’t. Nicoletta leads us through the different aspects to the job of script supervisor - a very informative episode!

EPISODE 48 - ROB LEGATO - VFX Supervisor

Team Deakins speaks with VFX Supervisor, Rob Legato (THE LION KING, THE JUNGLE BOOK, HUGO, TITANIC). He walks us through some of the changes in VFX over the years and is quite vocal on his feelings on the different approaches - CG effects or model work. We learned a lot about his work on Jungle Book, The Lion King, Titanic and Apollo 13. We even talked about shooting 3D versus converting afterwards. Rob also told us his thoughts of the future of CG. A lot of information in this episode!

EPISODE 47 - TIM ROBBINS - Actor, Director

Team Deakins has a great conversation with actor, director (and punk rocker, as you learn in the episode!), Tim Robbins (MYSTIC RIVER, THE PLAYER, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, DEAD MAN WALKING). Tim shares a lot of his thoughts on acting, the importance of “generous actors” and how fame can lead you astray. We learn about overcoming the temptation to take a job for the wrong reasons and the importance of patience when choosing your work. He tells us about his experience of working with Bob Altman, Clint Eastwood and Ron Shelton. We talk about his directing experiences and how directing made him a better actor. The movie “Easy Rider” even comes into the discussion! A fascinating conversation you won’t want to miss!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: 5 Corners, Bull Durham, Bob Roberts

EPISODE 46 - ED ZWICK - Director

Team Deakins has the opportunity in this episode to sit down with director, writer, producer Ed Zwick and discuss a wide range of subjects. Ed’s list of credits is long and includes THE SIEGE, COURAGE UNDER FIRE, and DEFIANCE). Ed tells us what is important to him as a director and why he thinks scale is important in a movie. He also speaks of the value of finding the action on the set rather than trying to set it beforehand either with pre-vis or storyboards. We talk about casting and he shares some examples of working with actors. He also speaks on what he thinks is the difference between film and television production as well as his belief that movies can make a difference. It is a great discussion with a passionate filmmaker and not one that you’d want to miss!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Courage under Fire, The Siege

EPISODE 45 - JAKE GYLLENHAAL - Actor

Team Deakins had the opportunity to sit and talk with long time friend, actor Jake Gyllenhaal (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, PRISONERS, NIGHTCRAWLER). Jake speaks about his relationship with directors and with cinematographers. We speak about his work in Donnie Darko and Prisoners, as well as Jarhead and Wildlife. He speaks about how, as an actor, the final result is always in other people’s hands. He also shares how important the collaboration between actor and cinematographer is and the importance of creating a “safe place” for the actor in front of the camera. Although we were hoping he would explain the end of the movie Enemy (and he said he would!), we finished the episode without knowing any more! And we also got into the craft of building sand castles! A really fun conversation that gave us an insight into the world of an actor! Don’t miss it!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Donnie Darko, Jarhead

EPISODE 44 - FRANZ KRAUS Part 2 - Arriflex

This is part 2 with Franz Kraus. We continue our conversation with Franz about all things digital. We talk lens, camera, the Trinity rig, viewfinders, the M camera (precursor of the Mini) and what might be coming in the future. A great chance to get all of those digital questions out into the open! It was an amazing experience to pick the brain of a person behind the development of digital technology.

EPISODE 43 - FRANZ KRAUS Part 1 - Arriflex

Team Deakins sits down with Franz Kraus of Arriflex who has overseen most of the company’s digital visual advancements. We learn the history and progression into digital technology. He also walks us through the greater importance of dynamic range vs resolution. We learn how the sensor size affects the relationship between lens and subject. We speak about the Arri 65 camera as well as the LF camera. And much more! Franz was so generous with his knowledge that we have to split our session into two episodes!! It’s a great deep dive into digital technology!

EPISODE 42 - KK BARRETT - Production Designer

Team Deakins sits down with production designer KK Barnett (HER, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, MARIE ANTOINETTE). It’s a great opportunity to delve into the job of the production designer and all it entails. We go into depth about how he works with the DP and the Director. He illustrates his process by talking specifically about scenes in Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are, and Adaptation. We talk about the difference in designing from an original script or a script based on a book. He shares his process of breaking down a script and offers advice to those starting out. We even talk about the proverbial “Telephone Box” set. An episode with a lot of information about production design!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Being John Malkovich, Marie Antoinette

EPISODE 41 - PAUL DANO & ZOE KAZAN -Actors, writers & director

Team Deakins has the pleasure of speaking with another couple in the film business. Both are actors and writers and Paul has also directed. We talk a lot about the experience of being an actor and they articulately discuss the difference between acting for the stage and for film. We talk about the experience of being a couple in the same business and working together. Zoe shares how her writing allows her acting to be more personal and how hard it is to write a project and then let it go once it is picked up to be made. We had the opportunity to ask Paul many questions on his wonderful debut film as a director, “WILDLIFE”. We also touched on actors and their awareness of the camera, actors and continuity, their pet peeves about actors and how they choose their projects. Zoe speaks about working with the Coen Brothers and Paul speaks about working with Denis Villeneuve. We cover a lot of ground in this episode!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Wildlife, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

EPISODE 40 - SONA PAK & GUILLAUME ROCHERON - VFX Producer & Supervisor

Team Deakins dives into the world of VFX. We speak with a VFX Producer, Sona Pak (1917, THE TWO POPES, ALIEN: COVENANT) and a VFX Supervisor, Guillaume Rocheron (1917, AD ASTRA, LIFE OF PI). So the first question we get to settle is who does what. We also look into things like, the advantages and disadvantages of working with multiple vendors, how to keep a continuity of look when so many people are working on a shot, face replacement in shots, how what is a VFX shot and what isn’t is decided, the importance of knowing the different strengths of the various VFX houses and how the post schedule can contract. And that’s just a few of the points we touch on. It’s a large subject and it was great to speak with two such talented people!

EPISODE 39 - HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has a fascinating conversation with celebrated cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (DUNKIRK, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, HER, INTERSTELLAR). He shares his experience of working with directors, Christopher Nolan and David O Russell. He talks about the value of shooting as much as possible in camera and how he approaches lenses, often creating a set specifically for a movie. We learn about how working with Christopher Nolan the second time on Dunkirk was different and he goes into detail on shooting in IMAX, talking about the pros and cons. He also shares his opinions on working with a large budget and a small budget. And there’s plenty more. You don’t want to miss this!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Dunkirk, Ad Astra, Interstellar

EPISODE 38 - JEB BRODY - Pres of Production, Amblin Studios

Team Deakins sits down with Jeb Brody, the president of production at Amblin Studios and learn a lot about the studio side of production. Jeb walks us through so much - the difference between a studio exec and a producer, the relationship between the filmmakers and the studios, the differences between the studios and the movies they make. We discuss what kind of films are getting made these days, look at the difference of negative pickup and acquisition, and why the bad behaviors of filmmakers in the ’70s no longer works. We worked with Jeb on 1917 and get into that as well. And we learn from the studio’s point of view what the growth of streaming means for moviemaking. We even got into the “dark arts of filmmaking” (you’ll have to listen to learn about this!). We’ve never had the opportunity to sit with the studio and ask them all our questions so we had a great time! Don’t miss it if you want to learn everything on the studio side!

EPISODE 37 - LAURA METCALFE - DI Producer/Finishing Producer

Team Deakins looks into the final step of making a movie or the DI, with DI Producer/ Finishing Producer, Laura Metcalfe (1917, WONDER WOMAN, TOMB RAIDER). While previously called the “DI Producer” since when it started it was all about the DI (“Digital Intermediate”), because the process has become so complex, you’ll hear the role referred to as “Finishing Producer”. We speak with Laura Metcalfe of Company 3 in London who worked with us on “1917”. We talk about when this role actually starts on a movie (much earlier than you might think!) and talk at length about setting up workflows that continue until the film finishes. We also go into detail with Laura about the very bespoke workflow on “1917” and the challenges it presented. We also walk through some of the deliverables of a film (the different formats that are made), how the dailies timing differs from the DI timing and the steps to setting up a DI. And, of course, much more! A very detailed look at post!

EPISODE 36 - LINUS SANDGREN - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down for a conversation with cinematographer, Linus Sandgren (NO TIME TO DIE, FIRST MAN, LA LA LAND, JOY). “I love the creation of the image.” We cover a lot of ground in our talk and touch on, among other things, Swedish films and sensibilities, working minimally, how important it is to find the right approach for each movie. He also goes into detail about how he develops the look with the director. He tells us about working with David O Russell and does a deep dive on the making of FIRST MAN which you don’t want to miss! And finally, of course, we talk a bit about shooting a Bond movie. A fascinating conversation with a talented image-maker!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: First Man, 6 Souls

EPISODE 35 - JOE WALKER - Editor

Team Deakins speaks with friend and two time collaborator, editor Joe Walker (ARRIVAL, SICARIO, BLADE RUNNER 2049, 12 YEARS A SLAVE). We get an interesting look into the changes in the techniques of cutting between now and when Joe started. We talk about where the cutting style of the movie comes from, when a sound editor comes in and what they, test screenings - pros and cons. We also touch on the editing in Sicario, 12 Years a Slave and Shame. We do get into what crossing the line is and what you can get away with continuity-wise. And we even share our personal work-related nightmares! It’s an episode packed with information that you won’t want to miss!

EPISODE 34 - JOHN LINDLEY - Cinematographer

Team Deakins speaks with John Lindley, cinematographer and president of camera local 600. John shot the films FATHER FIGURES, PLEASANTVILLE, FIELD OF DREAMS, and BEWITCHED. We talk about documentaries and what working on them gives you - both personally (it “enlarges your life”) and skill-wise. We also talk about handling the pressure on the set tin the role of dp and how to oversee the people you’re working with and getting the best out of them. The difference between working in TV and on features is also looked at. We also learn about unions and the camera union.

EPISODE 33 - JOEL COEN - Director

Here’s the episode you’ve all been waiting for! Team Deakins sits down with long time collaborator, director Joel Coen (TRUE GRIT, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, FARGO, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS). A great conversation that covers aspects of their experiences together as well as the importance of collaboration and letting go of defensiveness. Of course we talk about storyboards and their place in the process as well as the power of editing. We talk about the importance of casting and the way he works with actors. As well as the fact that not having a large budget can be a blessing. Joel is an incredible filmmaker and it’s amazing to hear him speak on the craft of making films. Be sure not to miss this one!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: True Grit (2010), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

EPISODE 32 - DICK POPE - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has an entertaining conversation with cinematographer and long time friend, Dick Pope (Mr. TURNER, SECRETS & LIES, ANOTHER YEAR, THE ILLUSIONIST). We talk about his start in film, his work in documentaries and his long term collaboration with director Mike Leigh. Along the way, we also touch on the importance of trust between DP & Director, working with keys that you don’t know and in particular how he works with gaffers. We touch a bit on operating and even end up with a bit on film vs digital, although we weren’t planning on going there! It’s a fascinating episode and we promise you will laugh during parts!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: Any Mike Leigh film

EPISODE 31 - PETE FRANCIOSA - Agent

Team Deakins talk with Pete Franciosa, head of production at UTA talent agency. We talk about what an agent does, how to get an agent, what “packaging” is, how he choses people to represent, the differences between the agencies and lots more! It’s an interesting look inside the talent agency.

EPISODE 30 - Alex Webb - Stills Photographer

Team Deakins does something different with this episode. We took the opportunity to talk to an extraordinary visual talent who is NOT a part of movie production. He is a well known still photographer and someone we are great admirers of. It was great to talk with him about his work, what he thinks is important in photographer, how he approaches his work, the importance of color in his work, what pictures can mean and the role of serendipity in great photographs. It’s an immersive dive into creating visuals.

EPISODE 29 - GREIG FRASER - Cinematographer

Team Deakins sits down with friend and fellow DP, Greig Fraser (DUNE, THE MANDALORIAN (TV), ZERO DARK THIRTY). We cover a lot ground in this episode starting with Volume lighting - how it works, how it effects the way that you work, the advantages and disadvantages. He tells us what attributes he feels are key in a director and how he feels about operating. We learn his secret desire to shoot a musical and we dive into the undiscussed subject of why wrap parties are hard and often avoided. And there’s more! A fun and informative episode.


RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: The Mandalorian (TV-2019)

EPISODE 28 - GARY HYMNS - Key Grip

This is part 2 of a two part episode series where Team Deakins talks key grips. This episode features a very renown British key grip Gary Hymns, (THE BATMAN, 1917, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY), who walks us through the British system of gripping. This episode features a very renown British key grip who walks us through the British system of gripping. Because he worked with us on 1917, we delve into the details of how certain shots were accomplished in that film as well as learning details from some of his other films. You’ll understand why there was a lot laughing on the set of 1917 after hearing his humorous commentary!

RECOMMENDED EPISODE VIEWING: 1917

EPISODE 27 - MITCH LILLIAN - Key Grip

This is part 1 of a two part episode series where Team Deakins talks to key grips - one American, one British. Team Deakins discusses with these talented technicians how the very different systems work for grips in the states and the UK and how there responsibilities change between the countries and even between the states in the US! Mitch Lillian, (THE GOLDFINCH, BLADE RUNNER 2049 BIRDMAN), shares with us the challenges of gripping and how he figures out how to do what he is so good at doing! If you’ve ever wondered exactly what a grip does on a motion picture production, these two episodes will fill you in!

EPISODE 26 - BILL POPE - Cinematographer

Team Deakins has the pleasure of talking with talented cinematographer, Bill Pope. He’s shot so many wonderful films, including THE MATRIX series, THE JUNGLE BOOK, CLUELESS, CLUELESS and many more. A fun discussion on the many aspects of filmmaking, and how certain films were made. We learn how some of the fantastic visuals of The Matrix came to be and some of the techniques used in making the Jungle Book. The conversation also looks into the relationship of the DP with the VFX team, the importance of preparation and what the personal experience of filmmaking can be. Bill is not only talented but very articulate so it’s an episode you don’t want to miss!

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: Bound, The Matrix

EPISODE 25 - DENIS VILLENEUVE - Director.

Team Deakins spends some time talking with their friend and frequent collaborator, the brilliant director Denis Villeneuve (BLADE RUNNER 2049, ARRIVAL, PRISONERS). We covered many topics including Denis’ start in the business, his early films, what filmmaking means to him and the special collaboration we share. We also examine why certain shots seem to work and what the steps were to get there. A great conversation with a talented artist!

RECOMMENDED VIEWING: Incendies, Sicario

EPISODE 24 - WILSON WEBB- Still & Set Photographer.

Team Deakins welcomes the great still and set photographer, Wilson Webb to the Podcast this week. Wilson has worked with us on numerous films and really is one of the best at what he does. Some of his credits include MARRIAGE STORY, BABY DRIVER, THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, PRISONERS, TRUE GRIT and many more!  We discuss the role of a set photographer, how to shoot posters for a film and we even get his opinion on the new wave of digital cameras. An episode for anyone interested in photography or filmmaking alike!

EPISODE 23 - CLAYTON TOWNSEND - Producer

Team Deakins shares an enlightening conversation with esteemed producer, Clayton Townsend (UNBROKEN, NATURAL BORN KILLERS, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, BRIDESMAIDS). His openness in sharing the details of the wide reaching job of a producer makes for a very interesting episode. Listen to learn the many responsibilities of a producer, the difference between various producer roles and the balance between his responsibilities to the studio and the director. A very important role in filmmaking and Clayton walks us through it!

EPISODE 22 - CARLOS ZARAGOZA - PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Team Deakins welcomes Carlos Zaragoza, a unique guest who has the experience of working in the Art Department on both live action and animated films. Having worked on films like PAN’S LABYRINTH, MADAGASCAR 3, TROLLS, and the upcoming animated film VIVO, we discuss how he combined his love of painting and art with a background in theatre to discover the world of art department and production design. We also explore the role of a production designer on set, how it differs on animated films and why his role on an animated film can sometimes take up to four years!

EPISODE 21- JOHN CROWLEY - Director

Team Deakins sits down with friend and collaborator, John Crowley, director of such films as BOY A, BROOKLYN, and THE GOLDFINCH. We do a deep dive into the craft of storytelling and directing. John eloquently shares with us his thoughts on directing and the challenges he faces on set. We look at how you tell a story in film, the power of the human face in the closeup, what differences the budget makes, working with actors and the pleasure of the entire filmmaking process. We also talk about Boy A, an early film of John’s, which is a favorite film of ours. A great discussion with a passionate filmmaker.

EPISODE 20 - CHARLIE RIZEK - Trinity & Steadicam Operator Team Deakins is joined by 1917 collaborator, Charlie Rizek, the trinity and steadicam operating magician who lent his skills to help make possible the idea of a “one shot” movie. We talk about how he got into the business, why he was attracted to the movement of the camera, how the trinity worked on 1917 and why movement isn’t always necessary in a shot. A very talented individual with a bright future ahead!

EPISODE 19 - JOACHIM ("JZ") ZELL - Color Scientist Team Deakins sit down with JZ and dig deeply into the color science of it all. His credits include MULAN, 1917, AD ASTRA, FIRST MAN, and BLADE RUNNER 2049. We talk LUTs, resolution, color space, pixels, work flow and lots more. He really knows his stuff!’

EPISODE 18 - SAM MENDES  - Director

Team Deakins has a fun, free flowing conversation with frequent collaborator, friend, and the Oscar and Tony Award winning Director: Sam Mendes. Spending 15 years as a Theatre Director, Sam made his foray into filmmaking with his award winning debut of American Beauty. He went on to direct a total of nine films in the ensuing years, including; ROAD TO PERDITION, JARHEAD, SKYFALL, SPECTRE and 1917. Sam discusses his journey from theatre to film, the differences between the two roles and what he sees as the most important aspects of being a director. We discuss elements of story, how editing builds tension, and why the idea of a one shot film is much more than meets the eye. A true masterclass between two cinema legends.

EPISODE 17 - LEE KLINE - Film Restoration

Team Deakins is joined by Criterion’s Technical Director of Restoration; Lee Kline. Lee has overseen the restoration of hundreds of films during his tenure at Criterion and undoubtedly left an impact on history of Cinema, allowing both audiences and future filmmakers alike the ability to enjoy classic titles for years to come. The group discusses the immense work that goes into restoring a film, the detective work of finding rare works and how they work with filmmakers to ensure the quality of the restorations.  

EPISODE 16 - DONALD MOWAT - Makeup

Team Deakins has the pleasure of learning the ins and outs of the makeup department in films. Who better to cover these subjects than the extremely talented Donald Mowat? Donald's credits include BLADE RUNNER 2049, STRONGER, SICARIO, NIGHTCRAWLER, PRISONERS, THE FIGHTER and 8 MILE. We learn what this department brings to the film, how strong the collaboration is, different types of approaches and how to get started in the field. 

EPISODE 15 - PETER RAMSEY - Director

Team Deakins is joined by Academy Award Winning Director Peter Ramsey (RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS: MUTANT PUMPKINS FROM OUTER SPACE). The conversation begins with how Peter came up in the industry, his love of storyboarding and reading, and how his voracious appetite for knowledge lead him to opportunities in Hollywood. Having started out in live-action and transitioning to Animation, we discuss the differences in the two, and why someday soon he could be back on live sets. We also dive into his Oscar-winning efforts in directing Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse and the many challenges they faced to ensure this film was unlike anything ever seen! The conversation is one not to miss for any filmmakers!

Episode 14 - FIONA WEIR - Casting Director

Team Deakins speaks with renown Fiona Weir and learns the ins and outs of casting. Her credit list is long and her credits include AMMONITE, JUDY, FANTASTIC BEASTS series, ROOM, and the HARRY POTTER films. Fiona has cast A specialty often hidden from the day to day shooting process and yet so important. Fiona lets us know how it's done! 

Episode 13 - JOSH GOLLISH - DIT

Join us as we speak with #Teamdeakins member Josh Gollish, our DIT - Digital Image Technician. We talk all things DIT, from where the role originated, what Josh does on set from day to day, how some productions work without. Josh's credits include 1917, THE GOLDFINCH, BLADE RUNNER 2049, SICARIO, and SKYFALL. 

Episode 12- DEAN DEBLOIS - Animation

Team Deakins is joined by the incredibly talented Dean DeBlois, a writer director with credits like MULAN, LILO & STITCH, and all three HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON movies. He takes us through his journey as a filmmaker, sharing his knowledge about story

Episode 11 - GEORGE MACKAY. James & Roger catch up with actor George MacKay with whom they worked on the film "1917". They talk about the shared process of "1917", George's experience on his most recent film on Ned Kelly and his process as an actor. 

Episode 10 - ANIMATION PART 2 - YONG DUK JHUN & ANDY HARKNESS. Team Deakins is joined by two acclaimed filmmakers, Yong Duk Jhun and Andy Harkness. Masters of their craft, they serve as head of Layout and Head of Lighting respectively. They have worked on such films as Kung Fu Panda, Moana, The Croods, Shrek and Zootopia. The conversation ranges from the actual process of getting an Animated film off the ground, to specifics in lighting, composition, and the technology behind it all. A fascinating episode and something filmmakers of all backgrounds will enjoy.

Episode 9 - Learning Lighting. We talk about lighting in this episode. Different styles of lighting, challenges in lighting and how to experiment to broaden your grasp on lighting.

Episode 8 - ANIMATION - PART 1. This episode looks at our experiences on animation projects as visual consultants. We'll then dive deeper into the actual process in Part 2 and finally, in Part 3, talk with Dean DeBlois, director of the three How to Train your Dragon. There's so much to examine in Animation, don't be surprised if there is a Part 4 in the future!

Episode 7 - LENS CHOICE - In this episode, we talk about what goes into choosing lenses for your project and the aesthetic differences between lenses. We also discuss prime lenses vs zooms and how we go about testing lenses. And more!

Episode 6 - Beverly Wood - From Film to Digital. We speak with Beverly Wood, former Executive VP at Deluxe and Managing Director at eFilm. We discuss the transition in Hollywood from Film to Digital with one of the industries foremost experts on the science behind it all. We discuss how film emulsion actually works, color science, her work with Roger and James, and films like SkyFall, O Brother, Where Art Thou and more.

She's been with us through our journey from film to digital and is a great source of information in general!

https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-6/

Episode 5 - COMPOSITION. Roger, James and Matt look at the subject of composition, the role it plays in storytelling, how composition differs in still images vs moving images.   https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-5/

Episode 4: PRACTICAL LIGHTING - James and Roger discuss practical lighting - what it means, the additional challenges and why you might prefer to use practicals for a scene.   https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-4/

Episode 3: LOCATION SCOUTING - In this episode we talk about the ins and outs of location scouting.  As always, a special thanks to our collaborator, Matt Wyman.   https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-3/

Episode 2 - WORKING TOGETHER - Roger and James talk about their collaboration. Matt Wyman joins them.   https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-2/

Episode 1: BEGINNINGS - Roger and James talk about the journey that brought them into the film business. We are joined by Matt Wyman. https://www.rogerdeakins.com/episode-1/