The Cinematography Podcast

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 330: Pål Ulvik Rokseth Pål Ulvik Rokseth, the Norwegian cinematographer behind director Paul Greengrass's gripping drama The Lost Bus, faced a singular challenge: how to transform one of the deadliest wildfires in California history into a visceral, cinematic character. The film dramatizes the true story of bus driver Kevin McKay and schoolteacher Mary Ludwig. Th...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 329: Ula Pontikos, BSC The psychological thriller The Man in My Basement is about Charles Blakey (Corey Hawkins), a Black man in Sag Harbor, New York, who is down on his luck, unemployed, and facing foreclosure on his ancestral family home. In a desperate financial situation, Charles accepts a bizarre and extremely lucrative offer from a mysterious, wealthy white...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 328: Kira Kelly, ASC Cinematographer Kira Kelly, ASC, had a rare opportunity in the movie HIM: exploring the genres of horror and sports, which are not usually combined. She and director Justin Tipping focused their discussions on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), specifically how football-related brain injuries often cause hallucinations. This condition wa...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 327: Bryn Mooser and Paul Trillo Bryn Mooser and Paul Trillo of Asteria on AI in filmmaking Asteria, an AI-driven film and animation studio, recently merged with Moonvalley, an AI research firm, to create generative video technology for filmmakers. Their AI model, Marey, is a visual intelligence model trained only on data that is fully licensed by the company. Un...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 326: Matthew Libatique, ASC Cinematographer Matty Libatique, ASC, has had a productive year. Shortly after moving to New York, he began work on Spike Lee's film, Highest 2 Lowest. Immediately after wrapping that project, Matty prepped for Darren Aronofsky's Caught Stealing, and then, following a short break, he collaborated with Bradley Cooper on Is This Thing On...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 325: John Conroy, ASC, ISC For the Netflix six-part political thriller, Zero Day, cinematographer John Conroy, ASC, ISC worked with director Lesli Linka Glatter to create a visual style that felt grounded in reality. Their goal was to make the story, which follows a cyberterrorist attack, feel like it could happen tomorrow. This approach allowed them to focus on...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 324: Producer, Director, DP Dana Gonzales, ASC Dana Gonzales, ASC is a producer, director, and cinematographer known for his collaborations with visionary showrunner Noah Hawley on projects like Fargo and Legion. Dana has once again partnered with Hawley to bring the iconic sci-fi horror franchise to television with FX's Alien: Earth. Dana shares insights on his...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 323: Cinematographer Larkin Seiple Cinematographer Larkin Seiple was ready to take a well-deserved break after wrapping the film Wolfs when director Zach Cregger sent him the script for Weapons. Larkin loved the horror mystery/thriller and that it follows the characters through the story from beginning to end. “It was the most fun I'd had reading a script for a r...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 322: Matthew Chuang, ACS Chief of War is a historical drama series from Apple TV+ co-created by and starring Jason Momoa. The show features a primarily Pacific Islander cast speaking Hawaiian, and is the first program to tell the story of the brutal and unprecedented unification of the Hawaiian islands in the late 18th century. Cinematographer Matthew Chuang, ACS...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 321: Cinematographer Matt Lewis In the limited Netflix series Adolescence, each episode unfolds as a single, uninterrupted take, a cinematic choice that immediately immerses viewers in the unfolding drama. This ambitious format was a deliberate artistic choice. Both cinematographer Matt Lewis and series director Philip Barantini had previously collaborated on the...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 320: Cinematographer Matt Ball For cinematographer Matt Ball, shooting the National Geographic five part documentary series Tucci in Italy was a delightful experience. Tucci in Italy follows actor Stanley Tucci as he explores his Italian heritage, delving into regions rich in food and culture. “A big part of the success of the show is obviously Stan, but Stan wan...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 319: Christopher Ross, BSC The Peacock series The Day of the Jackal, a modern update of the film and novel, is an exhilarating cat-and-mouse thriller. It follows a charismatic, lethal assassin known only as the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne) and the determined MI6 agent, Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), who is on his trail. Cinematographer Christopher Ross, BSC, has earn...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 318: Michael Dallatorre In the film Locked, cinematographer Michael Dallatorre faced a unique challenge: how to make a story primarily set inside a luxury SUV visually compelling. The plot follows small-time criminal Eddie (Bill Skarsgård) as he breaks into a high-tech vehicle, only to find himself trapped in an elaborate psychological game orchestrated by the ca...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 317: Mihai Mălaimare Jr. For cinematographer Mihai Mălaimare Jr., ASC, his work with director Francis Ford Coppola from Youth Without Youth to Megalopolis has been a journey of constant education and evolution. Coppola, known for embracing new technology and a dynamic, on-set creative process, frequently pivots to explore fresh ideas in the moment. Megalopolis is...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 316: Adam Newport-Berra The Studio creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg exploited every part of their knowledge and experience in the film industry to find the show's humor. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra worked closely with Rogen and Goldberg to achieve the show's signature style. They found the most dynamic ways to shoot scenes, with camera movements that...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 315: Stephen Murphy The FX and Hulu limited series Say Nothing is a historical drama that explores the harrowing period known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland, spanning four decades from the 1970s to the 1990s. The series delves into the complexities of the conflict, focusing on sisters Dolours and Marian Price and their part in the IRA. The sisters' involveme...

As a huge fan of the original Squid Game, cinematographer Kim Ji-yong jumped at the opportunity to shape the visual language for the show's second and third seasons. Ji-yong has masterfully evolved the show's aesthetic, continuing to play with jarring camera perspectives. He uses disorienting low angles looking up and god-like high angles looking down to immerse the viewer in the drama. For him, c...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 314: Luke Cormack For cinematographer Luke Cormack, filming the National Geographic series David Blaine: Do Not Attempt was an exercise in capturing the raw, unscripted moments of human connection and extraordinary feats. Luke leaned into his experience as a wildlife documentarian to patiently wait for the perfect, instinctual moments to unfold. The goal was not...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 313: Christophe Nuyens A huge admirer of the Star Wars movie Rogue One, cinematographer Christophe Nuyens, SBC embraced the opportunity to serve as director of photography for the first six episodes of Andor Season 2. Christophe focused on expanding Andor's universe, meticulously crafting distinct visual identities for each world. He leaned into naturalistic ligh...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 312: Ksenia Sereda & Catherine Goldschmidt Season 2 of HBO's acclaimed series The Last of Us sees a shift not only in its narrative focus but also behind the camera, with cinematographers Ksenia Sereda and Catherine Goldschmidt, ASC, BSC, taking the visual reins. The season quickly evolves from Joel and Ellie's shared journey into a harrowing exploration of Ellie...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 311: Jacques Jouffret, ASC Netflix's American Primeval plunges viewers into the harsh realities of a gritty, naturalistic Western winter. Cinematographer Jacques Jouffret, ASC, who shot all six episodes, collaborated closely with director Peter Berg to immerse the audience in the era's unforgiving environment. “That was really a lot of hard work. Pete wanted the...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 310: Baz Irvine, BSC, ISC The second season of Silo on Apple TV+ is a dramatic visual departure from its predecessor, and cinematographer Baz Irvine, BSC, ISC is at the helm of this transformation. From the very first episode, as Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) ventures into the seemingly deserted Silo 17, viewers are plunged into a progressively darker and more unce...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 309: Scott Siracusano The Hulu original horror film, Control Freak, plunges audiences into the unraveling world of Val (Kelly Marie Tran), a motivational speaker tormented by an unrelenting itch on the back of her head. Is it a manifestation of her own mind, or is she falling prey to a parasitic demon from her homeland? Control Freak is a body horror film that de...

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 308: Jessica Lee Gagné Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné is an essential creative force behind Severance on Apple TV+. She has an expanded role in the show's second season with a producer credit and directs the pivotal episode 207, “Chikhai Bardo.” The series' unique look and world-building is meticulously crafted through extensive testing and close collaboration...

Special: Adam Bricker, ASC Cinematographer Adam Bricker, ASC chats with Illya at our live podcast event hosted by the Broadcast Education Association at NAB Las Vegas. Adam discusses his early career and education, his breakthrough role as the DP of Chef's Table on Netflix, and his work as the sole cinematographer on all four seasons of the Max TV show, Hacks. Adam enjoys shifting between the docu...