Team Deakins

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 128 - Deadliest Catch - Arom Starr-Paul & David Reichert In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re talking about one of our favourite shows: DEADLIEST CATCH. Executive producer Arom Starr-Paul and cinematographer David Reichert join us for a lengthy discussion and generously answer our many questions about how the show actually gets made. We first learn how both men made their way to the Bering Sea as camera operators and worked their way into their current roles after many years. Later, Arom shares how the show’s storytelling evolves over the course of a season and how the crew identifies which storylines to follow out at sea. David also highlights the day-to-day responsibilities of the cameramen and women on the boats and reveals how he coordinates the look of the show across the huge fleet of crabbing boats featured in every season, and we learn how they sift through 40,000 hours of footage down to just 20. Roger also compares his fishing strategies with those in the fleet from the show, and we reflect on the ecological changes in the oceans and in the practices of fisheries. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 127 - Adrien Brody - Actor Actor Adrien Brody (THE BRUTALIST, SUMMER OF SAM, THE PIANIST) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. We worked with Adrien on THE VILLAGE, and it was great catching up with him. Early in our sprawling conversation about his career and his craft, we discuss what he learned as a young actor working with directors of great caliber—from Juan José Campanella (Season 2, Episode 80) to Spike Lee and Ken Loach—that led to his lauded performance in THE PIANIST. Later in our discussion of THE BRUTALIST, Adrien reflects on his collaboration with director Brady Corbet and shares what his first concern as a performer was when told the film would be shot on loud VistaVision cameras, and Adrien reveals the personal family history that informed his moving performance and shares how he and his fellow filmmakers pulled the film off with relatively limited resources. Towards the end our conversation, we also consider actors’ and cinematographers’ reliance on others to reach creative fulfillment, and we ask Adrien if he thinks it’s possible to learn how to act. Plus, Adrien explains how to jury-rig a polaroid camera battery into a makeshift hand warmer. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 126 - Tye Sheridan - Actor In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor Tye Sheridan (THE ORDER, READY PLAYER ONE, MUD). Coming out of rural east Texas, Tye reflects on getting his start as a child actor on THE TREE OF LIFE and MUD, and we discuss the type of personality it takes to deal with the transient life of a filmmaker. Tye is also the co-founder of Wonder Dynamics, which currently offers an AI-based performance capture solution for filmmakers without a large VFX budget, and we discuss the company’s origins and how the technology actually works. Tye later recounts the casting process for READY PLAYER ONE that ended with him nerding out with director Steven Spielberg over E.T., and we discuss the working conditions of independent films that have made them so attractive Tye as an actor. We also discuss Tye’s experience working on THE ORDER, and we end the episode reflecting on the evolution of the industry in the digital age.  - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 125 - Deborah Scott - Costume Designer Costume designer Deborah Scott (AVATAR, TITANIC, DEFENDING YOUR LIFE) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. During our wide-ranging conversation, we learn how a childhood diet of drive-in theatre westerns developed her appetite for cinematic storytelling, and we discuss Deborah’s long career outfitting characters representing extraterrestrial aliens, the denizens of the afterlife, and everyday people from our past, present, and potential futures. Deborah also reflects on her experience embodying the characters of E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL to develop the children’s costumes for the film, and she details the level of rigor with which she preps before presenting a director with ideas after being brought aboard a project. Deborah also contrasts the difficulty inherent in the open-ended nature of designing for sci-fi films with the specificity inherent in period films, and she highlights the invaluable contributions from the entire costume department that facilitate the realization of all that clothing on screen. Plus, towards the end, Deborah shares how she juggles being a parent and being a filmmaker. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 124 - Quyen Tran - Cinematographer On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer Quyen Tran (AHSOKA, MAID, PALM SPRINGS). We start the episode with Quyen’s harrowing recollection of her experience in New York City on 9/11, and she reflects on how the event steered her life towards filmmaking. While studying film at UCLA, Quyen fell into documentary filmmaking, and she shares how she’s since branched into directing television and miniseries. She reveals who gave her the initial push to even try directing, and she reveals what she enjoys about it compared to cinematography. We also discuss the films and shows that influenced Quyen early in life, and we share our appreciation for the universal visual storytelling in THE BENNY HILL SHOW and I LOVE LUCY. We later learn how Quyen used lighting to lean into the darker moments of the sci-fi comedy PALM SPRINGS, and she shares how she feels her experiences as a director has made her a better cinematographer. Plus, Quyen reveals what we included in the “Roger Deakins lighting kit” distributed to her class while we were the cinematographer-in-residence at UCLA years ago. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 123 - Andrew Dunn - Cinematographer Cinematographer Andrew Dunn (GOSFORD PARK, THE CRUCIBLE, THREADS) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Andrew has worked on a wide range of films throughout his career, and we discuss the many different problems he was faced with and the lessons he learned overcoming them. Among these stories, we focus on Andrew’s time shooting THE CRUCIBLE, and we learn how the cast and crew worked through the challenges of shooting the renowned story on-location. Andrew later reflects on shooting DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA and honouring the hit show on the big screen, and he shares why he doesn’t mind making movie stars look like movie stars. We also learn how Andrew initially broke into the industry through editing at the BBC, and we discuss the value of knowing how to construct a scene in relation to what precedes and follows it. Later, Andrew regales us with tales of his days shooting docs for the BBC, which acted as a training ground for upcoming talent at the time, and, at the end, he shares how he’s seen filmmaking change from those early years to today. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 122 - Jo Plaete - VFX Supervisor VFX supervisor Jo Plaete (HERE; ALIEN: ROMULUS; FURIOSA) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Jo is also the Chief Innovation Officer at Metaphysic, and we spend much of the episode discussing the company’s AI technology and its use in several recently-released films. Having come up through the VFX world, Jo compares the techniques of more traditional VFX artists to what he does today using artificial intelligence, and he likens the recently spotlighted technology to “proceduralism on steroids”. We get a deep dive into the tech behind the de-aging AI used on HERE, and Jo shares how the technology integrated itself into the production process to let the crew see what the final effect would look like in real-time. Jo also reflects on some of the troubleshooting that occurred between departments during production, and we discuss whether the filmmakers were working around the AI or if the AI was working with them. Jo also shares how data is fed into the technology to build out the model’s understanding of a person’s face, and Jo shares what they do with all that data once the show wraps. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 121 - Mohammad Rasoulof - Director On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by director Mohammad Rasoulof (THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, THERE IS NO EVIL, A MAN OF INTEGRITY). Mohammad’s films have come at great personal cost, both to himself and his fellow filmmakers, and as deep admirers of his work, we were thrilled to speak with him. After learning how Mohammad found his way into filmmaking, we discuss how he outmaneuvered the Iranian regime’s censorship apparatus to covertly make many of his films, and Mohammad reflects on his pivot from using metaphorical cinematic language to using a far more direct language to create images of modern Iranian society. Frequently imprisoned for his films’ clear-sightedness of his country, Mohammad shares how he was forced to repeatedly watch his 2020 feature, THERE IS NO EVIL, with his prison guards, and we discuss the pedestrian origins of the four-part film about the country’s death penalty. We also learn that Mohammad’s films have never been screened publicly in Iran, and he reflects on his films acting as “cinematic boomerangs” that play internationally and find their way back to his Iranian audience through the country’s black market. We later discuss the symbolic imagery present in the beginning and end of THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, and we learn his reasoning as to why he finally fled from Iran for good after the film’s completion. Translation conducted by Iante Roach. - Recommended Viewing: Every Mohammad Rasoulof film - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 120 - Pinar Demirdag - Co-Founder & CEO of Cuebric In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we wade into the world of artificial intelligence through a conversation with Pinar Demirdag, the co-founder and CEO of Cuberic, a generative AI platform. What follows is a lively discussion about the future possibilities of AI in filmmaking, its current applications in cinema today, and all the ethical and practical questions these changes raise. Pinar also explains what it is that Cuebric actually does, and we discuss the potential ramifications of the proliferation of generative AI tools to filmmakers around the world. Throughout the episode, we reflect on being products of the times we live in and lived through, and Pinar shares to what end she sees artificial intelligence developing. We also reflect on the pace of innovation in the seemingly fast-growing field, and, at the end, we learn which Stanley Kubrick film ultimately inspired the name of her company. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 119 - Edu Grau - Cinematographer Cinematographer Edu Grau (THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, PASSING, A SINGLE MAN) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. After an encouraging compliment from his art teacher, Edu attended a then-newly established film school in his hometown of Barcelona where he learned to foster his passion for filmmaking. Edu shares with us how, after a six month drought from work, he was selected by director Tom Ford to shoot A SINGLE MAN, and we reflect on working with actor/directors pulling double-duty. We later discuss Edu’s involvement on PASSING and the joy of shooting in black-and-white, and we ruminate on the nature of prep and the nagging anxiety of riding around in the van. Towards the end of the conversation, we later learn how Edu approached his work on THE ROOM NEXT DOOR and eschewed naturalism to help realize director Pedro Almodóvar’s unique vision. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 118 - Mark Bridges - Costume Designer In his podcast debut, costume designer Mark Bridges (THE FABELMANS, JOKER, PHANTOM THREAD) speaks with us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Mark was once a costume assistant on BARTON FINK and HUDSUCKER PROXY alongside Mary Zophres (Season 1, Episode 80), and he shares how he made the jump to being a costume designer in his own right after meeting director Paul Thomas Anderson to work on his debut feature, HARD EIGHT. Throughout the episode, we discuss Mark’s approach to his work, and he shares how he builds out a character’s closet through diligent research and frequent testing. We also discuss how Mark communicates with the hair and makeup department, and he describes the types of conversations he has with the actors embodying a film’s characters. Later, Mark discusses how he designs costumes in black-and-white, and he reflects on the extra legwork done to get ahead of any potential problems while shooting on location. And, while sharing advice at the end of the episode, Mark cautions young designers against making it about the money. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 117 - Rachel Clark - Cinematographer Cinematographer Rachel Clark (EDGE OF SUMMER, QUEENIE, I AM RUTH) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Hailing from northeast England, Rachel, far-removed from the film industry, nonetheless found her way into the camera department and has since worked her way up the grades to helm the department herself. We discuss the challenges and obstacles in her journey to becoming a cinematographer, and she reflects on the stubbornness that pushed her through them all. We also discuss how her approach to working as a DP has evolved, and she reflects on her experiences shooting I AM RUTH within the bounds of director Dominic Savage’s unique vision. Rachel also shares her experience shooting EDGE OF SUMMER with children and her yearning to film as much as possible on location in a nearby tin mine. Plus, we learn about Rachel’s fortuitous early-career run-in with cinematographer Robbie Ryan dancing in a field at a music festival. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 116 - Melinda Sue Gordon - Still Photographer On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, still photographer Melinda Sue Gordon (OPPENHEIMER, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, LICORICE PIZZA) joins us to discuss the ins and outs of on-set still photography. We learn how Melinda Sue fulfills studio requests while navigating the many personalities of a cast and crew just trying to make the day, and she shares her approach to capturing images that faithfully represent the characters and tone of a film’s story. We later learn why Melinda Sue pivoted to still photography after studying cinematography at AFI, and she reveals how she cold-called her way onto RAISING ARIZONA early in her career. We also discuss how she successfully adapted to the advent of digital photography, and we learn how most of her images are only ever used internally at a studio to develop a marketing campaign—and (in a major scoop) Melinda Sue reveals which widely-distributed still from KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON was actually a composite. At the end of the conversation, Melinda Sue shares her advice to aspiring on-set still photographers listening in, and we reflect on the pleasure of staring at one static photograph amidst today’s glut of imagery. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 115 - Dominic Tuohy - Special Effects Supervisor Special effects supervisor Dominic Tuohy (THE BATMAN, 1917, EDGE OF TOMORROW) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast to discuss the craft of special effects. With a father active in the film industry, Dom was taken in by the special effects team at Pinewood Studios at an early age, and he's been working in the department for the past 40 years. Throughout the episode, we discuss the invaluable verisimilitude of special effects, and Dom muses over the magic inherent to filmmaking’s smoke and mirrors. He later unmasks the secrets behind pulling off the Batmobile chase in THE BATMAN, and we learn how stunt coordinator Rob Alonzo creatively spent his time during the pandemic induced pause in production to pre-visualize the sequence. Dom also reveals the painstaking (and sometimes painful) work that he and his team endure to push the envelope and make an effect even better. Towards the end of the conversation, Dom reveals how he advises any young person interested in making a life out of making movies, and we reflect on the high price (and deep pleasure) of working in the industry. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 114 - PEDRO PÁRAMO - with Rodrigo Prieto On this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, our friend and former guest Rodrigo Prieto (Season 1, Episode 112) joins us to discuss his directorial debut, PEDRO PÁRAMO, an adaptation of the eponymous and iconic Mexican novel written by venerated author Juan Rulfo. The focus of our conversation centers around Rodrigo’s experiences as a first-time director, and we cover the lifetime of the film’s journey from prep to release. Rodrigo starts by sharing how he came to direct the project in the first place, and he reveals why he felt he could be the one to tell this story today. We later discuss the novel’s legacy within Mexico and Latin America, and we learn how the themes of the complex story informed many of Rodrigo’s creative choices, from retooling the script to casting the appropriate actors. Rodrigo also shares what his biggest surprise was as a first-time director, and he reflects on the naturalistic direction of his telling of the story while discussing the 1967 adaptation of the novel. We also discuss the leniency with light enabled by modern digital cameras, and Rodrigo reveals how an added budgetary pressure can lead many to avoid spending money on lighting packages of any kind. Throughout the episode, Rodrigo reflects on his love for the magic trick that is cinema, and we learn if and how often he plans to direct again!   PEDRO PÁRAMO is available worldwide on Netflix. - Recommended Reading: Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo  - Recommended Viewing: PEDRO PÁRAMO - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 113 - Technical Knowledge for Cinematographers - with David Mullen In this special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we’re joined by our friend and cinematographer David Mullen (Season 1, Episode 83) to discuss what and how much technical knowledge a cinematographer ought to know these days. The conversation includes specific explanations of technical details (such as the difference between film grain and digital noise) and more general subjects (such as the importance of telling a story and eliciting an emotional response from the audience). We also share a number of work stories, including Roger’s early-career exposure to cinematographer Douglas Slocombe’s internal light-meter and David’s experience seeing his work on a TV show smothered by a yellow filter during post. Reflecting on the diversity in images in older Hollywood films despite limited film stock and optical options, we maintain the position that the look of a film is the product of a cinematographer’s eye (rather than the technology one uses), and David elucidates how cinematographer Oswold Morris developed the desaturated look of director John Huston’s adaptation of MOBY DICK using the technology available to him to serve the storytelling. We also reflect on the lost knowledge of how films were made in the early digital days of the 2000s and stress the need to study and remember filmmaking history, recent and ancient. Towards the end, we also consider director Yasujiro Ozu’s prolific and effective use of a single 50mm lens when the conversation drifts towards the phenomenon of people avoiding “boring lenses”. Plus, we highlight the need to understand basic high school mathematics (no excuses!).   Cinematographers at all levels, from the aspiring to the battle-worn, can enjoy and learn from this discussion, and we hope you enjoy listening. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 112 - DAN LEMMON - VFX Supervisor VFX Supervisor Dan Lemmon (THE BATMAN, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, AVATAR) joins us on this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Expanding upon our collection of conversations with filmmakers who worked on THE BATMAN, Dan is more than eager to discuss his work on the film, and he breaks down his team’s contributions to the Batmobile chase sequence and the look of the film as a whole. We also discuss the value of shooting references for the VFX department, and Dan reveals his reasoning for advocating to shoot as much as possible in-camera. We later learn how VFX houses are adapting to deliver their work at the same quality under tightening budgets, and we reflect on how the pace of innovation in the field has changed over Dan’s career. Dan also explains how motion capture technology works and how it’s evolved to allow for films like AVATAR and the recent PLANET OF THE APES trilogy to exist as envisioned by their directors. Towards the end, we reflect on the modern trend towards naturalism and the diminishment of theatricality in how stories are told cinematically. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 111 - JESSE JAMES Live Q&A - with Wendy Roderweiss This special episode of the Team Deakins Podcast features a recording of what was a live conversation between Team Deakins and filmmaker and DePaul University professor Wendy Roderweiss following a screening of THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. During the conversation, we discuss our experiences shooting the movie and working together as creative and life partners, and James reveals how her involvement allowed Roger to simultaneously shoot JESSE JAMES while colour timing JARHEAD. She also discusses how she balanced the workload between the two films (and countries!). We later share the genesis of the opening montage, and we also reflect on the limited use of the Deakinizer lenses invented for the film. We also answer a series of audience questions, and we reflect on our time working with the DePaul students during our visit to Chicago. Roger also offers his (brief) review of the print used at the screening!   This was recorded in early 2024 during our visit to DePaul University to participate in a series of events with their students. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 110 - JON SANDERS & ANNA MOTTRAM - WRITER / DIRECTOR & WRITER / ACTOR On the episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer/director Jon Sanders & actor/writer Anna Mottram (PAINTED ANGELS, A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER, A CLEVER WOMAN). As old friends and a fellow filmmaking couple, we had a lot to talk about! Roger and Jon reminisce on coming up together amidst the fallout television left hanging over England’s film scene, and we all compare our experiences working with our partners over a lifetime. Anna muses on the act of improvisation as an actor, and Jon shares how he works with the cinematographer to pull off the series of long takes that define their films. We later discuss the liberating force of digital cameras, and we learn why they opt to improvise every scene and shoot their films in chronological order. Towards the end, we reflect on their commitment to the theatrical experience, the reach of their films, and on the touching feedback Jon and Anna receive from their viewers. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 109 - KEVIN BAILLIE - VFX SUPERVISOR On this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with visual effects supervisor Kevin Baillie (HERE, PINOCCHIO, FLIGHT) in an engaging conversation about the evolving use of VFX in film. We learn what types of discussions Kevin has with filmmakers to determine how to incorporate VFX effectively into their projects, and we discuss his belief in using the right tool for the right job. While looking back in history, we marvel in the immersive quality of Ray Harryhausen’s pioneering work on JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and discuss the function of VFX within a piece of storytelling. We also discuss the increasingly prevalent role of VFX in production and on a perceived creative bifurcation between the production stage and the post-production stage. A frequent collaborator of director Robert Zemeckis, we discuss how the director’s relationship to visual effects has changed over the years, and Kevin reveals the intent behind the VFX in the upcoming feature HERE. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure