SEASON 2 - EPISODE 179 - Kelly Reichardt & Christopher Blauvelt - Director & Cinematographer

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Kelly Reichardt and cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt. Kelly and Christopher started working together on MEEK'S CUTOFF, and they've continued their partnership through films such as FIRST COW, SHOWING UP, and THE MASTERMIND. During the conversation, Kelly (from Miami) shares how she made it out of Florida to join the film community in New York City, and Chris (from Los Angeles) reveals how he found himself following his filmmaking family into the business after a youth of truancy and rebellion. Later, we discuss their working relationship, and we learn why they ended up meeting in the first place. We also spend much of the conversation discussing the making of their latest film, THE MASTERMIND, and we discuss the film's pacing and our changing relationship to time as an audience. Plus, Kelly reveals how long it took her to pay off the credit card she used to fund her first feature, and we stumble upon alternative titles to her films.

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Recommended Viewing: THE MASTERMIND

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Picture Shop

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 178 - Fatih Akin - Writer / Director

In this extended episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director Fatih Akin (AMRUM, IN THE FADE, HEAD-ON). Born in Hamburg, Fatih wrote his first script at 18 during religion lessons, and after selling the screenplay a year later, he's been writing, directing, and producing films ever since. In addition to discussing his process as a filmmaker, we also learn what it's like to make movies within the German system. During our conversation about THE EDGE OF HEAVEN, Fatih reveals the extensive restructuring of the film's story in the edit, and while discussing IN THE FADE, Fatih reflects on the events that led to casting Diane Kruger in the film's lead role. Fatih's latest film, AMRUM, is based on the childhood memories of late director Hark Bohm, and we learn how Hark not only inspired Fatih to make movies in his hometown but also convinced him he was the right person to tell a story about the end of the Third Reich, set on a remote German island. Plus, Fatih reveals the influence of Bruce Lee's films and martial arts philosophy on his work.

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Recommended Viewing: AMRUM, IN THE FADE, THE EDGE OF HEAVEN

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This episode is sponsored by Picture Shop & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 177 - James Slattery - Colourist

In this extended episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with colourist James Slattery (THE LOST BUS, EMPIRE OF LIGHT, 1917). How does someone become a colourist? What do they really do? What is a CDL? DI? QC? DIT? P3? HDR? James, with whom we've worked with several times, graciously explains what all these acronyms (and more) mean, how a colourist generally goes about their work nowadays on any given project, and what he's able to do to help filmmakers solve problems and help realize their visions in the final stages of post-production. James has experience timing dailies and also applying the finishing grade, and he helps us explain the different responsibilities and expectations of each process. James later helps us provide an overview of the different types of deliverables for a film, and he shares some common mistakes young colorists today should avoid. Though the role of a colourist is technically and creatively demanding, James, throughout our conversation, stresses the importance of being able to work with others as a member of the team.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 176 - Chris Lowe - Production Designer

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with production designer Chris Lowe (BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, THE LAST JEDI, IN BRUGES). We worked with Chris on SKYFALL, and we had a great time catching up with him. In addition to production design, Chris has had a long career as an art director, and he helps us understand how the two positions work together on any given project and what each one's responsibilities are. Throughout the episode, Chris also shares his strategies for communicating with directors and producers, creatively adapting to shifting budgets, and delegating duties to members of the art department. We also reflect on why and how the Shanghai skyscraper scene in SKYFALL pivoted from a location to a set, and Chris shares an episode of creative problem solving from THE LAST JEDI involving the Millennium Flacon, Yoda, and a tree. Plus, Chris reveals how he built Bangkok in Prague during the COVID-19 pandemic for THE GRAY MAN.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 175 - Embeth Davidtz - Actor / Director

In this episode, of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor and director Embeth Davidtz (DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT, MAD MEN, SCHINDLER'S LIST). Embeth's directorial debut, DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT (an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Alexandra Fuller), is one of our favourite films from this past year, and we spend most of our conversation learning how Embeth pulled it off. The film is centered around the experiences of a young white child living in Zimbabwe at the end of the Rhodesian Bush War, and Embeth shares how her own childhood memories of South Africa's Apartheid influenced her telling of the story. Among many topics, we discuss: the film's effective use of voiceover, Embeth's approach to directing the lead child actress, managing a monkey break-in on location, the deceptive allure of the Steadicam, how the movie was financed, and whether or not she considered changing the title. We also reflect on the challenges of navigating a career in the entertainment industry, and we learn what Embeth has planned next.

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Recommended viewing: DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 174 - César Charlone - Cinematographer

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with cinematographer César Charlone (PARTIDO, BLINDNESS, CITY OF GOD). Born in Uruguay, César found filmmaking after interrupting his veterinarian studies to hitchhike across Brazil. Throughout our conversation, we discuss César's general approach to cinematography, the degree of work he does in post, the amount of prep he performs before every film, and his long-time professional partnership with director Fernando Meirelles. César also reveals how he first met Fernando and describes how they worked together to create the look of CITY OF GOD and shoot the complex film with young non-actors. We later discuss how much César adjusts the image after capturing it on set, and we reflect on using any technology available to make the best film possible. In addition to his work as a cinematographer, César also co-directed THE POPE'S TOILET, and we discuss how he got involved with the project and the reality that inspired the film's story. César has also directed a film about Uruguay's José Artigas and worked on a documentary following Brazil's current Minister of Finance Fernando Haddad, and we discuss his commitment to documenting the realities of living in South America.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 173 - Kate Winslet - Actor / Director

Actor and director Kate Winslet (GOODBYE JUNE, MARE OF EASTTOWN, HEAVENLY CREATURES) joins us in this extended episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. During our conversation, we discuss Kate's humble beginnings, inheriting an accent, good and bad direction, playing characters based on real people, and her experiences shooting her directorial debut, GOODBYE JUNE. In addition to her long career as an actress and newly begun one as a director, Kate has also recently stepped into the role of producing. We learn why Kate took on the extra challenge, how she balances her duties behind and in front of the camera, and what she looks for in a project to potentially join—in any capacity. While discussing GOODBYE JUNE, we learn how Kate found the script, why she ended up directing the movie, and how she applied a lifetime's worth of experience to create a space for the cast to just be their characters and perform. We worked with Kate on REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, and we had a wonderful time catching up with her.

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Recommended Viewing: GOODBYE JUNE, MARE OF EASTTOWN, HEAVENLY CREATURES

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 172 - Kleber Mendonça Filho - Writer / Director

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director Kleber Mendonça Filho (THE SECRET AGENT, BACURAU, NEIGHBORING SOUNDS). Kleber was born in the northeastern region of Brazil, in the city of Recife, and many of his films take place in the city and surrounding areas. We reflect on the influence of Brazilian history and politics in his work, and we learn how Kleber generally approaches creating his movies set in Brazilian society. We also discuss his latest film, THE SECRET AGENT, and the choices he made for telling a story set during Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s. Kleber also breaks down the making of his feature debut, NEIGHBORING SOUNDS, revealing the influence of DO THE RIGHT THING and the real life history behind the events within the film. Additionally, we learn how a younger Kleber balanced his duties as a film critic with pursuing his own filmmaking career, and Kleber shares what his current day-job is.

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Recommended Viewing: THE SECRET AGENT, BACURAU, NEIGHBORING SOUNDS

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 171 - LEDs - with Jeffrey Lee, Ph.D.

In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we return to the world of LEDs. After speaking with Tim S. Kang (Season 2, Episode 165), we realized we had even more questions! To answer them, we invited Jeffrey Lee, Ph.D. who works at Fiilex Lighting as its Chief Product Officer to speak with us. We learn how Jeff's background in biology and physics and interest in the physical properties of light led him to work at Fiilex, and he shares what the company is doing to address the bottlenecks inhibiting further innovation in LED fixture design. Our questions run the gamut (again) on LED lighting technology, and Jeff teaches us how colour is really emitted from the fixtures. We also discuss how filmmakers and engineers deal with the spikes in a given fixture's colour spectrum, and we brainstorm future possibilities of the lights' designs. Plus, we learn the best tool to use to light worms, and we accidentally develop a new task for Jeff's intern.

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 170 - Cristian Mungiu - Director

In this extended episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Cristian Mungiu (R.M.N., GRADUATION, BEYOND THE HILLS). Cristian's films—which we deeply admire—largely focus on social issues in his native country of Romania, and though they are told in his own unique voice, his films explore problems many in the world face today. We learn how the fall of communism and Ceaușescu's regime in Cristian's youth enabled him to become a filmmaker, and he reflects on the lingering effects of the country's cinematic culture before and after the Romanian Revolution. We spend much of our conversation discovering how Cristian approaches filmmaking and cinematic storytelling, and he shares how he works on any given day in production. Cristian also reveals how his films are received by Romanian audiences, and we discuss our commitment as filmmakers to presenting the truth as we see it. Plus, Cristian lets us know what to expect in his upcoming feature, FJORD.

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Recommended Viewing: R.M.N., GRADUATION, BEYOND THE HILLS

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 169 - Edgar Wright - Director

Director Edgar Wright (THE RUNNING MAN, SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD, SHAUN OF THE DEAD) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Edgar is responsible for one of our favourite films, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and we didn't miss the opportunity to ask as many questions about it as we could. He shares the film's connection to director Mike Leigh's (Season 1, Episode 76) work, and we learn how the film was developed during Edgar's free time while directing television at the BBC. We also learn how he got his first directing gig at the broadcaster at age 21, and he reveals the veteran crew members' reactions to discovering he wasn't a nepo baby. We later discuss his general approach to coverage, his strategy to pick up inserts, and how he protected his creative identity when he began shooting films for Hollywood. Plus, Edgar reveals why he decided to direct THE RUNNING MAN, and we learn how it differs from the previous adaptation.

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Recommended Viewing: SHAUN OF THE DEAD

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This episode is sponsored by Aputure