Art of the Shot

Join the Art of the Shot podcast for an exclusive conversation with the director of photography and production designer of Dune: Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS and Patrice Vermette.

Dune is what many are calling the definitive big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s landmark science fiction novel of the same name, first published in 1965. Dune has been director Denis Villeneuve’s fantasy project since he first dreamed of becoming a film director, and it shows. The massive scale, the mythic imagery, the futuristic-Brutalism meets Mesopotamian architecture, and that epic score from Hans Zimmer… No wonder Dune is already a part of the awards conversation.

If you love cinema, do yourself a favor and go see it in IMAX while it's still playing there. And if you don't love cinema, what are you doing listening to a filmmaking podcast?! Also, if you don't love cinema, go see Dune in IMAX. You will fall in love with cinema.

On the day that Dune: Part Two was officially announced, I had the opportunity to speak with Greig and Patrice despite them being between 8 and 18 hours ahead of me. It's absolutely a conversation I was willing to stay up past midnight to have, and I hope you enjoy.

In this exclusive conversation between the two of them, you’ll discover:

—How DP Greig Fraser got involved in Dune. (00:04:40)

—How Denis Villeneuve's films result from a deep collaboration among departments. (00:06:04)

—The early discussions on the visual identity of Dune. (00:08:49)

—How filmmaking is like being in a band. (00:14:46)

—How the "perfect collaboration" between Patrice and Greig was the realization of a lifelong dream. (00:15:49)

—The "glowglobe" as an example of the collaboration between Greig and Patrice. (00:16:59)

—How Patrice determined the design aesthetic for Dune. (00:19:38)

—Greig's approach to lighting the massive sets, which he calls "the most challenging lighting job I'd ever done”. (00:25:17)

—Greig's love of LED film lighting. (00:29:17)

—The creation of the ornate hand-carved panels in the Atreides residence and in Arrakeen. (00:31:51)

—The thick blast doors in Arrakeen as an example of how limitations often lead to the best solutions. (00:35:01)

—Breakdown of the arrival on Arrakis sequence. (00:40:16)

—Why both Greig and Patrice aim to simplify their work and subscribe to the philosophy of "less is more”. (00:46:33)

—What makes Denis Villeneuve a master filmmaker. (00:51:01)

—Denis and Greig's approach to blocking and coverage. (00:58:04)

—Dune's aspect ratio, depth of field, and lens choices. (01:01:36)

—The dance of the camera in the training room set. (01:06:40)

—Lighting the hunter seeker hologram sequence. (01:10:00)

—Honoring the concept art to achieve the biggest challenge making Dune. (01:15:54)

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Welcome to Season 2 of the Art of the Shot! Season 2 will dive even deeper into the minds of master filmmakers, and I can’t wait to share more with you soon.

Joining me for this episode are two familiar voices, cinematographer Paul Cameron, ASC and production designer Howard Cummings, back on the Art of the Shot and in conversation together for the first time ever on a podcast. And they’re here to discuss their work and collaboration on Reminiscence, the feature film directorial debut from Lisa Joy.

In this episode, you'll discover:

—The beginning of their collaboration. (00:05:12)

—How cinematographers work with production designers vs how directors work with them. (00:09:10)

—The importance of feeling comfortable and safe to explore ideas with your collaborators. (00:13:17)

—How to best communicate with your production designer. (00:17:07)

—The biggest challenge for each of them on Reminiscence. (00:24:16)

—How the flooded sets and locations were orchestrated. (00:29:44)

—Discussions on style and references for Reminiscence. (00:35:32)

—How they created a flooded future Miami. (00:37:36)

—Paul's task of visualizing memory in multiple ways as a meta-commentary on filmmaking. (00:45:00)

—Why IMAX is the best way to experience the film. (00:56:14)

—How Reminiscence avoided needing any reshoots--a first for Paul Cameron. (01:00:16)

—How Lisa Joy got her passion project made, while keeping her creative vision. (01:06:01)

—Advice for first time directors for a successful shoot. (01:12:50)

—Creative and technical considerations behind shooting on the Sony Venice camera. (01:24:21)

—Adding live film grain and the magic of film. (01:25:02)

—On the choice of using Cooke anamorphic lenses. (01:27:06)

—Breaking down one of the shots. (01:36:12)

—Paul's philosophy of where to put the camera in a scene. (01:41:36)

—What was really important at the start of Paul's career, which no longer is. (01:43:45)

—A film worth studying to remember what matters most in filmmaking. (01:46:53)

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!

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I promised we’d explore not only cinema and television, but also music videos. And less than 10 episodes in, I'm happy to deliver on that promise. And it happens to be with none other than global superstar Lady Gaga’s latest—and most personal—music video, for her hit song "911".

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/58hoktsqk_Q

In this exclusive interview, you will hear from both the director, Tarsem Singh, and the cinematographer, Jeff Cronenweth, ASC.

Listen and you will discover:

—The genesis of the 911 video, and how it was greenlit without a written treatment (00:05:16)

—Why it took 28 years for Tarsem to return to music videos, after winning Best Music Video and Best Director VMAS when he was 30 (00:08:41)

—Tarsem shares a moment of appreciation for Jeff, saying his favorite lighting ever was done by Jeff in a music video for Janet Jackson (00:14:58)

—Jeff shares what drew him to the project (00:15:28)

—What was said in the initial discussion that defined the look of the video (00:18:10)

—How 911 was shot without storyboards (00:22:04)

—Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Jeff Cronenweth, on what it feels like to play God with lighting (00:26:49)

—Tarsem on Lady Gaga's commitment and her crazy costumes (00:27:22)

—Jeff's unplanned contribution to a key moment in the video (00:28:49)

—Jeff describes what other directors can learn from Tarsem's approach (00:30:17)

—Jeff on the idea that David Fincher hates the process of filming, and more about Fincher's approach to filmmaking (00:32:39)

—On David Fincher's sense of humor and the truth about directing (00:34:31)

—The initial idea for 911's video and the concept explained (00:39:47)

—Color grading during a pandemic and making Pismo Beach, California look like White Sands, New Mexico (00:48:31)

—Camera and lenses used, and the thinking behind that choice (00:51:32)

—Locations the video was shot in (00:52:39)

—The elaborate costumes designed for Lady Gaga (00:53:44)

—About the ultra slow-motion wide shot (00:57:45)

—More on some of the symbolic meaning of the visuals, and the truth behind a conspiracy theory about the video (00:59:53)

—The role of the subconscious in making creative choices with greater meaning that serve the narrative, but which we're not consciously aware of until after the fact (01:03:33)

—Why Tarsem has never tried any drugs… yet (01:05:37)

—How a key shot was achieved, technically, how the video was edited in only a day, and why the release was delayed (01:06:58)

—How the video was shot safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, even with a health scare on set (01:12:16)

—The creation of the final tableau that reveals the whole meaning of the video (01:15:39)

—Lady Gaga's performance in the church at the end, and how it was miraculously saved in the edit due to audio from the behind-the-scenes crew (01:21:31)

—Lady Gaga's evolution as an artist (01:28:34)

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!

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In this episode, you'll hear from both the cinematographer and the "A" camera operator of Mindhunter, who worked together throughout Season 1 and 2 to shoot every single episode. Please enjoy this exclusive interview with Erik Messerschmidt, ASC and Brian Osmond, SOC!

Listen and you will discover:

—Erik's career path (00:04:06)

—Erik's favorite part of the job (00:06:42)

—What DP's should know to best work with their gaffers, from Erik's experience working as a gaffer before becoming a DP (00:07:02)

—Unique skills Erik gained from his experience as a gaffer (00:07:56)

—How Brian got his career started (00:11:19)

—Brian's favorite part of his job (00:12:19)

—What other directors can learn from how David Fincher treats his crew (00:18:39)

—The thought process & techniques behind Mindhunter's precise camera movement (00:22:50)

—The strategic use of handheld camera operating (00:34:27)

—The collaborative nature of the Mindhunter set (00:37:34)

—The importance of having a dedicated camera operator on set, especially on a David Fincher set (00:41:19)

—Erik's role as "quality control supervisor” (00:44:21)

—Why a monitor on a David Fincher set is covered in smudges (00:46:57)

—Why there's no such thing as a B camera “bonus shot" on MIndhunter & how shots are planned out for multiple cameras (00:48:23)

—What Erik thinks is the hardest shot to do well (00:52:04)

—How Erik lights & shoots with 2 cameras simultaneously (00:53:41)

—Erik's approach to lighting Mindhunter & techniques used (00:56:55)

—Erik's preference for real fluorescent lighting (01:03:30)

—Mindhunter's production design and how much of the locations were built (01:05:01)

—Favorite set of Season 2 (01:06:26)

—How getting scripts in advance helps them work better (01:10:44)

—The innovative car process shooting on Mindhunter & how it works (01:12:38)

—How virtual production helps realize every filmmaker's dream, stopping time, & how Erik used that to shoot a 9-minute dialog scene at dawn (01:18:02)

—How the car process shooting on Mindhunter evolved from Season 1 (01:22:37)

—How the custom RED digital cinema camera, dubbed the Xenomorph, evolved from Season 1 (01:27:22)

—Why Brian prefers a fluid head over a geared head to achieve those smooth, precise shots David Fincher loves (01:37:34)

—How to shoot a scene & why “Fix it in prep!" should be every filmmaker's mantra (01:42:08)

—All about the lenses used on Mindhunter & how Erik art directed the artifacts & nuances of every optical aberration (01:48:10)

—Tips from Brian on getting really precise shots with a fluid head, what operating technique Erik has learned from Brian, & how being self-critical is a key to his success (01:56:42)

—What Erik & Brian feel is the most rewarding part of working on Mindhunter (02:02:47)

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!

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In this episode, we’ll be exploring the production design of Westworld, with an exclusive interview with not one but two of the key figures responsible for crafting the extraordinary design of the show: production designer Howard Cummings and art director Jon Carlos. 

The two of them, along with their close collaborator, set decorator Julie Ochipinti, were all nominated for an Emmy this year for outstanding production design, and I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you. Listen and you will discover:

—How they started their careers and got to be where they are now. (00:04:16)

—A benefit of the job that makes it one of the best in the world. (00:06:09)

—Howard's experience working on Contagion. (00:09:49)

—Designing accurate Biosafety Labs in Contagion. (00:11:38)

—Making futuristic sci-fi worlds as grounded and realistic as period or contemporary worlds. (00:16:32)

—Jon's path and education. (00:19:57)

—How Howard got his first job as a production designer. (00:22:50)

—Why production designers are technically art directors on every project... until they are awarded the title after principle photography. (00:25:45)

—Why costumed theme parties every Friday on the Westworld set became essential. (00:31:19)

—How Westworld's filmic approach helped elevate and dictate the production design. (00:34:48)

—Process of conceiving 2058 Los Angeles. (00:41:00)

—The vital importance of production designers understanding lighting. (00:50:05)

—Importance of the set decorator as a key collaborator. (00:51:11)

—The thinking that leads to the many Easter Eggs in Westworld. (00:54:32)

—How props help tell the story. (00:55:40)

—Why Howard had to hide from the actors all season. (01:00:06)

—Difference and the nature of the collaboration between a production designer, art director, and set decorator. (01:04:51)

—How the art department helps to set and handle the budget. (01:06:52)

—The immense range of skills needed beyond art and design talents in order to succeed as an art director. (01:08:40)

—Tools and tactics used to remain effective and manage all the details required to perform the job. (01:11:50)

—Working with Visual Effects and the dynamics of that collaboration. (01:33:43)

—How they know how much of the set to build ahead of time and how much to leave for visual effects set extensions. (01:48:01)

—A detailed explanation of the design of one of the most impressive sets from Season 3. (01:49:50)

—A tour through the process of designing a sci-fi concept vehicle from script to driving on the streets of LA. (01:59:03)

—How Audi had a role in setting the shooting schedule of Season 3. (02:02:31)

—The use of large LED screens with live visual effects as backdrops with interactive lighting. (2:08:15)

—The guilt of how much waste production design can create and Westworld's use of more eco-friendly materials and efforts to responsibly recycle sets after production ends. (02:14:07)

—Most valuable piece of career advice. (02:20:40)

—Recent shows or films they've been inspired by. (02:23:10)

—The characteristics of an ideal DP/production designer collaboration. (02:24:37)

—Advice for up-and-coming art directors and production designers. (02:26:50)

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!

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Welcome back to the Art of the Shot podcast!

I took a little mid-season break because of the pandemic, but rest assured that the Art of the Shot is alive and well. The past few months have been fruitful and I’m happy to bring you some great new episodes in the coming weeks.

This episode features Oscar-nominated cinematographer, Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC, the man responsible for lensing modern classics like The Usual Suspects and Drive, as well as Three Kings, 4 movies in the X-Men series, Bohemian Rhapsody, and the recent Netflix hit film, Extraction—the most watched Netflix film yet.

Tom and I have a really deep conversation that delves into some of his amazing life experiences, his approach to lighting, thoughts on the art and craft of cinematography, and many details on shooting his latest film, Da 5 Bloods, for director Spike Lee.

Listen and you will discover:

—Tom's thoughts on this time we're in, having grown up in Detroit during a similar period of American history. (00:04:30)

—How Tom got his career started. (00:17:40)

—How Tom became the first person to film the Contras in Nicaragua and then became mentored by Haskell Wexler, ASC. (00:24:41)

—Difference between a pro and a master and Tom's thoughts on what it takes to become a master of the craft. (00:29:47)

—Tom's general approach to lighting and some lighting techniques. (00:45:06)

—Difference between natural lighting and realistic lighting. (00:50:07)

—Film vs digital and why digital is much more forgiving. (00:55:35)

—The state of the art today and the challenge of making great images when it's increasingly easy for anyone to make good images. (00:57:30)

—Democratization of visual storytelling and making an impact amidst overwhelming noise. (01:01:02)

—Tom’s process of manipulating light to create the impression of naturalism. (01:03:38)

—How some of the shots were created in Da 5 Bloods. (01:06:12)

—How Tom got involved with Da 5 Bloods. (01:09:17)

—Tom's experience of shooting in Vietnam, having grown up during the Vietnam War era and how that informed his visual choices. (01:14:14)

—Reasons for choice of shooting 16mm reversal film. (01:17:57)

—Camera and lenses used on Da 5 Bloods. (01:25:52)

—Why the aspect ratio changes multiple times in the film. (01:26:47)

—Use of the Arri Trinity over Steadicam. (01:28:52)

—What it's like working with Spike Lee, Spike's process as a director, and what Tom has learned from him. (01:30:22)

—How Tom played a role in the casting of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men. (01:39:26)

—Tom's favorite shot from his career thus far. (01:44:16)

—The importance of being present on set and always looking for ways to serve the film. (01:47:31)

—Advice for up-and-coming filmmakers and cinematographers. (01:50:07)

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and share this podcast with others to help grow the show and spread the knowledge! And if you're on Apple Podcasts, a review would be very appreciated!

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May the Force be with you! Today, May the 4th, is Star Wars Day and for this 4th episode of the show, I'm very excited to be sharing a conversation with Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS. Greig is one of the main cinematographers and a co-producer on the Disney+ Original Series, The Mandalorian, which is the 1st live-action Star Wars series and one of my favorite new shows.

Due to COVID-19, I managed to get a hold of Greig during a rare pause in his busy shooting schedule—he’s currently lensing the new Batman film. 

Greig is so far the only cinematographer to work on two separate Star Wars properties, with his first being Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Greig is also the eye behind Snow White and the Huntsman, Zero Dark Thirty, and Lion, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography in 2016. He also shot the upcoming film adaptation of Frank Herbert's landmark science-fiction novel, Dune. Which is possibly my most anticipated film this year.

Listen to learn how he went from shooting still photos and then short films in Australia, to working on the biggest projects in Hollywood, and a galaxy far, far away... including his work on The Mandalorian and the intricacies of a groundbreaking piece of technology that made the show possible. A technology that is set to be the future of filmmaking…

For this episode, I'm speaking with none other than Jeff Cronenweth, ASC!

Jeff is the two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer behind many of David Fincher’s films, including The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and their first film together—and Jeff’s first feature film—Fight Club.

(And if you’re worried, no, we don’t talk about Fight Club... much.)

Jeff has also shot numerous commercials and music videos for some of the biggest artists, including Madonna, David Bowie, Shakira, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

And this month marked the release of Jeff’s first foray into television, with the pilot to the Amazon Prime original series, Tales from the Loop: a sci-fi anthology adapted from the paintings of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag.

What you may not know is that Jeff Cronenweth is the son of legendary cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, the eye behind the era-defining look of Blade Runner. Enjoy this in-depth conversation about everything from how Jeff forged his own path while following in his father’s footsteps, and his approach to lighting based on story, to working with David Fincher, his work on Tales from the Loop (including how he achieved a never-before-seen lighting effect), and his tip for making sure eye lights look more natural.

Welcome to the Art of the Shot podcast! Join writer and filmmaker Derek Stettler for a brand-new filmmaking show featuring conversations with the artists behind the camera on strikingly-shot films, series, music videos and commercials. Discover how they made their careers happen, hear about their creative process, and learn how they make the shots that make us say: wait, how did they do that?

For this second episode, I speak with acclaimed cinematographer Paul Cameron, ASC. Paul has worked on quite a few visually groundbreaking films, including his first big feature, Gone In 60 Seconds, then Man on Fire, Collateral, Deva Vu, the 2012 remake of Total Recall, the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Commuter and the last film of his to come out, 21 Bridges. He’s also shot a few Super Bowl commercials! 

His cinematography for director Michael Mann’s 2004 film, Collateral, was one of the first Hollywood studio films to embrace and reveal the potential of shooting with digital cameras. But he still adores the medium of film and shot the pilot for HBO’s Westworld on 35mm film, earning an Emmy Award nomination and ASC Award nomination in 2017.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Paul talks about his work with Tony Scott, how he translates a script into imagery, and of course his work as both a cinematographer and director on Season 3 of Westworld.

SPOILER WARNING for Season 3 of Westworld! If you aren’t caught up with episode 4 yet, which Paul directed, go and watch it now. The show is extraordinary and Season 3 is an entirely new direction for it.

Welcome to the Art of the Shot podcast! Join writer and filmmaker Derek Stettler for a brand-new filmmaking show featuring conversations with the artists behind the camera on strikingly-shot films, series, music videos and commercials. Discover how they made their careers happen, hear about their creative process, and learn how they make the shots that make us say: wait, how did they do that?

In this premier episode, I speak with camera operator Colin Anderson, SOC, who was honored by the Society of Camera Operators with a Lifetime Achievement Award in January. Colin is the camera operator behind some very notable films, including Syriana, Iron Man 2, The Town, The Amazing Spider Man (1 and 2), Argo, The Master, Inherent Vice, Martin Scorsese's Silence, Phantom Thread, and every single JJ Abrams film.

Listen as he discusses working as the “A” camera operator on the final film in the Star Wars saga, his perspective on the craft of camera operating, and what he’s learned from his career working with top actors and directors.