Team Deakins

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