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...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 60
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 tha...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 59
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...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 58
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 ...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 57
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 epis...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 56
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 hi...
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 55
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...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 54
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...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 53
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 ...
Aug 30, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 52
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 attitu...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 51
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...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 50
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 produ...
Aug 09, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 49
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 to...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 48
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 wal...
Jul 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 47
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 exp...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 46
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 Argent...
Jul 12, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 45
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 pro...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 44
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...
Jun 28, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Season 2Ep. 43
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 ...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 42
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 p...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 41
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 documentar...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 40
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 costum...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 39
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...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 38
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 ...
May 17, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 37
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 facilitat...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 36
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 35 - RUSSELL CARPENTER - CINEMATOGRAPHER Team Deakins speaks with cinematographer Russell Carpenter (TITANIC, TRUE LIES, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER) on this episode of the podcast. We dive headfirst into Russell's professional relationship with director James Cameron, beginning with a chance encounter at a local TV station that led to Russell working on some of the biggest movies in history. Russell also shares his appreciation for the technical challenges of working on Cameron'...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 35
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 34 - CAROLINE THOMPSON - WRITER / DIRECTOR Team Deakins is happy to share our conversation with writer, director, and novelist Caroline Thompson (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BLACK BEAUTY, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS). We talk about the life of a screenwriter and the commitment Caroline demonstrated throughout her career. No other episode has featured this much discussion on animals and filmmaking! We cover working with horses on BLACK BEAUTY, apes on BUDDY, and birds in THE SECRET...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 34
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 33 - STEVE NICOLAIDES - PRODUCER Team Deakins is pleased to share our conversation with producer Steve Nicolaides (BOYZ N THE HOOD, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, A FEW GOOD MEN). We discuss the shell game that is building and balancing the budget for a film before and during production, and Steve shares his thoughts on the role of the producer in post-production. At the end of our conversation, Steve leaves us with some wisdom for budding producers and production managers. We hope you...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 33
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 32 - KATE MCCULLOUGH - CINEMATOGRAPHER Team Deakins is pleased to share our conversation with the talented cinematographer Kate McCullough (THE QUIET GIRL, NORMAL PEOPLE, MONSTER). We talk with Kate about how she applies the skills she developed while shooting documentaries onto her narrative projects. We also dive into what she was looking for in locations and her strategies in framing and composition on THE QUIET GIRL. We had such a nice time speaking with Kate, and we hope ...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 32
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 31 - KOKAYI AMPAH - LOCATION MANAGER Location manager Kokayi Ampah (THE COLOR PURPLE, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, MILLION DOLLAR BABY) reunites with Team Deakins and shares his wisdom gleaned from his long career. Kokayi answers our many questions and details both the creative and logistical day-to-day work that goes into location management. He also shares how he views the role as a function in the greater filmmaking process. Towards the end of our conversation, Kokayi even ask...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 31
