Jules O'Loughlin ASC, ACS on shooting the FX series The Old Man and Disney+ series Ms. Marvel

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 177: Jules O’Loughlin

Australian cinematographer Jules O’Loughlin’s path to movie making was a long journey. After graduating from the prestigious AFTRS- Australian Film Television and Radio School– he worked steadily and shot a wide range of films and TV shows including the action movie The Hitman’s Bodyguard, the series Black Sails, the horror movie Krampus and the children’s film Come Away. His recent work on two series, The Old Man and Ms. Marvel, show off his ability to visually transport audiences to other worlds.

The FX action spy series The Old Man began shooting in the fall of 2019. Jeff Bridges plays Dan Chase, a retired CIA agent whose old enemies are still hunting him. The series is very well acted, with great dialog scenes between Bridges and John Lithgow. Jules believes that as a cinematographer, it’s important to tread softly, be respectful and give the actors space to work without technical distractions. Jules shot two episodes of the series, with a planned location shoot in Morocco which was standing in for Afghanistan. But in March of 2020 the entire production shut down because of the pandemic. After a few months, production resumed and the desert around Santa Clarita, CA became the Afghanistan location. Unfortunately, shortly after that, Jeff Bridges, who actually did a lot of the fight scenes himself, was diagnosed with lymphoma. Bridges’ stunt double stepped in and the VFX team used some digital face replacement for certain parts while he was undergoing treatment. Despite all the setbacks, The Old Man has been a hit and is coming back for a second season.

The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel is about young Pakistani-American teen Kamala Khan, who discovers she has super powers after putting on a magic bracelet. The show is energetic, vibrant and colorful, reflecting Kamala’s personality and South Asian culture. Jules and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy knew they could create a slightly different look for episodes four and five, since they take place in the Pakistan city of Karachi. Obaid-Chinoy is an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, and she and Jules chose to use more handheld cameras to explore the story’s historic narrative as Kamala travels through time to learn more about her family’s past. Ms. Marvel has brought an enthusiastic younger audience who are responding to Kamala’s cultural identity. In Pakistan, Ms. Marvel is showing in movie theaters, since Disney+ is not available.

Jules is currently working on Percy Jackson and the Olympians for Disney+, which involves some new challenges using LED screens on the soundstage.

Find Jules O’Loughlin

Instagram: @jules.oloughlin

The Old Man is on Hulu and Ms. Marvel is available on Disney+. Both shows are currently streaming all episodes.

Close Focus: The upcoming Amazon Prime series adaptation of The Lord of the Rings series is going to be the most expensive TV series ever made.

Ben’s short end: Cinematographer Tom Richmond passed away this week. He was an influential and skilled DP, who shot films such as Stand and Deliver, Killing Zoe, Little Odessa, Slums of Beverly Hills and Todd Solondz’s Palindromes.

Illya’s short end: The FX series The Bear, is a show about the chaos of working in a Chicago restaurant and the people who work there. All episodes are streaming on Hulu.

Jules O’Loughlin ASC, ACS on shooting the FX series The Old Man and Disney+ series Ms. Marvel

Subscribe to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts or click on the link below to listen here

Talk to Me cinematographer Aaron McLisky, ACS

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty cinematographer Todd Banhazl, ASC

Talk to Me cinematographer Aaron McLisky, ACS

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty cinematographer Todd Banhazl, ASC

Killing It cinematographer Judd Overton

Talk to Me cinematographer Aaron McLisky, ACS

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty cinematographer Todd Banhazl, ASC

Killing It cinematographer Judd Overton