June 16, 2025

Color, light and menace: DP Kim Ji-yong, Squid Game season 2

As a huge fan of the original Squid Game, cinematographer Kim Ji-yong jumped at the opportunity to shape the visual language for the show’s second and third seasons. Ji-yong has masterfully evolved the show’s aesthetic, continuing to play with jarring camera perspectives. He uses disorienting low angles looking up and god-like high angles looking down to immerse the viewer in the drama. For him, color and light are the key to unlocking the show’s central theme: the tension between childlike innocence and deadly menace.

Squid Game Season 2 follows the first season’s winner, Seong Gi-hun, as he seeks revenge and tries to uncover the mystery behind the games. In the first episode, Gi-hun and his friends chase a recruiter through a subway and a park, a pursuit that ends in a tense game of Russian roulette. For this pivotal scene, Ji-yong wanted a look that was both realistic and expressionistic. He bathed the game in the glow of a red neon light from a nearby window, establishing a color motif that would echo throughout the season.

This powerful visual cue returns in other key episodes, most notably in a harrowing new voting scene where the players must once again decide their own fate. “When our main actor is facing a moment of choice, a moment of making a decision, I wanted to bring that red and blue light every time they faced that situation, just like earlier in the Russian roulette game,” Ji-yong explains.

The sheer scale of the sets presented unique lighting challenges, particularly the massive, white-walled dorm room filled with hundreds of extras. “I tried to cut off the spill to the white walls as much as I could,” Ji-yong says. “We also had stacks of beds so I could use some shadowy areas, so we had a little variety on the set.” All the room’s illumination came from a lighting grid above, making it feel as oppressive and controlled as the games themselves, which also served the actors. “I want them to feel as if they’re actually playing this game,” he notes.

To capture the chaos, Ji-yong relied on an intimate two-camera setup. One camera stayed close, capturing the raw emotion on the characters’ faces, while the other—often handheld—followed the action from the perspective of a frantic player. Though each episode was meticulously storyboarded and shot over 12 to 15 days, he finalized camera positions after blocking each scene, trusting his intuition to find the most impactful angles.

Ji-yong embraced the vibrant, candy-colored sets, finding creative energy in the contrast between their playful hues and the brutal violence of the games. He worked closely with the production designer, running camera tests to find the perfect shade of pink that would pop on screen. While not typically a fan of modern LED RGB lights, he found them essential for this project. The results are unforgettable, especially in the strobing, kaleidoscopic lighting of the “Mingle Game” featuring a carousel. “I have never used this much color in my career,” he laughs.

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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June 12, 2025

Luke Cormack’s unseen magic on David Blaine: Do Not Attempt

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 314: Luke Cormack

For cinematographer Luke Cormack, filming the National Geographic series David Blaine: Do Not Attempt was an exercise in capturing the raw, unscripted moments of human connection and extraordinary feats. Luke leaned into his experience as a wildlife documentarian to patiently wait for the perfect, instinctual moments to unfold. The goal was not to capture polished performances, but the raw, visceral reactions from Blaine and the people he encountered on his global journey. “David’s not an actor or a host. We would have to create these ‘biospheres of spontaneity.’ So he can just get in there and be his most genuine self without you ever saying, ‘Oh, stop, David. Can you do that again?’ That just doesn’t work at all,” says Luke. “You have to constantly be looking for those little pieces of magic and those pieces of magic are usually when you’re setting something up or your eye isn’t on the ball.”

David Blaine: Do Not Attempt is not about magic, but about finding people in cultures around the world who perform real, extraordinary feats that look like magic. The series follows Blaine as he travels to nine countries, including Brazil, India, and Japan, and learns about their unique skills, lifting the veil behind those tricks. For the documentary crew, capturing this “magic” required a dedication to true verité techniques. This involved location scouting to determine optimal camera placements that would feel both intimate and unobtrusive. The producers also prepared the local performers for Blaine’s arrival, allowing for natural, unscripted interactions.

Luke’s strategy often involved a subtle deception. He would keep the cameras rolling long after a scene appeared to have wrapped, patiently waiting for the “in-between moments” that often yielded the most candid footage. “That true verité, I feel like that’s where we got all our nuggets. We’d often put everyone at ease as you actually pretend to stop filming,” he says. “When everyone thinks you’ve got the scene, you just keep rolling. And you kind of look away from the viewfinder a little bit, maybe relax your body language, and that’s usually when he’ll turn around and say something amazing.”

This philosophy of patient observation required the camera crew to be constantly vigilant, nimble, and able to blend into the background. The use of lower-profile Ronin 4D cameras was key to allowing the crew to navigate large crowds without drawing attention. To elevate the visual storytelling, Luke chose high-end prime and zoom lenses. He hired special crews for high-stakes sequences, such as filming with sharks underwater in South Africa or skydiving in the Arctic Circle.

The crew’s collaboration was often wordless, staying present and dedicated to capturing authentic interactions. They relied almost exclusively on natural light, repositioning themselves to find the most flattering illumination rather than directing the subjects. The unpredictable nature of Blaine’s performances in public spaces also meant that the crew had to be prepared for anything. “We traveled to nine different countries and a lot of it is crowd control,” Luke explains. “Like once you blow someone’s mind and they’re standing there with a group of 10, it becomes a group of 50 very quickly. And then you’re trying to get your shots and get in there and try and get the magic of it. But the whole time, you still have to keep your head on a swivel, have an exit strategy, realize that crowds can get dangerous really quickly, depending on where you are.”

This constant state of readiness, combined with a commitment to capturing authentic, unrehearsed moments, allowed Luke and his team to document the genuine wonder, fear, and awe that defines David Blaine: Do Not Attempt.

Find Luke Cormack: https://www.lukecormackfilms.com/
Instagram: luke_cormack

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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June 4, 2025

Christophe Nuyens on crafting the world of Andor: Season 2

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 313: Christophe Nuyens

A huge admirer of the Star Wars movie Rogue One, cinematographer Christophe Nuyens, SBC embraced the opportunity to serve as director of photography for the first six episodes of Andor Season 2. Christophe focused on expanding Andor’s universe, meticulously crafting distinct visual identities for each world. He leaned into naturalistic lighting and a dynamic use of color to evoke a range of moods. “This show has so many different worlds and sets and every world has a different look,” he says. “Mina-rau was sunny, Chandrila was quite shiny and chic. Then you had Ghorman, which was darker and like a town in the mountains with blue light all the time. So we had all our different sets and it was really nice to play with those things to create all those little different moods.”

Christophe was committed to giving the world of Andor a tangible sense of reality. The sets were expansive, with ample room for the camera to move around and explore. Practical effects were used when possible to enhance authenticity, complemented by the strategic use of LED video wall panels for realistic backdrops, such as the depiction of rain falling outside a Coruscant apartment window. Christophe approached the lighting design as if shooting on location. In collaboration with director Ariel Kleiman, he adopted a philosophy of minimal camera movement, completing scenes with few shots and concise coverage. Subtle lighting cues, lens flares and camera moves smoothly transitioned each scene into the next.

One of the most memorable sequences in Andor Season 2 is the wedding of characters Leida Mothma and Stekan Sculdun. The event is not just a lavish affair but a crucial narrative beat in Mon Mothma’s (Genevieve O’Reilly) journey, underpinning a complex emotional and political storyline. Following the ceremony, guests dance together in a huge celebration, a sequence that presented a unique and enjoyable challenge for Christophe. He wanted to capture a nightclub atmosphere despite the daytime setting. “I end up with the idea of trying to tell a time-lapse story light-wise,” he explains. “In the beginning of the wedding, the sun is quite high. It’s bright outside the during the wedding. The sun is going lower and lower and lower, until the end when the sun is just on the horizon peeping inside and making it super flare-y. We didn’t have strobes or party lights, but it gave us something special to play with.” The intricate dance sequence, featuring numerous extras and two Steadicams weaving through the celebration to reflect Mon Mothma’s disorienting experience, required a full day of filming. (For dedicated Andor fans, an extended one-hour version of this captivating dance scene is available to watch on YouTube.)

Educated at film school in Brussels, Christophe knew early on that cinematography was his calling. He values continuous learning as a cinematographer. “It’s important for me to keep evolving because the moment that I feel I’m doing something as a routine, then I want to do something else. I need to have the feeling that I’m learning every time and every director is different.”

Find Christophe Nuyens: Instagram: @christophenuyens

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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May 28, 2025

The Last of Us Season 2 DPs Ksenia Sereda & Catherine Goldschmidt

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 312: Ksenia Sereda & Catherine Goldschmidt

Season 2 of HBO’s acclaimed series The Last of Us sees a shift not only in its narrative focus but also behind the camera, with cinematographers Ksenia Sereda and Catherine Goldschmidt, ASC, BSC, taking the visual reins. The season quickly evolves from Joel and Ellie’s shared journey into a harrowing exploration of Ellie’s relentless pursuit of revenge following Joel’s brutal death. This quest is deeply colored by her grief and rage, yet intricately woven with a burgeoning love story between her and Dina.

Ksenia, returning after her work on the celebrated first season, and Catherine, a new addition to the team, split cinematography duties. Ksenia helmed episodes 1, 3, 5, and 6, while Catherine was responsible for episodes 2, 4, and 7.

The opportunity to continue collaborating with showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann was a welcome one for Ksenia. “For season 2, we wanted to push the look forward with how the characters develop,” she explains. “Not to reinvent the visual language but to think, what can we do better to help the characters and to tell the story, because it’s such a character-centered show. The main focus of it is following the characters you love and joining them on this big adventure.”

Ksenia developed a lookbook to maintain a holistic visual language, ensuring consistency across multiple directors and the entire crew. The video game The Last of Us was the blueprint for a distinct visual identity. It was important to preserve all the iconic visuals from the game, but unlike the video game, the television adaptation allowed for more character development and connection, with longer shots.

Season 2 introduces a host of new characters, storylines, and diverse color environments. Ksenia consciously avoided overly cool tones, opting for warmer colors, particularly for Ellie and Dina, to help the audience fall in love with them as their relationship develops. This warmth is also seen in the homey settlement of Jackson, a sanctuary carved out to evoke a sense of normalcy. In contrast, when Dina and Ellie journey to Seattle, the environment becomes green and lush.

Catherine Goldschmidt, ASC, BSC, stepped into this established world for Season 2. Her inaugural week plunged her directly into shooting the pivotal and harrowing Episode 2, which features Joel’s death. Catherine reviewed the corresponding cutscene from the game, treating it as a form of previsualization or storyboard, and then determined how to adapt it for television. “The video game acts as a reference, and there are some scenes in the scripts that are taken from the games, and there are some scenes that don’t exist and are new,” she says. “It’s about serving the show first and foremost, and still paying homage to the game.” Catherine also focused on grounding the lighting in realism, finding real world motivation for light sources that would authentically be available to characters in a post-apocalyptic setting. At times, she notes, “the lighting cues were even written into the script.”

For Episode 2, with its intense violence, Catherine knew the crew had to prioritize the actors’ performances, and respect the scenes that the actors wanted to shoot first. But most violent, brutal, and scary scenes in The Last of Us are balanced by moments of profound humanity, requiring careful attention to the characters’ emotional journeys. “I remember asking Craig and Neil, how are you guys planning to tackle that extreme violence?” Catherine recalls. “Craig just said, ‘Well we’re always trying to counterbalance it, it should always be a light and shade scenario.’”

Find Ksinia Sereda: Instagram: @ksiniasereda

Find Catherine Goldschmidt: Instagram: @cgdop

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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May 22, 2025

Jacques Jouffret, ASC: American Primeval’s frigid frontier

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 311: Jacques Jouffret, ASC

Netflix’s American Primeval plunges viewers into the harsh realities of a gritty, naturalistic Western winter. Cinematographer Jacques Jouffret, ASC, who shot all six episodes, collaborated closely with director Peter Berg to immerse the audience in the era’s unforgiving environment. “That was really a lot of hard work. Pete wanted the audience to feel the difficulty of living in that period,” says Jacques. “He wanted to feel the dirt, dust, grime and the ugliness of it and the violence of it. And I tried to get into that spirit. My job was to really make the audience feel that coldness, the chill that you are open to the elements.”

Jacques wanted the audience to feel the cold of American Primeval’s harsh winter setting, even as the production continued into summer. One of the most significant challenges was maintaining a consistently overcast sky, and there were few interior locations. During the wintertime, it was easy to shoot wider to get the overcast sky, but the weather was constantly changing. Dutch angles worked not only as a stylistic choice, but also to help hide the sky when it wasn’t overcast enough. The crew would strategically shoot close, shoot in the shade, or block the sky with silks.

Portraying visceral realism is an important element of Jacques and Berg’s collaborations. They have worked together before on films such as Novocaine and Mile 22. “That’s one thing that I love working with Pete,” he shares. “You’re making the audience feel that this is real, you are watching something that is right there and I’m able to suspend that disbelief. And so that’s really always the approach, to make it as real as we can. And yet I’m giving it some style to present more of the emotion, more of the mood, the atmosphere, and where I want the audience to be.”

To achieve a blend of raw reality and stylistic emotional depth on American Primeval, Jacques adopted a focused visual strategy, inspired by the legendary director Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick would choose just four or five strong visual ideas, and then repeat them over and over for visual impact.

For the series, Jacques established his own core visual tenets:

Expansive vistas: Super wide shots to take in the vastness of the Western scenery

Dynamic Dutch angles: Wide and close dutch camera angles to increase the feeling of discomfort and danger, while still including visuals critical to the story

Intimate compression: Lenses with long focal lengths that compress the image, allowing the audience to be with the character in the moment

Juxtaposition of extremes: A deliberate contrast between wide, long shots with everything in focus, contrasted with close-ups on the actors with a wide angle lens. This created a visual language emphasizing the harsh environment, and Jacques avoided medium shots.

Find Jacques Jouffret: https://www.jacquesjouffret.com/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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May 14, 2025

Descent into darkness: Baz Irvine on Silo Season 2

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 310: Baz Irvine, BSC, ISC

The second season of Silo on Apple TV+ is a dramatic visual departure from its predecessor, and cinematographer Baz Irvine, BSC, ISC is at the helm of this transformation. From the very first episode, as Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) ventures into the seemingly deserted Silo 17, viewers are plunged into a progressively darker and more uncertain world. “I think the biggest challenge for Silo 17 was that, at first, it had to appear to be lifeless, but it wasn’t,” explains Baz. “It had to feel familiar but different; it had to definitely feel slightly terrifying. When I read the script, it said very specifically the whole silo was in darkness. Of course, there are different types of darkness. Movie darkness is very different from real darkness.”

Establishing the distinct look of the shut-down silo was very important. Baz and the production team wanted a more realistic and immersive experience in Season 2, as if viewers were right there alongside the characters. Their vision included creating a culturally distinct look for Silo 17 compared to Juliette’s home, Silo 18, incorporating colorful murals and varied textures now falling into decay. As nature reclaims the failing structure, emergency lighting flickers throughout, casting an eerie greenish glow from beneath encroaching moss and vegetation.

Lighting Juliette’s perilous journey was a key consideration. Baz conducted numerous lighting tests, and was able to request that Juliette find a functional flashlight in the script. He knew it was important to keep Ferguson’s face illuminated amidst the gloom. “There’s no way I’m gonna put Rebecca Ferguson through corridors and stairwells without having some detail on her face,” he commented. Baz used a range of lighting techniques, including balloons, silk, and a specially crafted soft pipelight wrapped in muslin for gentle top lighting, which added a subtle glow to her skin and a vital light to her eyes.

The cinematography in Silo also serves as a visual metaphor for its rigid social hierarchy. Economics and politics in Silo is always from the top down, and both the lighting and camera movement on the show reflect this. In Silo 18, the upper levels are characterized by brighter lighting, benefiting from more access to what little sunlight penetrates the underground city. Tim Robbins’ character, Bernard, as the new mayor consolidating control, is consistently bathed in light.

This hierarchy in Silo extends to camera movement as well. The down-deep sections of Silo 18 utilize handheld cameras for a grittier, more immediate feel, while the upper levels are depicted with more elegant, slower crane movements, reflecting the contrasting lifestyles and power dynamics. For Season 2, the camera department maintained the same camera bodies but opted for different lenses. Baz made the deliberate choice to move away from anamorphic lenses, selecting wider lenses that require minimal focus. He adds, “Because everything is vertical in Silo, the biggest challenge as a cinematographer was constantly keeping in mind what’s above and below the frame.”

A significant and challenging new element for season 2 involved extensive underwater sequences. The crew constructed their own specialized tanks for filming. Baz considered using dry for wet techniques, simulating underwater conditions on a dry set, but it would be challenging and expensive to add special effects to make it look as though her hair was floating underwater. They did use another type of cinema magic to shoot the underwater sequences. “All of the vertical descents into the flooded silo were actually shot horizontally, with the camera turned sideways,” says Baz.

Baz found shooting season 2 of Silo to be a great source of creative fulfillment, from crafting the aesthetic of Silo 17 and tackling the ambitious underwater scenes. “I’ve been really lucky that I’ve been doing my best work at a time when we have got such great productions in the UK,” he says.

Find Baz Irvine: https://www.bazirvine.com/
Instagram: @baz.irvine.dop @hasselbaz

Hear our interview with cinematographer Mark Patton, BSC about Silo season 1: https://www.camnoir.com/ep234/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/
Sponsored by Laowa by Venus Optics: https://www.venuslens.net/

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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May 7, 2025

Scott Siracusano’s inventive cinematography on Control Freak

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 309: Scott Siracusano

The Hulu original horror film, Control Freak, plunges audiences into the unraveling world of Val (Kelly Marie Tran), a motivational speaker tormented by an unrelenting itch on the back of her head. Is it a manifestation of her own mind, or is she falling prey to a parasitic demon from her homeland? Control Freak is a body horror film that delves deep into themes of control, perfectionism, mental health, and generational trauma.

Cinematographer Scott Siracusano has known Control Freak writer and director Shal Ngo since 2019. The two made a short, The Box, which went to the prestigious Cameraimage Film Festival in Poland. Their creative partnership continued on another short film, Control, for season two of Hulu’s Bite Size Halloween. When Ngo was invited to expand Control into a feature-length film, Control Freak was conceived. Scott was captivated by the script and eager for the creative challenges it presented. Unfortunately, the film hit several roadblocks and delays before shooting was finally greenlit by the network. As a first-time feature DP, Scott had to meet with producers and pitch himself as the best cinematographer for the film. Championed by Ngo, Scott meticulously prepared a lookbook and presented his scene-by-scene shooting strategy in an hour-long meeting, ultimately securing his role as the film’s cinematographer.

One of the most significant cinematographic challenges on Control Freak was executing its underwater sequences. Due to a limited budget, there wasn’t enough time or money to shoot the actors in real tanks of water. Scott chose to use dry for wet film techniques, where smoke, specialized filters, and dynamic lighting effects are skillfully combined to simulate an underwater environment. Inspiration for this approach came from Dan Laustsen’s masterful work in The Shape of Water. “What I realized is that it is truly a less is more situation,” Scott says. “We need to have the caustics of water and moving lights that you would feel on your subject in tandem with atmosphere, and particles that could be added as effects. I was like, ‘I think we could pull this off. I think we could actually do this.’” The biggest concern was creating realistic hair and body movement floating in water, so the actors’ hair was tied back for these scenes. The production team found a music performance space where they could build a wire rig, enabling the actors to “float.” For close ups, Scott found simply having the actors sit and move around on a yoga ball effectively created a floating effect. Two projectors helped simulate water patterns, and the room was filled with atmospheric haze. Subtle fill light and slight camera movements completed the effect. Ultimately, these practical in-camera effects were so successful that the film required minimal visual effects for its underwater scenes.

The lighting and color palette of Control Freak were crucial in establishing a claustrophobic atmosphere and exploring the film’s central duality between sanity and madness. “We really wanted to lean into the surrealism and the dreamlike state of everything,” explains Scott. “Moonlight definitely allowed us a little bit more shaping, and being able to hide the monster. I really wanted to have rich, detailed shadows that were never true black—always some detail, no matter how dark the shadows.” Val’s house was intentionally kept as an enclosed space, with curtains constantly drawn, immersing the audience in her confinement and heightening their sense of being trapped alongside her.

As a horror fan himself, Scott loved creating the look and feel of Control Freak. “It’s so cool and fun being on set, in the actual world with the creature there.” His takeaways from lensing his first feature included the importance of faithfully executing the director’s vision while remaining adaptable to the unpredictable nature of filmmaking. “Going into a feature, you do everything you can to prep, but you know, just understand that things aren’t always going to go according to plan, there’s going to be happy accidents, there’s going to be things that are just straight up accidents.”

Find Scott Siracusano: https://scottsiracusano.com/
Instagram: @scott_siracusano

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/
Sponsored by Aputure: https://aputure.com/

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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April 30, 2025

Jessica Lee Gagné: Pushing Boundaries in Severance Season 2

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 308: Jessica Lee Gagné

Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné is an essential creative force behind Severance on Apple TV+. She has an expanded role in the show’s second season with a producer credit and directs the pivotal episode 207, “Chikhai Bardo.” The series’ unique look and world-building is meticulously crafted through extensive testing and close collaboration between her and showrunner Ben Stiller, who also directs the majority of episodes.

For Severance Season 2, Jessica embraced a darker aesthetic, intentionally tweaking the look from the previous season. Even within the artificial office environment of Lumon, she pursues a blend of natural realism and heightened visuals, favoring practical, in-camera effects whenever possible. Location shooting for the episodes “Woe’s Hollow” and “Sweet Vitriol” required flexibility due to changing weather conditions. Unexpected foggy weather worked in the crew’s favor while shooting “Woe’s Hollow” and enhanced the spooky atmosphere of Irving’s nightmare sequence.

Inside the Lumon offices, lighting is pre-planned as part of the production design, with lights built into the ceiling and the set. Season 2 introduces more complex and colorful lighting cues compared to the first season, especially in the finale. Vibrant green and blue lighting creates a feeling of chaos during the “Choreography and Merriment” marching band performance, and intense red emergency lighting strobes down the halls as Mark and Helly attempt their escape. “Red is a color that we don’t use in the show in general,” notes Jessica. “You have this association with love, passion, intensity with the color red. And then in the final shot, we land in this deep red moment with them, that was transferred onto film in the end and rescanned to give it an actual authentic feel.”

Jessica decided she wanted to direct for the first time on season two, despite feeling nervous about it. She chose episode 207 “Chikhai Bardo,” which explores Gemma and Mark’s past and depicts how Gemma is tormented at Lumon in different severed tests. “This was something that I really deeply wanted,” she explains. “I realized that on this show with the crew that knew me, the cast that knew me, with Ben (Stiller) supporting me and the producers as well, that this opportunity would never come up for me again in my life. I really needed to just go for it and give it my all.” Jessica also was director of photography for the episode, since she felt so familiar with creating the show’s look. However, the dual role was challenging. “That was harder,” she admits. “And then working with myself was weird. I realized on set that everything was going so fast.” There was no pausing for a separate director-cinematographer discussion after takes, which meant turning to others for validation and support. Directing the cast was a rewarding experience and they welcomed her leadership. Jessica had extensive conversations with actress Dichen Lachman (Gemma) beforehand to explore her character’s emotional state and shifting personalities within the episode.

A significant element of episode 207’s visual language involves sequences depicting Mark and Gemma’s past, which were captured on film. While Severance primarily uses digital cameras, Jessica opted for both 35mm and 16mm film for the flashback moments. Borrowing a Bolex camera from the gaffer, she and director Ben Stiller shot some of these intimate sequences between Mark and Gemma on the fly.

Jessica is currently in the process of directing her first feature. She will always have a deep appreciation for cinematography. “I feel like I have so much respect for that craft,” she says. “After being in it for 15 years, I know what goes into it. I know how you have to be such a giving person to do that. And I really do love it so much.”

You can see Severance on Apple TV+

Hear our previous interview with Jessica Lee Gagné about Severance Season 1.

Find Jessican Lee Gagné: Instagram @jessicaleegagne

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/
Sponsored by ARRI: https://www.arri.com/en

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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April 23, 2025

Special: Hacks DP Adam Bricker, Live Podcast in Las Vegas

Special: Adam Bricker, ASC

Cinematographer Adam Bricker, ASC chats with Illya at our live podcast event hosted by the Broadcast Education Association at NAB Las Vegas. Adam discusses his early career and education, his breakthrough role as the DP of Chef’s Table on Netflix, and his work as the sole cinematographer on all four seasons of the Max TV show, Hacks.

Adam enjoys shifting between the documentary style of Chef’s Table and the narrative scripted comedy of Hacks. “I want my documentary work to be like a movie, and I want my movies to feel more like documentaries,” he says. “So I think that they’re obviously different muscles. I’ve been lucky to do a season of Hacks, and then spend the summer traveling with my friends and shooting Chef’s Table and then going back to Hacks.”

You can watch the current season of Hacks on Max, and the new season of Chef’s Table: Legends will be on Netflix April 28.

Find Adam Bricker: Instagram @realadambricker

Hear our previous episode with Adam Bricker from 2021. https://www.camnoir.com/ep133/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social

By Illya Friedman

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April 16, 2025

Johanna Coelho: creating intense ER reality on The Pitt

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 307: Johanna Coelho

As the cinematographer of all 15 episodes of The Pitt, Johanna Coelho helped create a fresh take on the medical genre’s visual style. Executive producer John Wells wanted a feeling of constant urgency and realism to the hospital drama. They chose to treat The Pitt as if it were live theater, meticulously choreographing and blocking every action and movement within the bustling emergency room setting.

Most of the episodes of The Pitt were shot in order, which helped with continuity on set. Johanna used the scripts as her blueprint, which carefully detailed character positioning in the background and clearly indicated the point of view for each scene. Her shot lists were fluid, evolving organically from the actors’ movements within the space. This approach gave the camera operators remarkable freedom to follow the kinetic energy of gurneys and operating tables as they navigated the ER. The set was entirely open, with few places for the camera people to hide, so the entire crew wore scrubs to blend in. “Because of the way it’s shot, the way everyone moves, we do no marks on the set,” says Johanna. “There’s no marks, there’s no lighting on the ground. It’s a 360 set completely.” This required flexibility from the crew to embrace the spontaneous adjustments made by both the actors and the camera team, only doing additional takes when absolutely necessary.

With an open set, Johanna and the electrical team had to get creative with their lighting strategy. The lighting was all integrated into the ceiling and run through a dimmer board. Absolutely no stands, flags, or fill lights were on the floor of the set. The gaffer created custom lighting that could be attached to the matte box on the camera and the occasional fill light was handheld on a pole. Cameras were entirely hand held, using a ZeeGee camera rig on a Steadicam arm, enhancing the sense of immediacy. As a result, the actors and crew never had to wait around for lighting or camera setups, which enabled them to shoot at a fast pace, about 9-10 pages per day. “We shoot extremely fast,” explains Johanna. “We come in at call time, we do the blocking and then we’re ready to shoot, because the lighting is integrated. It’s happening so fast, and we know the space so well. It’s mostly the same pace and space all the time.”

The immersive world of The Pitt was primarily constructed on a stage at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, with select exterior shots filmed on location in Pittsburgh. The production heavily relied on practical effects, employing detailed prosthetics and makeup captured in close-up to amplify the raw and visceral feeling of working in a high-stakes emergency room. “When I read the scripts, I felt it was clear you needed to be immersed in the middle of it,” says Johanna. “It’s an experience for the audience, but it was also an experience for the crew shooting it. We were really inside that bubble, inside that ER set with the cast and crew.”

You can see The Pitt on Max

Find Johanna Coelho: https://www.johannacoelho.com/
Instagram @johanna_coelho

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras: https://hotrodcameras.com/
Sponsored by Laowa by Venus Optics: https://www.venuslens.net/

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By Illya Friedman

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In Cinematography Podcast, Latest Posts, Podcast Episodes

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