March 1, 2020

Sundance 2020-Location, Location, Location: The Night House director David Bruckner, writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski; Black Bear director Lawrence Michael Levine

Sundance 2020 Special Part 2: Location, Location, Location
These two very different movies both had striking locations that set the tone for the films.

The Night House director David Bruckner and writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski enjoy working in the horror genre, and wanted to explore making a film that doesn’t make you “feel safe” with many dense layers. The film deals with the horror of grief, loss and loneliness faced by the main character, Beth, played by Rebecca Hall. The Night House was shot mostly at night in a lake house in upstate New York.

The Night House was one of the first deals to close out of Sundance this year. It sold for $12 million to Disney-owned Searchlight.

Black Bear takes place in a large lake house estate, and director/writer Lawrence Michael Levine wrote the script with a specific location in mind. Unfortunately, the original location fell through, and Levine had to find another spot, which turned out to be quite remote but amazingly striking on film. The movie stars Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon, whose characters and performances script-flip midway through the film, but we are never meant to know what the characters actually think. The movie wittily explores issues of gender and feminism, and later, has a funny take on indie filmmaking.

Black Bear has yet to find distribution.

Find out even more about this episode, with extensive show notes and links: https://camnoir.com/sundance2020location/ ‎

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Brought to you by Hot Rod Cameras: Find your next camera, lens, light or accessory at https://hotrodcameras.com/

Hot Rod Cameras is giving away TWO professional, cinema quality Aputure MC lights! One for you AND a friend you tag! Go to http://hotrodcameras.com/giveaway to enter. Contest ends March 30, 2020.

February 26, 2020

Sundance 2020-Documentary: Ron Howard: Rebuilding Paradise; Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw: The Truffle Hunters; Ron Cicero & Kimo Easterwood: Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story

The Cinematography Podcast interviews the filmmakers for three documentaries at Sundance 2020. First up- Ron Howard, who talked about shooting his first documentary, Rebuilding Paradise. We present some selected soundbites of the conversation. Next, filmmakers Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw ventured deep in the forests near Alba, Italy for their documentary, The Truffle Hunters. The filmmakers chose to keep the camera on a tripod and to observe the subjects at a distance, except for special leather harness rigs for POV doggy-cams that Dweck and Kershaw had specially made. Finally, Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story is both a story that will please fans of the beloved cartoon Ren & Stimpy, but it’s also a critical look at the cartoon’s volatile creator, John Kricfalusi.

Find out even more about this episode, with extensive show notes and links: https://camnoir.com/sundance2020docs/

LIKE AND FOLLOW US, send fan mail or suggestions!
Website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Twitter: @ShortEndz

Brought to you by Hot Rod Cameras: Find your next camera, lens, light or accessory at https://hotrodcameras.com/

Hot Rod Cameras is giving away TWO professional, cinema quality Aputure MC lights! One for you AND a friend you tag! Go to http://hotrodcameras.com/giveaway to enter. Contest ends March 30, 2020.

February 17, 2020

Director Adam Rehmeier and DP Jean-Phillipe Bernier discuss their movie Dinner In America at Sundance 2020

Dinner in America is a surreal punk-rock comedy filled with gleeful anarchy directed by Adam Rehmeier and shot by cinematographer Jean-Phillipe Bernier. It took awhile to cast the characters Simon and Patty, played by actors Kyle Gallner and Emily Skeggs, who are two oddball loners looking to take down all the a**holes in their “normal” Midwestern town. Dinner in America premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and has yet to receive a release date.

https://camnoir.com/ep65/

Adam Rehmeier: Twitter @AdamRehmeier

Jean-Phillipe Bernier: Instagram @jpbernierdop

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February 10, 2020

McMillion$: Filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte on their new six-part HBO doc series uncovering fraud behind the McDonald’s Monopoly game

McDonald’s Monopoly Game ran from 1989-2001, netting $24 million in cash and prizes for the winners. But the biggest prize “winners” were actually all part of a crime ring recruited by a mysterious figure called “Uncle Jerry” to cheat the game. Filmmakers James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte got the FBI on board along with a cast of quirky real characters to tell a fun, engaging and fascinating story about the fraud.

McMillion$ is a six-part documentary series currently airing on HBO. You can also listen to The McMillion$ Podcast each week.

James Lee Hernandez: @iamthejlh

Brian Lazarte: @blazarte

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February 3, 2020

Jenelle Riley, Variety’s Deputy Awards and Features Editor, discusses the 2020 Academy Awards nominations

Long-time friend and colleague Jenelle Riley of Variety magazine chats with Ben and Illya about this year’s Oscar nominations- what will win, what should win, and their favorite movies of the year that may not have been recognized.

Jenelle Riley on Twitter, Instagram: @jenelleriley

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January 28, 2020

James Laxton, ASC on Best Picture winner Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk: working with Barry Jenkins and Kevin Smith, his early career and influences

James Laxton attended Florida State University film school, where he met fellow student Barry Jenkins. He worked steadily on several small and acclaimed movies before Laxton and Jenkins had breakout success with Moonlight, winning Best Picture in 2017. The two followed up that success with If Beale Street Could Talk, which also won several awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Regina King. James Laxton is currently shooting The Underground Railroad, a limited television series for Amazon directed by Barry Jenkins, which is an adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel.

January 20, 2020

Cinematographer Byron Werner talks The Last Full Measure, working with director Todd Robinson and Ed Harris on Phantom, the latest tech and apps he uses as a DP

An extremely seasoned director of photography, Byron Werner began shooting anything and everything that came his way once he graduated film school. Byron faced several challenges on his upcoming film, The Last Full Measure. Shot on location in Thailand, the film has many practical effects shots and very little VFX. The camera crew shot from helicopters and with multiple cameras- sometimes as many as 5 or 6. The Last Full Measure starring Sebastian Stan, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Plummer, and Bradley Whitford opens wide Friday, January 24.

June 17, 2019

Special Episode – Checco Varese, ASC – Live Podcasting at Hot Rod Cameras “Cine Beer” 2019 Summer Bash

In our second LIVE podcast, Checco Varese, ASC discusses his collaborations with Guillermo Del Toro on “Pacific Rim” and “The Strain,” his upcoming movie, “It: Chapter 2,” working on many TV pilots and music videos, his early days in South America as a war correspondent and much more.

June 5, 2019

Ep 36 – Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF – The Oscar Nominated Cinematographer of Shape of Water, Dives into John Wick 3, Shooting Film and His Career

Acclaimed Danish cinematographer Dan Laustsen talks to Illya about working with Guillermo del Toro on The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak and Mimic.  Del Toro’s frequent collaborator discusses the ease of shooting digital cinema now vs. the old days of relying on a lab to process the film correctly.  For the John Wick films, lens choices and tricks played a big part in how he and director Chad Stahelski accomplished a flare effect on the films.  In John Wick-Chapter 3- Parabellum, Dan discusses shooting mainly at night and created a glistening, rainy look.

May 22, 2019

Ep 35 – Linus Sandgren, ASC, FSF – The Oscar Winning Cinematographer Talks First Man, Damien Chazelle, Gus Van Sant, David O. Russell and Storyboarding

Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren talks to Illya about his extensive career working with high profile directors like Damien Chazelle on First Man and La La Land, Gus Van Sant on Promised Land, and David O. Russell on the films American Hustle and Joy. For the film First Man, Linus used 16mm, 35mm and IMAX formats to portray different looks throughout the movie. While working on Promised Land, he and director Gus Van Sant decided to use Super 35mm 1.3x anamorphic. He also discusses lighting choices and his passion for drawing his own storyboards.