September 4, 2026

DP Brett Pawlak’s vision for Spider-Man: Brand New Day

DP Brett Pawlak on grounding Spider-Man: Brand New Day in natural light, practical suit design, and 17 years collaborating with Destin Cretton.

Podcast highlights include:
-How Pawlak and Cretton’s input about the suit design kept Peter Parker feeling human. The mask allowed Tom Holland’s jaw to move, and his real eyes were visible through the mesh so the audience never forgets there’s a human under the mask.
-Pawlak’s approach to lighting a tentpole movie. Using as much natural light as possible.
-Solving the Jean Grey telekinesis sequence with a simple method. Capturing a choreographed “wave” through the cast with both whip pans and lock-offs.
-How fundamentals of story and composition don’t change when scaling up from TV’s Wonder Man to a Spider-Man tentpole.

Find Brett Pawlak: https://www.brettpawlak.com/
Instagram: @brettsbo

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still playing in theaters and conquering the box office.

SHOW RUNDOWN:
01:50 Close Focus
13:07-01:14:46 Brett Pawlak Interview
01:15:25 Short Ends
01:26:10 Credits

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

October 7, 2019

Ruben Fleischer, the director of Zombieland, Venom, 30 Minutes or Less and Gangster Squad

Ruben Fleischer began his career directing music videos, commercials and comedy shorts. He landed his first big directing gig with Zombieland, followed by the films 30 Minutes or Less, Gangster Squad and Venom. He’s also produced TV shows such as Superstore and Stumptown. Ruben Fleischer’s latest movie Zombieland: Double Tap is out October 18th.

October 1, 2019

Salvatore Totino, ASC talks Any Given Sunday, Cinderella Man, Frost/Nixon, The Da Vinci Code, Spider-Man: Homecoming, working with Oliver Stone, Ron Howard, and more

Sal Totino grew up in Brooklyn NY and began his career as a music video and commercial DP before landing his first feature on Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday. He’s worked with director Ron Howard on eight films such as The Missing, Cinderella Man, Frost/Nixon and The Da Vinci Code. Sal has two upcoming films out soon- The Postcard Killings and The Tax Collector.