August 27, 2025

Matthew Chuang: bringing an authentic look to Chief of War

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 322: Matthew Chuang, ACS

Chief of War is a historical drama series from Apple TV+ co-created by and starring Jason Momoa. The show features a primarily Pacific Islander cast speaking Hawaiian, and is the first program to tell the story of the brutal and unprecedented unification of the Hawaiian islands in the late 18th century.

Cinematographer Matthew Chuang, ACS shot episodes 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9 of Chief of War. He teamed up with director Justin Chon, his friend and collaborator on the indie film, Blue Bayou, to shoot episodes 1 and 2. Working with Chon, Matthew set the look of the show- a naturalistic, honest and real look, with few effects or stylized camera moves. They drew from films by director Terrence Malik, cinematographer John Toll and movies such as The Last of the Mohicans and Apocalypto. “It was a lot of fun because I had resources for the first time. The scale of the production was exciting,” says Matthew, who had never worked on a television show before, let alone an epic one like Chief of War. “We wanted to showcase Hawaii, the culture, the fighting style and costumes, but in a way that feels grounded and real.” Understanding the history and receiving guidance on cultural sensitivity was also important to the crew, who often engaged with the actors and local community to make sure it felt authentic. The crew shot in Hawaii for eight weeks before shifting to locations in New Zealand.

For Matthew, the ninth and final episode, directed by Jason Momoa, proved to be the most difficult. They filmed major battle scenes in the lava fields of Kalapana on Hawaii, while the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in more than three decades. The lava rocks were sharp, hot and offered no protection from the sun, and the battle as scripted went from daytime into night. Matthew had to carefully plan the shooting schedule around the time of day in the script, with the crew often starting at 3am to get shots going from night into day. It was Momoa’s directorial debut, and Matthew found him to be extremely knowledgeable. “Jason is very involved on the visual side,” explains Matthew. “He loves cameras. He loves the craft of shooting. He knows lighting as well, like the direction of the sun, especially with the show where we’re shooting a lot of times outdoors, a lot of time on location.”

Find Matthew Chuang: https://www.matthewchuang.com/
Instagram: @mattscope

See Chief of War on Apple TV+
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YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
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By Illya Friedman

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July 9, 2025

Mihai Mălaimare Jr.: creating poetic reality in Megalopolis

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 317: Mihai Mălaimare Jr.

For cinematographer Mihai Mălaimare Jr., ASC, his work with director Francis Ford Coppola from Youth Without Youth to Megalopolis has been a journey of constant education and evolution. Coppola, known for embracing new technology and a dynamic, on-set creative process, frequently pivots to explore fresh ideas in the moment.

Megalopolis is Mihai’s fifth collaboration with Coppola. Their partnership began when Coppola came to Romania to shoot Youth Without Youth and scout some locations for Megalopolis. Mihai recalls first encountering Coppola’s “crazy ideas.” “I was like, yeah, that’s crazy, but I’m 29, fresh out of film school and I’m working with Francis, so I better do it. And then you realize how much better the scene gets.” This relationship fostered a unique trust. “Little by little, we got in this interesting dynamic where I’m craving those moments. And I know it can be a really stressful situation when you prep, all of a sudden you change it 180 degrees. But I know that somehow we’ll be able to find a solution and it will be better than anything we planned. And it’s interesting- every single time, the scene got better.”

Coppola had been developing his ideas for Megalopolis for decades, and shot test footage in 2001 with director/cinematographer Ron Fricke. He sought an ethereal, “poetic reality” with no specific timeframe, a concept Mihai initially found challenging to prepare for. However, the early footage provided crucial visual cues, and some of it was later integrated into the film. Coppola also collaborated with visual concept designer Dean Sherriff, who created a set of art keyframes for specific scenes, which guided Mihai’s framing, shots, colors, and lighting. A gold and sepia color scheme added to the film’s ethereal look. “It’s such an amazing process of discovery with Francis,” says Mihai. “We did some storyboards, but very few. We never really shot listed. We were talking about things in general, but the idea is that when you go on set, and you have the actors, and you have sets and costumes and everything, you want to let yourself be inspired by the actors and the blocking more than just your plans and ideas.”

While major scenes in Megalopolis were filmed on an LED volume stage, the movie creatively blends VFX, practical effects, and in-camera techniques. For a beautiful dreamlike driving sequence, Mihai used poor man’s process for the car interiors, combining it with moving set pieces, miniature cars, and live actors dressed as statues.

Coppola’s long-standing admiration for the minimalist style of filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu influenced a preference for static camera work, with minimal dolly shots, tilts, or pans. “It’s all about the frozen frame,” Mihai explains. “It’s a certain aesthetic that I like, because it’s closer to still photography. There are things that are happening that you don’t think of. First, you have to make sure that the composition is really spot on. And also, it’s again the idea of contrast. When you do move the camera, that better be for a good reason.”

Find Mihai Mălaimare Jr. Instagram:@malaimarejr_cinematography @malaimarejr_photography

Hear our previous interviews with Mihai Mălaimare Jr.: https://www.camnoir.com/ep53/
https://www.camnoir.com/ep148/

Megalopolis will be on tour in select theaters starting July 20 with Francis Ford Coppola doing a Q&A after. 

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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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November 20, 2024

Capturing the Chaos of Saturday Night: Eric Steelberg, ASC

The movie Saturday Night is based on the true story of the 90 minutes leading up to the 1975 premiere of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. The comedy-drama isn’t just a film about the iconic show; it’s an immersive experience that captures the frenetic energy and chaos from the point of view of the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels. To bring this chaotic night to life, cinematographer Eric Steelberg and director Jason Reitman, longtime collaborators and friends, embarked on a unique filmmaking journey.

Reitman wanted to transport the audience back to 1975 and capture the feeling of Saturday Night, rather than make a faithful retelling of the experience. To achieve this, the production team meticulously recreated the original Saturday Night Live set, right down to the color palette and costumes. Eric and Reitman wanted to create an energy of the ticking clock, the pressure and excitement that carried the group through the night, through the eyes of Lorne Michaels. They achieved this through dynamic camera movements, close-ups, and a chaotic visual style. “We tried to make everything feel like it’s surrounding Lorne and putting downward pressure on him,” Eric explains. “Every which way he turns, he goes into a door he cannot open. He runs into groups of people who don’t know who he is. The goal was to show that within the camera frame but also create an energy that carried us through those 90 minutes and heighten that time pressure.”

Eric and Reitman spent a long time in preproduction, shooting the entire movie on an iPhone first while the set was being built. This allowed them to experiment with different camera angles, blocking, and pacing. They also chose to shoot the movie on 16mm film, a decision that was met with skepticism from the studio. “Going to a major studio and saying that you want to put something in a theater that’s shot on 16mm, you don’t get a good, excited, nor favorable response from them,” Eric says. “I think that’s largely because of the unfamiliarity with it and because it’s not done.” However, he believed that 16mm was the perfect choice for the film, and he extensively tested both 16mm and 35mm film stocks. Eric found 16mm to work the best. The film grain could be controlled on the set with slower-speed stock and very hard, direct lighting. Working with older tungsten lights on the set was a bit of a learning curve, but Eric enjoyed the creative challenge of learning something new.

The opening shot of Saturday Night is a single, unbroken take that sets the tone for the entire film. It’s a testament to the meticulous planning, rigorous rehearsal, and sheer determination of the filmmakers. Eric and Reitman knew that this opening shot had to be perfect. They carefully choreographed every camera movement, every actor’s entrance, and every line of dialogue. “Jason wanted to tell everybody right from the beginning, ‘This is the ride we’re going to be on, and this is how overwhelming it feels,’” says Eric. “It wasn’t going to feel overwhelming to the audience until we felt overwhelmed.” The day before the shoot, the entire cast and crew spent hours rehearsing the sequence. However, the next day, when it came time to capture it on film, things didn’t go as planned. Take after take, something would go wrong – a missed line, a botched camera move, a technical glitch. But Eric and Reitman were determined to get the oner without cheating. After over 20 takes, they finally nailed it. The opening shot was in the can. The rest of the production went smoothly, with the camera operators becoming increasingly adept at executing complex camera moves. Near the end of the shoot, Reitman decided to revisit the opening shot. On the very last day of filming, they again spent hours re-shooting the sequence, once again taking over 20 takes to finally get it. “So, the very first and very last things we shot for Saturday Night was the opening oner,” says Eric.

Find Eric Steelberg: http://www.ericsteelberg.com/
Instagram: @ericsteelberg

Saturday Night is currently available for rent on Amazon, AppleTV, or other VOD services and will be streaming on Netflix.

Listen to our previous episode with Eric Steelberg discussing Ahsoka. https://www.camnoir.com/ep236/

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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Twitter: @ShortEndz

By Illya Friedman

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October 16, 2024

House of Spoils haunting beauty: DP Eric Lin

The spooky thriller House of Spoils on Amazon Prime is about an ambitious chef, Ana (Ariana DeBose) who follows her dream to open a restaurant on a remote estate in the woods. She quickly realizes it’s haunted by the vengeful spirit of the previous owner. As Ana battles stress, self-doubt, a skeptical investor, and kitchen chaos, the ghost’s sinister presence threatens to sabotage her every step.

When cinematographer Eric Lin met with directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy (Blow The Man Down), they presented him with several inspirational references by surrealist painter Leonor Fini and Dutch painter Adriaen van Utrecht. Both artists captured the unsettling feeling of eerie decay while being surrounded by the natural world. Nature, rot and its influence on bodies became the movie’s core aesthetic. Films like Black Swan (psychological horror), The Shining (single, oppressive location) and Phantom Thread (artistic obsession) also served as inspiration.

Eric embraced the use of zoom lenses in the film. “Zooms are super psychological and we tried to find ways that we would sneak them in, because it has this very unsettling feel,” he says. Because Ana is a chef, food also played a major role in the film. “I was interested in trying to find a way to represent the colors that had a feeling of decay- almost a mushroom, moldy look,” Eric explains. “Because what comes from that decay is life, right? It’s like creativity is born through all this death and decay. And so I wanted the colors of the film to represent that feeling.” He created a LUT where the vibrant colors stood out while the browns and greens stayed dull and earthy. The kitchen was really being used to cook the dishes, and a food stylist helped to plate all the ingredients. Second unit would then shoot the dishes as they were presented to the table.

House of Spoils was shot on location at an estate in Budapest. The crew built a fully functional kitchen set, allowing for meticulously planned lighting. The garden outside the kitchen was also created by the production design team and the greens department. The natural fog blanketing the estate’s garden provided the perfect eerie atmosphere, eliminating the need for fog machines.

Eric’s passion for cinematography wasn’t always his career path. After studying at UC Berkeley, he switched gears to study film in grad school at NYU. He managed to land a job as an assistant editor, but cinematography was his true passion. Eric shot music videos and independent films as much as he could on the side. While shooting music videos and independent films, his dedication paid off. The short film Missing went to the Cannes Film Festival. Eric’s cinematography is also in several Sundance Film Festival projects, such as The Sound of Silence, Hearts Beat Loud, and I’ll Be Your Mirror (originally titled Blood).

House of Spoils is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Find Eric Lin: www.eric-lin.com
Instagram: @holdtheframe

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

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
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By Illya Friedman

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September 25, 2024

The Thicket director Elliott Lester on his Western epic

The Thicket is a gritty Western thriller that follows a young man’s quest to rescue his kidnapped sister from the clutches of the notorious Cut Throat Bill (Juliette Lewis). With a ragtag group of outcasts and the aid of the skilled bounty hunter Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage), he embarks on a perilous journey through the unforgiving Texas wilderness.

Inspired by classic Westerns like The Searchers, The Revenant, and McCabe & Mrs. Miller, director Elliott Lester sought to create a visually striking and emotionally resonant film. “I look more at photography and art to inform the feeling, because the moment you shoot that very first frame, you’re dictating how that movie’s going to be,” says Elliott. “Where you put the camera, it informs how the performance is going to feel. There was always something intriguing to look at in each frame of the movie.”

The Thicket was backed by the streaming service Tubi and filmed in Alberta, Canada, during the harsh winter months. The cast and crew faced extreme conditions, including temperatures well below freezing. Despite the challenges, Elliott and his team managed to capture the rugged beauty of the wilderness and create a sense of authenticity.

Cinematographer Guillermo Garza played a crucial role in bringing Elliott’s vision to life. Their collaboration was marked by a deep understanding of naturalism and a commitment to creating visually stunning shots. “One of the reasons I collaborated with him was because he had an amazing understanding of naturalism,” Elliott says. “He’s a pretty remarkable DP.”

With no formal film school training, Elliott worked his way up through the ranks of music video production back in its heyday. His experience as a first assistant director on films like American History X provided him with valuable experience and the desire to become a director. “I was obsessive about directing,” he admits. “Once I got my teeth into something, I was like a dog with a bone.”

Find Elliott Lester: Instagram: @elliottlester88

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

The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
Facebook: @cinepod
Instagram: @thecinepod
Twitter: @ShortEndz

By Illya Friedman

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