November 14, 2025

Jeff Cronenweth, ASC: stepping out of the grid on TRON: ARES

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 333: Jeff Cronenweth

Two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth, ASC is known for visually defining modern classics like Fight Club and The Social Network. With TRON: ARES, he melded three distinct realities: the digital Grid, the gritty real world, and the retro feel of the grid in the original TRON.

Jeff’s involvement with TRON: ARES began through his long-standing relationship with Jared Leto. After working together on Fight Club, Leto, who stars as Ares and is a producer on the film, personally asked Jeff to meet with director Joachim Rønning. Jeff found that Rønning had established a remarkably clear vision for TRON: ARES from the start by storyboarding every scene. Having a clear plan was crucial, given the complexity of the environments and the technical demands of the shoot, which included a challenging seven weeks of night shooting in downtown Vancouver.

Jeff chose ARRI DNA LF lenses for their character, flare, and artifacting, even for the digital setting, and the film was framed for IMAX. The core challenge for Jeff was using visual language to differentiate the film’s three central environments, drawing inspiration from the franchise’s past while exploring something new.

1. The Main Grid: Predictable Perfection
Referencing the “pristine” aesthetic of TRON: Legacy, the new film’s main Grid environment is defined by machine code—a world that is predictable and perfect.
Look: Sharp, clean lines, saturated colors, and a highly geometric, mechanical feel.
Color Coding: The classic blue/gray/white color palette is reserved for the good guys, while the presence of the bad guys is immediately signaled by the use of red.

2. The Real World: Embracing the Grit
In TRON: ARES, for the first time, the computer programs emerge into the real world. Reality required a darker, grittier visual separation from the digital realm.
Look: Shooting in Vancouver’s downtown allowed reflections in large glass buildings to enhance the environment’s texture. Practical locations, like a chase that concluded with lightcycles crashing into bales of recycled paper on a pier, further grounded the action.

3. ENCOM/Mainframe Grid: A Nod to the Original
To connect back to the franchise’s roots, the scenes where the character Ares ventures into the original ENCOM grid to find Flynn needed to match the look of the 1982 film.
Reference: The 1982 TRON’s grid scenes were shot in black and white and then hand-painted to achieve the glowing effect.
To mimic this analog feel, Jeff intentionally doubled the amount of grain and desaturated the color, creating a look that closely matches the original. 

Light is both a symbol and a weapon in Tron: Ares. To get the look, visual effects, costumes, props and cinematography had to work closely together. LED lights were installed in costumes, props and sets, and practically controlled through a dimmer board. This gave the VFX team a base to build upon. The lightcycles, some of which were built as practical, towable props, had LEDs built in and connected to dimmer boards as well. The lights provided real, interactive reflections on the actors and surrounding environment. Jeff also used light beams on set to simulate a recognizer scanning a high-rise office. The VFX crew could then track and enhance these practical effects in post-production.

Jeff’s choices were crucial for the post-production team. “We all knew what the goals were and what the scenes were going to be about,” he says. “It was a wonderful experience because it took all of us to be in harmony all the time.”

See TRON: ARES in theaters
Jeff is currently shooting The Social Reckoning, with director Aaron Sorkin.
Hear our previous interviews with Jeff Cronenweth:
https://www.camnoir.com/ep150/
https://www.camnoir.com/ep72/

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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February 19, 2025

Paul Guilhaume, AFC: opera and realism in Emilia Pérez

Emilia Pérez is about a Mexican cartel leader, Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón) who hires a lawyer (Zoe Saldaña) to help him disappear, undergo gender affirming surgery, and transition into a woman. But even as Emilia Pérez, she is unable to fully leave her dark criminal past behind. Director Jacques Audiard saw the film as a unique blend of gritty drama like Amores Perros and an opera. He approached cinematographer Paul Guilhaume, AFC to collaborate on his vision.

With a combination of operatic grandeur, gritty realism, and dynamic camerawork, Paul Guilhaume has been nominated for an Academy Award for his visually stunning cinematography in Emilia Pérez. Paul was impressed with the story arc when he received the script for the movie. “There is something a bit like a classic drama or a very classic structure of a play,” he explains. “The actions of the past come back, and the darkness comes back in the film at the end.” This dramatic structure, combined with the operatic elements, presented a unique challenge. Audiard initially conceived Emilia Pérez as a five-act musical stage play before deciding to film it. The theatrical influence is apparent in the film’s structure and visual approach.

The drama unfolds during the musical numbers, revealing information about the story. All of the musical numbers were written into the script and became a thread interwoven throughout the film. Paul used a variety of styles to shoot each music scene. He chose classic shot-reverse-shot for intimate moments, to stylized, modern music video techniques and grand, classic musical visuals for moments of heightened movement and energy. Months of preparation and rehearsal allowed the actors to meticulously block and choreograph the dance scenes in tandem with the Steadicam, resulting in seamless integration of movement and camera.

In Emilia Pérez, the camera is always in motion, matching the pacing of the music. “Jacques has an aesthetic of movement, the camera is almost never still,” says Paul. “There’s something in motion in each and every frame that’s not photographic composition, but cinematographic composition. Your eye is always in motion, taking you from one shot to the next.” The film’s visual tone shifts as Emilia’s past catches up with her. Paul responded to the shift with higher contrast, theatrical lighting, bringing up the darks with black walls and using an infrared camera.

Despite the film’s ambitious scope, it began as a small, independent production with a limited budget before being picked up by Netflix. This constraint led to the decision to shoot digitally with a Sony Venice, a choice that ultimately saved time and money. Paul and Audiard focused on crafting memorable moments, striving to create one key image per scene to build a lasting “visual memory” for the audience.

Emilia Pérez is on Netflix.

Find Paul Guilhaume: Instagram: @paul_guilhaume

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The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com
YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast
Facebook: @cinepod
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By Illya Friedman

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February 12, 2025

Sugarcane filmmakers Emily Kassie and Christopher LaMarca

Sugarcane is a powerful documentary film that delves into the dark history of abuse and murder at a Canadian residential school. These Catholic boarding schools in North America and Canada have caused lasting trauma across Indigenous communities. The film centers around the Williams Lake First Nation in British Columbia, where a ground-breaking investigation into the St. Joseph’s Mission residential school is underway. Sugarcane is Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Feature.

Director Emily Kassie is an Emmy and Peabody-nominated investigative journalist and filmmaker. She was compelled to tell the story of the ongoing investigation and asked journalist and co-director Julian Brave NoiseCat to be a part of the team. NoiseCat’s family has an intimate and painful connection to the residential schools. His father, Ed Archie NoiseCat, was born at St. Joseph’s Mission to a student there. The NoiseCat family story became inextricably woven into the fabric of the documentary.

Emily envisioned a film that was not only informative but also deeply sensitive. She partnered with cinematographer Christopher LaMarca, whose verité style of filmmaking hinges on the power of time, trust and truth. Over two and a half years, Kassie and LaMarca spent 160 days in Williams Lake, embedding themselves within the community. “The approach to true verité filmmaking is time,” says Chris. “You need lots of time to shoot this way. You need to spend time with people before you even start shooting so that they trust you. It’s a way of being instead of just being a cinematographer.” Emily fully embraced Chris’s approach. “For me, what comes with time is trust and intimacy,” she says. “It was so important to earn the trust of this community that has been ravaged by colonization, that has been lied to and betrayed by white people since they arrived on the land.”

This trust informed every aspect of their filmmaking. The decision to use prime lenses, for example, was a deliberate choice. Instead of the distancing effect of a zoom lens, prime lenses required the filmmakers to physically move closer to their subjects, fostering a sense of connection and intimacy. “Prime lenses render the face and space differently than a zoom does,” Chris notes, emphasizing the importance of physical proximity in creating a sense of genuine conversation. The resulting close-up shots, born from their time spent in the community, offer a powerful and intimate glimpse into the lives and experiences of those affected by the residential school.

Both Emily and Chris were shooting with a Canon C500 Mark II camera at all times, simultaneously filming and recording their own sound. The emphasis on capturing dialogue was crucial, allowing them to connect the dots in the ongoing investigation and understand the full scope of the story. Emily meticulously logged and organized all the footage, immersing herself in the project for three and a half years. She became intimately familiar with every piece of research and evidence uncovered in the residential school archives.

For Chris, the most vital part of their process happened after each day of filming. Every night, they would download the footage and reflect on the moments that resonated most deeply. “You’re recalling all of the things that hit your heart the hardest and penetrated the deepest,” he explains. “And in that moment, that’s where the film starts to get made – not on paper, but from the heart, being totally clear and focused on what was happening in the day.”

Sugarcane premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

Find Emily Kassie: http://www.emilykassie.com/
Instagram @emilykassie

Find Chris LaMarca: http://www.christopherlamarca.com/
Instagram @christopher_lamarca

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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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September 11, 2024

Hollywood’s rainbow: Hollywood Pride author Alonso Duralde

Hollywood has long been a place of glamour and storytelling, but its history with LGBTQ+ representation is complex and ever-evolving. Film critic Alonso Duralde dives deep into this fascinating world in his new book, Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film.

Hollywood Pride is a history of queer Hollywood in chronological order, starting from the very beginnings of cinema in 1895 and journeying all the way to 2022. It’s not just about the movies themselves; Alonso delves into the lives of the artists – actors, directors, writers, and more – who have shaped Hollywood, both on and off screen. “The book is a look at how queer history evolved over those decades, off the screen and in society,” Alonso explains. “And then how that was reflected in the movies.”

Each chapter focuses on a specific period, highlighting the key LGBTQ+ figures and films of that era. It explores not only positive portrayals but also the coded messages and subtext that emerged during times of censorship, like the Hays Code era. Alonso argues that even negative portrayals hold certain significance. “Even negative inclusion is at least visibility and a reminder that we exist,” he says. “It’s not the greatest reminder, but it’s better than nothing.”

The book examines Alfred Hitchcock’s films, some of which are very homophobic, but still offer a glimpse of LGBTQ+ characters.There are also unexpected gems celebrated in the book, such as 1999’s The Mummy, a film that has resonated with the bisexual community. By the 1970’s, Dog Day Afternoon and Midnight Cowboy could more openly deal with gay characters, if not in the best light.

Alonso especially enjoyed writing about Salome, Caged, I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda, and by the 1990’s, the era of the New Queer Cinema movement. While celebrating the strides made in LGBTQ+ representation, Alonso acknowledges there are still many stories waiting to be told. “It feels like I was skimming the surface of a very deep topic,” he says. But even a glimpse into this rich history is a valuable step forward, offering a deeper understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences in cinema and beyond.

You can find Hollywood Pride as a book, ebook, or audiobook wherever books are sold.

**WIN A COPY OF HOLLYWOOD PRIDE! Like, Follow and Comment on our post for this week’s episode on Instagram, Facebook or Threads and we will pick a winner**
*Winner must be within the continental U.S.!*

Find Alonso Duralde: Instagram: @alonso.duralde

Listen to our previous interview with Alonso Duralde about his Christmas film book, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas. https://www.camnoir.com/holiday2018/

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

Sponsored by Aputure: https://www.aputure.com/

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

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September 4, 2024

Creating the galaxy of The Acolyte: DP Chris Teague

The Disney+ series The Acolyte continues the saga of the Star Wars universe with a crime thriller. A former Jedi Padawan, Osha, reunites with her Jedi Master, Sol, to investigate a murder spree against their fellow Jedis. They uncover secrets from Osha’s past and must fight the dark sides of the Force.

Cinematographer Chris Teague has crafted stunning visuals for a variety of projects, from indie dramas like Obvious Child to critically acclaimed series like Russian Doll, GLOW, and Only Murders in the Building. He feels his style is constantly evolving. For the Star Wars series The Acolyte, Chris worked with saturated colors and key lighting, as though the illumination in many scenes was from a single source. He wanted to immerse viewers in the world of the series, without calling attention to the cinematography.

When approaching a project, Chris delves into the script and references, often discovering new insights along the way. “As you’re reading a script, as you’re looking at references, you have these little epiphanies, these little discoveries, but they’re always sort of partial discoveries,” Chris says. “And then hopefully, they evolve into something that’s specific to the project itself. The joy of filmmaking is to collaborate and combine all the creativity into something that feels cohesive.” He believes that these discoveries gradually evolve into a style specific to the project. As the lead DP, Chris established the look of the show over 6 months of prep. He split the episodes with fellow cinematographer James Friend, and they tested cameras and lenses together. Friend’s episodes took place in different locations so he was able to establish his own look for his episodes.

For The Acolyte, Chris worked closely with the production designer to create sets that were both practical and visually stunning, with multiple angles for the camera to explore. He and showrunner/director Leslye Headland also embraced the challenge of shooting in real locations, selling the scale of the Star Wars universe without relying heavily on blue screen. They did not use a volume stage at all, wanting it to look as close to what director George Lucas would do, with a visual style that was powerful but not overbearing. Several of the scenes in episodes four and five were filmed on location in Madeira, an island off the coast of Africa. Madeira offered lots of wild beauty, with incredible views from craggy bluffs. They did face some weather challenges while shooting there, with sweeps of fog and cloud that rolled into a full whiteout at times.

Beyond the visuals, Chris also focused on capturing the intricate stunt choreography and fight sequences in a way that would keep the audience engaged. His attention to detail ensured that these action-packed moments felt both exciting and integral to the storytelling. As a Star Wars fan, Chris was excited to be involved in The Acolyte. He says of the experience, “I can’t believe I’m in this room right now watching this happen. It really feels like you’re part of this creative process that people are going to fall in love with.”

Find Chris Teague: http://www.teaguefilmworks.com/home
Instagram: @_christeague

Listen to our previous interview with Chris Teague on Only Murders in the Building. https://www.camnoir.com/ep174/
Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

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

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August 21, 2024

From Actor to Auteur: Strange Darling DP Giovanni Ribisi, pt. 1

In the new horror film Strange Darling, a one-night stand at a motel becomes a dangerous game of cat and mouse as the woman is chased down by a serial killer. But nothing is what it seems as the film is cleverly revealed in chapters out of sequence, allowing the audience to slowly piece together the thriller.

Giovanni Ribisi, the cinematographer of Strange Darling, has been a familiar face on screen for decades as an actor. Over the past 15 years, he’s been quietly honing his skills behind the camera on music videos and commercials. Strange Darling is his first feature as a cinematographer. After growing up on film sets and around cameras, Giovanni was always curious about the mystery, magic and technology of creating images on film. He says, “The difference between acting and cinematography is, with acting, you start from a subjective place where you want to work from the inside out on a character to establish or understand the experience of what the writer had intended for that character. (Cinematography) is the inversion of that. It’s an objective launching pad trying to get more subjective for stories.”

After working on the visually captivating film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), Giovanni began exploring the world of visual effects. He enrolled at the Gnomon School in North Hollywood to learn the basics, while continuing to act in order to pay the bills. Giovanni and some partners formed the visual effects company, Stereo D, which they eventually sold. Though he continued acting, Giovanni turned his attention to photography and cinematography, experimenting with film stock and cameras for personal projects and music videos.

Once Strange Darling director JT Mollner sent Giovanni the script, they were on the phone within 15 minutes discussing how they could make the film on a tight budget with some of Giovanni’s gear and resources. Giovanni feels strongly that most filmmakers don’t have the time to really dig in and create a movie. Strange Darling was about $4 million dollars, and typically would have been granted 18 days to shoot. Instead, they budgeted for a 32 day schedule, which allowed Mollner to have time to make something in realistic terms, with a humane schedule for the crew.

Giovanni’s choice to shoot Strange Darling on 35mm film was a deliberate one. When a film is shot digitally, Giovanni feels the camera crew is often just checking off boxes, “hosing down” a scene with as many shots as possible without much thought to the process as they go. He appreciates the aesthetic qualities of film and the meticulous planning involved. In contrast to the often frantic pace of digital filmmaking, he and Mollner meticulously planned every shot, creating a detailed shotlist that guided the entire production.

The visual inspiration for Strange Darling came from classic films of the 60s and 70s, such as Mademoiselle, The Innocents, and The Devils. They worked closely with the production designer to develop a unique color palette for each scene, with vivid primary colors playing a huge part in each scene. As the cinematographer, Giovanni was extremely proud of a long dialogue scene in the film that was bathed in neon blue light from the motel. The carefully crafted lighting and composition create a visually striking and memorable moment.

Strange Darling showcases Giovanni’s ability to create visually stunning and thought-provoking work as a cinematographer. His passion for filmmaking and transition from actor to cinematographer is rare and inspiring.

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

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

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May 22, 2024

Griselda cinematographer Armando Salas, ASC

Netflix’s gripping new series, Griselda, takes viewers deep into the world of Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco. But behind the drugs and violence is a masterfully crafted world, built by cinematographer Armando Salas, ASC. Armando, known for his work on Ozark, brings a unique perspective to Griselda. His approach to color throughout the series tells a story that’s more about character than it is about the drug trade. “In the end, we’re making a work of fiction, and we really want to connect with the audience,” says Armando. “And the things you know and hear about Griselda Blanco is, you know, she’s a killer, a psychopath. There’s not a lot of redeeming qualities when you’re looking into the drug wars in Miami at that time.” Even through all the death and destruction in the series, director Andrés Baiz didn’t want Griselda to be too dark. He still wanted to find some joy and absurdity within the story.

Armando met with director Andrés Baiz, who wanted to hire a local Los Angeles DP who also spoke Spanish, since a majority of Griselda’s script is in Spanish. Growing up in Miami, Armando happened to know the story of Griselda Blanco very well. He also worked on a 2006 documentary called Cocaine Cowboys, about how Miami became the cocaine capital of the US. They did careful location scouting around LA for places that looked like Miami in the late 1970’s and early 80’s. Armando and Baiz wanted the show to have the right period look. “We didn’t take an intellectual conceit, I wasn’t only using lenses or camera technology that existed at that time. We were really more interested in finding the right feeling,” Armando explains. “And so, we looked at a lot of photography from the period, we looked at a lot of films from the period, we looked at modern films that were doing a good job of recreating the period, but we kind of landed our our own version. Again, it’s really just like capturing the vibe and building the world. And so we had a very aggressive and unique approach to the LUT and the color characteristics of our negative.” The Polaroid pictures Baiz took during location scouting became a big inspiration for the color palette of the show.

Throughout the six episode series, Armando used color to help tell a compelling character story. Griselda’s world is full of deep, rich colors as she’s living the high life. In contrast, Armando chose a bluer, more desaturated color for scenes with June Hawkins (Juliana Aidén Martinez), the Miami PD intelligence analyst. As she breaks the case and convinces law enforcement officers to go after Griselda, she enters a world of color. “And on top of that, we unleash the camera. We go flying down the sidewalk with her from multiple angles. It’s the fastest camera movements in the series. And over the course of the series, her storyline and Griselda’s storyline meet, and the color, the glitz and glamour of Griselda’s world has been mostly stripped out at that point. June has come into her own, and they meet in that world. The two arcs have now connected, and it’s one story.”

Griselda is available on Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/title/81133447

Hear our previous interview with Armando discussing his work on Ozark and more. https://www.camnoir.com/ep91/

Find Armando Salas: https://www.salasfilm.com/
Instagram: @cinesalas

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By Illya Friedman

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May 15, 2024

True Detective: Night Country cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister, BSC

HBO’s True Detective: Night Country has captivated audiences with its chilling atmosphere and compelling narrative. Cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister, BSC worked with director Issa López to craft the haunting visuals for the supernatural whodunit. “The detective procedural is part of the brand and it’s part of the show, but it should not affect the cinematography,” says Florian. “The cinematography is never motivated just in terms of solving the mystery. We must be sure to show every important fact or clue, to understand the mystery or to build up a bigger mystery. But it’s important to follow the characters and their internal struggles and secrets, the relationships, the darkness, the supernatural as the case unfolds.”

When he first met with Lopez to discuss shooting True Detective: Night Country, Florian liked the feeling of eerie isolation and darkness of the location. The influence of nature adds to the supernatural and to the characters’ fragmentation from each other. Florian found inspirational images by photographer Alexander Gronsky, who took photos of Russian workers in mines near the Arctic Circle. John Carpenter’s The Thing and the movie Sicario were also influences for the look of the series.

True Detective: Night Country takes place in Alaska near the Arctic Circle, with Iceland as the filming location. Most of the show was shot outside during the winter months, although it happened to be the coldest winter in Iceland in a hundred years. They used a soundstage only for the scenes where characters had to be outside in the snow naked or barefoot. Florian enjoys shooting in extreme climates, noting that proper clothing for the temperature is what matters the most. Even with the extreme cold, the ARRI Alexa 35 cameras all functioned just fine. The filming was over a period of 112 days, starting in October on the soundstage. Once winter really hit after Christmas, they began shooting in the snow and darkness. Each day provided about four hours of light, with just about five minutes of sunlight, then a few blue hours of sunrise and sunset.

True Detective: Night Country is available on Max.

Hear our previous interview with Florian Hoffmeister discussing his work on TÁR. https://www.camnoir.com/ep194/

Find Florian Hoffmeister: http://florianhoffmeister.de/
Instagram: @florian.hoffmeister

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

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

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March 28, 2024

Dynamics of a Working Camera Department with Greg Irwin, SOC

Gregory Irwin is an extremely experienced A Camera First AC who first got into the business 44 years ago. He received a 2016 Society of Camera Operators Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions as Camera Technician. His most recent project is the Joker sequel Joker: Folie à Deux coming soon.

Greg frequently gives talks on the importance of character and credibility in the camera department. The camera department is in a leadership role on any production. There’s always going to be challenges on set, but it’s important to remember that if the camera department seems like they’re panicking, it affects the rest of the production. A good camera department is always helpful, no matter what department needs it. Never be rude or show panic, even when things aren’t going to plan. Greg says, “I want my team to know everything at all times, and I want them to be better than me. If I can develop a young camera person into a rock solid, good human being as well as a good camera technician then I’ve done my job.”

Greg discusses:

Character and credibility in the camera department-remembering you are in a leadership role
Taking a business approach to the camera department
Interacting with the director, cinematographer, producers and showrunners
How to hire others in the camera department- be sure to vet your camera crew before hiring them
Be a “one minute manager”- choose people you don’t have to micromanage
Handling the first phone calls with the filmmakers and producers: save talk about rates, money, deals until about the 4th phone call so you can get to know the person who you’re negotiating with
Generally talk rates/business aspects for your camera team as well
Prep for the camera prep day: prep should already be done ahead, including what you need for your camera package
Prep and budget: build everything you need for prep based on meetings with the filmmakers & DP, timestamp prep lists to keep track of everything. By draft 10, you should be clear on what’s needed and camera budget should be very clear at that point
Look the part- better to dress like a professional
Be organized and don’t have a sense of entitlement
How to get noticed and move up in the camera department

Find Greg Irwin: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0410389/

Sponsored by Hot Rod Cameras www.hotrodcameras.com

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

By Illya Friedman

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In Cinematography Podcast, Latest Posts, Podcast Episodes

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