SEASON 2 - EPISODE 148 - Pulling a Film Together - with Paula McGann In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with Paula McGann (1917, DARKEST HOUR, MIDNIGHT SKY). We had the pleasure of working with Paula on 1917, and we asked her to come on the podcast to discuss the work that goes into pulling a film together nowadays. Paula—after years of working for directors, producers, and in several departments on numerous films—has recently begun producing herself, and with several projects in various stages of development, we thought her perspective would be valuable to hear and share. Paula teaches us what the film marketplace actually is, and we explore several hypothetical situations such as breaking down a script without a director’s vision and handling a financier’s creatively disruptive note. Paula also shares an experience in which a project was taken away from her, and we discuss practicing resilience in a business of ups and downs. Throughout the episode, we discuss mentors, budgeting, sales agents, putting yourself out there, and finding your own way in the business. - This episode is sponsored by Profoto & Aputure
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TURNING THE TABLES - 'TRUE GRIT' - with David Mullen
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 147 - Turning the Tables - TRUE GRIT - David Mullen Cinematographer David Mullen (Season 1, Episode 83 & Season 2, Episode 113) returns for a new edition of the “Turning the Tables” series in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. David’s questions center around our work on the Coen Brothers’ 2010 version of TRUE GRIT, and we had a wonderful time answering them. In addition to the questions concerning how we actually made the film, we also discuss the long history of westerns and the visual variety within the genre. We also reveal the story behind the push-in in the opening shot of the film, what was on location and what was on stage, and how we shot the river crossing scene. We later reflect on working with then-child actor Hailee Steinfeld, and we discuss the script’s unique and engaging dialogue. We also reflect on the utility of cowboy hats and on the visual strength of westerns directed by John Ford and Sergio Leone, and we swap stories from our early-career, low-budget exterior shoots. Topics also include: film stocks, aspect ratios, lighting locations and sets, and nighttime nightmares shooting a black mare against a black sky. - Recommended Viewing: TRUE GRIT (2010) - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Profoto
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MATTHEW SPECKTOR - Author
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 146 - Matthew Specktor - Author Author Matthew Specktor joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. In his recently released memoir, THE GOLDEN HOUR, Matthew, the son of legendary talent agent Fred Specktor, uses his parents’ divergent professional and personal lives to reflect on the film industry as it was, and he writes about his own life and career in and around the movies to reflect on what it has become. After reading it (and Matthew’s other novels), we felt we had to speak with him. What follows in this episode is a wide-ranging and lively conversation about Matthew’s life, his and our views on the changes in the film business and in the films themselves, cinema’s place in society, and the genuine love for Hollywood that comes out in his writing. We also discuss the changing economics of funding films, the shifts in who wields power in Hollywood, and Matthew details the brief window in the 1960s and 1970s in which filmmakers were afforded a relative freedom not seen since. In THE GOLDEN HOUR, Matthew at times places us inside the minds of industry figureheads such as Lew Wasserman and Michael Ovitz, and Matthew shares how understanding the men who changed the film industry can help us better understand where we are today. We also reflect on the all-consuming lifestyle of working in Hollywood, and Matthew likens it to being trapped in a casino at two in the morning—forever. Plus, Matthew shares what it was like learning how to write from a uniquely qualified professor: James Baldwin. - Recommended Reading: THE GOLDEN HOUR - This episode is sponsored by Profoto & Aputure
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DELIVERABLES & PRESERVING AUTHORIAL INTENT - with Steve Yedlin
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 145 - Deliverables and Preserving Authorial Intent - with Steve Yedlin In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, cinematographer Steve Yedlin (Season 2, Episode 72) returns to talk with us about deliverables and preserving authorial intent in post-production. Throughout the episode, we tap into Steve’s deep well of technical knowledge, and we make frequent reference to Steve’s publicly available demonstration on what HDR really is and how it has affected the colour timing stage of post. We get into the weeds during our conversation, and we try to make sense of the growing number of variables, units of measurement, and home-video viewing options we’re forced to contend with as filmmakers in the digital age. We also look at how our level of control over home-viewing deliverables has changed since the VHS days, and we attempt to peek into what the future may hold for us as technology and audience expectations continue to evolve. Towards the end of our conversation, we discuss the economic realities of restoring old films, and Steve offers his best advice to any young (or older!) filmmaker feeling overwhelmed by the endless technical jargon. Plus, we find some surprising and relevant wisdom within THIS IS SPINAL TAP. - We highly recommend watching Steve’s demonstration on HDR for an even deeper investigation into the topics discussed in this episode. Tap here to watch. - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Profoto
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PHILIP BARANTINI - Director
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 144 - Philip Barantini - Director In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with director Philip Barantini (ADOLESCENCE, BOILING POINT, ACCUSED). Originally from Liverpool, Philip couldn’t have felt further away from the film industry, but after developing an interest in drama and acting, he soon found himself as a working actor. After dropping out of the business and regaining his sobriety, he eventually overcame his self-doubt and built his career as a director from the ground up. Philip shares how he made the jump from making shorts to developing the television series BOILING POINT, and we learn how he found financing for the project and executed the single-shot aesthetic just as the world was shutting down at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We later learn about the genesis and development of ADOLESCENCE, and Philip reflects on the extensive rehearsal process for each episode. Philip also reveals how he created an environment within each episode that empowered the show’s actors to improvise, and he shares how young actor Owen Cooper exceeded all expectations for his first role in front of the camera. - Recommended Viewing: ADOLESCENCE - This episode is sponsored by Profoto & Aputure
The Team Deakins podcast is an ongoing conversation between acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins and James Deakins, his collaborator, about cinematography, the film business and whatever other questions are submitted. We start with a specific question and end....who knows where! We are joined by guests periodically. Followup questions can be posted in the forums at www.rogerdeakins.com.
Netherlands