SEASON 2 - EPISODE 152 - Lucy Prebble - Playwright / Writer Playwright and writer Lucy Prebble (SUCCESSION, I HATE SUZIE, ENRON) joins us in this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast. Lucy’s plays frequently incorporate the physical space of the stage in the telling of the story and involve the audience in engaging and creative ways, and we were excited to talk to her about storytelling both on stage and on screen. We learn how, after a bookish childhood, she eventually found the courage to have her own plays put on, and she reflects on her experiences running her own television show and working on others’. Lucy also wrote for the amply-budgeted video game DESTINY, and she shares (as much as she’s allowed to) how the writing process works for something with that many resources. Lucy also reveals the real-world events that inspired her plays ENRON and THE SUGAR SYNDROME, and we learn how she identifies the real human relationships at the heart these stories. We also discuss the value of empathy and deadlines for a writer, and Lucy makes a prediction for the future of the theatre in the digital age. Plus, we observe that many of history’s greatest writers were really just frustrated actors. - This episode is sponsored by Barco & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 151 - Dave Freeth - Inventor of the Stabileye In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with Dave Freeth, a recipient of a Scientific and Engineering Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the invention of the Stabileye. The Stabileye is a remotely-operated, motorized camera stabilization system, and we used the equipment extensively on 1917 to pull the film off. Dave originally started out in an apprenticeship for watchmaking but soon found himself working for the Ministry of Defence until making the transition into the film industry. We asked Dave to come on the podcast to discuss the Stabileye’s inception and design, and he describes the underlying mechanics that not only power the Stabileye but other stabilization systems in use today. We talk about gyroscopes, satellites, lasers, and even gravity! He also shares how the Stabileye is adapting to newer camera models, and he reveals some surprising potential developments in sensor technology. We learn a lot in this episode, and we were excited to celebrate Dave’s recent recognition with him.  - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Barco

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 150 - A LOOK AT TWO INSPIRATIONAL FILMS - with Joe Walker - Part 2 In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we finish our two-part conversation with editor Joe Walker (Season 1, Episode 35) about two of our favourite films: Richard Brooks’ IN COLD BLOOD and Jean-Pierre Melville’s ARMY OF SHADOWS. Following the previous episode, we shift our focus towards ARMY OF SHADOWS, contrasting the film’s measured pacing with the rapidity of its violence that punctuates several points in the story. We reflect on the emotional effect of the movie’s unique sense of rhythm and handmade nature, and we discuss the use (and absence) of music throughout the film. We also reflect on the film’s near-lack of inserts and intimacy, and we share how the film successfully adapts the essence of the book from which it is based despite making several story changes. Roger was in college at the time of both films’ theatrical runs, and he shares what it was like watching them with contemporary audiences. Later, Joe reveals why he and director Denis Villeneuve (Season 1, Episode 25) vary their film diet and watch “slower” films such as ARMY OF SHADOWS to refresh their brains, and Joe observes that fisherman make great camera operators. - Recommended Viewing: IN COLD BLOOD (1967), ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969) - This episode is sponsored by Barco & Aputure

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 149 - A LOOK AT TWO INSPIRATIONAL FILMS - with Joe Walker - Part 1 In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, editor Joe Walker (Season 1, Episode 35) returns for the first half of a two-part discussion about the filmmaking behind two of our favourite films: Richard Brooks’ IN COLD BLOOD and Jean-Pierre Melville’s ARMY OF SHADOWS. The films may contrast in their expression of cinematic storytelling with each other and with films made today, but we find, over the course of these two episodes, that both films share and build on the fundamental elements of what makes a movie, a movie. This episode focuses on IN COLD BLOOD, and we discuss how the film frequently subverts expectations through its structure, cinematography, and editing. Joe also breaks down composer Quincy Jones’ evocative score, and he reveals how the film radically flew in the face of a soon-to-be-abandoned Hays Code. Additionally, we look at the innovations in filmmaking technologies and techniques from cinema’s youth to the 1960s, and Joe presents his theory of the 30-year-cycle of evolution in the film industry. Plus, we take a moment to consider the links between Soviet propaganda’s understanding of montage and the modern analytics and algorithms that manipulate how images are presented on the internet today.  - Recommended Viewing: IN COLD BLOOD (1967), ARMY OF SHADOWS (1969) - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Barco

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

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

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 

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

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

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 143 - Phil Alden Robinson - Writer / Director In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with writer and director Phil Alden Robinson (THE GOOD FIGHT, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS, FIELD OF DREAMS) about many of his films. Phil was initially interested in politics and journalism, but he eventually made his way to Los Angeles and found his way into a writer’s room based on the strength of a spec script. Phil soon found two of his feature scripts in production, and he reflects on the impact of being treated as badly as possible and as well as possible simultaneously. Later, Phil breaks down how FIELD OF DREAMS came together as a project, and we learn how he overcame an overwhelming sense of stress through the support of his cast and key crew members, including cinematographer John Lindley (Season 1, Episode 34) and production designer Dennis Gassner (Season 1, Episode 131). In addition to his work in features, Phil also directed documentaries for Nightline in a number of war zones, and we discuss the value of living life and taking time off from making movies. We also discuss the ubiquitousness of VFX in cinema today, and Phil shares what he feels to be the real lesson to take away from a film like the original STAR WARS. - Recommended Viewing: FIELD OF DREAMS, THE SUM OF ALL FEARS - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Profoto